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 One
Day Trips
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Duration: A one day ecotourism excursion from Chiang Mai Degree
of Diffi culty:
Medium (School groups do the walk) Meal: Picnic lunch. Location:
One hour north
of Chiang Mai. Introduction:
 07.00
a.m. Depart your hotel by vehicle, accompanied by an English
speaking guide, and drive northeast from the city into the mountain
that separate the Chiang Mai and Lampang valleys, a little visited
area, home to the“Khun Muang” – the original farmers
of the Chiang Mai valley. They have for years grow “Chaa Mieng”,
a local variant of tea. Nowadays, with their offspring showing little
liking for fermented tea and coffee prices relatively high, they
are turning to farming “Arabica” coffee. On arrival at
Pang Soong Lodge, you are served tea whilst being given a briefing
on the trail, safety issues.
08.30 a.m. You set off along the trail and navigate your
way along paths, steps cut into the side of the riverbank, through
the river bed, over small waterfalls scaled by ladders, and assisted
by hand rails where they are needed, as you climb from 1,000 to
1,450 m.a.s.l. identifying birds, trees and insect from the trail
guide document you will be provided with. You take a picnic lunch
at the base of the waterfall next to a pool big enough to swim in,
and then return back down the trail to Pang Soong Lodge. The walk,
at a leisurely pace should be a 3-4 hour round trip.
02.00 p.m. Walk from the lodge, back through the Khun Muang
village of Ban Pang Mano – a window onto the Khun Muang lifestyle
, before boarding the vehicle and heading off down to the valley
fl oor.
03.00 p.m. Stop in and the take a guided tour of the Mae
Tha Nier Centre, a Royal Project showcasing Dragon fruit, Arabica
coffee, and more recently Vanilla.
04.00 p.m. Visit the nearby “Teen Tok Centre”
a Royal Project specializing in the development of Arabica coffee.
05.00 p.m. Depart for the 30 minute drive back to the city
and your hotel.
Accommodation at present basic but good standard student style
available at the Pang Soong Lodge, outdoor Education & Research
Center.
Duration: One day ecotourism excursion from Chiang Mai Degree
of Diffi culty: Medium (School groups do the walk) Meal: Picnic
lunch Location: One hour north of Chiang Mai Introduction:
 08.00
a.m. Depart Chiang Mai heading south on highway 108, before
branching of at Chom Thong along route 1009 leading to the summit
of Doi Inthanon.
Stop for a coffee break at the Mae Klang waterfall, a very popular
and easily accessed scenic spot popular with Thai families.
Continue on for 10 kms until reaching the National Park Headquarters.
Doi Inthanon is Thailand’s highest mountain, named after Chiang
Mai’s last ruler, Inthawuchayanon, and dominating a national
park where tigers still roam.
The nature – loving ruler Inthawuchayanon was so enchanted
by the mountainous region, just 80 kms from his Chiang Mai place,
that he ordained his ashes to be buried on its 2,330 meters summit.
A white chedi contains his remains at a spot called “the roof
of Thailand.” The serpentine route to the top winds through
two distinct climatic zones, from tropical jungle to deciduous oaks
and evergreen fi rs.
In just 30 kms the average night-time temperature drops in winter
from a pleasant 70 degrees to near freezing, and on one cold night
the thermometer showed a record minus 8 Celsius. The park showcases
spectacular waterfalls-including Thailand’s highest- are easily
accessible, either on foot or by vehicle.
After collecting maps and brochures we continue on towards the
summit.
12.00 a.m. Stop at the royal horticultural project for lunch.
The Siriphum falls feed trout-breeding tanks which are one the
most successful enterprises of the National Park’s royal project.
The trout raised here fi nd their way onto the menus of Thailand’s
leading hotels and, of course, the royal palace. You can enjoy a
grilled trout at the simple restaurant that welcomes visitors to
the royal project. The trout dishes come in six varieties, including
incongruously hot and spicy sauces. The horticultural garden and
greenhouses that make up most of the royal project are a gardener’s
dream.
02.00 p.m. Continue to the summit a future half-hour drive
away, and stop to enjoy the views.
From the summit, return down the mountain by the same route and
after two miles take a turning right onto highway 1192 to the textile
village Mae Chaem.
The views of the Doi Inthanon massif and valley paddies and orchards
are spectacular.
In Mae Chaem, visit one of the locate households where textiles
are still created on ancient looms. From Mae Cham, return to Chiang
Mai on highways 1192 and 108.
05.30 p.m. Arrive back in Chiang Mai, after a day tour in
which the total driving time was about fi ve hours.
Accommodation is available in small cottages at the national park
headquarters or in the local hilltribe villages if on extended 2
or 3 day treks along the park’s trails.
There are several excellent nature walk options in the area, including
visits to waterfalls and to Karen hilltribe villages.
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The
Northernmost province of Thailand, Chiang Rai is situated on the
Mae Kok River basin 416 meters above sea level. With an area of
some 11,678 square kilometers, it’s about 182 kilometers from
Chiang Mai or 785 kilometers from Bangkok. Mostly mountainous, it
reaches the Mekong River to the north and borders on both Myanmar
and Laos. Chiang Rai is also a tourism gateway into Myanmar and
Laos.
AM
: After breakfast, travel by van/ to Mae Sai (about 1 - 2 hrs.
drive). Visit Mae Sai, the lively market at Thailand-Myanmar border.
Then travel to visit the Golden Triangle and Chiang Saen with visits
to some nice local temples & Opium Museum
Hiking
& Bird Watching at Doi Inthanon National Park / Lanna Thai Village
Life in The Remote Mae Chaem Valley / Pre-Historic Site and Beautiful
Gorge at Ob Luang National Park
08.00
a.m. Pick up from a hotel in Chiang Mai and travel by van/minibus
to Doi Inthanon National Park (about 1.30 hrs.). Explore the summit,
and visit to the visitor’s center. Nature walk at Ang Ka nature
trail near the summit. Here you will see tall trees cloaked in moss,
fern, orchid and other epiphytes, especially“Sphagnum Moss”
and Rhododendron. Then go down to the King & Queen Stupas for
lunch. After that hiking on Kiew Mae Pan nature trail for about
3 hrs.
Mae
Hong Son, originally the isolated, mist-covered province, has become
a wonderful place for those who love wandering off the beaten track.
Hiking/traveling to visit local people and hilltribes from one village
and one ethnic group to another is a once in a lifetime experience.
There are many tribal ethnic groups living in Mae Hong Son such
as Karen, Hmong, Lahu, Lisu, Lawa, etc. They share animist beliefs
and honor numerous forest and guardian spirits. Each tribe has distinctive
ceremonial attire, courtship rituals, games, dances, agricultural
customs, dialects, aesthetic values and hygienic habits. Some of
them have worked in the Royal Project with a great opportunity for
“suffi cient economy” according to the Royal Project’s
Policy.
10.30
am. Pick-up at Mae Hong Son Airport (by fl ight TG. 192 from
Chiang Mai). Meet and travel by van to visit to Wat Phra that Doi
Kongmu and Wat Jongkam.
