THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY

Rainy vacations aren't always dreary, especially when you get to spend it inside a luxurious tent in a lush rainforest where the elephants roam.

- CRYSTAL WOO

The thing about travel is... sometimes, the expectation gets too high and disappointment can be a killjoy. Four Seasons Tented Camp at the Golden Triangle Rainforest is one of those destinations with such an abundance of good reviews everywhere, it can easily be overhyped.

I am trying to keep calm but making a solo trip to the far north of Thailand, once the notorious opium route-the OG of the name "Golden Triangle" that intersects Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos-still beckons a great deal of excitement.

To make matters more interesting, days before my departure, Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai International Airport is closed due to a plane that accidentally skidded off the runway. But as luck would have it, Chiang Rai International Airport decides to reopen just a day before my flight. Talk about cutting it close.

THE JOURNEY

The plane descends for a rough landing and it is raining cats and dogs. Monsoon is here, and so am I. Although not the most popular season for travel, the rain brings a certain je ne sais quoi and I relish it. On my way to the Four Seasons Tented Camp, rain stops momentarily as if graciously allowing me to take in the green open pastures, a prelude to the Golden Triangle rainforest ahead.

There are two ways to reach the Four Seasons Tented Camp: by ground all the way, or to stop at the pier and take the long-tail boat, subject to the temperament of the weather. With the blessings of the rain god, my wish to take the long-tail boat along the Mekong and Ruak rivers is granted. Positively the best way to reach the camp.