National Park and the highest point of Thailand

Trip Start Aug 24, 2008
1
45
116
Trip End Aug 01, 2009


Loading Map
Map your own trip!
Map Options
Show trip route
Hide lines
shadow

Flag of Thailand  ,
Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Chaing Mai is one of only 5 locations that we have re-visited of the 50 or so stops we have made. It is interesting to see how things have changed and how the quality of life has improved for the local people. Seeing hill tribe people in traditional clothing, speaking on a cell phone makes us laugh. The cell phone colours don't match the centuries old traditional outfits!

Yesterday we visited Doi Inthanon National park, an hours drive south from Chaing Mai. It was the second day of the Karen hill tribe's new years celebration (they celebrate for 3 days) so everyone in the town was dressed in their traditional clothing, quite a sight to see! The king who is loved by everyone funds 157 special projects around the country including a Botanical garden and agriculture education centre run by the Karen people who live in the park. It was very impressive, as was the visit to the twin pagoda's built in honour of the King and Queen, the two waterfalls we saw (there are many more in the park), and 'The Top of Thailand', as our tour guide Mr. Pan called it, at 2,565 metres. The entire tour was first class. We had a marvellous lunch at the village with all the ingredients organically produced in the Karen tribes fields. We were able to see a Green - Tailed sunbird up close as it fed on flowers. It's green and blue iridescent head was quite the sight, and it was not shy so I was able to photograph it several times.

We have made two trips to the night market, and due to all the wonderful things you can buy we are trying to avoid it for the rest of our stay. Becca has been our coin dispenser to the local beggars, and it has once again brought up the philosophical discussion of just who is deserving of charity and what is the morally correct thing to do.
Slideshow Print this entry Chiang Mai hotels