6/12/17 Weds: I booked a one-day driver service with Joy (Pronchadin Potiya) via email for them to drive us to Chiang Dao Cave and Buatong waterfalls from our Airbnb and back (3,100 baht, exclusive of entrance fees). For the service, I paid a deposit of 300 baht via Paypal first, and the rest was paid to our driver at the end of our trip.
We started our trip at 8.30am, and our lady driver was Wipa, who was the wife of Sunny (one of the partners). I estimated the journey to be about 2 hours to Chiang Dao cave, and Wipa was so nice to pass us some sticky rice with peanuts and banana! Sweet~~~
Saw horses and cute road signs along the way. She stopped by roadside halfway, and we saw some locals making the bamboo sticky rice with black beans in them.
After we reached Chiang Dao cave, Joy went to park her car, and two of us bought some food for the fishes in the river outside the cave, but they all seemed too full neh haha.
We bought the entrance tickets into Prah Non Cave (40 baht) and went in with Wipa guiding us. We went to the brightly-lit Chiang Dao caves, and not deeper into those unmanned ones due to time constraint and the hassle. It was spacious and rather easy to walk in the cooling caves. Many Buddha statues inside too.
Not as "wow" as the one I saw in Halong Bay, but it was still an eye-opener to see how Thai people worships Buddhism in the caves.
Came out from the same entrance, and after a short toilet break, we headed over to Buatong waterfalls, which was about an hour's drive away. *Praying it doesn't rain!*
It was still free for entry when we went, but Wipa mentioned that the government might impose entry fees in future for visitors to Bua Thong waterfalls. While we took the towels and changed into slippers to go to the waterfall, Joy parked her car nearby and waited for us that afternoon.
It was quite a long flight of stairs down that area, overgrown with bamboos imo, but not many people around when we were there.
The Sticky Waterfalls get their name from limestone deposit, and so people can easily stand and climb up the waterfall either barefoot or with slippers on. *The water is cooling, and my slippers came off a few times due to the gush of the water, so I took them off.* There were some parts that were more slippery due to the growth of algae, and hence one has got to be careful when climbing up. There are some ropes attached at some difficult areas for your grip too.
By the time we climbed up half of the waterfall, my hands were quite tired already haha, so we watched how others climb up too. *"Spiderman" Potato was super agile la lol~* There were locals climbing down too, which looked even scarier to me considering the height and rush of water...
One round and I'm amazed enough that I can actually "walk up" a waterfall haha. There was a map on trails available to take, and we randomly walked into the forest to explore...
We walked deep in, and saw some small buddha statues. So, there was a story about two princesses here, and one of them was called Buatong! I can't remember the details anymore though.
Changed our clothes and slipped on our shoes before Wipa drove us back. It was still early, so she recommended us to Watrorot market for cheap snacks and lunch.
It's a wet market, and also sells some preserved dried items as well, and we bought some tidbits. Found an underground food court for lunch. I decided to have Khao Soi, traditional Chiang Mai curry noodles. Bought iced milk tea and hot Ovaltine for him too.
It was delicious, and梅菜came with it. After lunch, we started quite a long walk back to our Airbnb, passing by River Ping, Tha Phae Gate that borders Old City, and also the "59 baht" Japanese restaurant which Potato got tempted by, and we eventually went back there for dinner at night.
Thanks to "Potato maps", we got back safe and sound hehe. After a short rest, we headed over to the plaza at Tha Phae Gate because it seemed like there was some exhibition on-going over there.
In fact, public could participate in the "construction" using the cardboard boxes.
We had our dinner at the Japanese restaurant, and though the food were not great, 660 baht for that amount was still justifiable. *I had green apple beer neh~*
After which, we walked back and saw also artists drawing on the public walls near our Airbnb. There were a group of students performing to raise funds at Tha Phae Gate too.
Oh yup, I fell at one point and knocked my right leg against the sticky rocks at Buatong, and the bruise became obvious at night haha.
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