Chiang Dao: Illuminating Cave Mysteries

On an uncertain whim, Louise and I decided to travel north to the town of Chiang Dao. Louise’s guidebook included two alluring sentences about Chiang Dao’s cave temples. At dinner with my friend from my first trip to Thailand, we asked whether it was worth the out-of-the-way trek. Erika, typically nonchalant, responded with conviction — we had to go!

According to a few seasoned travelers we've met since, Chiang Dao recalls the undisturbed Thailand of 15 years ago, before tourists altered the attitudes and landscape. Few farang travel to the town, and most residents don’t speak English. Getting lost is easy, which means finding your way is a reward for independence and grit.

Leaving Chiang Mai on a red truck taxi. At this point, carrying our 45-pound bags seemed like fun.

Riding a retro bus north. I'm loving Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer.

We started our excursion in 105-degree heat, carrying our packs for more than two miles as we attempted to locate our hostel. Our bus plopped us off in town, rather than at the bus station as we anticipated. In total, we asked nine different people for directions. Most took out their phones to call their English-speaking friend and then handed me the phone to talk to them. It was endearing and earnest, but unfortunately not helpful. The issue was the “s” — hotel vs. hostel. Many Thai people have difficulty pronouncing the English “s” sound in the middle of a word. And apparently two American backpackers is not a common enough sight for people to wordlessly point in the direction of the only hostel in town.

Of course, we eventually arrived at our destination. And we were certainly recompensed the rest of our time in Chiang Dao. We met the most generous people, ate true Lanna food, and witnessed the magic of the mountains and their underbellies.

Photo Credit: Louise HeffernanAt our hostel, we had private riverside huts to relax, drink coffee, and read Into the Wild. — Photo Credit: Louise Heffernan
At our hostel, we had private riverside huts to relax, drink coffee, and read Into the Wild.

Like most things in Chiang Dao, we had the restaurant our first night to ourselves. So the backyard became the backdrop for our impromptu cell phone photo shoot.

The green chili paste and lemongrass sausage is typical of Lanna cuisine, and this was the first I'd tasted. And subsequently devoured.

Where are all the women?

I've been asking myself this question about Buddhism since our temple tours and monk interviews in Chiang Mai. The answer: in the caves of Chiang Dao!

Louise and I woke before dawn in hopes of catching the sunrise by motorbike in Chiang Dao National Park. We drove past monks collecting alms and angry temple dogs barking at our heels, but no sun peaked through the monsoon-ready sky.

So we got lost up in the clouds. But we found a woman-only meditation center in a cave temple. Buddhist nuns run the center, and they seemed pretty surprised to see us at 6am. After some gesturing, they ushered us inside the temple for monkey-see, monkey-do meditation lessons. Then they left us alone for a peaceful morning of “purifying the mind.”

For a few minutes, I achieved a blank brain. But then the incredulity of the moment—A Buddhist nun just taught me how to meditate in a woman-only, hidden cave!!—distracted me. My brain kept comparing the nuns’ all-white outfits to suffragettes. It wasn’t so much a peaceful morning as a powerful one. My spirit was infused with Buddhist badassery.

We asked our hostel if we could rent motorbikes somewhere in town, and the young woman called her uncle. They generously rented us their family motorbike for two days, even though it was clear I did not know how to drive it. Luckily, Louise is compe… — We asked our hostel if we could rent motorbikes somewhere in town, and the young woman called her uncle. They generously rented us their family motorbike for two days, even though it was clear I did not know how to drive it. Luckily, Louise is competent on two wheels. Here, we're driving into Chiang Dao National Park.

I'm getting used to seeing random Buddhas in the jungle. I'm grateful we followed this one's direction because it led us to the nuns!

This cave had electricity, and I was shocked to see how big it was once the nun turned on the lights!

The Ancient Underground

Next, we journeyed to Chiang Dao Cave for a circumstantially private tour of the underground temple complex. Thousands of bats and cup-sized crickets inhabited the space, which we could only see from the light of our guide’s single lantern. Wearing a temple outfit (AKA, my Turkish towel wrapped around my waist to cover my knees) while crawling through the cave also presented a unique challenge. But again, I couldn’t believe we had the sacred space to ourselves, or that our guides so heartily welcomed us inside. The 90 minutes we spent amongst the stalactites and stalagmites inside Chiang Dao Mountain felt truly special.

Chiang Dao, imbued with magic and mystery, captivated me. I would go back in a heartbeat to kick it in the caves.