It wasn’t until the day before leaving for my Thailand Multi-Adventure trip that I realized I was flying into the wrong airport. Chiang Mai versus Chiang Rai—in the rush of getting record-low-priced flights, I mixed up an “M” for an “R” and would be landing hours away from where I was supposed to meet up with my family and the group.
It was nearly midnight on Christmas Eve as I sat alone at the airport and decided I would make this work. Backroads trips provide me with rare uninterrupted family time, fun-filled adventure and the dual value of learning about a place while exploring it. The airport mix-up would be a side-quest fitting to a week of adventure.
The Adventure Before the Adventure
After landing, I made my way from the airport to the bus station and bought a bus ticket from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, supposedly a four-hour ride. The station was chaos, packed with people and their baggage. Attendants fluttered about trying to direct travelers to the correct vehicle. I had to show my ticket to three different people… who told me to get on three different buses.
I had to take a chance, and after chatting with some British backpackers, got on the same bus as them with 80 percent certainty we were headed to Chiang Rai—a bus with no air-conditioning, a chain-smoking driver and one live chicken in a cage. Progress was slow but steady; the driver stopped three times along the way for additional smoke breaks at roadside markets, and I wandered the stalls while waiting.
At each market, I admired the verdant mountains rising around me. The lush jungle air was laced with the scent of fried food wafting from the stalls. It was a hint at what the next nine days would hold, and I couldn't wait.
We finally arrived in Chiang Rai, and I can’t say I’ve ever been so thrilled to load my luggage into a taxi. Even with the detour, I still managed to arrive the night before the trip began and, after a swift dinner, headed to bed for some much-needed sleep.
The Magic of Young Adult Family Trips
As I hoped, the trip felt like an extension of the adventure I had already had, this time willingly and without discomfort (or a live chicken). The foundation of the best Backroads trips is the people around you, and I connected with the group immediately. On a family trip, you might worry the kids won’t be the same age or won’t get along. This is an issue I’ve never experienced on a Backroads trip, including this one.
The other young adults (20s and Beyond) were fun, engaging and all in similar life stages as I am. Most nights when the parents retired early, the (legal) young folk would stay up for a glass of wine and chat, listening to the exotic chirps, buzzes and croaks of the Thai jungle.
It was the perfect nightcap to days exploring the Golden Triangle, shining temples and peaceful river lookouts of the Mekong.
Our hikes took us to unexpected places, including into the jungle where we saw rubber trees tapped for harvest. Between prodding at the sticky, fresh rubber and enjoying a stop for just- picked pineapple, our guide from the Lahu hill tribe told us about his customs. It helped paint a larger picture of the different people who make up Thailand.
Lunches always came at the exact right time—delicious noodle shacks and family-owned restaurants with the best Thai food I had ever tasted. Thai tea powered me through the afternoon rides and hikes that led us back to our luxurious hotel. A special night led our group to a local family’s home, where we watched them prepare traditional food for us. The traumatizing airport and bus incident seemed lifetimes away.
After the chaos of my arrival, I appreciated the structure of the trip. But our adventure left plenty of room for surprises, too. Although not on the trip itinerary, our group decided to walk with the elephants—literally—traversing an elephant sanctuary with guides who educated us on the ethereal creatures lumbering through the riverside grasses. It was thrilling, and I couldn’t contain excited laughter as I felt the wet trunk of the elephants sucking Thai figs out of my palms.
The next afternoon, as we explored bustling Chiang Mai, I realized we had retraced the path I had journeyed just a few days before on the bus. From Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai, I had come full circle and could say I had experienced the area back and forth.
Relaxation and Celebration
New Year’s Eve was one of the most special I’ve ever experienced. Decked out in our 2026 glasses and sparkly hats, I celebrated with my new friends over some regional Thai liquor (just a bit!) As midnight struck, fireworks exploded into the night sky. The flashing lights were reflected on the still, shallow water of the rice paddies below, and the whole scene was a Thai dream.
As the group departed for Phuket for our final days, I felt more than satisfied with the mark I had left in the Golden Triangle, and the mark it had left on me. Phuket was a blue-watered tropical heaven, the best way to finish the adventure. We spent all day at sea, boating through the juts of cliff islets towering over us. Kayaking the refreshing water, we glided through caves hiding dramatic skylights.
After a day in the sun and salt, a hotel shower and dinner were a welcome slow-down. But before we ate, the group participated in a game of White Elephant. Everyone had picked up a gift on the trip, anything under 100 baht (around $3.50). On our final night, we all drew a number from a hat and enjoyed a laughter-filled trading of gifts like elephant pants, hats, muay tai shorts and zany T-shirts, all of which we then wore to dinner.
It was a way to keep everyone smiling and laughing through our last meal together. The next morning, we enjoyed peaceful beachside yoga and gathered at breakfast for our goodbyes.
I made a final check to confirm I was flying out of the correct airport, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was a little upset that there wasn’t another mistake so I could spend just a bit more time exploring Thailand.
