Loy Krathong — Sarasota, FL Interior Decorator & Event Designer - Tippy creates traditional designs with a colorful and whimsical twist.

Sawasdee ka(hello in Thai) is one of the few phrases I remember from my visit to Thailand but the country itself still mesmerizes me today.

Still lingering in my memory several years later, Thailand is by far the most exotic and magical place I have ever visited. Where else can you pet tigers, ride elephants, eat exotic food, afford daily massages and island hop through the most beautiful water you have ever seen?

The lantern festival of lights is what first lured me to Thailand. Having a family member living there at the time made the trip a reality. I stayed just short of a month and visited three main areas: Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Krabi. It was truly a bucket list trip for me. There is so much to experience there that I could never cover it all but I will share my highlights from my trip starting with week one.

Week 1 - Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai which means “New City” in Thai is a mountainous region and the largest city in Northern Thailand. Founded in 1296, it was capital of the independent Lanna Kingdom until 1558(according to Google). Its Old City area still retains remnants of walls and moats from its history as a cultural and religious center. With its revered temples alongside its modern buildings, today Chiang Mai is a place where the past and present merge to create a beautiful melange for the senses.

First Stop - Thai Festival of Lights

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I arrived in Chiang Mai at the end of November just in time for the Thai Festival of Lights(or what looks like a scene from the movie Tangled). The country-wide annual celebration of Loy Krathong (loy meaning float + krathong referring to a banana trunk decorated with flowers and incense sticks) collides with the northern tradition of Yi Peng (referring to the full moon day in the second month according to the Lanna lunar calendar) in Chiang Mai. As the largest city in northern Thailand, Chiang Mai boasts some of the most incredible parades, firework displays and traditional art performances in celebration of this holiday.

The Thais see it as a time to wave goodbye to misfortune, wash away sins of the past year, and make wishes for the coming year. For me, it was truly a magical experience and it has become a tradition that our family pays homage to almost every year around Thanksgiving.

Second stop - Patara Elephant farm

I highly recommend visiting Patara Elephant Farm. I signed up to be an “elephant care-giver” for a day and it was an experience like no other. The day includes a thorough education on these gentle giants as you are guided through feeding and grooming them. The bath ends with a surprise splash and is followed by a picnic lunch under a thatched hut that clings to the mountainside. After lunch, you finish the day touring the mountain trails on your newly trusted companion. I’ll never forget how she carefully carried me on her back by enveloping my legs with her magnificent ears. Is was as if she was caring for me instead. At the end of the journey, I said goodbye to my new friend and as her trunk wrapped my waist, I knew that neither of us would ever forget our meeting.

Third Stop - Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is a Theravada Buddhist temple (wat) in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. It is one of northern Thailand’s most sacred temples and is a beautiful example of northern Thai architecture. To view the beauty of this wat, one must first climb the iconic Naga serpentine steps(306 of them) to the top. Once there, the view of the city is breathtaking.

Fourth Stop - Hmong Village on Doi Pui

While visiting Doi Suthep, we also visitied Doi Pui where the Hmong hill-tribe lives. The road up to the village is steep but worth the visit. I was told that most of the hill-tribes of the north used to cultivate opium poppies. Today, the Hmong community is sustained by selling agricultural products and traditional crafts(too intriguing not to purchase).