Wat Umong is a nice temple tucked in a quiet forest outside of Chiang Mai. There's a meditation center onsite, a system of tunnels with shrines, a small lake, and dozens of roosters roam freely. Scattered among the trees are words of wisdom; here are a few.
Not sure about those dogs, but that one was in fact at the temple. These two were not, but still good:
As soon as I read about Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, I booked arrangements to see the impressive caves there and planned the rest of my time in Vietnam around it. I stayed outside the national park at Easy Tiger which is everything a hostel should be. Clean, comfortable, and consistently sold out. Excellent food and genuine friendly service. There's a pool, plenty of outdoor seating, and dozens of hammocks out back. Every morning they enlighten travellers to the various tours and activities in and around the national park. They won't push anything on you and will even advise against a few tours that are better explored on your own. They don't rent motorbikes or sell bus tickets because plenty of local shops down the street do. Staff encourage guests to explore their personal favorite restaurants and hidden spots and will sit down to map out a day of adventure with you. They train and hire locals. They want to share the wealth of tourism with everyone that was here fir...