Special Trips By Jimmy

Where do we even begin? Some people come into your life for just a few days and somehow leave an impression that lasts forever. Jimmy is one of those people. My wife Amanda and I were fortunate enough to spend two incredible days exploring Chiang Mai with Jimmy, and I can honestly say that he turned what would have been an amazing vacation into something we will treasure for the rest of our lives. Our first day took us to the breathtaking Doi Inthanon National Park, where we visited the magnificent twin pagodas, stunning waterfalls, and the highest point in Thailand. The scenery was absolutely spectacular, but what made the day truly special was experiencing it through Jimmy’s eyes. His knowledge, stories, humor, and genuine love for his country brought everything to life. Our second day was just as unforgettable. We visited an elephant sanctuary, spent time learning about the fascinating culture of the Long Neck Karen community, and enjoyed an incredible local lunch. Every experience felt authentic, personal, and thoughtfully planned. But here’s the thing about Jimmy. He’s not just a guide. He’s like family… only better! 😂❤️ He is genuinely one of the kindest, funniest, most insightful, and most wonderful human beings we have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Within hours, we felt like we had known him for years. And then there was the Muay Thai adventure! During our first day, Jimmy shared that he comes from a family with deep roots in Muay Thai and that he has trained throughout his life. Naturally, we asked where we might be able to watch a fight. Without hesitation, Jimmy said, “I’ll pick you up at 7. We’ll have a great dinner, and then I’ll take you to the fights!” Well, apparently Jimmy knows EVERYONE in Chiang Mai! 😂 What we thought would be a fun evening watching Muay Thai turned into one of the most extraordinary experiences of our entire trip. Jimmy walked us right into the event, got us ringside seats, and before we knew what was happening, we were actually IN THE RING, participating in the traditional pre-fight blessing for one of the main fights! How does something like that even happen?! Only with Jimmy! It was absolutely surreal, and we’ll be telling that story for years. But as incredible as the sightseeing and adventures were, what touched our hearts the most was the kindness Jimmy and his wonderful wife, Mama, showed us. My wife is newly pregnant, and during our first day together, she was struggling with nausea and having a difficult time eating. Jimmy immediately became concerned about her comfort and well-being. He asked what foods she could tolerate and went out of his way to find exactly what she needed. He never made us feel rushed or like we were inconveniencing him. Quite the opposite. He treated Amanda with the tenderness and concern you would expect from someone who had known her for years. At one point, Amanda mentioned that she was craving Thai pickles. We searched around Chiang Mai but couldn’t find what she was hoping for. We thought that was the end of it. But not Jimmy. That evening, Jimmy showed up at our hotel with something that absolutely melted our hearts. His beautiful wife, Mama, had heard about Amanda’s craving and made homemade Thai pickles especially for her. And that wasn’t all. She also prepared pickled ginger and the most incredible homemade sourdough bread! Think about that for a moment. A woman we had never even met took time out of her day to lovingly prepare homemade food for my pregnant wife, simply because she wanted to make her feel better. Amanda actually teared up with happiness. And honestly, so did my heart. ❤️ It was such a simple, beautiful act of kindness, but it meant more to us than I could ever adequately express. In a foreign country, thousands of miles from home, these two wonderful people made us feel cared for, welcomed, and loved. And that, to me, is what travel is really about. Beyond all of this, Jimmy is an extraordinary person with a fascinating life. He spent time as a Buddhist monk and is an accomplished meditation teacher. During our time together, he shared some deeply meaningful wisdom and advice with me that I will carry long after this trip is over. He has a rare combination of humor, humility, compassion, wisdom, and an enormous heart. One minute he’ll have you laughing until your stomach hurts, and the next he’ll share something so thoughtful that it makes you see life a little differently. We came to Chiang Mai hoping to see beautiful places and experience Thai culture. We left having experienced something far more valuable: genuine human connection. Jimmy and Mama reminded us that the greatest memories we take home from traveling aren’t always the temples, mountains, waterfalls, or incredible adventures. Sometimes they’re the people who make you feel like you’ve found a little piece of home on the other side of the world. To anyone considering spending time with Jimmy, please don’t hesitate. You aren’t simply hiring a tour guide. You’re giving yourself the opportunity to meet a truly remarkable human being. And to Jimmy and Mama: From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Thank you for the laughter, the adventures, the wisdom, the extraordinary generosity, the homemade food, and most importantly, the love and kindness you showed us. You gave us memories we will cherish forever, and someday, when we tell our child about our adventures in Thailand, you will absolutely be part of that story. ❤️ We arrived as strangers, but we truly feel we are leaving as friends. Until we meet again, our dear friends. With so much love and gratitude, Gustavo & Amanda ❤️🇹🇭

We are three and first time in Chiang Mai. Jimmy was amazing tour guide! He is professional but like friend at the same time. We can adjust the tour route best for us. Glad to meet him as a start the days in this amazing city.

Jimmy is an incredibly kind and knowledgeable guy! He was very thoughtful and he goes out of his way to take care of his clients. He guided us around different locations and gave us a thorough explain for each one. Jimmy also recommended us great spots for food and a massage. Our family had a great time and we loved the tour. Highly recommend him! Thank you Jimmy !!! Frank, Los Angeles, CA. USA

We had such a great experience with our guide Jimmy! He took us everywhere we wanted to go, was incredibly patient throughout, and always made sure we were comfortable. He also went out of his way to help us find the best deals, which we really appreciated. He was reliable, kind, and genuinely made our trip so much easier and more enjoyable. Highly recommend him! ⭐️

Jimmy is such a great guide. We had great conversations together about Thailand and his lifestyle. We ate with him at lunch in a typical restaurant. After the tour we meet us again the evening for a Thai boxing match !

Jimmy was great! He was very informative when we asked him questions about Thai Temples or Thai life. We learned about meditation within the Thai culture in an early age. We were able to customize our day for everyone's interest in our family. We had an authentic lunch where more dishes were bought out for us to try. Strongly recommend this tour.

We booked Jimmy whilst we were in the UK and sent him a list of what we wanted to see. Jimmy sent us back an itinerary with everything we wanted to see + more. Jimmy went out his way give us an exclusive private tour of northern thailand on all days. Highly recommended!

Jimmy was AMAZING! He was very friendly and very polite. He was an excellent narrator and even gave us a little lesson on meditation! His English was great and so was his selection of music. I have a little trouble with my knee at times and Jimmy was very conscientious about our choices of destinations and how difficult they may be for me. I would DEFINITELY ride with him again when we return to Chiang Mai.

Great experience! Really nice tour

5-star guide Very attentive, polite, and helpful throughout the entire tour. Explained everything clearly, was very patient, and made the experience even more special. Highly recommended!

Our guide was the absolute best! We had a lot of fun and learned so much about the history of Northern Thailand. We visited all the temples and it felt magical! We learned how to meditate and had great Thai food! Hands down best tour!

I booked with Jimmy the day before and was glad he was available, because I had such a nice trip. He took me to the Chiang Rai to see the White and Blue Temples, and even stopped at The Long Neck Karen tribe along the way and extended the trip to the Golen Triangle. Jimmy is very professional and knowledgable, and answered all the questions I had about everything. He even taught me about Thai history, Buddhism, and introduced me to some local cuisine. Lovely man, will definitely book again next time I’m in Chiang Mai.

What an absolutely lovely man!! Excellent English, very accommodating and a great driver! My daughter and I felt very safe with Jimmy. Don’t think twice about booking with him.

Jimmy is great and super friendly! We travelled as a family with 4 adults, we initially booked an SUV with Jimmy but he showed up in a really nice, roomy Van at no extra charge. As we were spending 6 hours traveling that day, the upgrade was greatly appreciated and made our day so much more comfortable! He also took us to a great lunch place where we had the best Pad Thai! It was overall a great experience.

Our family had an amazing time with Jimmy hospitality and care. This was our first time in Chiang Mai, the weather in February was hot but dry (around 30-32°C) so it wasn’t too bad going with kids. We still need time in the afternoon to go back to our homestay and rest (our family has senior). The care and attentiveness of Jimmy is outstanding. He knew I was looking for a singing bowl and I only have 1,000THB in hand, he negotiated with the seller and got me with good discount. Super friendly and take good care of his customers. When you surround by a truly kind and compassionate person, that vibe expose and bring good energy to everyone surround and I definitely felt that with Jimmy. Thank you so much!

Jimmy is a fantastic and excellent tour guide, with a deep understanding of Buddhism and always treats his clients like a close accompanying friends. It’s been a wonderful experience knowing Jimmy🥰

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We were extremely lucky to have Jimmy as our driver and guide in Northern Thailand, and we can recommend him without any reservation. Jimmy is a genuinely friendly, open-minded and warm person. From the very first moment, we felt completely safe and well taken care of. He has excellent knowledge of Northern Thailand, its culture, history and local life, and he shares this knowledge in a very pleasant and unobtrusive way. As a driver, Jimmy is highly professional — calm, careful and very safe. At the same time, he is very sociable, flexible and always attentive to individual wishes. He didn’t just accompany our trip; he truly enriched it with his personality, commitment and passion for what he does. In short: an outstanding driver and guide who clearly loves his work. Five stars are honestly not enough. We would travel with Jimmy again anytime and can highly recommend him to anyone visiting Northern Thailand.

I recently joined Jimmy and his amazing team for a two-day adventure, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. Day 1:** Doi International Park – a stunning introduction to nature and scenery. The day was well-paced, and the park’s beauty truly spoke for itself. Day 2:** Doi Suthep Temple , Wat Palad City Temple Tour, Baan Kang Watt and Royal park Rajapruek – a perfect blend of culture, history, and peaceful atmosphere. Jimmy shared insightful context and kept the us energized throughout. Value for Money: The total price of 9,000 THB for two days is fantastic considering what’s included. The package covers: Private transport (comfortable and punctual) Gasoline Insurance (added peace of mind) Water (refreshing and essential) Why I’d Recommend Them: Personal and attentive service from Jimmy and his team Well-organized itinerary with great pacing Safe driving and a clean, comfortable vehicle Transparent pricing with all essential inclusions If you’re looking for an engaging, well-run tour with a friendly and professional team, Jimmy and his crew are the way to go. Five stars without hesitation!

We spent nearly 2 weeks with Jimmy. He is absolutely professional, very knowledgeable, friendly and caring person. I never met a guide like him and highly recommend to choose him as guide and driver if you want to explore the north of Thailand.

We spent 3 days with mister Best. He was literally THE BEST. We had the most amazing time in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. He was able tò bring us around smoothly and let us see everything we wanted. Always on time, nice and kind. Thanks a lot!!

We enjoyed 3 wonderful day trips with Jimmy. His vehicles are extremely clean and comfortable. We never felt rushed and feel like we have a greater understanding and appreciation for Thai culture. We 100% recommend Jimmy's service.

Jimmy is warm and welcoming. He is very knowledgeable and we learnt about Buddhism and the culture in Thailand. We travelled as a family of three and our trip with Jimmy included another family of three in Jimmy's spacious vehicle. We went to the White and Blue Temples in Chiang Rai, and also the hot springs. Jimmy took photos of us and sent them to me on WhatsApp. We stopped at a lovely cafe for lunch. It was a pleasure to spend the day with Jimmy. What a lovely man.

We had an amazing experience with Mr Best, our driver from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai. He made the whole day so enjoyable with his friendly, funny nature and great energy. Mr Best explained the history behind each temple and the tea plantation in a way that was interesting, easy to understand, and genuinely engaging. He went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and having a good time. The trip wouldn’t have been the same without him. Highly recommend Mr Best if you want a smooth, fun, and insightful journey!

I booked the day tour from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai to see the White, Blue, and Big Buddha temples. Mr. Best was our guide and he was fantastic. He was always smiling, making jokes, and made the entire experience very enjoyable. He also shared a lot of great info about Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and the temples. I highly recommend this trip and Mr. Best as the guide, he really made the trip great for my girlfriend and I.

We booked our custom planned trip through Mr J and were lucky enough to have Mr Best as our driver and guide — and honestly, he was incredible! He took us on an epic journey through the Mae Hong Son loop, with stops in Pai and Ban Rak Thai. We had very limited time, but he helped us tailor the itinerary perfectly so we could make the absolute most of each day. Mr Best was so kind, professional, and genuinely caring. He looked after us so well the whole way — from helping us buy tickets and food (translating whenever needed) to sharing amazing local tips and hidden gems. His English was excellent, and his knowledge of the region made the experience so much richer. The car was super comfortable, which made the long drives (3–8 hours some days) easy and relaxing. We couldn’t speak highly enough of him — if you’re planning a northern Thailand trip, especially around Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, or Mae Hong Son, ask for Mr Best. He really made our trip unforgettable!

Pain free no hazel booking with precise information from Mr. J. Was lucky to get Mr. Best as driver and he is simply the best. Local guy with deep knowledge about the entire Chiang Mai and surroundings. He was able to help fine tune my itinerary so I could make the most of the day - accommodating, very positive attitude, friendly and most importantly was a good driver able to get me safely through the day with a wealth of new experiences.

Was an amazing trip! Jimmy’s Team is wonderful! So friendly & hospitality! Adjusted to our style of travel so we could see more of the region. Vast knowledge of the region & Thai culture. They take great pride in ensuring you have a perfect experience!

Jimmy’s Team was amazing! We had a blast learning about Thai culture food & locations. Extremely friendly couldn’t have asked for a better way to see Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai region. Team made adjustments so we could see as much of the region as possible. Not only were we able to see the beautiful sites but able to learn about Thai culture, food, religion & history. Highly recommend!!

Jimmy is the best! We would highly recommend you book with jimmy. He went out of this way to make us comfortable and take care of some unexpected things that came up for us. He was kind, professional and went above and beyond to provide us with excellent service. We loved spending a couple of days with him on a private tour.

We did a day trip with Jimmy to The White Temple, Blue Temple, and tea plantation. It was a great day, Jimmy was a fun guide, and we were very happy with choosing to do the private tour given the length of the drive.

We had such a great time with our tour guide, Jimmy! Super friendly, very knowledgeable, and always willing to answer questions or adjust the tour to what we wanted. He really loves what he does and that made the whole experience even more special. Highly recommend!

jimmy was the best tour guide i ever had, he talk about everything with a lot of passion and was always so happy and was always explaining everything and he know so much, i really recommend him, the best guide ever!

Me and my daughter had the privilege to spent 3 wonderful days with Jimmy in Chang Mai and surroundings. In addition to professionalism, punctuality, cleanliness and impeccable service, I would like to emphasize the wonderful person he is. It's not easy to meet this kind of people, so positive, so kind, so respectful and so in love with life. Thank you Jimmy for introducing us to the spiritual part of a different Thailand, we come back home with many bags full of gifts, but the most beautiful gift was to meet you ❤️ ขอบคุณ 🙏🏻 Valeria & Matilde

Jimmy took us on a wonderful day trip to Chiang Rai. He made sure we were comfortable and enjoying every moment. Not only is he an excellent guide, but also a genuinely kind and thoughtful person. His passion for his work really shines through. We highly recommend hiring him without hesitation!

Jimmy is a great guide. Always on time and giving us good information about the places we visited. His food recommendations were great too

We were in Thailand for only 3 days, while traveling to Cambodia. Jimmy was our driver and guide. He was great! He really took care of us, was willing to modify the itinerary and had cold water for us. He was easy to communicate with and his pricing is fantastic! We had our best meal here during a 3 week trip based upon Jimmy's recommendation. I highly recommend Jimmy! He responds to email and WhatsApp, very promptly.

Best day ever with Jimmy. He is very easy to get along with and very knowledgeable I think he had as much fun as we did. Took some great pics. Will definitely be back to go on more adventures with Jimmy.

We spent two days with Jimmy going to Chiang Rai and then to Doi Inthanon National Park. Those two days were easily the best of our trip throughout Thailand. Jimmy is very knowledgeable about the areas he’s bringing you too in addition to being very warm and welcoming. If you need any tours Jimmy is your guy.

We went on a fantastic day trip with Jimmy. He’s so knowledgeable, interesting, kind, friendly and warm, with a great sense of humour. He took us to all sorts of interesting off the beaten track places we would never have found by ourselves and we learnt so much from him. The day we spent with Jimmy was the highlight of our trip. Our only regret was that we didn’t allow for spending a few more days with him. Highly recommended!!!

We had an amazing private tour of Doi Ithanon National Park with our driver Mr. Best. Mr. Best arrived early to meet us in Chiang Mai with a car that was both spacious and confortable, and thankfully air-conditioned. He was extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the local culture and sights, and ensured that we always had ample time at each location to take in the surroundings. Our itinerary included visiting a Hmong village, tasting the local coffee, Wachirathan waterfall, Doi Ithanon peak, the Grand Pagoda, and a stop for lunch at a very nice local restaurant serving Khao Soi. Mr. Best ensured that we had plenty of opportunities for rest stops along the way, and at the end of the day, he went out of his way to drop us off at our hotel some way outside the city. The whole tour took about 7-8 hours. Would highly recommend Special Tours with Jimmy to visit this incredible national park.

We booked the first trip with Jimmy to the Chang Rai ( White temple, Blue Temple, and Golden Temple). The communication was very good, he contacted us aforehead to arrange the pick up time. We felt very comfortable with Jimmy's driving and his car. He shared his knowledge on various topics from religion and history to moder time of Thailand. The highlight of the trip was the most delicious Khoi Soi we've had in a local place that Jimmy took us to. We also visited a couple more sites on the day and arranged another day trip with Jimmy to the Mountains, Pagodas, local Karen village with the most delicious coffee and the waterfall along the route. This was the highlight of the visit in Chang Mai. It was amazing. I definitely recommend it to anyone visiting the here. You will feel looked after, have a good laugh and make lifetime memories, all while being looked after Jimmy. He even stopped and got some medicine toy partner who was not feeling well. Very kind. Thank you, Jimmy, for looking after us!

Jimmy was amazing! We wanted to do a Chiang Mai tour temple but didn’t want to spend a ton of time on a bus so we found Jimmy and were so lucky he was available! Extremely knowledgeable and anticipates your every need along the way and is a fantastic driver I think he shaved off an hour or so each way of the drive. Would recommend Jimmy to anyone looking for a comfortable tour and great guide and would book him Again the next time we travel to Thailand!

Jimmy could not have been more accommodating. Stopped at Starbucks for me, bathroom breaks, even found me a shop to buy the authentic Thai costume. Plus took lots of pictures for us. He had useful information also. Would definitely recommend him.

Cannot sing Jimmy’s praises enough. My wife and I had an amazing experience taking a solo tour with Jimmy of the Chiang Rai White Temple, Blue Temple and Big Buddha. Not only were the sites striking in their beauty but Jimmy made the entire experience far more intimate that one could ever expect from a group tour. He spoke to us about his time as a monk and the importance of meditation to the Theravada Buddhist practice. He was also very knowledgeable about all the sites and provided historical insight into each. I would beyond any doubt recommend Jimmy’s tour service. Thank you Jimmy!

Jimmy gave us a great day visiting Chang Rai. Both the blue temple and white temple were great. The tea plantation was good to see but if you have been to other tea plantations elsewhere in the world I would choose to go elsewhere. Jimmy will happily tailor your trip to meet your needs.

We learned so much about the Hill tribes, the beautiful ecosystem of the mountain, and even meditation. Jimmy was so kind and helpful. He also speaks excellent English! Thank you so much for a fabulous day.

It was such a great day! We visited the White Temple in Chiang Rai before the crowds, then we drove to the Blue Temple where Jimmy taught us about meditation (we even tried it together), then we saw the Big Buddha Temple and 2 other temples which are next to it, went for lunch in a restaurant which was located beautifully next to a river and finally visited the long neck Karen village where Jimmy told us a bit about the refugees. We loved everything about this trip, never felt rushed, Jimmy was very attentive, we could choose when we wanted to have lunch, there was no problem with additional stops for toilet.

I reached out to Jimmy to get more information on a personalized itinerary and he replied promptly and continued to do so whenever I had a question. He was waiting for us the day of with a smile confirming our agenda making sure we were comfortable and hydrated. Jimmy did an excellent job getting to know us so that he could "read the room" all day and know what we liked and wanted to know more of, and what we didn't care for. He was attentive, informative, and kind. Jimmy was a great photographer too! We learned so much more the day we spent with Jimmy than we could ever have imagined. We also had an amazing lunch at an out of the way local's restaurant that we will not forget! Anything we wanted or needed, we had! I wish I would have been able to plan more time with Jimmy, but we were leaving the area. I would recommend Jimmy without hesitation to everyone I know and will be sharing is info with my family and friends. What was endearing is that he seemed to enjoy knowing that he brought us joy. He did bring us joy. Jimmy was the best part of our trip! Thank you, Jimmy, for sharing so much with us.. The river flows. 🙏

It’s not often where the hype of a five star rating exceeds your expectation. Jimmy is one of those instances. He was flexible and offered outstanding suggestions on places to visit based on your likes and dislikes. He brought us to places we would’ve never thought of or found, but for his recommendations. Out-of-the-way villages, private elephant experience and beautiful scenic hikes are just a part of the many memorable experiences. My wife and I will have from our time with Jimmy. Jimmy also was a monk for three years so he has incredible insight into the Buddhist religion as well as Thai history and culture. We learned a lot! If you’re looking for a tour guide in Chiang Mai look no further —Jimmy is your man.