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Tourist
Attractions
Mountains
 Northern
Thailand is characterized largely by forested
mountains, where working elephants are still used
in forest management. This mountainous region
is home to Thailand's many colorful hilltribe
people, and trekking and river rafting enable
adventurous exploration of this beautiful area.
Chiang Mai is the principal norhtern city and
is a good base from which to explore the surrounding
countryside.
Doi Inthanon National Park
 The
1,005 - square - kilometre park covers Thailand's
highest mountain (2,565 metres). The lovely Wachirathan,
Siriphum and Mae Pan waterfalls share the mountain
with Meo and Karen hilltribe settlements. Forest
above 1,800 metres is covered with lichens and
wild orchids.
Mae Klang Waterfall
Chiang Mai's most photographed waterfall lies
some 58 kilometres west of the city at the foot
of Doi Inthanon Mountain, and provides a picturesque
setting for picnics and relaxation.
Borichinda Cave
Visiting the cave, which provides a pleasant setting
for picnics, entails a 10-minute drive and a walk
of some 2 hours from the Mae Klang Waterfall.
Trekking Tours
 Meo,
Lisu, Yao, Akha, Lawa and Karen hilltribes live
throughout northern Thailand's mountains. They
share animist beliefs and honour numerous forest
and guardian spirits. Each tribe has distinctive
ceremonial attire, courtship rituals, games, dances,
agricultural customs, puberty rites, languages
or dialects, aesthetic values and hygienic habits.
Popular 'Jungle Treks', lasting from 2 to 7 days,
take visitors through forested mountains and high
valleys and meadows, and include visits to remoter
high-altitude hilltribe settlements for overnight
stays. The best guides are hilltribe youths who
customarily speak English, Thai and at least three
tribal dialects.
Treks commonly feature travel by foot, sometimes
by boat, elephant-back, horse-back or jeep, frequently
a combination of two or three modes of transportation.
Prospective trekkers are advised to shop around
companies offering such tours for the best conditions.
All treks must be registered with the Tourist
Police. This is done for trekkers' protection.
Avoid companies that do not abide by this law.
Visitors are welcome to enquire from the Tourism
Police to confirm which tour companies have negative
or bad reputations. Also, avoid narcotics, essentially
everything from 'soft drugs' such as marijuana
to 'hard drugs' such as opium and heroin, both
during travel and at hilltribe villages. There
are severe penalties for such usage. Valuables,
such as passport, jewelry and money, should be
deposited in the safe of your hotel or guest house
while you are trekking upcountry
Wear sensible clothing to protect your limbs and
sleep under a mosquito net at night. Malaria is
a real threat, and sensible precautions should
be taken to avoid it.
Four-Wheel Drive Safaris
 This
popular new activity features exciting trips by
Land Rover between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son,
taking five days and four nights, or Chiang Rai
and Ken Thun in Myanmar, taking three days and
two nights. Much of the journey is along dirt
roads and tracks so that visitors can witness
out-of-the-way areas. Accommodation is in forest
lodges or basic hotels.
Bird- Watching
 Although
bird-watching has been a popular activity among
Thais for many years, it is only relatively recently
that overseas visitors have recognized the potential
of this fascinating pastime. In total, almost
one thousand different species of birds - some
local, others migrating here- have been spotted
in Thailand. Most of Thailand's national parks
offer good opportunities for bird-watching such
as Khao Yai National Park, Kaeng Krachan in Petchburi
and Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai province.
Taeng Dao Elephant Camp
 This
riverside enclave, at KM 56 on Highway 107, features
daily shows of elephants at work, from 9.00 AM
until 10.00 AM, and from 10.00 AM until 11.00
AM, and offers elephant rides, and opportunities
for bucolic river-rafting through largely pristine
and tranquil forests, or jungle treks to neighbouring
hilltribe settlements. |
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