Chiang Mai, Thailand

Oh Chiang Mai... you've forever captured my heart. 

Perhaps our favorite destination of our latest international trip,

this enchanting city of Northern Thailand is truly a cultural darling. 

Way more mellow than the hustling and bustling Bangkok,

Chiang Mai offers the perfect combination of metropolis and relaxation. 

On any given day you can find yourself riding elephants, playing with tigers, chatting with monks or racing around the tiny streets on a scooter. 

Although we were able to see majority of the city in one day,

thanks to our very efficient (and cheap!) tuk tuk driver,

I wish we had more time to spend in this part of the country... it's just so beautiful!

We kicked off our day with a visit to Tiger Kingdom,

a total tourist trap, but come on... how could we pass up an opportunity to cuddle with these kitties?

Oh no biggie... just taking a quick power nap..

How gorgeous are these creatures? I must have taken hundreds of photos, because I simply couldn't believe this moment was real. 

BABIES!!

After a few hours of hanging with the tigers,

our driver asked if we wanted to spend some time with monkeys too.

Ummmm.... is that a serious question?

YES!

Meeting Sam... it was love at first sight!

Family photo... LOL!

Hanging with Sam and his buddies for a few hours was awesome. 

It didn't cease to amaze us how incredibly intelligent these mammals are. 

You should have seen some of the tricks that these guys had up their sleeves!

Riding bikes, giving kisses, lifting weights and so much more. 

So fun. 

From there we made our way up the mountain towards Wat Phra That Doi Suthep,

truly the most stunning temple we've seen during our trip. 

According to legend, the site was chosen by an honoured Buddha relic mounted on the back of a white elephant.

The animal wandered until it passed away on Doi Suthep, 

making this the relic's new home. 

To get to the temple, one must climb a long flight of steps lined by ceramic-tailed naga.

As you can imagine, the views from the top are breathtaking!

 It was a jam-packed yet amazing day. 

We were so fortunate to come "home" to our villa at the Khum Phaya Resort & Spa. 

God how I miss that jacuzzi tub!

I highly recommend this hotel if you're looking for a place to stay in Chiang Mai.