Northern Thailand
NORTHERN THAILAND 339 Nan Historical Park Park Historical Sukhothai Si Satchanalai-Chaliang Centre Elephant province © Lonely Planet Publications Chiang Rai Conservation Um Phang Mae Sot Soppong ( p354 ) Province Province
(carved wooden ‘X’ motifs) on house gables and (carved wooden ‘X’ motifs) ( p403 ) ( p403 ) ( p388 ) Nam Nam kàlae Chiang Rai motor- Mae Sot Historical Historical (indigo-dyed rice-farmer’s shirt). north The is also the home
Sukhothai (elephant care- (elephant Wat Phumin Elephant Conservation mahout ( p443 ) and doing ( p426 ), Thailand’s biggest, sêua mâw hâwm ( p443 ) around Soppong caves ( p348 ) ( p408 ) Si Satchanalai-Chaliang taker) at Lampang’s Centre the beautiful murals at ‘golden age’ at Thailand’s and Park Tok Thilawsu most beautiful waterfall cycle rides ) and then heading to Um Phang, p417 ( the end of road leads to where Exploring of feel in the frontier-town Taking to be a Learning path in Nan to see Getting off the beaten Cycling around the awesome ruins of in an Akha Volunteering village in
HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS The scenic beauty of the north natural for- The and has more has been fairly well preserved riches. a plethora of natural, cultural and architectural have in this chapter provinces The Northern Thailand Northern Thailand with a rich kingdoms first true Thai arose in northernThe endowing this region Thailand, Whether at the sleepy town of Lamphun or famed ruins Sukhothai,cultural heritage. in thrives art culture can still be seen. A distinct of Thai Thai and culture the ancient origins proud of their local customs, considering northern northerners very The Thailand. are tradition. Look for symbols displayed by northernways to be part ‘original’ of Thailand’s cultural solidarity: to express Thais the ubiquitous mix of diverse region’s The hill tribes, each with their own unique way of life. of Thailand’s ethnic groups range from Karen and Shan to Akha and Yunnanese. with dotted with majestic rivers, It is threaded in Thailand. than any other region est cover waterfalls, view. and breathtaking mountains frame almost every the impressive Explore in Lampang Province. Enjoy one of the most beautiful Lanna temples exciting The trekking opportunities towns of Chiang Rai Province. and the quiet Mekong river make it a popular choice hairpin bends and stunning scenery of Mae Hong Son Province Mae Sot in Tak Home to many Burmese refugees, and motorcycle trips. for trekking, river becoming well are like Um Phang areas visited is a fascinating frontier town. Less Province worth are the extra like Nan and Phrae hike and provinces treks, remote known for more and some of the best mountain scenery in north.for the unusual temples NORTHERN THAILAND an important religiousan important andculturalcentre. (1448–86),and ChiangMaisanulok became wasmoved capital time theSukhothai toPhit- wasinthe15thcentury.Forashort Lanna Thegoldenage ofas LuangPrabang inLaos. south asKamphaeng Phet andasfarnorth referred Thisextended asfar toasLanna. Thai (MillionRiceFields),popularly came apartof thelarger Na kingdomof Lan inthe14th and15thcenturies,be- khothai Hariphunchai. conquering theinfluentialMonkingdom of King Mengrai ChiangMai established after to bethefirst trueThaikingdom.In1296 isconsideredfluence. Sukhothai byThais athit andquicklyexpandeditssphere of in- independent kingdomunderKingSiInthar- declared anMon. In1238Sukhothai itself ofand thetaking Hariphunchai fromthe this resulted inthecreation of Sukhothai various principalitiesinthe13thcentury– China sincearoundthe7thcentury,united inLamphun. National Museum examples canbefoundattheHariphunchai are particularlydistinctive, andmanygood The Hariphunchai artandBuddhaimages the late 8th centuryuntilthe13thcentury. which heldswayfrom (modern Lamphun), north wastheMonkingdomof Hariphunchai significant earlyculturalinfluencesinthe independent principalities.Oneof themost bytheshiftingpowersacterised of various char-Northern Thailand’shistoryhasbeen 340 Chiang Mai in1921strengthened links those The completion of thenorthern railway to with the centre toward off thecolonial threat. tointegratemade efforts the northernregion wereBurmese pushed north. Chiang Mai was recaptured in1774 andthe Ayuthaya in1767, andunderKingKawila, The Thaisregrouped took after theBurmese forthenexttwocenturies. control of Lanna capturingChiang Maimese in 1556andtheir 16th century.This weaknessleadtotheBur- manyThaialliancesdeclinedinthe However, History In the late 19th century Rama Vof Bangkok In thelate 19thcenturyRama Later, ChiangMai,Later, inanalliancewithSu- The Thais,whohadmigrated downfrom FAST FACTS
OTENTALN • Hsoy THAILAND ••History NORTHERN Population Best Time to 7.8Million
Visit November to March For around 150B per day,sometimes less, easy tolearn andyou’ll beglad you did. one. Ifyoudon’tknow howtorideone it’s If youknow howtoride a motorcycle,rent Getting Around s ties alongtheMyanmar borderwhere the sible bybus,except theoutlyingcommuni- just about everywhere intheregion isacces- to thenorthernline outof ChiangMai. But destinations. Eitherway,trainaccess islimited ChiangMaiers onlyuse asapointforother andChiangMai.route Bangkok between Oth- Some travellers make stopsin this region en Getting There&Away Thailand’s three othermaindialects. lect –thenorthern dia- shows upintheirspeech for theirrelaxed, easy-going manner,which Northern Thais Language some peaceandquiet. ifyoulovethe extraeffort nature andwant arethe nationalparksinthissection worth (see Kha p391 ) withits2000mpeaks.Allof Park ( p433 ) withitslazyriver, andDoiPhu the northincludeLumNamKongNational Thailand’s CommunistParty. Otherparksin Rong Kla( p400 ) isof interest foritstiesto nated forwildlife protection. WhilePhu Hin and ThungSalaengLuang( p401 ) were desig- known foritswaterfalls. DoiLuang( p349 ) geography andwildlife. ChaeSon( p349 ) is north ishometosomeof Thailand’srarest reaches as2000m,the the elevation ashigh of theirtrip.Inaregionit ahighlight where Thailand’s nationalparksusuallyconsider Travellers whomake ittooneof northern National Parks areSukhothai lessvariable. Province. Thecentral-plainsareas around pockets canget stuckintheranges of Tak townofhighland Mae HongSonandrain ence theclimate. Itcanget quite coldinthe innorthernThailandinflu- The mountains Climate riod of the20thcentury. part of thekingdomof Siaminthisearlype- until thenorthernprovinces finallybecame of choice. choice. of ǎ wngth (kham meuang) ǎ ew (pick-uptruck) isthetransport (khon meuang) hasaslowerrhythm than lonelyplanet.com are known lonelyplanet.com NORTHERN THAILAND M YANR (B URMA) Lum NamKhong National Park Sariang Mae HONG MAE SON
108
See p415 Mae Nam Mae 105 Song Yang Ban Tha (Pangmapha) Khun Yuam
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Soppong Payathonzu Moei NORTHERN THAILAND M YANR Mae Sarit (B URMA) National Park Doi Inthanon 108 Myawadi CHIANG MAI Letongkhu Kheuan Huay NamDang Tha SongYang Kaem Khao Wildlife Sanctuary National Park National Park Doi Inthanon Ob Luang Um Phang Phop Phra (2595m) Three Pagodas Pai Samoeng Sangkhlaburi Hot Thong Chom See p430 Um Phang Pass Mae Ramat 323 Mae Sot 1090 Kleung Beung KANCHANABURI Mae
National Park Nam LAMPHUN Kaeng National Mae Ping Chiang National Park Doi Chiang
TAK Ping Chiang Mai CHIANG MAI Palatha Dao (2195m) Thilawsu Nam Tok Huay Kha Wildlife Reserve 108 Klong Mai Ban Mae Ban Hong Dao Doi Pui 105 Pasang 106 Park National Park TAK Thung Yai 1184 Naresuan Khlong Lan 1090
Doi Ang (1300m) Tak
Khang Mae Taeng Mae Rim Thung Hua
Khaeng Chang LAMPANG Lamphun
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National Park KAMPHAENG Mae Centre 1109 Kamphaeng Wiang Papao Si Lanna Mae Wong 11 UTHAI THANI National 1
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11 Siaw 115 Mae Khanu Krabeu LAMPANG Tham Pha CHIANG RAI Nam Mae Sai 101 Wang Neua Nakhon Sawan Ban Thoet
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1 PHICHIT Nam Chai Den Yom 1063 Kheuan
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225 Mae Nam Sak 341
Lom Sak NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND Thais consider the tallest Thais considerthetallest ;yfritTk^=sib#=P(yp WAT PHRATHAT HARIPHUNCHAI old andatmospheric. Wat ChamaThewi,manyof themare quite the fameof WatPhra ThatHariphunchai and the twodescribedhere. noneenjoys Although There are manymore nearbytemples than Sights rounding fieldsatitslonganfestival ( right ). thefruitsof andsample thesur-Lamphun andAugustisalively timetovisit must see, temple of WatPhra ThatHaripunchai isa able history.Theancientandvibrantworking place tolearnabout thisquiettown’svener- the ThaisandKhmer. inremainingsucceeded independentof both Hariphunchaiwas vanquishedbytheKhmer, its Monprogenitor andpredecessor Dvaravati ChamaThewi.Longafter dary Monqueen, 750–1281) originallyruledbythesemilegen- tre of asmallHariphunchai principality (AD was,alongwithPasang,Lamphun thecen- the banksof NamMae Kuang. name,liessoutheastofsame ChiangMai on ofThis quiettown,capital theprovince of the pop 15,200 ]Ykr)o LAMPHUN LAMPHUN PROVINCE circuit. with thelocals,outsidenormaltourist often leadstomore interesting interactions countryside. Thisincreased independence you canget theidyllic outof townandsee 342 brella 6.5kg. weighing and is surmounted byanine-tiered goldum- Chedi Suwan, datingfrom 1418,is46mhigh original Hariphunchai style. Thetallest fine Buddha images andtwo old ing post-Dvaravati architecture, acoupleof vations inthe1930s. Itboastssomeinterest- Thailand’s mostfamous monks,madereno- Siwichai,years oneof untilKhruba northern datings), thistemple layderelict formany ace in1044(1108 or1157accordingtosome Built onthesite of ChamaThewi’spal- Queen be oneof holiest theeight The enthusiastically run museum isagood The enthusiasticallyrunmuseum Best visited asadaytripfromChiangMai,Best APU RVNE • apu ••Lamphun LAMPHUN PROVINCE chedi chedi atthiswatto inThailand. chedi of the the of chedi , floor serves good fare, and hasfloor-to-ceilingfloor serves and airy rooms. The restaurant on the 5th this isasolid choice, with 50spacious, clean no relation tothe international hotel chain, Th ChamaThewi; s/d250-400B; ing fans. small hotel hasvery basicroomswith ceil- town,southofthrough Wat Phra That, this Th Inthayongyot,Soi5;s/d 100/200B) SiLamphunHotel Sleeping &Eating Yai contest. floats madeof fruitand,of course, aMiss Lam hosts theannual of week August,Lamphun During thesecond Festivals some English titles. There isasmallbookshopLamphun. with subjects like of thesettlement theYongin interesting, focusingonmore contemporary fectious. Thetemporary exhibitionsare also heritage isin- andLamphun’s her museum scripts.Thecurator’spassion about Lanna a stoneinscriptiongallerywithMon andThai Hariphunchai kingdoms,aswell andLanna artefacts andBuddhasfromtheDvaravati, hasacollectionofhun’s NationalMuseum from WatPhra ThatHariphunchai, Lamp- sion 30B; ThInthayongyot;admis- [email protected]; National Museum Hariphunchai rbrbT#yIRl$kocsj'(k^b]er)o HARIPHUNCHAI NATIONAL MUSEUM made recently, are inDvaravati style. Buddhas,although Thestanding level. higher Buddha figures, diminishing insizeoneach Suwan ChangKot–hasfive rowsof three in SriLanka. atPolonnaruwa century SatmahalPrasada bears aremarkable resemblance tothe12th- schools of architecture. The stepped profile times sincethen,it’snowamixture of several Mon in1218.As restored ithasbeen many ment. Itwaslater rebuilt bytheHariphunchai in the8thor9thcenturyasaDvaravati monu- Wat Kukut),whichtohave issaid erected been atWatChamaThewi(popularlycalled seen A more unusualHariphunchai ;yf&k}gm;u THEWI CHAMA WAT Supamit HolidayInn Each sideofEach the h 9am-4pm Wed-Sun) Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com
(no roman-script sign; (no roman-script Lam Yai Festival
chedi ( % a 0 53534865;fax 4355; –knownasChedi Acrossthestreet Onthemainstreet ) Although itbears Although
, which features ( % chedi % 0 53511186; 0 53511176; canbe Blue s Getting There&Away shops Wat ChamaThewi. and thesurroundingricefields.It’sopposite windows givingpanoramicviewsof Lamphun lonelyplanet.com shop. You’llalso find afew people weaving on loomsin thefront of the (no roman-script sign),where youcanwatch wat isa cotton-products store called pressive gildedLanna-style the southernend of town,features anim- items. household and otheruseful limited mostlytofloorcoverings, tablecloths ofis done. Theselection cottonproducts is but more howtheweaving of aplacetosee ing. It’snotreally ashopping destination, village, Pasang isknown for itscottonweav- withBoSang,the umbrellaNot tobeconfused xjk:k' PASANG minal onThSanam. (15B) orgotothebuster-National Museum also pickupabusoutsidetheHariphunchai bordered dipterocarp bytall trees. Youcan beautiful countryroad,partsof which are The 26kmride(15B,onehour)is alonga tion of ThInthayongyotandWangKhwa. Chiang Mai Arcadebusterminal (32B). alsogofrom (20B).Buses going toLamphun road, northof theTAT office, hasregular buses of onthesame theroad.Asmallbusstation of Thailand(TAT) officeontheopposite side justsouthof theTouristAuthority Lamphun, thedayfromThChiangMai-throughout Chiang Mai leave at30-minute intervals on themainstreet. Lamphun fromthequeuenearintersec- Lamphun There isa string of decent Wat Chang Khao Noi Wat ChangKhao In thereverse direction, s on thedifferent sleepingcategories. See theboxed text on p149 formore details We listhigh-seasonrackrates inthisbook. THAILAND WHAT INNORTHERN TOEXPECT
TopEnd(over 1500B) (600Bto1500B) Midrange Budget(under600B) (Th Inthayongyot) (Th ǎ wngth ǎ ew to Lamphun (15B)from ew toLamphun LAMPHUN PROVINCE ••Pasang LAMPHUNPROVINCE southof WatPhra That
Neua , off Rte, off 106towards ǎ wngth chedi shops noodle and rice noodle andrice . Nearthe near the ǎ ew leave Wimon
from 350matthe bambooforest lowlandsto Thailand’s leastvisited. Itranges inelevation visitors ayear,makingitone of northern .dnp.go.th; admission400B) This 225-sq-km v=mpkocsj'(k^bfvp*=o^k] DOI KHUNTANNATIONAL PARK phâa spot where driedhis Buddhasupposedly dle of thelowertemple groundsandanother monks whoare ina housed teaches toalarge meditation contingent of monk sittinginmeditation. alifelikecontains resin figure of thedeceased Tambol Ma-Kok (followRte 11331kmeast).It off Rte20km southof 106inthe Lamphun Phromma. It’sabout9kmsouthof Pasang or the north’smostrenowned monks,LuangPu popular Mahanikai isashrine tooneof sect Regionally famous,thiswatbelongingtothe ;yfritr=mT[km^kdzhk PHAH WAT PHRAPHUTTHABAHTTAHK which leadsdirectly toTak’s capital. intersectscenic. Bothhighways Hwy1south, tion of theroadnorthof isparticularly Thoen awinding10kmsec- on Hwy11toLampang; generally than lighter alongRte 106toThoen Tak Province usingyourownvehicle, is traffic to Pasang for10B. Ifyou’re heading southto ton products. wraparounds), shirtsandotherwoven-cot- blankets, tablecloths, Ngam. Afew vendors inthe main market intown,opposite WatPasang longest train tunnel (1352m), which opened Nam Tok Tat Moei four peaks;there’smountain’s alsoatrail to headquarters’ vicinity totrailscovering the trails that range fromshort walks aroundthe headquarters there are maps of well-marked ginger andlilies,are abundant. Atthepark Tan.Khun Wildflowers, includingorchids, 1363m atthepine-studded summitof Doi costs 20B. print named after anunremarkable Buddhafoot- a steep hillmounted bya thespaciousgroundsare aparkand Behind hut)ofdwelling ormeditation laterite brick. One of hisdisciples,Ajahn Thirawattho, A s A s (robes). ǎ (phrá phútthábàat) ǎ wngth wngth ǎ ǎ ew will take you from Lamphun ew willtake youfromLamphun ew from Lamphun tothewat ew fromLamphun (7km roundtrip). Thailand’s park receives around10,000
phâakhamáa ( % shrineinthemid- chedi 0 53519216-7;www kùtì market market . Thewatis (amonk’s (cotton also sell also sell
tàak 343 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND tory of theHariphunchai Kingdom(8thto partinthehis- Thewi, playinganimportant by thesonof Hariphunchai’s Chama Queen citywasfounded period, legend Lampang says far backasthe7thcenturyin Dvaravati Province wasinhabited Lampang Although as History northern Thailand. many themostbeautifulwooden temple in Luang( Wat Phra ThatLampang p348 ), for ( Centre Elephant Conservation p348 ), and faràng more urbanelife. sedate Themainpullfor Many Thais visit forataste of aLampang pop 50,700 ]exk' LAMPANG LAMPANG PROVINCE for 18km. then followsignsalongasteep unpaved road totheMae highway Thaturn-off,Lampang headquarters. Bycartake theChiangMai– low asteep, marked path1.3kmtothepark TanKhun crossthetracksandfol- station, 6.45am, 9.20amand3.40pm).Onceatthe 1½ hours, dailytrainsfromChiangMai at Tancess isfromtheKhun (15B, trainstation weekends. very popularoncoolseason is arestaurant bythebungalows.Theparkis 30B orrent atwo-person tent for150B. There headquarters. Youcanpitch yourowntent for people 1500/2200/2700B) slope. themountain sects are tohave said killedbytigers), been inter- workers ofthousands of Lao (several whom in 1921after sixyears of manuallabourby 344 sors, teak along withindependent Burmese loggers inthe area. well-paid supervi- These andThai industry in Burmatotrain Burmese familiar withtheteak supervisors in Burmese large British-owned timbercompany brought the domesticand international teak trade. A nearby Phrae, centre becameanimportant for along with of the20thcenturies Lampang, Wang). Attheend of the19thandbeginning rectangle alongsideariver Mae (inthiscase wasbuiltasawalled northern cities,Lampang 13th centuries). Like ChiangMai, Phrae andotherolder This parkisuniqueinthatthemainac- Bungalows APN RVNE • apn LAMPANG ••Lampang PROVINCE (Western) travellers is therenowned
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20B; the north of towntowards Jae Hom, isnamed for the (p348), Luang a Thaitemple) atWatPhra ThatLampang abbots of temples are these Burmese. Thecurrent gabled byintricate woodcarvings. ‘layered’in theBurmese style,withtinroofs Bothhavesans. temple buildingsconstructed arti- built inthelate 19thcenturybyBurmese Wat SiRongMeuang OTHER TEMPLES Lanna Museum lia andwoodwork)canbeviewedin thewat’s artefacts (mostlyreligiousLanna parapherna- Mandalay-style Buddhaimage. Adisplayof a style,contains intypicalBurmese mosaic in 1909.The (a square, spire-topped shrine room)wasbuilt hunchai influence,whiletheadjacent 1436 to1468.Themain WatPhra Kaew, Bangkok’s see p108 ) from theEmeraldBuddha(nowinwat housed On thenorthernsideof theMae Wang,this ;yfritcdh;fvog^hk WAT PHRAKAEW DONTAO Sights informationoffice Tourist 9am-12amSat) Fri, Post office &Games Internet h Arabica CoffeeInternet Boonyawat, especiallynearWatSuanDok. There are manybankswithATMs alongTh Information wats. best-maintained ofTheir legacylives oninseveral Lampang’s temples outof localmaterials, especiallyteak. andShan designed andbuiltthe mese artisans dozen impressive temples inthecity.Bur- sponsored theconstruction of more thana merchants whopliedtheirtradeinLampang, sights. run, withadecentmapofthearea anddetailsaboutlocal Noi; Thakhrao buildings. ture, open-sided wooden which emphasised templeples of architec- originalLanna-style Tai isoneof thefew remaining localexam- Wat Chedi Sao Apart fromthe 9am-10pm) h sao 10am-10pm) (northern Thai for20) whitewashed (Th Thakhrao Noi; Thakhrao (Th h
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lonelyplanet.com the ruins of Kao nearby WatKhu in 1983. farmer reportedly found the figure next to decorate the image’s hairlineand robe. A golden palm leafinitschest; precious stones skull inits headandanancient Pali-inscribed apieceof tocontain theBuddha’sis said andimage 38cmtall weighs 150kg,stands ( Buddha ondisplay inaglassed-in treasure isasolid-gold, 15th-centuryseated dha inPhitsanulok ( p395 ). Butthewat’sreal dha similarinstyle totheChinnaratBud- a pavilion inthecentre features agildedBud- very of colourful statue Avalokitesvara, while and casuarina. Atoneedge of a thewatstands endowed wat,landscapedwithbougainvillea Lanna-style h Center (33km);ChiangMai(103km) Thai ElephantConservationCenter To ThungKwianMarket(25km); 4 1 3 2 LAMPANG 8am-5pm) Wat SuanDok...... Wat SiRongMeuang...... Wat SiChum...... Wat PongsanukTai...... Wat PhraKaewDonTao...... Bowling Alley...... Baan SaoNak...... Tourist InformationOffice...... Siam CityBank(ATM)...... Post Office...... Krung ThaiBank(ATM)...... Internet &Games...... Arabica CoffeeInternet...... aahmSmnha hkNu.. D2 Samakhom SamunphraiPhakNeua.... SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Station Sports Field Train AC , builtover asquare pond. The chedi
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NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND the time of writing. very basicrooms.Renovation at wasstarting 100-160B; Yep, has a Lampang that’s right, BOWLING you wantduringonevisit. go inandoutof asmanytimes as thesauna Onceyou’veand herbalsaunas. paid,youcan area, offers traditionalnorthern-Thaimassage intheWiangNeua next toWatHuaKhuang sage per30min/hr100/150B,sauna100B; Society;149ThPratuma;mas- HerbalMedicine 0711; Northern The TRADITIONAL MASSAGE of themarket onThBoonyawat. be foundnearthelarger hotels andjusteast Tao andWatSiRongMeuang. Horse cartscan a one-hourtourstopsatWatPhra Kaew Don alongbesideMaethat goes Wang.For300B tour 150B; for200Byoucanget ahalf-hour minute horse-cart touraroundtowncosts handled byStetson-wearing drivers. A15- carts thatdripwithnylonflowers, andare colouredYou can’tmiss the brightly horse nowadays theyare fortourists. mainlyused are aspublictransport,although stillused it’s theonlytowninThailandwhere Meuang RotMah City)because Cart (Horse Thailandas isknownthroughout Lampang HORSE CARTS Activities handicraft andfoodstalls. from 4pmto10pmandfillsupwithsouvenir, onSaturday andSunday totraffic is closed Kao now hasitsownalongthecharming of ChiangMai’s walkingstreets, Lampang Perhaps wantingtoemulate thesuccess WALKING STREET isoftenhouse forceremonial used dinners. northern-Thai crafts.Thearea beneaththe 346 and cement rooms behind. Some have shared a couple of rooms inagorgeous teak home, r250-300B) Kao; Tip InnGuestHouse BUDGET Sleeping h (basement, ThThipawanshoppingcentre; 3games100B; Boonma Guest House 10.30am-11.30pm). . Dotted with old shophouses, thestreet. Dotted witholdshophouses, Samakhom Samunphrai Phak Neua Samunphrai Phak Samakhom APN RVNE • apn LAMPANG ••Lampang PROVINCE a ) Thisplacehasfriendly hostsand This family-run placefeatures
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quiet Pinfeels like aHyattorMarriott, only 1200B, ste1500-2000B; Noi;rincl breakfast 800- .tipchanghotel.com; 54/22Th Thakhrao and some smellabitmusty. rooms have all theamenitiesbut are plain, styled spa(treatments 350Bto750B) about thisbig,modern hotel isthelovely Thai City Kim Hotel MIDRANGE &TOP END books domesticand international flights. in ChiangMai. Atravel agent and isattached Thiswouldeasilycostdouble laundry service. aswella cent restaurant androomservice, are professional,bathrooms. Staff there’s ade- minibarandlarge and comewithcableTV, are very superclean,spacious comfortable, it’s smallerandmore intimate. The rooms .net; 8ThSuanDok;rfrom450; fridge anddesks. rooms have cableTV, Room ( opposite ), attractamature crowd.All posite Music Sweety nightclub, ) andbasement ant street-level KoomLuangrestaurant ( op- suite-style roomsonthe5thfloor. Thepleas- place are great value,especiallythelarge, wood-accented roomsinthislong-running motorbikes are available torent. erside bars. There curfew isamidnight and neighbours musicfromtheriv- andnightly river. Wallsare thinsoexpecttohearyour areas. Many of theterraces are onthe right you canstretch outdoor outinthepleasant buildings. Someroomsare abitcramped,but inupgradedoldteakdecorated roomsset tucked awayneartheriver andhastastefully ste 800B; 286ThTalatwww.theriversidelampang.com; r300-600B, Kao; andafriendlyreception.furniture, cable TV this hotel hasmodernishroomswith wooden 260-340B; andhaveclean, comfortable cableTV. the bedroomsfeel like bathrooms.Yet theyare this three-storey hotel have tiledwalls,making the roadtoKelangnakorn Hotel, therooms in Boonyawat; r250-350B; hang out. place to bathrooms. Itlacksacomfortable including breakfast 640-740,ste1040B) pang.com; 229ThBoonyawat;r390-500B; Tipchang Lampang Hotel Hotel Kelangnakorn Hotel Kim Asia LampangHotel Asia Pin Hotel Riverside GuestHouse Riverside a a ) ) Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com
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) % Thepristineand ) This hotel, with ( Thebestthing % 0 54226501; www a 0 54227005; ) Allof the . The 10.30pm) rambling oldteak structure ontheriver is Th ThipChang;dishes45-225B; atmosphere andabove-average food. pensive hotels have restaurants withanice ofquality ispretty themore Several high. ex- It’s notultradiverse like ChiangMai, butthe of hasagoodselection restaurants. Lampang Eating are overpriced andnothingspecial. pretty fishpondandgarden.Buttherooms hallways, atasteful lobby lounge area anda sive hotel hasreplica Thaiantiquesin the honyothin; r1500-1800,ste3500B; disco. are friendlyandhelpful. Staff The cheapest fromthe doletinsomenoise are andhave comfortable a poolorparkview. sounds more luxuriousthanitfeels. Rooms lounge,cocktail conference roomanddisco, lonelyplanet.com near several other riceand noodle joints. near several with rice(ornoodles). It’sopposite KimHotel, h more energetic thantheRiverside. fied music.Thefood’s goodandthesceneis industrialarchitecturelights, andmore ampli- Relax isalittlemore punk-rock,withneon 150B; tic thantheEuropean. dishes areThai andChinese farmore authen- restaurant. Thethis northernLanna–style air-con between Choose at orstreet seating Boonyawat; dishes50-100B; coffee ortea withicecream andpancakes. colouredinside onbrightly pods,andhave purple café.Sitoutsideonwooden chairs or and ricedishes. deliciouscurries,noodle restaurant serves andtheking,thistiny,simple of Lampang and surroundedbyblack-and-white pictures 9pm) isexcellent. reasonable andservice dishesaren’tthe pasta toogood.Prices are (Tue,Thu,Sat-Sun)arenights favourites but ern dishes. Thehomemadegelato andpizza menu of vegetarian, northern-ThaiandWest- There’s live music,afullbarandanenormous definitely themostpopularplacein town. Riverside Bar & Restaurant Bar&Restaurant Riverside Wienglakor Hotel Koom Luang Restaurant Koom LuangRestaurant B-Hive Pet Yang HongKong Pub&Restaurant Relax Kruang 312 8am-6pm) Set inacharming woodenshophouse Set h 6pm-midnight) You can’tmiss thisfunkylooking
(Th ThipChang;dishes30-80B; (Th Thisisthe bestspotforroast duck ( Th ThipChang;dishes30-60B; LAMPANG ••Lampang PROVINCE
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NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND out of town–15Bbyshared s built in1476. Kaew Thesmall andsimple is 45mhigh. restored in1496,measures and 24matitsbase chedi perimeter of the on woodenpanelsaroundtheinside upper of theBuddha’sprevious lives) are painted hang ThaiLüweavings behind it. oured Buddhafigures tothe close cast in1563.Thefaithfulleave smallgold-col- the backof the building inThailand.Ahuge, gilded considered tobetheoldestexistingwooden wooden roof supported byteak pillars, andis the impressive tohave builtin1476, been Believed missed. Wihan Luang iscentred ontheopen-sided That Lampang temple foundinnorthernThailand,WatPhra Arguably themost beautifulwoodenLanna ;yfritTk^=]exk's];' WAT PHRATHAT LAMPANG LUANG Sights AROUND LAMPANG (2nd/3rd class 50/23B,twohours). ChiangMai Trains runbetween andLampang TRAIN VIP 446/621B) to 348 LUANG WAT PHRATHATLAMPANG 9EntranceStairway 8Bòt 7WihanPhraPhut Phutthabaht 6HawPhra 5NagaGate 4WihanLuang 3MainStupa 2WihanTonKaew Taem 1WihanNam Sombat Tour The bus terminal in Lampang issomeway The busterminal inLampang Early 19th-century Early , tothenorthof themain APN RVNE • rudLmag LAMPANG ••AroundLampang PROVINCE behindthe 6 . 8 and is one attraction not to be and isoneattractionnottobe
wíh ( % wíh 1 7 3 wíh ǎ wíh 0 54323361;ThBoonyawat;1stclass/ an ǎ Southern Gate an ǎ 0.1miles 100m 0 0 contains a Buddha image aBuddhaimage contains ǎ an features atriple-tiered an, jataka 4 2 . The tall Lanna-style Lanna-style . Thetall raised in1449and raised murals(stories 5 ǎ wngth wíh mondòp 9 mondòp Wihan Ton ǎ an, ǎ ew was and and . in in pang, outside Thung Kwian between Km28 pang, outside ThungKwian between HangIn Amphoe Chat northwest of Lam- L)opNvo=iydKN (hk'wmp THAI ELEPHANT CONSERVATION CENTER thatavoidsKo Kha much of Lampang. 13 marker –thisroute isa50kmshortcut to attheKm 1034, 18kmnorthwest of Lampang Chiang Mai via Hwy11,turnsouthontoRte the temple ontheleft.Ifyou’re comingfrom for 3kmover anotherbridge untilyousee Followthe signsandcontinue and bearright. exit,thenfollowthe roadoverKha abridge head southontheAsia 1Hwy andtake theKo go backtothecityfor30B. outside thetempletemple (30B).Minibuses it’s a3kmchartered ridetothe motorcycletaxi s Wiang. FromtheKoKha eastbound s flagan by publictransportfromLampang, inKoKha. Togetsouthwest of there Lampang ceramics, allwelllabelled inThaiandEnglish. dha figures, lacquered boxes, manuscriptsand featuresfine, smallmuseum, shelves of Bud- enormous repoussé silver bowl.Thethird,a leafed behind an Buddhasplacedonanaltar artefacts, alongwiththree small,heavily gold- lacquerware nut cases, andotherethnographic of coins,banknotes, Buddhafigures, silver betel- of amiscellany theEmeraldBuddha’,contains some Buddhafigures. Another,called‘House displays mostlyfestival paraphernalia,plus of thewat,there are nowthree dates tothe15thcentury. days.Thisgate supposedly these rarely seen once commoninnorthernThaitemples but pound features animpressive dragonrelief – original murals. tracesofand, amazingly,stillcontains the Nam Taem Buddha. aseated and houses Phut istheoldeststructure inthecompound main Phra Phut hole inthewallontoawhite sheet) in inverted image (which isprojected viaasmall the Phutthabaht obscura image of the If you’re driving or cycling from Lampang, If you’re drivingorcyclingfromLampang, The lintel over theentrancetocom- The Until recently, acamera onlymencouldsee Wat Phra That Lampang Luangis18km Wat Phra ThatLampang In thearboretum outsidethesoutherngate chedi chedi wíh . Now everyone can see theshadowy can see . Noweveryone
, wasbuiltintheearly16thcentury (admission 20B) ǎ . The13th-centuryWihanPhra , asmallwhite buildingbehind an ǎ wngth tothenorthof the ǎ ew (20B) on Th Rawp ew (20B)onThRawp , which issouthof the chedi ǎ wngth inthe lonelyplanet.com museums chedi ǎ ew station, ew station, Haw Phra Haw Phra , Wihan Wihan . One . One s be reached byChiangMai-bound busor ecotourism, andprovides free medicaltreat- promotes theroleof theAsian elephantin bathing 9.45am,1.15pm;publicshows10am,11am,1.30pm) 20B; adult 30/50B+shuttlebusorowntransport 5422 9042;www.changthai.com,www.thaielephant.org;child/ and 29,thisunique lonelyplanet.com and amulets. fruit of herbs for making whisky to preserved and aninteresting range of wares, from bottles this market of hasagood selection food stalls Kwian market Thung isthe elephant camp,25km fromLampang, have yourown transport,onthewayto for 350Bto500B atthebusterminal. Ifyou ternatively, you canhire ablues The centre Al- is1.5kmfromthe highway. are headed andget attheKm37marker. off thedriverbus terminal. knowwhere Let you boxed(see text p350 ). by variousresearch and breeding programmes of elephants as workingforthepreservation sick elephantsfromallover Thailand,aswell on site, which cares for old,abandoned and souvenir shopsgototheelephanthospital thesurrounding forest.minutes) through (8am to3.30pm,100/400/800Bfor 10/30/60 culture of elephants aswellelephantrides There isalsoanexhibitonthehistoryand feed theelephantsafterwards withbananas. and playingoversized xylophones.Youcan logs, aswelltheusualpaintingof pictures most, focusingonhowelephantsworkwith tre islesstouristyandmore educationalthan Thailand. ment andcare forsickelephantsfromallover ǎ wngth The campis33kmfromtownand can fromthe entrancefee andAll proceeds The elephantshowatthis122-hectare cen- can choose10-or30-dayprogrammes. toelephantcarea generalintroduction and training. Those withahigherlevel ofcommitment wood-and-bamboo bungalowandanothernightatajunglecamp,plus ing inawell-equipped elephant hospital. atouroftheelephant, experimentwithdungpaper,rideanelephantinthejungleand take courseandlearnafewlife, simplecommandsforleadingan youcansignonforaone-day khwaan cháang 2500/5000B, perdayfor10+daysincltraining,lodging&food1500B) the highlyrecommended theideaofelephantsbeingemployedagain,butnotinelephantshows,tryone If youlike MAHOUT TRAINING A more homestayprogrammeincludesallmeals,anight’slodg- involved two-night three-day, ǎ ew (25B) from Lampang’s main ew (25B)fromLampang’s LAMPANG ••AroundLampang PROVINCE (elephant caretaker) or mahout. Ifyouwantaquicktaste (elephant caretaker) ofthemahout’s or mahout. . Very popularwith Thais, facility
(TECC; (TECC; Conservation CenterConservation programmes % ǎ 0 54228035, wngth h elephant ǎ ew
pool; close tothefallsarepool; close nine hotsprings. Jae Sawnhassixdrops,each withitsown inthepark reachElevations above 2000m. Ban, Lampang;admission400B) Jae Son,AmphoeMuang km waterfall, isanother WangNeuaand Lampang, between macaque. pangolin andthepig-tailed barking deer, animals protected bytheparkincludeserow, the 1172-sq-km hill-tribe village. Thisarea becamepartof with 110tiers. NearthesummitisaMien (Jampa Thong).WangKaew isthelargest, capital: 120kmnorthofNeua, roughly theprovincial falls. Three are Wang foundwithinAmphoe dha image. ThamPhastalactites), Thaihasalarge Bud- the usualcave formations(stalagmites and Hwy 1.Besides about500moff Chiang Rai and Lampang between north of Lampang, roads. there are alsoplentyof shops alongthemain can wanderaroundandfindloomsinaction; weaving villages of areNorth andeastof thecotton- Lampang ATTRACTIONS OTHER a visitors centre, 12 bungalows for hire and and Doi Luang National Parks. Chae Son has ing cold-water shower. soak, preceded and followedbyaninvigorat- the spring.For20B youcantake a20-minute continuously filled withwater direct from the floorandlined withclaytiles,thatare circularbaths,Small hutshouse recessed into In Amphoe MeuangIn Amphoe Pan, abouthalfway Thai Pha Tham Camping ispermitted inbothChaeSon Camping The province iswellendowedwithwater- Chae SonNationalPark Wang Kaew Nam TokJaeSawn , where you learn the skills ofthe, where youlearntheskills
(www.changthai.com; 1-/3-daycourse Doi LuangNationalPark (Pha ThaiCave) is66km , Wang Thong Jae Hom ( , partof the593-sq- % and 0 54229000;Tambon and Mae Tha Mae Than Thong Than in1990; . You 349
.
NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND Resources Conservation Office. Resources Conservation Chatuchak,Bangkok) Th Phahonyothin, Department Forest the For furtherinformation,contact providefood/snack stalls sustenance aswell. privatelyadvance of run yourvisit.Several a restaurant, butfoodmustbeordered in 350 port mostof theagriculture inthe province; fertile Mekong floodplains totheeast sup- and Mekong River atThailand’s peak.The with the junction of NamRuak (RuakRiver) other half, cleaving Myanmarfrom Thailand, by theMekong River. form the Mountains isformed the province andnation fromLaos, areas. Half of itsnorthernborder,separating Thailand, isone of thecountry’smost rural thenorthernmostprovince inChiang Rai, CHIANG RAI PROVINCE often cannotafford tocare offorests forthem.Meanwhile,destruction andivory-tradepoach- domesticated elephantsare increasingly neglected, mistreated orabandonedbyownerswho work dayandnight. the Thai–Myanmar border. Sadly,someanimalsare pumpedfullofamphetaminessotheycan Some owners,however, continuetoworktheirelephantsintheillegallogging industryalong less weightonthegroundpersquare centimetre thanadeer! crushing theground.Interestingly, anadultelephantcanrunatspeedsofupto23km/hbutputs through aforest withminimumdamage–itslarge, softfeet distribute theanimal’sweightwithout at age61.They often live for80yearsormore. animal throughitslifetime. Thai lawrequires thatelephantsberetired andreleased intothewild oneolderandyounger–sometimesafather-and-son teammahouts, –whocanseethe inprocession. bathing andwalking five takes years.guidance oftheirmahouts, They learnto push,carryandstacklogs,aswell childhoodbefore tofive-year enjoy athree- theybegin training. The training,whichisunderthe 13,397. Today,Tak province hasthehighestnumberofelephants. there inThailand; were by1952thenumber had droppedto atleast100,000elephantsworking of bothwildanddomesticanimalsare steadily dwindling. Around1900itwasestimated that India butfewer thanMyanmar. There are fewer than3000domesticated elephants. The numbers are astrongdrawcardforWestern tourists. before theadvent oftanksandbigguns. Today, elephants are stillrevered inThai societyand on farmsandinthejungle,elephantswere thesuperweaponsofSoutheastAsian armies appeared ontheThai nationalflag. withelephants Thais have Historically, side-by-side worked symbolsinThai cultureThe anduntil1917awhite elephantisoneofthemostpowerful elephant THE PLIGHTOFTHAILAND’S ELEPHANTS HAGRIPOIC • Cin a ••ChiangRai CHIANG RAIPROVINCE The plightofthese unemployed creatures isbecominganissueof national concern.Many In 1989logging wasbannedinThailand, resulting indecreased demandfortrainedelephants. theelephantbeatsanyotheranimalormachineformovingAs amodeofjungletransport, elephantshave acareerWorking ofabout50years;sowhenyoungthey are trainedbytwo Elephant motherscarrytheircalves for22months. elephants Oncetheyare born,working Currently, estimate there experts are nowfewer than2000wildelephantsinThailand, more than
( % 0 25797223,25614292-3; of theNatural Royal northern Thais know as‘Siang Hai’ has About 180km from Chiang Mai, thecity pop 73,300 g(up'ikp CHIANG RAI and museums. fame isnowmostly relegated tohistorybooks GoldenTriangle poppy patches), Chiang Rai’s pockets of thetradehere andthere afew (even Whilethere areand Laos. undoubtedly still opium tradeover theborder intoMyanmar law enforcement,have pushedmuch of the (the king’smother),alongwithaccelerated projects sponsored bythelate PrincessMother opium inThailand. wasthecentre formostofChiang Rai the slopesisopium anduntilrecentlymountain most crops.Onecropthatthrives onsteep to the west the land is too mountainous for to thewestlandistoomountainous Crop substitution and other development Crop substitutionandotherdevelopment lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com in the early1990s the area adevelopment saw inthe1980s, and began moving toChiang Rai then aprovince in1910.Lots of wealthy Thais territory till1786, it didn’tbecome aSiamese kingdom and Lanna as partof the Lao-Thai outside thecity. temple,sparkling white just WatRongKhun character andattractions,like theunique, hasits own ChiangRai the north’scapital, Chiang Mai. often Although compared to comparednities outsideof to ChiangRai more opportu- andhomestay volunteering areas are quicker toget to. There are also atmosphere, less pollution,anditstrekking of butthecityhasamore sites relaxed to see, here, market fromthenight totheamount Chiang Mai. Thingsare onasmallerscale asalaid-back alternativetout ChiangRai to gateway totheGoldenTriangle’.Thaisoften marketedbeen intouristliterature as‘the Phaya Mengrai in1262 foundedChiangRai zoos inNovember 2006. in Bangkokprevented theelephantsfromleavingbutthey arrived intheirrespective Australian conditionsputforwardbythewelfareand thatextra groupshadbeenmet.InJune 2006 protests that thezooswere committed anddedicated oftheelephants, tothewelfare andconservation elephant’s homecountry. inthe out thatthemillionsspentonenclosures efforts shouldhave gonetoconservation wasmore Itwasalsopointed aboutincreasingimport visitornumbersthananimalconservation. andrecoverypotentially bedetrimentaltothesurvival ofthespecies. Itwasallegedthatthe wouldthat thezooswere notequippedtomeettheneedsofelephants,andtheirimport benefit,where theelephants hadnoconservation animalwelfare groupsallegedthatimporting thespecies.aimed atpreserving This andprotests, decisionledtotwoyearsoflegalaction three tobesentMelbourneZoo. Inbothzoosbreeding programmeshave beenestablished Australia permitsforfive granted Thai import elephantstogoTaronga ZooinSydney,and the elephants. TECC alsohasmobilehealthclinics,whichtravel andtreating aroundThailand healthchecking solution ifthepopulationdwindleseven more. fromitselephanthospital inLampang, Apart tives ofTECC inseminationprogrammetoavoidthisproblem,andasalonger-term isanartificial males inmainlyfemale camps,babyelephants are beingbornwithdisabilities. Oneoftheinitia- inLampangProvince ( (TECC) p348 facilities.) oratotherbonafideconservation Center withthesebeautifulanimalsisattheThai contact ElephantConservation way tomake to feed theelephants. Intheseurbanenvironments,theelephantsoften suffer. theanimalthroughstreets andsellingbananas andsugarcanetopeoplesimply bywalking have begunmigratingwiththeirelephantstolarge Thai They cities,even earnmoney Bangkok. officially classifiedasanendangered species. ing are populationinincreasing placingthewild-elephant jeopardy.The Asian elephantisnow However, the tribunal gave the go-ahead to the imports in2006after theyhadbeenconvinced totheimports However, thetribunalgave thego-ahead Outside ofThailand Asian theattempt elephants hascausedcontroversy. toconserve In2004 One oftheproblemsinelephantcampsaroundThailand isinbreeding; duetoalackof are urging experts touristsnottofeedElephant conservation elephantsinthecities. Abetter manymahouts numbersofunemployedelephantsalsomeansmahouts; Rising CHIANG RAI PROVINCE ••ChiangRai CHIANGRAIPROVINCE ones; alsosellscoffee, teaandsomehandicrafts. used ofoverpriced newbookswithasmattering Mainly BOOKSHOPS Information southern China. Myanmar and andcitiesinLaos, Chiang Rai of thepotential of possible roadsconnecting there (butnotmuch action) talk hasbeen with international destinationsintheregion, linkChiang Rai theairportstill doesn’t though bit sincethenbutambitionsare Al- stillhigh. the city’sfuture. Thingshave calmed downa boom aslocalentrepreneurs speculated on Orn’s Bookshop Garon Gare prices than Gare Garon. Turn Garon. thanGare downthe prices right tion ofbooks are in manylanguagesand at muchcheaper and discerningPeter.by theeccentric superbcollec- His thisplaceisrun far thebest used bookshopinChiang Rai, Boonbundan Guest House. (869/18 Th Phahonyothin; (869/18 ThPhahonyothin; ( % 08 10220318; h h 8am-8pm) soi 10am-10pm) past
By 351 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND Phra Singh. 9am-noonSat,Sun&holidays)SouthofWat Mon-Fri, give detailedadvice,and havemapsandusefulbrochures. Thailand.Fantastically thetimeto north helpful,theytake h 5374 4674,053711433;[email protected]; ThSingkhlai; office ofThailand Authority Tourism TOURIST INFORMATION office ofThailand Communications Authority ( includingConnectCafé services, above ). Many internet placesoffer international call TELEPHONE Main POST both ThPhahonyothin and There isanabundanceof banksandATMs on MONEY Hospital Overbrook MEDICAL SERVICES chilled-out music. digital photosontoCDs,sellsbooksandmaps,plays burns you’re typing away.Ithasanoverseascallservice, homemadebrowniesandgoodcoffee while café serves thin; Café Connect abundant aroundtheWangComeHotel. town andcosts40Bperhour. It’sespecially Internet access isreadily available around ACCESSINTERNET Police Tourist EMERGENCY 352 (actually made of jade). After a longjourney the Phra Kaew Morakotor EmeraldBuddha octagonal struck the temple’sthat in1434 lightning most revered Buddhisttemple. says Legend Monastery) inlocaldialect,this isthecity’s Originally calledWat Pa Yia Forest (Bamboo ;yfritcdh; WAT PHRA KAEW Sights spoken andpoliceare onstand-by24hoursaday spoken Wheelscars;Englishis toNorth policeofficenext tourist modern hospitalthattreats foreigners. inthis Englishisspoken hospital.com; ThSingkhlai) fax services. fax services. internationaltelephone, internetand Offers 11pm Mon-Fri) cnr Th Ratchadat Damrong & Th Ngam Meuang; Damrong&ThNgamMeuang; cnr ThRatchadat 8.30am-4.30pm) Staff here are someofthebestin h
post office HAGRIPOIC • Cin a ••ChiangRai CHIANG RAIPROVINCE 10.30am-10.30pm) This colourful, funkyinternet 10.30am-10.30pm) Thiscolourful,
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Th Thanalai. 8.30am-4.30pm 24hrs) Atthenew (TAT; h % 7am- (CAT; 0 peak. thesite for thecity fromthisfirst surveyed inside. KingMengrai, founder, ChiangRai’s ries, and maycover an earlierMon likely itdates fromthe14th to16thcentu- since Lanna founded.Mosthadn’t yetbeen here builtin940,impossible wassupposedly casional river breeze. TheLanna-style has partialviews of theriver andgets anoc- This hilltopwatnorthwest of WatPhra Kaew ;yfritTk^=fvp&v}mv' WAT PHRA THAT DOI CHOM THONG main gate lookstobeof ThaiLüdesign.The carved roofs.low, sweeping Theimpressive dragon- cal northernThai-stylewoodstructures with Wat Phraitsoriginalbuildingsare Singh, typi- Mahaphrom. Asister temple toChiangMai’s century duringthereign King of ChiangRai’s image, thistemple wasbuiltinthelate 14th Housing yetanothercopyof afamousBuddha ;yfritlb'sN WAT PHRASINGH features auniqueThaiastrologicalfresco. of thefrontveranda of themain more aestheticinterest isthewoodenceiling Of Yot, butwithoutstuccoornamentation. chedi The namesake forthiswatisaseven-spired ;yfg&Hfpvf WAT YOT JET doors. The carved woodenstructure withuniquepreserved wat compound. Phra Kaew, which sitstowardsthebackof the intheimpressiveThe image ishoused Haw just0.1cmshorterheight, thantheoriginal. sions of and65.9cmin 48.3cmacrossthebase Phra Kaew withdimen- MorakotinBangkok, ally avery butnotexactreplica close of the Jade(Chiang Rai Buddha),itwasintention- dian jade. NamedthePhra YokChiangRai artisttosculptanewimage fromCana- nese boxed(see text p109 ). in thetemple of nameinBangkok thesame isnowensconced thisnationaltalisman Laos, that includedalongstopover inVientiane, style. the late 14thcenturyandisintypicalLanna Phra Singh Buddha.Phra Singh The main In 1990 Chiang Rai commissioned aChi- In 1990ChiangRai similartothatinChiangMai’s WatJet wíh ǎ an wíh houses acopyof houses ChiangMai’s ǎ an chedi isamedium-sized,well- behinditdates from lonelyplanet.com wíh ǎ an, which chedi chedi
lonelyplanet.com hill-tribe trek. The centre, runby thenon- a good placeto visitbefore any undertaking admission 50B; 0088; www.pda.or.th/chiangrai; 3rd floor,620/1ThThanalai; This rbrbT#yIRN c]tL)opNdkiLŒdKk(k;g*k CENTER HILLTRIBE MUSEUM&EDUCATION
(3km) Natural Focus Th Th Ratchayotha 4 1 3 2 5 CHIANG RAI
14 Ratchadat Wat Ngam Meuang
Akha HillHouse(23km);Ban To MirrorArtGroup(15km); Ruammit (37km);ThaTon(50km) museum and handicrafts centre museum and handicrafts
To BoatPier(50m);KhumMuang Mang (1km);ThamTuPu(1.2km) PS GuestHouse...... Pam's GuestHouse...... Moon &SunHotel...... Janson House...... Golden TriangleInn...... Chat House...... Boonbundan GuestHouse...... Baan Bua...... Akha RiverHouse...... Wat PhratThatDoiChomThong..... Wat PhraSingh...... Wat PhraKaew...... Wat JetYot...... PDA Tours&Travel...... (see10) Center...... Tourist Police...... TAT Office...... Police Station...... Overbrook Hospital...... Orn's Bookshop...... Main PostOffice...... Gare Garon...... Connect Café...... CAT Office...... SLEEPING SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION iyHm...... C3 City Home...... Hilltribe Museum&Education Soi 1 Soi
Damrong
Th Utarakit AC h
9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat-Sun) 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 1 At-Amnuay Th CHIANG RAI PROVINCE ••ChiangRai CHIANGRAIPROVINCE Town Hall& Government
Th Thanalai Office Th Ngam Meuang Ngam Th
Wat MingMeuang Th Kaiso Th
Daru AmanMosque Mae
12 Th Reuang Nakhon
Nam nrasit
18
Th Banphaprakan 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 Th Trairat Kok 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 C1 C3 D2 C4 C3 B1 B3 C3 C1 A1 B2 B2 C3 C2 C3 B1 C2 B2 B3 B2 C3 C3 A2 6
38
Th B
DRINKING EATING Itsaraphap ih akt...... C3 Night Market...... 24 Bar...... The OldDutch...... (see 37) Rot Prasoet...... Old Siam...... Nice Kitchen...... Nakhon Pathom...... Muang ThongRestaurant...... Il Pirata...... Da Vinci...... Cham Cha...... Cabbages &Condoms...... (see10) BaanChivitMai Bakery...... Aye's Restaurant...... Wiang Inn...... Wang ComeHotel...... Tourist Inn...... ( % Dusit Island 13 0 5374 5
Tower Clock
30 Tower Th Suksathit Th Clock 4 40 is
39
17 49 Th Jet Yot Jet Th 48 25 8 7 Punyodana 11 Th Premaviphat 23 community projects helps thatthe museum tribes, theirhistories, recent trends and the aboutthedifferent andwilltalk hill museum, and Thai. Thecuratorispassionate about his ration in English, French, Japanese German, slide showonThailand’s hilltribeswithnar- ment Association (PDA), offers a20-minute profit Population&Community Develop- Plaza 15 26 41 District 35 Office 21
16 Th Ratanaket Th 37 34 42 24 28 Chiang RaiFirst 3 31
School
45 Th Phahonyothin Th Church 32 2 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 44 27 Old Jail
33 Th San Pannat San Th
Th 43 19 50 B3 B2 C3 C3 C3 C3 C3 C3 B1 C3 C3 C3 C3 B4
20
Utarakit Th Wisetwiang Th 9
29 36 47 Th TRANSPORT SHOPPING ENTERTAINMENT Thai Airways...... ST Motorcycle...... ST Motorcycle...... North Wheels...... Bus Terminal...... Budget Rent-A-Car...... (see20) Air Agent...... Silver Birch...... (see27) MZ Collection...... Gong Ngoen...... (see27) Ego...... (see 27) Centre PointNightBazaar...... Teepee Bar...... CR 49...... ayHue...... C3 Easy House......
46 Th Phahonyothin Th
0.3miles 500m 0 0
Singkhlai 10 Th Kaw Lawy Kaw Th To TheLegendofChiangRai(2km); Akha AssociationforEducation 22 and Culture(3km) Wat RongKhun(13km); Bunreuang
Chiang Mai(191km)
To Mantrini(1km);
Th Si Koet Si Th Wat Th Thanalai Th
Mae Th Prasopsuk Th Th Chao Chai Chao Th Chiang Saen(67km); King Mengrai D Wat Si Monument Koet
Nam Mae Sai(68km) Airport (10km); To ChiangRai International Th Phahonyothin 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40
Kok
353 C3 B3 B3 C3 C3 C3 C3 C3 C3 B3 1 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND ment projects: the treks godirectly tocommunity-develop- ate treks andculturaltours where profits from per dayfortwopeople. in agroupof sixormore, to2300Bperperson range from950Bperpersonties. Rates perday days andparticipants,thetype of activi- TAT-licensed guide. assured of a a qualityexperienceifyouuse elsewhere innorthernThailand,you’re more to bookdirectly As aguesthouse. through of soitmaybecheaper thelocalguesthouses, act asbrokers forguidesassociated withone areas. Many of thelocaltravel agencies merely Tung, DoiMae SalongandChiang Khong hotels offer trekking trips,typicallyintheDoi More than30travel and agencies, guesthouses TREKKING Activities chambers. ofset stairs leadingup tooneof themain collection of dogs.Here, you’ll findasteep wherelimestone cliff there isamonkandhis ofthen followadirtpath200mtothebase a 800m fromtheriver. Followtheroad1km, forThamTuPu, you’ll cometoaturn-off bridge tothenorthernsideof Mae NamKok, If youfollowThWinitchaikul acrossthe $µk^)xj) THAM TUPU ( p358 ) isonthepremises. of Bangkok’s treks ( below ). There’s agiftshop andabranch recommendedjects. ThePDAalsorunhighly implements andotheranthropologicalob- major tribes,examplesof bamboousage, folk includetypicalclothingforsix fund. Exhibits 354 Development Foundation (www.hadf.org),Development Wiang) village-owned banks. education scholarships of andestablishment HIV/AIDS education, mobile healthclinics, back intocommunity projects thatinclude to three-day treks are available andprofits go Association-trained hill-tribe members. One- by Population& Community Development 620/1 ThThanalai) &EducationCenter; Museum .com; 620/1ThThanalai,Hilltribe .naturalfocusecotour.com; 4,ThPa-Ngiw, 129/1Mu Soi 4,Rop PDA Tours & Travel PDA Tours&Travel oper-The followingagencies inChiang Rai Trek pricingdependsonthenumberof Natural Focus HAGRIPOIC • Cin a ••ChiangRai CHIANG RAIPROVINCE Set upby theHill Area andCommunity Set Culturallysensitive treks are led
Cabbages &Condoms Cabbages ( %
( % 0 53715696, 0817067639;www 0 53740088;crpdatour@hotmail
restaurant
.akhahill.com, www.akha.info; 423/25 Mu 21Soi1ThKohloy) 423/25Mu www.akha.info; .akhahill.com, days, andplaces are limited soit isbest to ing food inthe forest. are Stays from seven orgather-the fields, helpingbuilda house, be quite physical–you maybeworking in the days can ing onthe agriculturalseason, family.Depend- in avillage withanAkha Life andyouwill belivingandworking Stay 468ThRimkok) .akhaasia.org; Thailand appreciated. Donations of books,toysandclothesare also foraminimum of programme goes oneweek. Tambon Yao) Mae group.org/volunteerenglish. html; 106Moo1,BanHuayKhom, Group Art Mirror The VOLUNTEERING end of theriver route. south of theriver townof Mae Salaknearthe for do-it-yourselftrekkers is within aday’swalk.Anotherpopular area andLisuvillages –allofMien, Akha them From here youcantrek onyourowntoLahu, Ruammit is hour’s boatrideeastfromChiangRai you upriver asfarThaTon(see p360 ). An munity anditsschool. and theiractivitiesgobackintothehillcom- also (see p333 ). Profits fromtheguesthouses of ataheight 1500m 23km fromChiangRai, about HillHouse to andaroundtheirAkha boatuptheriver,a long-tail before trekking day treks. with Theybeginattheguesthouse one-toseven- River does House people, Akha tribes- Wholly ownedandmanaged byAkha bamboo work,are available. in which you learntraditionalweaving or programmes, homestay length butone-week tion withthevillagers. Tripscanbeof any king withthisgroupencourages real interac- workshops toThaicitizenshipadvocacy.Trek- hill-tribe projects, rangingfromeducational This nonprofit manyadmirable NGOdoes Tambon 106Moo1,BanHuayKhom, Yao)rorartgroup.org; Mae hill-tribe living. to fifteen daysthatconcentrate onnature and Natural Focusoffers tours rangingfromone Programme needs English and IT skills.The Programme needs Its Volunteer Teachingwest of ChiangRai. with hilltribesintheMae Yao area is15km Akha Association for Education and Culture in forEducationandCulture Association Akha pier,boatscantake From ChiangRai’s Group Art Mirror The House andHill River Akha
, which isafair-sized Karen village. (AFECT; (AFECT; Thisnonprofit NGOworking %
0 53714250,081952 2179; www ( %
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0 53737412-3;www.mir ( % Wawi lonelyplanet.com 08 99975505;www
(see (see p334 ), www.mirrorart www.mirrorart Ban
in thecentre, clustered aroundThJet Yotand The twomainareas foraccommodationare Sleeping maybepossible.but shorter stays Mae Chan/Mae Salongarea forsixmonths, includesteachingvolunteering English inthe agement Currently, tosocialdevelopment. man- problems rangingfromenvironmental This foundationhelpshilltribesdealwith Foundation(HADF).munity Development portunities withtheHillArea AndCom- to findoutabout op- possiblevolunteering Th Pa-Ngiw, Soi4,RopWiang) www.hadf.org; dation/Natural Focus education. for programmesthatrange fromhealthto the Life are Stay putbackintothecommunity arrange inadvanceof travel. from Proceeds Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com rented here. rant. Bikes, motorbikes and 4WDscan be garden withasmall restau- inapleasant set collection of cheap butrun-downrooms are a relaxed andpersonable atmosphere. The has tial street, thislong-runningguesthouse r from200-300B; s/dwithoutbathroom80/150B, Th Trairat,3/2SoiSaengkaew; and communityprojects. education backintoAkha goes guesthouse ( opposite ), andpartof the profits fromthe isavailable.station Itstreks are raved about charge andfree pick-upfromthebus touse a smallboattoexplore in.Bikes are free of areasseating for relaxing bytheriver, plus textiles. Thereand Akha isarestaurant and garden, tastefully designedwithwarmochres rooms andbungalowsare inamanicured set isarealguesthouse retreat. Comfortable the Mae NamKok,thiswhollyAkha-owned 100-200B, d150-300B; 21 ThKohloy,Soi1;s 423/25Mu .info, www.akhahill.com; BUDGET going theboutiqueway. signs of leaving theblandfour/five-star and good newofferings. Thetopendisshowing its socksinthelastcoupleof years withsome towns. Budget accommodation haspulledup forcomparable comfortinotherbig ang Rai of Mae NamKok.Prices are lowerinChi- off ThPhahonyothin, orbytherelaxed setting Akha River House River Akha Hill Area and Community Development Foun- andCommunityDevelopment Area Hill Chat House
www.naturalfocusecotour.com; 4, 129/1Mu
a ( % ) i Outof thewayonaresiden- 0 53711481;www.chathouse32.com;
) ( ( % Behind theTATBehind officeon % Contact NaturalFocus Contact 0 53715696,0817067639; 0 53715084;www.akha CHIANG RAI PROVINCE ••ChiangRai CHIANGRAIPROVINCE
motorbikes canberented. and free drinks.Bicyclesare and free to use signed bathrooms,plusafridge, sink,kettle attractive,rooms dohave well-de- cable TV, notfilledwithlotsofAlthough character, the fanorair-con,eight large, good-value rooms. hasafriendlyhostand this newguesthouse Kohloy; r250-450B; years.eight its tours withthemfor hasbeen who does withagarden outthefront.Theguide house rooms withhotshowers, allinacementrow ThJetoff Yot,andoffers 17large, spotless Yot;r250-400B; Th Jet ice isavailable. Motorcyclescanberented. fridge andakitchenette. Alaundryserv- TV, rooms are great valueandcomewithcable and coulddowithalickof paint.Thenewer budget, buttheolderroomslackcharacter ing added.There issomethingtosuitevery had manyroomsrenovated andanewbuild- quiet, walledcompound,thisoldfavourite has Yot;r170-500B; 1005/13 ThJet plain. water bathrooms;allof themare cleanbut DVDs. Thecheaper roomshave shared hot and plusloungingareastable, withcableTV communal area withasmall bar andpool 150-250B) Japanese. and theproprietors speakEnglish, Thaiand andmotorcyclerentals canbearrangedCar inthecommunal area.There isacableTV wholemealbreadcroissants, andbaguettes. Breakfasts here are withhomemade fantastic morethe nicerandslightly expensive rooms. intwobuildings–theneweronehas and set ai Yot;fans150-180B,d200-250B,air-conr350B; 1004/4-6 ThJet Yot; r450B; value.tastic coloured chairs surroundedbyplants. Fan- no garden buta‘relax zone’ withbrightly andare wellfurnished. There’sand cableTV, large rooms.Allhave woodenfloors, air-con, of town,thisquietfour-storey hotel has17 400B; any timeof theyear. It’sinaquietlocation PS Guesthouse Baan Bua Boonbundan GuestHouse Pam’s GuestHouse Inn Tourist City Home Janson House i ) Roomshere are butclean, alittlestark ) Thisfriendlyplacehasacolourful Downatiny a
( ) %
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) ( 0 53600470,53744521;82/2 ) % Near Akha River House, Near Akha soi Thisplacecanbefull 0 5371 4552;897/2 ThJet , smackinthemiddle 08 9433 5134; Th Jet Yot;r 08 94335134;ThJet a
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355 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND 356 Here’s ausefulchecklist ofquestions: availableinmostvillagesareas thethinwoollenblankets notsufficientfortheaverage visitor. and ifthere are additionalexpenses. sure Inthecoolseason,make sleepingbagsare provided, whatthetour does andnotinclude;the group(suggestameeting),andfind outexactly the bestwaytoshopforatrek istotalktravellers whohave justreturned fromone. Still, withmore than300 companies,it’svery ofcontrol.Ultimately, difficulttoguarantee anykind are only,pinkare fortrekking forsightseeingonlyandsilver onesare forguideslicensedtodoboth. problems later. The guideshouldbeabletoshowyoutheirlicenceandcertificate. Green licences had atleastregional training,andtheyare registered, andsurvival whichisusefulifthere are toregulate efforts companies. trekking agencies andismaking The TourismAuthority ofThailand (TAT) officeinChiangMai( p283 ) maintainsalistoflicensed ascommission-charging act companiesactually their owntrekking foroff-site brokers operations. predict whichcompaniesare goingtogive Manyguesthousesthatadvertise thebestservice. guidesareMany trekking freelance andfloatfrom companytocompany,sothere’s nowayto Choosing aCompany to thedeclineofhill-tribeculture byleadingtravellers intountouristed areas. an authenticexperienceisprobablyexaggeratingatthevery least,orattheworstcontributing you probablyshouldn’tgotrekking. inmindthatanyonewhopromisesyou Ifyoudogo,keep the outsideworldthatmayerodetribalcustomstovaryingdegrees. towards hilltribes. Onthenegative side,trekkers introducemanyculturalitems andideasfrom haveminority groups,tourismmayactually forcedittoreview andsometimesimprove itspolicies oriented Also,sincetheThai societiesfunction. government issensitive abouttheimage oftheir and negative. Onthepositive side,travellers have achancetoseehowtraditional,subsistence- tribes leadlargely insularlives. Therefore, hill-tribetourismhaspronounced effects, bothpositive Thailand the ifnothingelse).Butinthehills ofnorthern foreign facesandforeign ways(fromTV feel throughhill-tribevillagesandplayingtheroleofvoyeur. awkwardwalking exposure totheelementsandunsavouryfood.Second,manypeopleuphill anddownhillwalking, isn’tforeveryone. trekking Hill-tribe First, youmustbephysicallyfitenoughtowithstandextended Before Trekking an enjoyabletrek is having agoodleader-organiser, followedbyagoodgroupoftrekkers. of adventure, butsomeare disillusionedbytheexperience. ingredient The inhaving mostimportant Thousands Thailand ofvisitorstrek eachyear. intothehillsofnorthern Mostcomeawaywithasense TREKKING INNORTHERNTHAILAND visits to a particular area and arevisits toaparticular careful not to overlap areas used byother companies. Everyone hill-tribe villages thaninprevious decades. Mostcompanies nowtend tolimitthe numberof businesshasbecome moreIn general, thetrekking consciousofthe needtotread carefully in
Is the trek (ie number of participants, itineraryandthe duration)registered Isthe trek (ienumberofparticipants, withthetouristpolice? Does the tour company provide transport before Does the tourcompanyprovide andafter transport thetrek orisitbypublicbus whendoes thetourbegin Exactly treks andend?(Somethree-day turnouttobeless than48 isnot alwaysnecessary, Can theguidespeaklanguage ofeachvillagetobevisited? (This Can the organiser guarantee thatnoothertouristswillvisitthesamevillageonday, Howmanypeoplewillthere beinthegroup?(Sixto10isagoodmaximumrange.) HAGRIPOIC CHIANG RAIPROVINCE In short, ifyoudecidetodoatrek, chooseyouroperatorcarefully,In short, try tomeettheothersin sureMake withare thattheguides yougotrekking licensedTAT guides. This meanstheyhave If youhave anyqualmsaboutinterrupting thetraditionalpatterns oflife inhill-tribeareas, In citiesandvillageselsewhere inThailand, Thais andotherlowlandgroupsare quite usedto (which maymeanlong waits)? hours inlength.) as manyvillagerscan speakThai nowadays.) especially overnight? lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com an area isconsidered safe ornot. Alonetrekker isaneasytarget forbandits. of thesafety Check with thepolicewhenyouarrive sothey cantell inanewdistrict risk. youif snacks.)some high-energy However, theTAT onyourownbecause stronglydiscouragestrekking towns andoccasionally inthehill-tribesettlements. (Obviously,besure plentyofwater totake and sary tobringalotof foodorgear,justmoneyforthat canbeboughtenroute atsmallThai other travellers intownwhohave beenontreks. these tend tocostaround900Baday.Don’tchoosetrek bypricealone. It’sbetter totalk hour ortwo. programmes– two-day Somecompaniesnowoffer daytreks orone-night, quickie stable forthelastfew after years. an becomeboringanduncomfortable Elephantridesactually these dayssomanycompaniesare competingforyourbusinessthatrates have remained pretty on thefirstandlastdayspersonalporters. Rates vary, so itpaystoshoparound–although rafting and/orelephantriding. Notincludedare water beverages ortea, otherthandrinking lunch guide,accommodation,three mealsperday,sleepingbags,waterincluding transport, bottlesand Organised treks trek, outofChiangMai average two-night around2000-2500B forathree-day, Costs and conditions. less regulation thanthoseinChiangMai,andthere are fewer guarantees withregard toterms guesthouses elsewhere inthenorth. Yuam,Mae Sariang,Khun Soppong(nearPai), MaeSot,UmPhang andvariousout-of-the-way Ton. Ifyouhave alittletimetoseekouttherightpeople,youcanalsojoinorganised treks from quick in-and-outtrek. Youcaneasilyarrangetreks outofMaeHongSon,Pai, MaeSaiandTha and thetrekkers are usuallyamore determined foraneasyand bunchsincethey’re notlooking tours formore remote andless-trekked areas. Also,theyare generallysmaller, friendlieroperations industryismoreexperience andthetrekking sustainable. benefits fromthisconsciousness:thehilltribesare lessimpacted, thetrekkers have abetter itemised receipt on a trek. before departing can’t afford tolose. Ifyou leave sure your valuableswitha guesthouse,make youobtainafully being robbed forseveral anything alongonatrek yearsnow. Still, youshouldn’t take thatyou Thai policemount regular hill-countrypatrols andwehaven’t groups heardofany trekking Safety Tribes Phrasebook village willknowsomeThai, soaThai phrasebookcanbehelpful.LonelyPlanetpublishesa asthisisnottheirareainformation. Don’tbotherstaffwithquestions abouttrekking ofexpertise. ( p353 ). Browsingthedisplayswillhelpyouidentifydifferent tribes,andtheinscriptionsoffer cultural Museum inChiangMai( p287 Museum& EducationCenter) ortheexcellentHilltribe inChiangRai ( p363 ) have mapsandknowledge oftheirareas. goodtrekking Caveguesthouses, like Lodge( p445 ) nearTham LotandShinSaneGuestHouseinMae Salong outonyour owninasmallgroupoftwotofive people.You mightconsiderstriking Some Independent Trekking roadsbecometoosaturated. the dirt is quite hot.The second-besttimeisearlyintherainyseason,betweenJune and July,before no rainandwildflowersare inbloom.BetweenMarchandMaythehillsare dryandtheweather The besttimetotrek isNovember toFebruary, whentheweatherisrefreshing, there’s littleor Seasons Many people now do short treks on theirown,stayinginvillagesalongtheway.It’snotneces- Many peoplenowdoshort The downside,ofcourse,isthatcompaniesoutsideChiang Maiare toeven generallysubject offerYou mightfindthatplacesotherthanChiangMaiorRai better andlessexpensive Be prepared forlanguagedifficulties. Few peoplewillknowanyEnglish.Usuallysomeoneina Gather asmuchinformationyoucan aboutthearea totrek you’dlike in,fromtheTribal CHIANG RAI PROVINCE with phrase sections foreachofthesixmajorhill-tribelanguages. withphrasesections Hill
357 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND 358 restaurant. smoking lobby lounge andlive musicinthe non- has akidney-shapedpool,pleasant andhavemaintained afew Thaitouches. It a business-classhotel. Theroomsare well s/d/stefrom1800/2200/5000B; Phahonyothin; disco. Thepoolisquite small. shop, tworestaurants, abanquetroomand are polite, andthere’s afunky bar andcoffee members in burgundy anddarkwood.Staff Come hasvery roomsdecorated comfortable In alively and convenient location,theWang .com; 869/90ThPremawiphat; r1500-1800B; Wang ComeHotel TOP END It’s apopularplacesobookinadvance. car-rental travel officeandanefficient agency. scaped groundsincludearestaurant, aBudget tubs, butnoroomshave TV. Thelush,land- and stylish furniture. Someroomshave bath- hotel. Ithas39roomswithtileorwoodfloors 800B; rincludesbreakfast enchiangrai.com; 590/2ThPhahonyothin; spacioussittingarea.a separate, some don’thave Suites bedsidetables). have andrefrigerators (although desks, cableTV come withfour-poster beds,allcomewith little hotel offers large modernrooms.Some 400-500/700B; Moon &SunHotel MIDRANGE the morningisanextrabonus. good furniture andtiledfloors. Free coffee in well-designedbathrooms, hascableTV, Each aroundasmallcourtyardfilled withplants. set central location,theneat,spaciousroomsare some of thebestvalueroomsintown.Ina floor-to-ceiling windows overlooks the lush cramped. The contemporaryslightly bar with thesuperior roomsaremary colour, although gleaming white, contrasted byaccents of pri- style chairs. Theminimalist, chic rooms are ArneJacobsen- curvy surrounded bybright the lobby,where there’s ahuge plasmascreen conscious travellers. Lounge musicis playedin brand new,achingly hiphotel isfordesign Around 1kmsouth of thetowncentre, this 13, Robwiang on the superhighway; r2990-3290B; 13, Robwiangonthesuperhighway; all the service andcomfortyou expectfrom all theservice located, thisfull-sizedhotel offersCentrally Mantrini Mantrini Wiang Inn Inn Golden Triangle a HAGRIPOIC • Cin a ••ChiangRai CHIANG RAIPROVINCE ) Thisplaceismore like ahomethan ( % a
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the Hilltribe Museum, this restaurant serves thisrestaurantthe HilltribeMuseum, serves honyothin; dishes 60-100B; yâang khâo mankài Pathomkhon is very popular forinexpensive rant namedafter acentral-Thailandcity,Na- dishes 40-110B; HIV/AIDS education. bythe PDAforfamilyplanningand used as cabbages, profits from therestaurant are intention of making condomsaseasytofind hit-and-miss northern-Thaifood. Withthe Th Thanalai;dishes35-200B; (spicy green papayasalad) as dishes thatare notontheEnglishmenu,such alongwithafew standards, Isan and Chinese for breakfast orlunch. IthasalltheusualThai Mon-Sat) chicken lunch ispopular. briyani.Theset including dishes updeliciousThaiMuslim favourites, nextto themosqueonThItsaraphap taurant dishes 25-50B; Rot Prasoet THAI Wang ComeHotel. market,night aswellonthestreets around onandoff ThPhahonyothintaurants bythe Therenearby tables. are lotsof andres- stalls ton tofresh adishandsitatthe fish. Choose offeringstalls snacksandmeals,fromwon The Eating spa are theicingoncomfort-filled cake private pool.Theriverside infinitypooland with anoversized shower;villashave asmall privacy andacool,outdoorlike bathroom door sittingarea, frosted glassforincreased out- creams hasapleasant Each andrattan. ously understated withfurniture incalming architecture. Roomsfeel romanticandluxuri- a finemixture of contemporary rusticThai ish hotel thespaciousbungalowsexemplify villa 8100B; .thelegend-chiangrai.com; 124/15Kohloy;studio3900-5900B, rant. Discountsare available. garden andpool.There’s alsoagoodrestau- lâap Nakhon Pathom Nakhon &Condoms Cabbages Cham Cha Muang Thong Restaurant Thong Muang Legend of Chiang Rai Legend ofChiangRai night market (roastduck withricenoodles). This casual little hole-in-the-wall is good Thiscasuallittlehole-in-the-wallis good (spicy minced-meat salad) and (spicyminced-meatsalad) nais
(English sign reads ‘Muslim food’;ThItsaraphap; (English signreads ‘Muslim khâo mòkkài, h
Book accommodationBook online at lonelyplanet.com h (Th Singkhlai; dishes35-100B; Singkhlai; (Th (chicken rice)and 7am-8pm) 8am-3pm) hasagoodcollectionof food
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8am-midnight) ( , ( aThaiversion of % plusicecream. % % You can’tmiss 0 53910400;www 0 5371 1162;ThPha- lonelyplanet.com 0 53952314;620/1 k ŭ h ayt Nextto sôm-tam 7am-4pm 7am-4pm ǐ aw pèt . romantic spot.There’s achoice of and tables ramics jewelledwithcolour,which make ita and-white photos,woodenbirdcages andce- and lovely like decoratingdetails, oldblack- corner offThPhahonyothin. Ithaslowlighting nyothin; dishes105-250B; Theextensivesented. winelistisimpressive. andwellpre-northern Thaicurriesistasty fromthesteakand everything schnitzel tothe furniture colonial, andparasolsfeel slightly Theceilingfans,rattan big crowdnightly. lection of food?Thisfriendlyspotdrawsa ing foratmosphere se- andan unbeatable dishes 90-500B; Th Phahonyothin; cious duckcurry. specialitiesis house dishes here. It’spacked Oneof nightly. the the sidewalksideplatters of Thaiand Chinese lonelyplanet.com prawns andchilli. with and theblack spaghetti with rosemary dishes. plussomefish andmeatpizza and salads fresh pasta, restaurantsmart Italian serves mains 125-300B; Located downa like chicken withcream and mushroom sauce. pizza withgood,fresh ingredients, anddishes gnocchi, fettuccine aswell andlasagne, delicioushomemade ian-run restaurant serves dishes 50-200B; are onthemenu. of goodWestern, IndonesiaandThaidishes a Europeancafé-styledécor. Alarge choice The OldDutch isanatmosphericplacewith 8am-12pm) able, orphanedorAIDS-affected children. runs homesandeducationprojects forvulner- back intoBaanChivitMai, anorganisation that Swedish bakery. Profits fromthebakery go then cometothistwo-storey, superclean and Mon-Sat, 2-9pmSun) tion, ThPrasopsuk;www.baanchivitmai.com; Bakery BaanChivitMai INTERNATIONAL the recommended fish andcurrydishes. chairs and matstositonforeating orlowtables house, thisgem ofhouse, arestaurant istucked ina is goodspottodrop inafter shopping. Da Vinci Da Vinci Il Pirata The OldDutch The Old Siam Aye’s Restaurant eat deliciouscakes, andbread, croissants
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. NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND Rai (from1400B). Rai Operates three flightsadaybetweenBangkokandChiang 360 h Mae NamKokfromThaTon(see p333 ). isbyboaton Another waytoreach ChiangRai BOAT for 100B. 200B. Outtotheairportyoucan get atúk-túk Taxis runintotownfromtheairport andcost Airways Thai One-Two-Go Air Asia fices listed below: book onlineorgodirectly totheairportof- international inadvance. flights Alternatively, honyothin; 7am to7pm) rants, amoneyexchange, (open apostoffice Theterminal hasrestau-nections toBangkok. of thecity.Currently, there are justdailycon- Airport Chiang Rai AIR Getting There&Away Mang Muang Khum Center Chiangrai Handicrafts that are worthalook: Just outof townare twohandicraftcentres Birch Silver Gong Ngoen airport office .thaiair.com; 870ThPhahonyothin; past theboatpier. h one flightadaytoBangkokat1950B. flights to/fromBangkok(3345B,1¼hours)four timesdaily. In town, CHIANG RAI LONG BOAT DESTINATIONS FROM 9am-6pm) Four kilometres out of town on Rte 101. outoftownonRte 9am-6pm) Fourkilometres 9am-6pm) This brand new handicraft centre is500m 9am-6pm) Thisbrandnewhandicraft h o 30 5 1½ 4 2½ 3 350 2¼ 1 90 180 210 200 Tha Ton 150 Pong NamRawn Pha Khwang Salak Mae 80 Kok Noi Hat Yao Ban Ruammit Destination Fare (B) Duration (hr) HAGRIPOIC • Aon hagRi ••AroundChiangRai CHIANG RAIPROVINCE ( % h ( % (891 Th Phahonyothin) (891ThPhahonyothin) (873/5 Th Phahonyothin) (873/5ThPhahonyothin) ( 0 53793545-8275;www.airasia.com)
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( % canbookdomesticand 0 5371 8789; Th Kasalong; 0 53718789;ThKasalong; ( h % 0 53740445;863/3ThPha- ( h % 8am-8pm daily)Does 0 53711179;www 8am-5pm Mon-Fri); 8am-5pm Mon-Fri); 0 53713355; is 8kmnorth .co.th; 590 Th Phahonyothin) At Golden Triangle Inn. AtGoldenTriangle .co.th; 590ThPhahonyothin) the unusual and popular Thirteen kilometres is southof Chiang Rai WAT RONGKHUN AROUND CHIANGRAI .com; 591ThPhahonyothin; Wheels North Rental National Car Budget Rent-A-Car Airport) .com; ChiangRai Avis Rent-A-Car andchargetations alittlemore: 4WDs (800B). vans (1300Bto1500B)andSuzuki Caribian Hotel rent outcars (around 1200Baday), rent motorcycles. care of itsbicycles. Many also guesthouses 6pm) 150/200/700B; Dreams/newer/250cc Yamaha TTR Yot;perdaybicycles60-100B,motorcyclesolderHonda Wat Jet Shared s around 30B. Túk-túkoften charge twicethat. anywhere incentralChiang shouldcost Rai A s Getting Around destinations fromChiangRai. about fares anddurationof journeystobus sometimes stoppedfordrugsearches. onthisrouteArcade busterminal. are Buses leaveMai fromChiangMai’s toChiangRai air-con or280BforVIP. fromChiang Buses hours), 140B2nd-classair-con, 180B1st-class ordinary (onedeparture adayat7.45am,four takes aroundthree hours. Thefare is100B market.minal, behind thenight Thejourney buster-6.30am to6pmfromChiangRai’s toChiangMaiBuses leave regularly from BUS at thepier. for 700BorallthewaytoThaTon2000B conditions. leave attimesapproximateRai foridealriver daily at10.30am.LongboatsfromChiang the northwestcornerof town.Boatsembark Airport) ST Motorcycle Several smallagencies nearWangCome Several You cancharter Ruammit aboattoBan For boatsheadingupriver, gotothepierin The followingcompanieshave goodrepu- forinformation Check theadjacenttable Bicycles andmotorcyclescanbehired at , which hastwolocationsandtakes good ǎ amláw ǎ wngth
( ( % (three-wheeled pedicab)ride % ( % ǎ 0 5371 3652; Th Banphaprakan andTh 0 53713652;ThBanphaprakan 0 53740585;www.northwheels ( ew cost15Bperperson. ( % 0 53793827;www.avisthailand % 0 53740442-3;www.budget h 0 5379 3683; Chiang Rai 0 53793683;ChiangRai 8am-7pm) Wat Rong Khun lonelyplanet.com h
( % 8am- 0 temples have centuriesof history, thisone’s lonelyplanet.com Kositpipat’s rather New Age–looking works. thismodern spinontheThai wat. seeing birthday cake onfire’, itisdefinitely worth ‘afrosted ice castle’, orlesscomplimentarily, scriptions calling it,romantically‘aglittering being heldbackby demonlike creatures. the TwinTowers orrockets goingintospace delusion). Check out theplanesmashinginto resenting the artisthasadded contemporary scenesrep- Instead of thetraditionalBuddhalife scenarios, mchai Kositpipat’smurals stillbeingcompleted. of thewat,where insideyoucanwatch Chaler- arms (symbolisingdesire) toenter thesanctity with clear-mirrored chips. out duetoitspure white exterior, sparkling pipat. Theimpressive andquiettemple stands painter-turned-architect Chalermchai Kosit- construction beganin1997bynoted Thai 5367 3579) A gallery sells reproductionsA gallery sells of Chalermchai Walk over abridge andsculpture of reaching Whether youagree withtheoverheard de- BUS DESTINATIONS FROMCHIANGRAI Kaen Khon ordinary Fang Chiang Saen 11 Chiang Khong 722 1stclass Basang ordinary (for DoiTung) 64 Ban HuayKhrai VIP Fare (B) Duration (hr) 2½ air-con Bus Bangkok Destination 20 900 ¾ 11 511 12 air-con Lampang VIP 153 1st Khorat 5 class 767 653 12 12 s ls 9 12 594 1stclass , akathe‘White Wat’.Whereas most samsara CHIANG RAI PROVINCE •• Mae Salong(Santikhiri) ••Mae CHIANGRAIPROVINCE i-o 6 12 462 air-con 1½ 2½ 32 ordinary ¾ 57 ordinary 20 ordinary riay19 5½ ordinary 109 13 air-con 508 (the realm of rebirth and Aside Yaowarat, Amphoe fromBangkok’s pop 10,000 c}jl]v'Zlyo^b%uiuX MAE SALONG(SANTIKHIRI) (15B). Khun Chiang Mai andasktoget off atWatRong to regular thatrun fromChiangRai buses his studentsdidthemuralpaintings. the WatBuddhapadipainWimbledon, where way. Londoners mayrecognise hisstylefrom humbleandself-aggrandising simultaneously artist describeshisaimsandachievements ina China’s Yunnan Province. images of a smalltown orvillage insouthern conjure houses up and southern Chinese-style Shan, Mien), red lanterns decorating shops, Lahu, population, hilltribes(Akha, nanese combination of packhorses, amainlyYun- village.of mountain The a small Chinese munity. Theatmosphere here isreminiscent Mae SalongisThailand’s mostChinalike com- Pick up an entertaining freePick upanentertaining leafletwhere the 1st air-con Tak 1st air-con 312 Phrae class VIP 8 air-con 160 Phitsanulok class 344 401 1st 4 air-con 267 7 8 Phayao 205 air-con 7 Nan 66 4 class ordinary Suay Mae 176 1½ 1st 85 air-con 27 6 Sot Mae VIP 1½ 1¼ 1st 379 Duration(hr) Fare (B) 85 class ordinary Sai Mae Bus 12 Destination 1½ 33 488 class 1½ 12 58 1½ To get tothetemple, hopononeof the
361 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND was rather cut off fromthegoings-oninMaewas rathercutoff roads,theoutsideworld and lackof sealed terrain of mountainous therough, Because SaandtheShanKhun United Army(SUA). a three-way partnership withopiumwarlord selves intheGoldenTriangleopiumtrade Many ex-KMT persisted ininvolvingthem- the late 1980stheydidn’thave much success. and theirfamiliesintotheThaination.Until KMTmade toincorporate theYunnanese KMT were refugee inthe1960s,efforts status the onetheyleftbehindinYunnan. villagesmountain andre-created asocietylike into the ex-soldiers andtheirfamiliessettled northern Thailandwiththeirponycaravans, legally innorthernMyanmar. Crossinginto decided itwouldn’tallowtheKMT toremain anmar in1961whentheYangon government munists, therenegades were My- forcedtoflee rearguard com- action againsttheChinese revolution. AfterChinese futileintermittent fled toMyanmarfromChinaafter the1949 Regiment of (KMT), theKuomintang which Mae bythe93rd Salongwasoriginallysettled History 362 (10km) To ThaTon GOLDEN TRIANGLE&AROUND After theThaigovernment granted the HAGRIPOIC • MeSln Snihr) Salong(Santikhiri) ••Mae CHIANG RAIPROVINCE
Mong Tum Mae Nam Kok Nam Mae Doi SamSaoNoi Muang Ngam (1681m) Mae Salak Thoet Thai Ban 1234 Wan Nawng Samyaek Ya Sai Mae Salong M YANR Ban HinFon (B URMA) San Chai
Mae Nam To Chiang Rai Ban HuayKhrai (8km) & ThamPla Doi Tung Tham Pum 1089 (1513m) Sai 1130 1149 Tachileik Ban Basang 110 Mae Chan 110 Ban Den (Great Cave) Tham Luang CHIANG RAI Mae Sai Ban Tham To Kentung(110km); Mo Pang Ban KhaiPhrao Pa Thon Mengla (195km) Mae Ma 1016 1209
in Thailand.It’snotunusualforhotels and Mae Salong,thetownisunlike anyother Chinese). latter torefer tothemas trian history,alientotheThais,hasled travelled. immigrants’eques- TheYunnanese (nearMaeBasang Chan)ispaved andwell to Mae Salong,buttodaythe36kmroadfrom were tomove used goodsupthemountain (Hill of Peace). Until the1980spackhorses the village fromMae SalongtoSantikhiri government officially changed thenameof its oldimage asanopiumfiefdom,theThai Mae Salongandthesurroundingarea. began makingprogress initspacificationof attitudes andtheThaigovernment finally tosignalachangeto Myanmarseemed inlocal Sa’sretreatrouted Khun bytheThaimilitary. p365 ) untiltheearly1980swhenhewasfinally HinTaeknearby Ban Thai; Thoet (nowBan theregion.opium activityandtame attempts bytheThaiauthoritiestosuppress wereSalong, sotheYunnanese abletoignore Rong Seua Ten Nam In spite of of theongoing‘Thai-isation’ thearea toseparate In afurthereffort from Sa Infamous Khun madehishomein Sop Ruak 4 Chiang
Ruak Na Yao Saen Don Sao 1173 1271 Ban Khoan Pheung Ton Pong Noi Ban Muam Ban Saew Ban Huay Hi Nyai Mekong River 1098 Ban Kaen 12mi 20km 0 0 Mae Tam Luang Ban MaeRai Ban Chaka Keung Kao
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Phu Phadeng lonelyplanet.com Mekong River Mekong (1550m)
Mae Nam Ing Thung Ah Keung L AOS Ban Lung (galloping Ban Namngiu 1020 Ban Hok To Luang Huay Xai (250km) Prabang Taiwan). the fragrantMae Salong teas (originallyfrom in andaroundtown.Inbothyoucansample street isateashop, andthere are tea factories othershopalongthemain ing fields,every tea andcornare abundant inthesurround- tobesuccessfulas and fruittrees. Thisseems courage hilltribestocultivate tea, coffee, corn created crop-substitution programmestoen- thegovernment trafficking, amphetamine) and themore recent threat of opportunities. have leftforgreater educational andcareer for itssocialandculturalinspirations.Many people lookmore thanTaipei toBangkok lingua franca,thenewgeneration of young dialectof remainsYunnanese Chinese the and three the fromHongKong.Although reception channels of fromChina three TV restaurants inMae Salongtoboastsatellite Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com along theway. Thewat isof the Mahayana heady views hillthat affords and up asteep ing districts. and many tribespeoplefrom thesurround- ThemarketHouse. attractstownresidents at theT-intersection nearShin SaneGuest 5am to7am(5am to6amisthepeaktime) An interesting Sights ings andevenings. much have inthemorn- theplacetoyourself overnightby 4pm.Ifyoucanstay you’llpretty riving inMae Salongaround10amandleave visits atthistimeof year. cold –besure tobringsweaters andsocksfor November toFebruary, canactuallyget nights below. Duringthecooleranddry months, peak of DoiMae Salong than ontheplains Resort. opposite Khumnaiphol There isanATM Bank attheThaiMilitary Information herbs. Chinese frequently take backabagortwoof assorted touristswho cometoMaeChinese Salong a kindthatismixed withliquor. Thaiand herbs,particularly ity isChinese tution forthepoppy.Anotherlocalspecial- demand –perhapsanall-too-obvious substi- In anattempt toquashopiumactivity, Minivans fullof Thaiday-trippers beginar- The localillicitcornwhiskyismuch in To get to The weatherisalwaysabitcooler onthe Wat Santakhiri morning market gopastthe mosque convenes from yaa baa yaa dawng, CHIANG RAI PROVINCE •• Mae Salong(Santikhiri) ••Mae CHIANGRAIPROVINCE (meth-
to hire poniesaspackanimalsorhorses for lages foraround400Bperday.It’spossible thehistoryofnese) theKMT inthearea. soldier whowilldescribe(inThaiorYunna- and aKMT general’s opened, fewer visitors are over- optingtostay Since theroadfrom Mae SalongtoThaTon Sleeping riding tours. horse- runs treks andcanarrange half-day 50B perperson. there offers roomsand two mealsadayfor village onyourown.Abasicguesthouse Akha riding. Youcouldalsotrek the4kmtoan four-hour villages. conduit flows acrosstheborderviaseveral extent, heroin, and,to alesser amphetamine ally clashinthearea. Asteady tradeinmeth- the Thailand–Myanmarborderdooccasion- competing forcontrolover of thissection Myanmar), however. Shan andWaarmies fore headingoff inthisdirection (towards border. Ask aboutpolitical conditionsbe- Thai andtheMyanmar Thoet Ban between day’s walkaway. andLisuvillages areAkha lessthanhalfa andShan villagesLahu inthearea. Nearby ing approximate Lisu,Mien, routes toAkha, hasawallmapshow- Shin SaneGuestHouse Trekking such aswoven clothandsilverware. andMienhandicrafts, mainlyAkha selling by supports thelocalhill-tribesettlements the up thehillisa Mother Pagoda Princess to thetopof theimpressive thehilltomeet instyle. Gofurthertradition andChinese Mae Salong’s original hotel isawood affair Salong; s/dfrom 50/100B, bungalow300B) 5026; 32/3 ThMae BUDGET increase. able, exceptatholidays whentheytend to accommodation often makes pricesnegoti- inMaenight Salong.Theresulting surplusof Shin Sane GuestHouse Fifteen kilometres northof Mae Salongis Akha MaeAkha ( SalongGuestHouse p364 ) also The besthikes are northof Mae Salong Shin Sane Guest House ( Shin SaneGuestHouse below ) arranges Past Resortandfurther theKhumnaiphol Hilltribe Development & Welfare Centre &Welfare Development Hilltribe horseback treks viewpoint . tomb withsometeashops, tofournearbyvil-
. Itisguardedbya (Sin Sae; % , which 0 5376 363
NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND the mostof Theon-site thegardensetting. Floor-to-ceiling windowsandterraces make tion of well-furnished bungalow-style rooms. Stunning viewsare of thiscollec- thehighlight MIDRANGE It’s worthalook. 2kmaway. garden orgovisitherplantation Sample theArabicacoffee inthemanicured and coffee shopatthehotel.coffee plantation rooms have cableTV. Theownerhasherown in aconcrete building.Themore expensive and balconies,aswelllarge neatrooms bungalowswithprivatefortable bathrooms basic A-frame bungalows,newermore com- accommodation rangingfromdormbedsin Salong; dm50B,r300-500B) span hot-water bathrooms. the hills.Thecheaper roomsshare spick-and- spacious tiled-floor roomsandgreat viewsof name, thisbrandnewhotel hasfriendlystaff, Salong; r200-300B) and hikingcanbearranged. rooms are cleanandlarge. Horseback trekking family.Sharedlish-speaking Akha bathroom building andisrunbyafriendly,non-Eng- occupiesarambling Sane, thisguesthouse Salong;s/d/tr50/100/150B) Mae up.start (from themosquebehindguesthouse) is noisyinthemorningwhencallstoprayer and have private bathroomsandcableTV. It The bungalowsare much more comfortable, are bare butspaciouswithshared bathrooms. There isalsoalittleeatingarea. Therooms are available, includingagoodtrekking map. with abitof atmosphere. Trekking details 364 (or the lackthereof). mattresses that are distinctly Thai in‘softness’ back are someolder, hotel-style roomswith give great viewsof Further thetea plantations. perched onthehillside. Thecovered porches ternoon market, thisresort hasbungalows Tha Ton,1kmsouth of townnearthe af- is forsale. ity tea, grownonthe proprietor’stea estate, and lanterns, andthefoodisgood. High-qual- restaurantChinese hashigh-backed red chairs [email protected]; 5 Mu 1;r800-1500B; [email protected]; 5Mu 5004; 58 Mu 1;r&bungalows1200B) 5004; 58Mu Mae SalongVilla Mae Golden DragonInn Akha Mae SalongGuestHouse Mae Akha Khumnaiphol Resort Khumnaiphol Saeng A Roon Hotel Saeng ARoonHotel HAGRIPOIC • MeSln Snihr) Salong(Santikhiri) ••Mae CHIANG RAIPROVINCE
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south fromSalema,Minihaswestern break- from Tha Ton (see from ThaTon (see p333 ). tion forabout 400B. 5pm but youcancharter oneineitherdirec- town. S a s on thewaydown fromMae Salong–pickup person 60B,onehour).It’salittlecheaper toMaehead upthemountain Salong (per s Basang, and 4pm).From Ban 30 minutes, 6am 15minutes every between (20B, Basang toBan bus fromChiang Rai spectacular. ang Mai. Theolderroute isdefinitely more the south,allowingeasieraccess from Chi- Newer Rte 1234approachesBasang. from original road,Rte 1130,winds westfromBan Mae Salongisaccessibleviatworoutes. The Getting There&Away mushrooms atmoderate prices. dishes usinglocallygrownshiitakenanese Yun- tasty and thedaymarket, Salemaserves is anEnglish language menu. andThaidishes.Therefasts, aswellChinese fragrance. toenhance thetea’s into aroundcup,said the pouringof narrowcup tea fromatall, traditional, elaborate procedures, involving inveryteas andoffer tastings complimentary in acurriedbroth) restaurants serving are Muslimssoyou’llfindMuslimChinese bles. Many of inMae theChinese Salong withdeliciouspickledvegeta- buns) served buns) and as fluffy snackssuch simpleChinese places serving 15B perbowl. famous localdishandagourmetbargain at –Maewith aspicyporksauce Salong’smost rice-noodleconcoctiontoppedYunnanese sell miss themanystreet noodlevendors who are theday.Don’t aninspiringwaytostart hot soybeanmilkatthemorningmarket Pàa-thâwng-k Eating Halfway theShin between SaneGuestHouse You can also reach Mae Salong byroad locallygrown sell teahouses In town,several Around townyou’llfindavarietyof To get toMae Salong bybus,take Mae Sai Salema Restaurant Restaurant Mini ǎ wngth khàn ǎ wngth ǒ mantou ǎ m jiin náamngíaw, saalaapao ew Book accommodationBook online at lonelyplanet.com
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(Chinese doughnut) and doughnut) (Chinese (Th Mae Salong Mae (Th (plainsteamed Chinese .
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Shan fortheindependentnationthey use the Shan andMongTai States (thenamethe to opentheexhibitionroomforyou. have toturnupandaskoneof thecaretakers hours, andadmission isfree soyousimply a free rustic overlooking thevillage, turnedinto hasbeen tion of woodandbrickbuildingson ahillside former campheadquarters, asimplecollec- heroin-consuming countries.Thewarlord’s the manoncehunted captured) (butnever by and Hmong–claimtohave fondmemoriesof dents –amixof Lisu Shan, Akha, Yunnanese, andMaeBasang Salong. Shan village, Ban 12kmoff theroadbetween ( p362 ) canmake asidetriptothisYunnanese- withan Those interest Sahistory inKhun [hkogmbfwmp BAN THOETTHAI lonelyplanet.com China viaboat isanother, and relatively easier, beforehandvisas (see p371 ). ChiangSaento China, if youhave arranged theappropriate from Mengla in onto DaluoandJinghong Thai/China border. It isnowpossible totravel to Kengtung, andasfarMengla onthe bytheThais),then continue spelt Thakhilek der toTachileik (thetownopposite Mae Sai, is littlemore thanamoderntradingpost. come expectingloads of atmosphere; thetown MyanmarandThailand. Don’t ings between Mae Saiisoneof the few official overland cross- borderlife, as It’s alsoagoodspottoobserve Golden Triangle,DoiTungandMae Salong. pointforexploringthe asastarting be used Thailand’s northernmosttown, Mae Saican pop 25,800 c}jlkp MAE SAI his formercamp. Kham Ka That sponsible fortheconstructionof Sa wasalsore-Myanmar andChina. Khun tradesinproductsfrom Thailand,arsenal, tostoreonce used theShan United Army no mentionof opium. (1976–82) inthearea and,of course, there is Sa’ssixyearsIt’s notmuch consideringKhun Shan State)palaceandafew politicalposters. a photographof theformerKengtung (East inthefuture)hope toestablish homelands, Inside, thewallsare hungwithmapsof Thai’s3000resi-Today, manyof Thoet Ban Foreigners are permitted to crossthebor- A busy morning market museum , aShan-style monastery near CHIANG RAI PROVINCE ••BanThoetThai CHIANGRAIPROVINCE . There are opening noset , partof which was Wat Phra Wat Phra border crossingbefore immigration. House andtheriver.House Monkey Island Guest- and hillsoverlookingthe cliffs Mae SaiGuest wherein theKMT are theheroes). fering storiesaroundtown,includingaversion theKMTfighting here in1965(you’llheardif- soldierscouple of Burmese who died thousand wat wasreportedly constructed inmemory of a superb viewsover Mae SaiandMyanmar. This DoiWao That Phra Take thesteps upthehillnear theborderto Sights &Activities police Tourist speak English. whocan thissmallclinic onthemainroadhasdoctors Rai, Clinic Overbrook you haveyourownlaptop. 40/5ThSailomjoi)Hasinternetandfree wi-fiif keyisland.biz; IslandGuesthouse Monkey by itscarpark. Internet entrance totheborderbridge. Immigration Information situation before travelling toMae Sai. but it’salwaysagoodideatocheck thecurrent the timeof writingtheborderwasopenagain, coup.At 2006military after theSeptember forafewing wasclosed daysimmediately governments. More recently, the border cross- theThaiandMyanmar political spatbetween Maybetween andOctober 2002followinga again foratime. Thecrossingclosed closed uated andtheborderarea wassubsequently thewholeofing thefighting Mae Saiwasevac- retaliatory shellingfromtheThaiarmy.Dur- shelled andfired onpartsof Mae Sai,invoking ently inpursuit of Shan Armyrebels, State in Mae Saithan Thai touristsare much more commonlyseen route (see p372 ). Inspite of opening, these a constant paradeof guys stripping a constant Burmese atMaestaying are SaiGuest House treated to den inthe groundsof Mae hid- NamSai; theentranceis supposedly cave toMyanmar beneath tunnelthatcrosses torbike ridesandwalkstodointhearea. ( house p366 ) cangive mo- outmapsdetailing h it’s there itmustbe forlocalsonly, and those In February forces,appar- 2001Burmese There are alsosomeinteresting A persistent there’s rumoursays agated 9am-3pm)
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Wat in . If NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND called their necksacross theriver. off their 366 Chad House BUDGET Sleeping tion andinsurance. a Foreign (EFL)training, orienta- Language The US$1895fee includesTeaching English as arranged before leaving yourhomecountry. tobe andneeds isfourweeks minimum stay teach andlookafter hill-tribechildren. The other partsof Thailand), where volunteers community projects aroundMae Sai(andin dm/s/d 60/100/150B, bungalows 250B) 4 1 3 2 MAE SAI If interested in S†wngth†ew runtoChiang Ying PingYunnanGuest Siam CommercialBank Saen&SopRuak...... Pornchai...... Restaurant...... (see16) Ying PingYunnan Rattana Bakery...... Night Market...... Mae SaiRiversideResort....(see9) Kik KokRestaurant...... Khao Tom25...... Food Stalls...... House...... Yee SunHotel...... Wang ThongHotel...... Top NorthHotel...... S-House Hotel...... Piyaporn PlaceHotel...... Mae SaiRiversideResort...... Mae SaiGuestHouse...... Chad House...... Tourist Police...... Thai MilitaryBank(ATM)..... (ATM)...... Police Station...... Overbrook Clinic...... Internet Café...... (see14) Immigration...... Tour...... Chok-Roong Tawee TRANSPORT EATING Guesthouse...... Monkey Island SLEEPING INFORMATION HAGRIPOIC • BnTotTa ••BanThoetThai CHIANG RAIPROVINCE Wat Tham Phah Jom I toInternational M YANR (B URMA) longyi
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Soi 10 21 Immigration Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com 18 Office Temple Chinese 110 Chiang Rai(60km);Fang(108km) 200m 0.1miles 0 0 Tham (12km);Pum Tham Luang(6km);Ban To BusStation(3km); & ThamPla(13km); Soi 16 To GoldenTriangle(35km); Chiang Saen(43km) D ( % i 0 5373 ) This Yunnan Chinese restaurantYunnan Chinese ( right ) are nine the outside but is disappointing inside. The the outsidebutisdisappointing omjoi, thisriverside hotel looksgrandfrom Thai dishes (see Thai dishes(see right ). restaurant overlooking tasty theriver serves rooms coulddowitharepaint. their However, simple roomswithhotwater showerbath- r350B) Wiengpangkam; and Western dishes. Thai is ariverside restaurant onsite serving stretch behindMai SaiRiverside Resort.There private bathrooms.Itisupanarrow,onelane to bungalowsontheriver withterraces and simple roomswithshared coldwater showers, lection of A-frame bungalowsranges from bungalowss100-200B,d300-500B) pangkam; bikesmountain rented here. to Myanmarorganised, andmotorbikes and facing Myanmar. Maps are available, trips lonelyplanet.com and minibar. There isaconference roomand four/five-star amenities like bath, cable TV wooden floors, asmall sofa, andtheusual The large, contemporary-styled rooms have hotel isthe bestplaceintown andgoodvalue. On themainroad bySoi7,thisseven-storey Piyaporn PlaceHotel TOP END bath, showerand aviewof theriver. rooms. Findfour-star furnishingswith level run hotel hasgreat valueifrathercharacterless Sailomjoi; r600B; hills. cious roomswithbalconiesoverlooking the from thebordercrossing,thishotel hasspa- of thecovered partof ThSailomjoi,away 1,384ThSailomjoi; r500-600B; .com; Mu building toavoid street noise. theonesatbackof choose the cable TV; the roomslooknewerthanothers andhave very auspiciousred themegoingon.Someof –anda has spaciousroomsandfriendlystaff to thebridge toMyanmar,thisolderhotel d 400-600B,tr900B; It’s goodvalue. pictures onthewalls. of goddesses Chinese sparklingly clean,simplewhite roomswith Soi6;r350B) Th Phahonyothin, pornplacehotel; Th Phahonyothin; r/ste 1000/1800B; pornplacehotel; ThPhahonyothin; Ying PingYunnanYing GuestHouse Resort SaiRiverside Mae SaiGuestHouse Mae S-House Hotel Hotel Top North Yee SunHotel a
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and noon- 367 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND tickets inadvancehere. There isnosignin youcanbuy pricesasthebusstation the same also available. (621B, depart4.30pm,5pmand5.45pm) are 5pm and5.45pm)1st-classair-con buses and 5.45pm).VIPbuses (483B,13 hours,Bangkok depart 5.20pm air-conditionedSecond-class runto buses BANGKOK 9am and2pmdaily. 40minutes,Sop Ruak(40B)every between s ‘busstop’.Fromhere8 isasignsaying blue one hour). (15B), thenas 30 minutes). forMae toChiangRai Chan(27B, the buses Ton (51B,1½hours, 7am).Hoponanyof Fang (61B,twohours, 7am)andonetoTha hours) daily. 507B, 1stclassair-con 652B,VIP760B,15 (2ndclassair-con Ratchasima go toNakhon toMae7am) thatgoes Sotdaily.Sixdepartures 6.15am) anda1st-classair-con bus(516B, trip takes fourtofive hours. daily;this (350B, at9.15amand3.15pm)buses (227B, at7am,10.45amand1.45pm),VIP (126B, at8.15amand2pm),1stclassair-con 33B/55B, 1½hours). (ordinary/air-confrequently fromChiangRai from thecitycentre. toMae Buses Saileave tion office, oran8Bshared s 437) Mae Sai’sgovernment Getting There&Away 368 from 50Baday. torbikes bikes from 200B adayand mountain 40/5ThSailomjoi) .monkeyisland.biz; Island Guesthouse Monkey ( Tour andtheShell at petrolstation can berented Chok-Roong Tawee between cost 20Bto30B.torcycle taxis HondaDreams S Getting Around Telephone’ sign. English solookforthelarge red ‘International % ǎ ǎ wngth wngth Chok-Roong TaweeChok-Roong Tour On themainThPhahonyothin road,bySoi HuayKhrai For DoiTungtake abustoBan There isa2nd-classair-con bus(402B, To/from ChiangMai there are ordinary There isalsoadirect busfromMae Saito is4kmsouthof thefrontierimmigra- 0 5373 1136; 4/7 Th Phahonyothin) 0 53731136; 4/7ThPhahonyothin) HAGRIPOIC • Aon a a Sai ••AroundMae CHIANG RAIPROVINCE ǎ ǎ ew runtoChiangSaen(40B)and ew aroundtownare 5Bshared. ǎ wngth ǎ ew toDoiTung(60B, busstation
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Tung. Butit’s winding, steep and narrow, which is mostlypaved tothe peak of Doi getting there. The‘easy’way isviaRte 1149, Thai, Shan Buddhists. and Chinese the where two to beflownfrom thepeaktomarkspot ofutarat ChiangSaenordered agiantflag northern Thaiword forflag Tung Sai onRte 110isthewestturn-off for About Mae halfwaybetween ChanandMae fvp^=' Doi Tung it isa1kmwalkdowntothecaves. Tham; fromthere onRteturn-off 110atBan motorbike orcharter as so bringsomeID.Toget here eitherrent a in Thailand. structure stylisticallydifferent fromanyother cave entrance. It’savery large, multi-tiered is theuniquecakelike as there are Another attractionhere nolights. lakes inside. Bringatorch toexplore thecaves, twocaves Tham,these at Ban have freshwater Only 13kmsouthof Mae Sai,justoff Rte 110 $µkx=j}!$µkx]k Tham Pum& Tham Pla a s better Charter thingstododuringtheweek. Apparently, guidessometimes haveserve). fee; justgive themwhatever youfeel theyde- along asaguide(forwhich there’s nofixed front of thecave oryoucantake someone borrow agaslantern fromthecaretakers in to theangleof For40Byoucan thelight. makecrystals themchange colouraccording formations becomemore andtiny fantastic rocks toget furtherin.Atthispointtheroof you have todosomeclimbingover pilesof kilometre isfairlyeasy-going, butafter that and sidetunnelsof varyingsizes.Thefirst ofthe backleadstoaseries otherchambers first cavern ishuge, andanarrowpassage at a coupleof kilometres, possiblymore. The large cave extends intothehillsforatleast About 6kmsouthof Mae Saioff Rte 110,this $µks];' Luang Tham AROUND MAESAI to ThamLuang. ǎ But the main attractionat DoiTungis There isapolicecheckpoint Tham atBan wngth chedi . Thenamemeans ‘FlagPeak’, from the are stillthere, apilgrimage site for ǎ chedi ew orrent abike inMae Saitoget were constructed in AD911; chedi ǎ wngth (tung) infrontof the lonelyplanet.com . KingAch- ǎ ew tothe Doi ricultural methodstostopslashandburn The royalinitiative alsoeducated onnewag- which isnowopentothepublicasamuseum. slopes of DoiTungnearPa KluayReservoir, 70B; Royal Villa Mother (theking’smother)builtthe will stopcultivatingopium,thelate Princess be sohonoured byaroyalpresence thatthey has gotsafer. under theroyalproject thisarea development, army rangers whopatrolthearea). However, the drugtraders) ordrugdealer(bytheThai DrugEnforcementAgencyStates agent (by youcouldbemistaken foraUnitedbecause area withoutaThaiorhill-tribeguide,simply villages. Itisnotsafe totrek(Lahu) inthis take itslowly. so ifyou’re drivingorridingamotorcycle, Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com in thevicinity. spring and there are other shortwalking trails snaky roadyou’ve justclimbed. the temple youcanget anaerialviewof the the tripworthwhile. Fromthe wallededge of impressive, forested the high willmake setting thewat isn’t that bells togainmerit. Although early inthe20thcentury. by famousChiangMai Siwichai monkKhruba Lanna-style DoiTung That Phra andhogdeer. barkingdeer deer, fireback peacocks,bears, pheasants, sambar reforested includeSiamese DoiTung.These tohelpreintroducestation, manyspecies toa as awildlife breeding andanimalconservation over 32hectares. Thezoo wasfirst established (admission free; bus tourgroups. craft shopuphere. Thisplaceispopularwith classy restaurant, coffee kioskandaDoiTung There isalsoatop-endhotel (see right ), a sion 80B; Luang Garden The rest of theproperty,including crops such as,coffee, teak andvariousfruits. replacedpractices. Opiumhasnowbeen by able from vendors. Doi Tung At thepeak,1800mabove level, sea On thetheorythatlocalhilltribeswould Along thewayare Shan, andMusoe Akha A bitbelow thepeakis smaller A walkingpathnext tothewatleadsa Pilgrims bangon theusualrowof temple Another nearbyroyalproject, h h 6.30am-5pm) , where foodand beverages are avail-
( 7am-5pm) % h and chedi 0 53767011;www.doitung.org; admission 8am-6pm) Mae Fah Luang Arboretum LuangArboretum Fah Mae , asummerpalaceonthe . The isbuiltaroundthetwin ,
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had alookaround thesummit,return toMae then Rte 1149uptoDoiTung. Onceyou’ve Sai, ride/drive viaRte 110southof Mae Sai, tions. Ifyouwanttodoafullloop fromMae 4pm. Ask first inMae Saiaboutbordercondi- and should notbetravelled aloneorafter along theMyanmarborder in themountains perienced bikers only.Theroad alsorunshigh 4WD fromMae Sai. figure onatleastanhourbymotorcycleor trucks andoccasionalroad-repair equipment– mud,rocks,precipitous drops,passing curves, West of Phame Ban theroadhaslotsof tight front of Mae Sai’sWat Phra That Doi Wao. in road byfollowingthedirtthat starts 11km fromthelatter. Youcanalsopickupthis two-thirds of thewayupDoiTung–about then 4kmwest)andjoinsthemainroadabout south of Mae Sai(4kmsouthalongRte 110, village of intheAkha Phame,starts Ban 8km road.It challenging, sealed 16km,unevenly Doi TungandMae more Saialonganeven motorcycle. whether you’re inatruck,4WDorriding Pakha canbequite achallenge tonegotiate, aboveduring thebadspells,section Baa year todependingonthestate of repair; to DoiTung(60B,onehour). Pakhato Ban (30B,30minutes), oralltheway attheturn-off, s Huay Khrai, from eitherMae ChanorMae Sai.FromBan forDoiTungare totheturn-off Buses 15B THERE&AWAYGETTING produce, includinglotsof fresh mushrooms. 250B) semi-outdoor lodgemountain with47deluxe rooms.A per 1/2/3nights2600/3850/5050B; rinclfullbreakfast Fah per person Mae Luang District; Project, ( If youwanttospendthenight, SLEEPING &EATING occasion the border may close temporarily occasion the bordermay close the bridge over Nam Ruak intoTachileik. On Foreigners are ordinarily permitted tocross Beyond Cross-Border TripstoTachileik & much of theway. roads; thismeans you’llbetravelling downhill Phame Bang aforementionedSai viatheBan % Although nowpaved,Although thisisaroute forex- You canalsotravel by motorcyclebetween Road conditionstoDoiTungvaryfrom 0 53767003;www.doitung.org; DoiTung Development offers excellentmealsmadewithlocal restaurant
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NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND for Mengla atTachileik. Ask atthe Burmese cigarettes. known tofinetravellers of inpossession these the real thing.Also,Thaipolicehave been are cigarettes filledwithBurmese instead of and otherWestern-brand cigarettes, as many waryofket. cheap Be cartonsof Marlboros some of theotherthingsonoffer inthismar- fake designerbags,gems, CDsandDVDsare back homefromcustoms.Shan handicrafts, China thatcouldget youloadsof attention and othercheap andbootlegged importsfrom swords anddaggers, antlers, X-rated DVDs, for driedmushrooms, herbalmedicines, town daily;mostof are these Thaisshopping 4000 peoplecrossthebridge tothismarket acceptsbaht.Around Thai sideandeveryone shop –thepricesare a (see you anew30-daytouristvisa p753 ). Thai immigrationofficeatthebridge willgive the route. Onyourreturn toThailand,the checkpoint atevery ID cardisstamped along it. IfgoingfurtherafieldthanTachileik, this card thathasyourfinaldestinationmarked on your picture istaken foryourtemporary ID the fee isthesame. Atthisimmigrationoffice forafewWhether staying hours or14days Kengtung orMengla foraperiod of 14days. enter MyanmaratTachileik, andtravel onto for apaymentof US$10or500Byoucan enter theMyanmarimmigrationoffice,where Kengtung orMengla. Cross thebridge and you willbegoinginMyanmar–Tachileik, the bridge howfar ontheThaisideandstate again. Thailandand Myanmardeterioratesbetween ifthepoliticalsituation sible disappointment reasons,for security sobeprepared forpos- 370 over theThai andChinese halfway between script. It’sabit similar tothe ancient Lanna Shan a writing script andThai Lü,anduse speak a northern Thailanguage related to for theShan culture. Khün State’s TheKhün buthistoriccapital 163km north,isa sleepy and usuallyspelt Kyinetong bytheBurmese), Kengtung (calledChiangTungby the Thais KENGTUNG Mengla. gives outfree mapsof rough Kentung and also office next toimmigration.Thissame If travelling on,moneycanbechanged into There islittletodoin Head justbefore totheimmigrationoffice HAGRIPOIC • Aon a a Sai ••AroundMae CHIANG RAIPROVINCE kyat forKengtung andChinese bout the same asonthe bout thesame Tachileik apartfrom Tourist Office Tourist yuan
views across theborder toChina. convenient locationbythemorningmarket going up tothehilltop how torefine heroinfromopium.Itisworth casinos. There are alsoplenty of karaoke bars, who cometo gamblein thedistrict’s several opium trade). share and inthe Wa’sthrivingamphetamine (it’s suspected thisisinreturn forasizeable now enjoypeaceful relations withYangon againstYangonwho oncefought troops but it’scurrentlytary controlledbyethnicWa, in adealworked outwiththeMyanmarmili- Menglathough ismainlyaThaiLüdistrict, asitissometimes spelt).Al- (or MongLa borderdistrict ofthe Sino-Burmese Mengla Eighty-five kilometres northof Kengtung is MENGLA office. mended, which are totheimmigration closer recom- attheother guesthouses you canstay canhelpyouaccomplish thisor Guest House atHarry’stung immigrationoffice. Thestaff Kengtung, youmustfirst register attheKeng- option inKentung. and restaurants, istherelatively up-market rUS$20-30) 21ThZaydankalay; [email protected]; cated choice, while Yawt side isthatitabout2kmoutof town. trekking guideinChiangMai. Thedown- Kengtung native whospentmanyyears asa in alarge Harry house. isanEnglish-speaking YangMai Lan;rperpersonUS$5-10) pendently see opposite . on theThaiside. Toget toKengtung inde- Monkey ( through IslandGuesthouse p366 ) of Kengtung and/orMengla canbearranged Control Project (UNDCP). workingfortheUNDrug contract employees Few Westerners intown save are for seen of aglimpse are ancientLanna. Thaisseeking Shan State. About 70% of allforeign visitors most interesting townsinMyanmar’sentire scenic townthanTachileik andoneof the British with ageing borders. Builtaroundasmalllake anddotted and bythelake, isthecheaper, centrallylo- The district receives lots of tourists Chinese ontoMenglaIn ordertoproceed from Harry’s GuestHouse&Trekking Five-day, four-night excursions tothetown A
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Th Rimkhong Th 4 15 2 Customs & 13 Ferry Pier 20 site of northernThaikingdom. animportant the Mekong River, Chiang Saenwasoncethe crossroadstownonthebanksofA sleepy pop 55,000 g(up'clo CHIANG SAEN from theMyanmarsideatthispoint. in Tachileik, itisnotpossible toorganise tours Sai (see p366 ). Accordingtothetouristoffice Monkey inMaethrough IslandGuesthouse villages alongtheway. Lahu oftrip allowsglimpses Shan, Waand Akha, vehicle.yuan forasmallpassenger Theroad Mengla province –36yuanperperson and42 120B (oneway).There isatollwhenentering from Tachileik toKengtung are approximately fromKentungthe same toMengla. Tollfees at checkpoints alongtheway.Thepriceis ies of youritinerarythatthedriver shows sure thepriceincludesfuel,andphotocop- three hours andcost450Bperperson. Make 9amand6pm,take around gobetween taxis and cost350Bperperson. Thefour-seater go at9amand1pm,take aroundfourhours 23 16 Alternatively, youcanorganise atour Mekong River L AOS Pheung Ton Xishuangbanna TiandaTourismand S†wngth†ew to SopRuak,MaeSai Food Stalls...... Food Stalls...... Evening FoodVendors...... Gin's GuestHouse...... Chiang SaenRiverHillHotel...... Chiang SaenGuestHouse...... Wat PhraThatChomKitti...... Wat Phakhaopan...... Wat PaSak...... Wat ChomChang...... Wat ChediLuang...... Chiang SaenNationalMuseum...... Visitors Centre...... Siam CommercialBank(ATM)...... Police...... Main ImmigrationOffice...... Immigration Office...... Chiang SaenHospital...... Shipping...... &ChiangKhong...... Bus Terminal...... 2 be1...... TRANSPORT DRINKING EATING SLEEPING SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Khong...... Boats toSopRuak &Chiang 0.3miles 500m 0 0 D 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
371 B2 B3 C2 C1 B3 C2 A1 B2 A2 A1 B2 B2 B2 B2 B2 B2 C2 A2 C3 B2 B2 C3 B2 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND Has anATM andcurrency exchange. River.main street leadingfromthe highway totheMekong Rai (see Rai p352 ). speak littleEnglish.Thebesthospitalnearbyis inChiang Staff government hospitalisjustsouthofWatPa Sak. Chiang SaenHospital (for crossingstoTonPheung). a smalleronenexttotheMekong River pier corner of thetown’smainintersection, and branches: onthesouthwest themainoffice Chiang Saen’simmigrationoffice hastwo Information side of theriver. public townof TonPheung ontheopposite People’sto andfromtheLao DemocraticRe- citizenstravelling byferryfor ThaiandLao decade. town hasn’tchanged toomuch over thelast ofsation thenearbyGoldenTriangle, Despite thistrade,anddespite commerciali- ing theoldChina–Siamtraderoute open. parts andallmannerof otherimports,keep- moor atChiangSaen,carryingfruit,engine Phayao andPhrae. Utaradit, through route proceeded less-used ChiangMai andMaeChiang Rai, Sariang.A and thenontoMawlamyine inBurma,via toChiang Saen Laos Simao, Yunnan,through possession untilthe1880s. a Siamese Myanmar, ChiangSaendidn’treally become ern Thaikingdoms,aswell18th-century withvariousnorth- affiliated Formerly loosely pre-Chiang SaenkingdomwascalledYonok. a coupleof hundred years; legend this says predatements stillstanding ChiangSaenby earthen cityramparts.Afew of theoldmonu- eral architecture includessev- dom –surviving ruins of the14th-centuryChiangSaenking- Scattered thetowntodayare throughout the 372 tefacts from the Lanna period and prehistorictefacts fromthe Lanna admission 30B; National Museum Near the townentrance,the small Sights & Activities Centre Visitors Siam CommercialBank after restoration. after sites aswellphotosof various Mon-Sat) Hasagoodrelief display showingthemajorruin Yunnanese traderoutes extendedYunnanese from Chiang Saen is an official bordercrossing Chiang Saenisanofficial Nowadays huge river barges fromChina chedi, HAGRIPOIC • Cin an ••ChiangSaen CHIANG RAIPROVINCE Buddhaimages, h (Th Phahonyothin; Phahonyothin; (Th 8.30am-4.30pm Wed-Sun) ( % ( 0 5377 7102; 702 Th Phahonyothin; 0 53777102; 702ThPhahonyothin; % (Th Phahonyothin) Onthe Phahonyothin) (Th 0 53777017-035)This chedi wíh h before, during and before, during ǎ an 8.30am-4.30pm displays ar- pillars and Chiang Saen the foundingof thekingdom.Thesmaller tohaveis thought constructed been before and ruins of Shipping boat through China, now it’sonlypermitted viapassenger in to Jinghong cargo ship fromChiang Sean 3000/3500B, two hours). (perboatoneway/returnor ChiangKhong boat oneway/return 600/700B,50minutes) slower boatsgotoSopRuak(per passenger boat one-wayonly 2000B,1½hours). Eight- (per utes), oralltheway to ChiangKhong (per boatoneway/return 500/600B,35min- ontheChiangSaen waterfront.stand at aboatlandingnearthecustoms station unloading theircargoes inthemornings seen and Myanmarcanbe Boats fromChina,Laos MEKONG RIVERTRIPS but notsocommoninThailand. common inLaos the image’s sides–apose withbothhands heldpointingdownat pose, east issculpted inthe in niches onallfoursides.TheBuddhafacing walkingBuddhas Lanna-style contains base cent Lanna-period living watneartheriver, amagnifi- stands the river. but there isagoodviewof ChiangSaenand There atthese isnothingmuch tosee chedi round 2.5km northof WatPa Sakonahilltop.The influence. possible Bagan Hariphunchai styleswitha andSukhothai a the ruinsof monumentsare seven visiblein ern flank)are theremains of (the historicmaingateway tothetown’swest- 14th centuries. it dates the12thand tosometimebetween about itsexactconstructiondate butagree style. Archaeologists argueSaen orLanna 18m octagonal crafts, dress andmusicalinstruments. stone toolsfromthearea, aswellhill-tribe 14th-century historical park historical Inside thegroundsof The remains of totheeastare themuseum the Behind Although itwas oncepossible to travelAlthough by jettoSop Ruak Six-passenger speedboats About 200mfromthePratuChiangSaen belowitbelonged toWatChomChang. Wat ChomChang chedi ( % Wat ChediLuang 0 5365 1136;089637 1178;one way/return of WatPhra ThatChomKitti chedi Xishuangbanna Tianda Tourism and Xishuangbanna Tianda Tourism
(admission 20B) chedi combineselementsof the chedi Wat Phra That ChomKitti That Wat Phra mudra intheclassicChiang can befoundabout , which feature an . Thelarge, square Wat Phakhaopan (‘callingforrain’) . Themainmid- Wat Pa Sak lonelyplanet.com , where chedi, , a
Chiang SaenGuestHouse Sleeping Wednesday andSaturdayat5am. Boats departfromChiangSaenonMonday, in Guanleiisincluded. stay anight’s is thecase and shallows canhampertheway.Whenthis ing driermonths thegoingisslower,asrocks takes 15hours whenconditionsare good.Dur- work daystoget thevisa. you get forChina. avisa Ittakes atleastfour ( House below ) canbook youaticket and help ThepeopleatChiangSaenGuest Bangkok). China (quicker toarrange fromChiangMai or this tripyoumustalready have for yourvisa butpassengers onboard.To do stay Laos Myanmarand through goes speedboat seater port (1kmsouthof theferry pier).The50- on themainroadopposite theChiangSaen 4000/7000B; Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com 11pm) opentillaround midnight. stay food vendors upatthe latter location and set nearthebus stop.Eveningfrom the highway, town road andalongthe mainroadthrough inandnearthemarketfood stalls ontheriver Cheap noodleand ricedishesare available at Eating &Drinking a Thaiumbrella table. andasmallrattan sitting area furnished withThaiaxe cushions, along withafloor rooms have afridge andTV nice northern-Thaifurnishing touches. Allthe andsome storey hotel features goodservice 3 Tambon Wiang;rinclbreakfast 1200B) available, asare avarietyof tours. bikeby. Mountain andmotorcyclerentals are place fromwhich towatch theMekong flow more charm. Theupstairs veranda isagood moresimple, withthose expensive having bathroom) andavarietyof prices.Roomsare has avarietyof possibilities(all withattached 2km northof thebusterminal), thisplace (see opposite ). tickets canbearranged toChinaandvisa here roomsattheback.Boat sochoose evening A-frame bungalows.Itcanget noisyinthe place hasbasicbutgood-value roomsand thislong-running the river stalls, andnight bungalows 250B) 250-700B) The trip from Chiang Saen to Jinghong The tripfromChiangSaentoJinghong Hotel Hill Chiang SaenRiver Gin’s GuestHouse Evening foodvendors Evening During thedry months vendors these sell Onthenorthernsideof town(about h 8am-5pm daily) Inahandylocationopposite
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(dishes 30-60B; ( % Thisclean,four- 0 5365 0826; 714 Mu 0 53650826;714Mu CHIANG RAI PROVINCE ••ChiangSaen CHIANGRAIPROVINCE h 4- way togo(signs are occasional).Thetwo you have to make onwhich educated guesses more direct butthere are forks where several 1016 toChiangSaen. road viaRte 110toMae ChanandthenRte the townentrance),orawider,busier paved (one fromthecentre of Mae Saiandonenear Saen there’s achoice of twoscenicpaved roads Mae (60B). Sai(40B)andChiangKhong s a ChiangSaenbus(about4½hours). thenchangetake abusfirst to toChiangRai andninehours. Alternatively,seven youcan Phayao andPhan; atripthattakes between Ngao, Lampang, anders Lamphun, through at 8.30amdaily.The bus leaves at7.15amandtheair-con busleaves air-con 126/227B,five hours). Theordinary fromChiangMai (ordinary/ via ChiangRai and ChiangSaen(32B,1½hours). There are ChiangRai frequent between buses Getting There&Away Thai-language skills. food.Bringyour of andIsan Thai,Chinese from ChiangSaen.Bothoffer extensive menus restaurants in SopRuak,off theriver road two salad). with stickyriceand becued insidethickjointsof bamboo,eaten Local specialitiesincludefishorchicken bar- a very waytospendanevening. pleasant bank infrontof – ChiangSaenGuestHouse eat whilesittingongrassmatsalongtheriver dried squidandotherfunfoodsforpeopleto sticky rice,green grilledchicken, papayasalad, Chiang Khong (see (see Chiang Khong p379 ). crossing open toforeignersthe closest isin boats dotravelAlthough from here to Laos, LAOS Pa Thon.Theeastern route ismore scenic. SopRuakorsouththrough going eastthrough village of Mae Ma, where youhave achoice of roads joinnotfar fromtheGoldenTriangle ourful lamps and plays house music. ourful lampsandplayshouse hascol- bar withinsideandoutsideseating, and ǎ wngth Opposite thebusterminal are blue The roadsoutof Mae Sai are considerably If you’re drivingfromMae Sai toChiang sure toaskforthe Be 2 be1 Song Fang Khong s Rim Khong Rim ŭ an aah
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NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND In the evenings thingsareIn theevenings quieter. loads of package-tour visitors duringtheday. restaurants,stalls, amassage placeandbus something of atouristtrap,withsouvenir source of wealth. SopRuakhasinfactbecome kham; ( ‘Sam LiamThongKham’ don’t knoweitherThainameandsimply callit Thais nounced ‘SopHuak’;manyout-of-town to zero. InnorthernThai this village ispro- theadventurethough quotienthere isclose conjuring upimages of illicitadventure even village of SopRuakas‘theGoldenTriangle’, to cashinonthenamebyreferring tothetiny hoteliers andtouroperators have quick been the opiumtradeisprevalent. Nevertheless andThailand,within which Myanmar, Laos stretching of thousands square kilometres into ally refers toamuch larger geographic area, River. the confluenceof NamRuakandthe Mekong the official ‘centre’ of theGoldenTriangle,at 9kmnorthofmeet ChiangSaenat Sop Ruak, The borders of Myanmar,Thailandand Laos l[i;d Sop Ruak AROUND CHIANGSAEN road totake. Rte 1129alongtheriverang Khong, isthe 8) 71 Mu be rented at day 50B)andmotorcycles(per200B)can Sai area bikes Mountain (per isontwowheels. the busterminal. around townfor20B. Theygatheropposite Motorbike ands taxis Getting Around 374 the southeastern end of SopRuak. isat Km30, at labels inEnglish. The museum scales and soon,plusphotos andmapswith somniferum andtradeof use the planting, harvest, inthe clude allthevarious implementsused opium culture, in- Exhibits isworthapeek. to withhistoricaldisplayspertaining seum opium.com; admission50B; The SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES ofmachine nexttotheHouse Opium. There of isaCommercial Bank SiamATM In historicalterms, ‘GoldenTriangle’actu- Tourists have replaced opiumasthelocal theChiangSaen–MaeA goodwaytosee House ofOpium HAGRIPOIC • Aon hagSe ••AroundChiangSaen CHIANG RAIPROVINCE Thaifor‘GoldenTriangle’). . Ifyouare headingsouthwardstoChi- resin, includingpipes, weights, Gin’s GuestHouse
(
% h ǎ amláw doshort trips 7am-8pm) 0 53784060;www.houseof s ǎ ( % am lìamthawng 0 53650847/1023; , asmallmu- Papaver and larger tourist hotels. in Sop Ruakhave given way tosouvenir stalls Saen. Virtually alltheformer budget places Most budget travellers inChiang nowstay SLEEPING &EATING snacks. Lao andmunch beer on where Lao you canquaff Lao, handicrafts, andtheSalaBeer and Lao PDR postmark,a few T-shirts shopsselling you canmailletters orpostcardswithaLaos butthere’s where postoffice an official see, lected fromeach visitor. There’s notalotto iscol- visa. A20Barrivaltax without aLao is happytoallowdayvisitors ontotheisland immigrationboothhereang Saen.TheLao SopRuakandChi- halfwaybetween roughly village onthelarge river islandof time). the same youinandoutatfor theday(they’llstamp a fee of 500Btogoontothecasinoisland There’sdownriver asfarChiangKhong. casinohotel. LongerBurmese tripshead large islandand upriver foraviewof the The typicaltripinvolves acircuitaround localagents.can bearranged several through 400/1700B, 40min/1½hrs) perboat people perboat400B;ChiangSaen/ChiangKhong Well balancedandworthseeing. of onindividualsandsociety. the effects abuse a fascinatinghistoryof opium,andexamines world. Thismultimediaexhibitionincludes facility forthestudyof aroundthe opiate use come theworld’sleadingexhibitandresearch The goalof thisimpressive facilityistobe- 1BaanSobruak; admission300B; .com; Mu HallofOpium the5600-sq-metreFoundation hasestablished Resort&Spa,theMahAnantara Fah Luang on aplotof about 40hectares opposite the hotel andcasino. cies –bahtanddollars –are accepted atthe the Myanmargovernment. Onlytwocurren- ners whohave 480hectares nearly from leased financed byThaiandJapanese businesspart- ( the tion stands MyanmarandThailand. Laos, theMekongbest viewpointtosee of meeting up to % For Ten kilometres northof ChiangSaen sideofOn theBurmese theriver junc- ofNext totheHouse Opiumare somesteps On longer trips you can stop off at a Lao On longer ataLao tripsyoucanstopoff 053 652111;r2500B) Wat Phra That Phu Khao Phu That Wat Phra Mekong River Cruises River Mekong Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com ( % Paradise Resort’s Golden Triangle GoldenTriangle Paradise Resort’s 0 53784444;www.goldentrianglepark , local long-tail boattrips, locallong-tail , ahuge hotel andcasino . Fromhere isthe (40min cruisemax5 h 10am-3.30pm) Don Sao , . Book accommodationBook online at lonelyplanet.com Spa classic northern-Thaidesignmotifswithre- ( opposite ). The90-roomcomplexcombines Mae Sai,directly opposite theHall of Opium SopRuakand hillside off theroadbetween 9164/12,219B; Ruak. rants overlooking theMekong River inSop rooms have impressive river views. Most tothecluster ofcloser touristservices. ais 222BanSopRuak;rfrom3500B; www.imperialhotels.com; lunchand soisthebuffet (130B). overlooking Viewsare themuseum. 1stclass choice andare perched ontheslopeof ahill spacious, modernbungalowsare thebetter inthecavernous, mainbuilding. Its stark TV There are well-equippedroomswithcable part of theDoiTungHall of Opiumproject. s/d1600/1800B; fahluang.org; lonelyplanet.com Saen, Chiang Khong is an important market is animportant Saen, Chiang Khong bank into French Indochina in1893. turned much of theMekong River’s northern to Yunnan Province inChina untiltheFrench ritory of extended all theway ChiangKhong inthe1880s. The ter-occupied bytheSiamese then ChiangSaen andfinallyNanbefore being the centuriesJuon paidtribute to ChiangRai, founded inAD701 byKingMahathai. Over river-bank waspartofAt onetimeChiang Khong asmall pop 9000 g(up'*v' CHIANG KHONG bicycle ridefromChiangSaentoSop Ruak. minutes theday. It’s aneasy orsothroughout leaveor share costs20B;these 20 taxi every From ChiangSaentoSopRuakas THERE&AWAYGETTING to theHall of Opium. include twoticketstraining packages. Rates Tournament andone-tothree-day mahout- tions includetheKing’sCupElephant Polo round outtheluxuryamenities.Special attrac- library,medicalclinicandspa gym, sauna, ceilings. AJacuzzi, squashandtennis courts, such asJimThompsonfabricsandcathedral cycled teak floors andstylish moderntouches Resort GoldenTriangle Imperial Lodge Mekong Greater There are tourist-oriented restau- several More remote yetmore lively thanChiang
Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Resort Anantara GoldenTriangle ( % 0 53784084;www.anantara.com; r/stefrom ) Another1st-classoption,thisis is meuang CHIANG RAI PROVINCE ••ChiangKhong CHIANGRAIPROVINCE ) Anantara sits on a secluded sitsonasecluded Anantara (city-state) calledJuon, (city-state)
( na % 0 53784450;www.mae
) ( Thishotel is % ǎ 0 53784001/5; wngth ǎ ew at thetopof thehill. old photosof KMT soldiers-in-arms stands so thattheyface China. Ashrine containing ied. Thegrave moundsare angledon the hill where more than200KMT soldiers are bur- river is a 13th century,which wasrestored in 1881. Province andfeatures a of temples themostimportant inChiangRai est. eral northernThai-stylewatsof minorinter- The current townof hassev- ChiangKhong Sights &Activities Net.com Easy Trip ATMs andforeign-exchange services. havemercial Bank branches intownwith Si Ayuthaya,Kasikornbank andSiamCom- Information and agro-industrialsupplies. beverages, cosmetics,machinery, spare parts foodand north includedriedandprocessed issteady. Thaigoodsgoing Chiang Khong China –see p379 formore information. Boten, a legal bordercrossingtoandfrom fromto LuangNamTha,ashort distance may crossbyferry. FromHuayXaiit’s250km forLaos Anyonewithavalidvisa for Laos. sideof theriver,Lao isalegalpointof entry government. resistance movement againstthecurrent Lao are rumoured tobeinvolved inanorganised ing the1975communisttakeover andwho the latter are dur- contingents whofledLaos inhabited byMienandWhite Hmong.Among Nearbyare villages several northern Laos. During the Mekong catfish) are stilloccasionally caught. one of thefew placeswhere south of isfamous asbeing Chiang Khong, town forlocalhilltribesandtradewith Trip, whichalsohasinternetservices. Trip, ing SPGuestHouse( p376 ). includ- offer similarservices, guesthouses inChiangKhong here. Many Flights inThailandandtoLaoscanbebooked (220B)andPaiwell asminibusestoChiangMai (400B). agency organisesboatsandbusestoLaos(see p379 ), as thisveryprofessional travel Easy BarandRestaurant, verylaos.com; ThSaiKlang)Onthemainstreet opposite On ahilloverlooking thetownand ThailandandChinaviaTrade between The village of onthe Huay Xai,opposite ChiangKhong Wat Luang (perhr40B; ( % Nationalist Chinese 0 53655174,0899222030;www.disco plaa bèuk , onthemainroad,wasonceone h Ban HatKhrai 10am-11pm) Next doortoEasy 10am-11pm) Next season, mid-April season, to chedi
Soldiers Cemetery plaa bèuk datingfromthe , about 1km (giant 375
, NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND the turn-off isnearKm137. 2km southof ontheMekong; ChiangKhong coming andgoingfrom May, youcanwatch thesmallfishing boats 376 daily toChiang Mai (250B;five hours). andhas avan shuttlethat runs twice Laos are on site. The ownerorganises trips through andarestaurant bathroom. Alaundryservice beds and whetherornot there’s an ensuite for roomsvarydepending onthenumberof place off theroadona woodedhillside. Rates dm 80,r100-200B; SP GuestHouse Sleeping mila ( opposite Trip( ) andEasy p375 ).
(52km) To Chiang Saen 4 1 3 2 CHIANG KHONG Mountain bikes
SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION aboRvrieGetHue.B2 Bamboo RiversideGuestHouse.. Nationalist ChineseSoldiers Buses toChiangRai...... Buses toChiangMai...... Rim Nam...... Nang Nuan...... Easy Bar&Restaurant...... Ban Tammila...... (see13) House...... (see11) Bamboo RiversideGuest SP GuestHouse...... Reuan ThaiSophaphan...... Nomad's GuestHouse...... Boom House...... Ban Tammila...... Ban KhruaThipGuestHouse.... Wat Luang...... Cemetery...... Siam CommercialBank...... Si AyuthayaBank...... Post Office...... Police...... Net.com...... Kasikornbank...... Immigration Office...... Easy Trip...... TRANSPORT EATING SLEEPING 1129 HAGRIPOIC • Cin hn ••ChiangKhong CHIANG RAIPROVINCE AC
( 9 17 % i canberented Tam- fromBan 0 53791767;www.spguesthouse.com; ) ThepopularSP is aquiet
2
Tha Reua Th Sai Klang Sai Th Bak 12 18 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Tha PlaBeuk Tha C3 C3 C2 D4 B1 A1 B2 D3 B2 B2 A1 B2 A2 C3 B2 B2 C3 B1 B2 A1 B1 1 Cargo Pier 4
Soi 2 14 11 3 13 Soi 8 B
Huay Soi 10 Soi 3
, about 16 Soi 1 Th Sai Klang Sai Th Wat PhraKaew
Sop 6
10 Mekong River Mekong Donchai Wat Sin
Market Som 7 Customs Market spacious, simply butcarefully decorated and all building with heapsof character. Rooms are is abeautiful,multifloor teakguesthouse [email protected]; 8ThSaiKlang; r200-600B; inconvenient location. backbone Downside isits tothisguesthouse. philosophy –travel hard,rest easy–are the rooms, goodviews, goodfoodandagreat shg.com; 3,Baan SopSom;r200-500B; 153/4Mu thefan,air-conjust use costs400B. ontheriverbank.right Rooms are 200Bifyou facing theriver. There restaurant isapleasant net caféhaslarge, rooms stark, clean,ifslightly new placedownasideroadbyNet.com inter- 22 20 Reuan Thai Sophaphan Thai Reuan Boom House Nomad’s GuestHouse 8 5 Market 21 Wat SopSom 1020 Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com
( % 0.3miles 500m 0 0 0 53791310;r200-400B; To BanHatKhrai(1km); Tha PlaBeuk(1.5km)
( Soi 19 % L AOS
15 ( % 0 53655537;www.nomad 0 53791023; p_dura Soi 27 D Ban Hat Khrai i i a Soi 28 ) Good ) ) This This 19 Book accommodationBook online at lonelyplanet.com 5379 1621; 71 Mu 1HuaWiang;bungalow300B) 5379 1621;71Mu and plantshave hammocksoutside. thatched bungalowsare surroundedbypalms overlooking theriver. Thesimple bamboo, onaslopethatleaddowntorestaurantset mosphere. Itscollectionsof bungalowsare hasachilled-out, bohemianguesthouse at- area bytheriver. cious homemadebread atthedining/seating who alsoorganise bicycletrips. Trytheirdeli- colours. Thisrelaxing placehaslovely hosts, designed bungalowsare decorated inwarm and theriver, the stylishroomsandwell- bungalows 250/450B,r350B) 8ThSaiKlang;gardenside/riverside hotmail.com; 113Mu places tositandwatch theriver rollby. just have There coldwater though. are several have theirownbathrooms.Thecheaper rooms lonelyplanet.com [email protected]; bungalows300B) Ban Khrua Thip GuestHouse Thip Ban Khrua bèuk The MekongRiver stretch fishinggroundforthe isanimportant that passesChiangKhong MEKONG’S GIANTCATFISH Ban HatKhrai. made withgiant restaurant catfishmaybesoldinamakeshift nearthefishermen’slandingin restaurants can’taffordsuchprices. inHuayXai seasondishes andChiangKhong Duringharvest (asinglefishcanbring100,000B in Bangkok);mostofitendsupBangkok,sincelocal kilo to natives Fishermen ofBanHatKhrai. sellthemeatonspot forupto500Bormore per ing teams turnscasting. drawlotstoseewhocaststhefirstnet, andthentake aboardthefishingboats. Afterare sacrificesperformed theceremony chicken iscompleted, fish- female deitythoughttopreside over thegiant catfish.Among theritualscomprisingceremony them, Thai andLaofishermenholdaspecialannualceremony topropitiate ChaoMaePlaBeuk,a and thefishare swimmingupriver Yunnan tospawninErhaiLake, Province, China. Before netting China. InThailand and Laositsmeatybutmild-tastingfleshisrevered asadelicacy. these fishswimallthewayfromQinghai Province (where theMekongoriginates) innorthern to reach fullsize, whenitwillmeasure 2m to3minlengthandweighup300kg. Localssay water fishintheworld.A pan. As aresult, wellover amillion ovaries) forsperm andtheeggsare andputintoapan;themaleis thenmilked inthe fertilised aliveit’s kept untilamaleisnetted, thentheeggsare removed (bymassaging thefemale’s measures since1983,includingabreed-and-release programme. Every timeafemale iscaught, Thailand’s protective Inland Fisheriesof thedangerextinction, hasbeentaking Department (CITES) listofendangered species,there issomedebate astojusthowendangered itis. Because rapids in China, which is robbing the fish of important breeding grounds.rapids inChina, whichis robbing thefishof important had moderate success breeding this fish,however. elsewhere in Thailand course,notallof thereleased to adulthood.Reservoirs haveOf fishsurvive a Tammila Ban Bamboo Riverside GuestHouse Bamboo Riverside Although the Only afew catfishare captured ina typicalseason,andthecatfishhunters’ guildislimited These fish are onlybetweenmid-AprilandMay whentheriver taken depthisjust3mto4m At themoment thegreatest istheblasting of MekongRiver threat tothecatfish’s survival (giant Mekongcatfish, CHIANG RAI PROVINCE ••ChiangKhong CHIANGRAIPROVINCE ( % plaa bèuk 0 53791234;baantammila@ Facing alush garden plaa bèuk isontheConvention onInternational TradeinEndangered Species Pangasianodon gigas
( % 0 53792010; Thiscol- takes at least six and possibly 12 years (no-one’s really atleastsixandpossibly12years(no-one’s takes sure) plaa bèuk
This ( % 0 have beenreleased intotheMekongsince1983. toichthyologists), probablythelargest fresh- dishes 40-100B; almost anything. specialities,butthekitchen canwhipup house than theThaimenu; Mekong. Thebilingualmenuismuch shorter indoor-outdoor restaurant thatoverlooks the row roaddownbesidetheriver, isthis simple at6pm. night for theferry too. Movies are playedhere every as Western food.Itprepares packed lunches fresh, Thaidishes,aswell tasty place serves Triptravelopposite Easy agency, thislively dishes 20-100B; Easy Bar&Restaurant Eating hot-waterattached showerandtowels. of huthasan mostly because location.Each wooden bungalowsnearthepierfillsup lection of basic,sparselydecorated A-frame Ban Tammila Nam Rim
(dishes 30-90B; h h ( 7am-11pm) % 7am-11pm) 0 5379 1234; 113 Mu 8ThSaiKlang; 0 53791234;113Mu yam ( % h With aterrace onthe 08 69131144;ThSaiKlang;
(spicy salads) are (spicysalads) the On themainstreet 11am-9pm) Onanar- plaa
377 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND long Rte 1129isthequickest waytoarrive from From ChiangSaen,gradedandpaved 52km- Getting There&Away fish, including Mekong. infresh NangNuanspecialises river ant, open-aireatingplaceoverlooking the There’s nosmokingallowedinthispleas- if you’re there. notstaying even outforamealordessert worth seeking food, aswellafew Mexican dishes.It’s 1HuaWiang;dishes40-100B; 71 Mu many vegetarian options. ofas wellagoodselection Thaidisheswith fasts intownwithdelicioushomemadebread, river Tammila Ban oneof does thebestbreak- 378 views of Laos, serves goodThaiand serves views of Laos, restaurant, perched onariverside deckwith Nang Nuan GuestHouse Bamboo Riverside the lands downstream. 500 tonnes totravel year-round, butcould have devastating effects onthe watercourse and hampered byrocksandshallows. Blasting anddredging way forboatsofupto could make about five ofLuang days. Duringthedrier months,however, north Prabangis river transport andChiang Saen,Thailand, thetrip takesa year;fromtheChinese bordertoChiangKhong water ishighenough.Chinese barges weighingupto100tonnesplythe Mekongeightmonths ang SaeninThailand toJinghonginChina(see p372 around 15hourswhenthe), whichtakes lutionary tactics. Party ofThailand cadres usedthe Pakbeng road toreach Kunming,China,fortraininginrevo- towards an‘invasion’ ofThailand. Duringtheyears ofThai communistinsurgency, Communist Thai authorities are nottoohappyaboutthisproposedroadextension, whichisseen asapush (Nan Province) from theriverbank opposite Pakbeng. This hasnothappened asyet,fornow and Thailand, theChinesehave offered tobuildanewroaddirectly southtotheThai border built roadsystem continues allthewaytoBoten. Tofacilitate tradeandtravel betweenChina along theMekongRiver route betweenHuayXai andLuang Prabang;from Pakbeng aChinese- nationalities ifyouhave visa forChina. apre-arranged onlyfourhours. Thearound mid-2007,withthetripthentaking Boten crossingislegalforall andittookeightto 10hourstodothejourney.Theconstruction, roadworkswillbefinished rival. FromHuayXai abusgoestoLuang NamTha. At thetimeofwriting thisroadwasunder on theThai sidetoHuayXai onthe Laoside. Here youcanobtaina30-day Laosvisa-on-ar- leads toJinghong. border, closetotheXishuangbannatown ofMengla(MongLa).Fromanexistingroad to Luang totheLaovillageofBoten ontheChinese NamTha orUdomxai,then proceednorth Thais, ShanandLaoallconsiderXishuangbanna tobeaculturalhomeland. and Yunnan’s (calledSipsongpannainThailand) Xishuangbannadistrict insouthwestChina. The China’s Yunnan Province byroadviaLaos,alandroute thattiestogethertheGoldenTriangle If youhave already arrangedavisafor China inBangkok,it’spossibletotravel fromThailand to NORTHERN THAILAND TOYUNNAN,CHINA HAGRIPOIC • Cin hn ••ChiangKhong CHIANG RAIPROVINCE The MekongRiver route is alsopromising. aspeedboat fromChi- Itisnow possibletotake Another waytoreach Boten isviaPakbeng inLaos’UdomxaiProvince. Pakbeng ismidway To reach Luang Thailand youmaycrossbyferry NamTha fromnorthern fromChiangKhong One cannowcrossintoLaosfromThailand viafive legalbordercrossings. Once inLaos,head
(dishes 80-170B; plaa bèuk . h h ( 7am-11pm) % 9am-midnight) 0 53791621; faràng
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Khong toChiangSaenfor2700B.Khong Boatcrews chartered uptheMekong River fromChiang tickets Trip(see withEasy p375 ). 12 hours) leave at3pmor4pmdaily.Book air-con/1st classair-con/VIP 493/634/985B, reach ChiangKhong. roads fromthesouth(primarilyRte 1020)to andbeyonduse fromChiangRai Saen. Buses forgoingto/fromChiang to 5pm;thesame (57B,2½hours) from around4am Chiang Rai Rte 1129justoutsideChiangKhong. lages andtobacco andricefieldsbefore joining picturesque through vil- side, thisroadpasses andtheMekongin thedistance River toone alternative. but lesstrafficked Withmountains river paved hasalsobeen andprovides aslower alongthe 65kmroadcurving the west.Asecond Boats taking upto10passengersBoats taking canbe to depart hourlyfromChiangKhong Buses Daily buses going to Bangkok (2ndclass goingtoBangkok Daily buses lonelyplanet.com of timesyoucandothis). (see tourist visa p753 forlimitsontheamount youpassportwithanew30-day will stamp on. Onyourreturn toThailand,immigration situationslaterthemselves inuncomfortable Travellersto Laos. whoforget todothisfind before fromThaiofficials exit stamp heading sureafter toget 4pmandonweekends. Be an US$30. There isanextraUS$1or50Bcharge uponarrivalinHuayXaifor1500B or for Laos ang Khong. apieratthenorthernendofReua Bak, Chi- frequently 8amand6pmfromTha between Ferries (one way20B),leave toHuayXai,Laos BORDER CROSSING (LAOS) ferries toLaos. Wat Luang,orfurthernorthatthepierfor can becontacted nearthecustomspierbehind lonelyplanet.com dyed cotton farmer’s shirt seen all overdyed cottonfarmer’s shirt seen Thai- the distinctive Phrae Province isprobably mostfamous for PHRAE PROVINCE Vientiane three forUS$84. timesaweek www.laoairlines.com) when itreopens, forrenovation,closed but itisexpected that quicker route isa13-hourbusride. to Vientiane,which takes anothertwodays.The From LuangPrabang it’spossibletoget aboat as there have reports been of badaccidents. that plytheHuayXaitoLuangPrabang route, hours) the noisyfastboats(1400B,sixtoseven 9amand11am inthemorning.Avoidbetween p376 ) orpick upaslowboat(700B)atHuayXai Trip( Easy p375 like) oraguesthouse, SP(900B; on toLuangPrabang. Bookwithanagent like inPak before at aguesthouse continuing Beng, Huay Xaiittakes twodays,includingstaying the Mekong from toLuang Prabang. Starting journey should take aroundfourhours. be finishedaroundmid-2007,andthenthe a newroadbeingconstructed. Thisshould to10hours eight dueto Nam Thawastaking ing theroadtripfromHuayXaitoLuang Prabang andVientiane. Atthetimeof writ- or byboatdowntheMekong River toLuang by roadtoLuangNamThaandUdomcai, Once on the Lao sideyoucancontinue Once ontheLao Foreigners a30-dayvisa cannowpurchase At thetimeof writingHuay Xaiairportwas The more tripisbyslow boatdown pleasant
sêua mâwhâwm, PHRAE PROVINCE ••Phrae PHRAEPROVINCE willflyfromHuay Xaito Lao Airlines
( % 211026, 211494; the indigo- 3.30pm Mon-Fri) Foreign-exchange service and ATM. service Foreign-exchange 3.30pm Mon-Fri) Thai influenceover thecenturies aswell.It’sa architecture hassuccessfullyresisted central- size anywhere inThailand.Thelocal temple more of ithere thaninanyothercityof similar of traditionalThai teak architecture, you’llfind –ifyou’re quiet lanesandoldteak houses afan Chiang Mai, Phrae’s oldcitystillhaslotsof a river (here it’stheMae NamYom).Unlike old citypartiallysurroundedbyamoat beside Like ChiangMai and Lampang, Phrae hasan pop 21,200 crij PHRAE bus onRte 101. train route north–they’re easilyreached by from ChiangMai, butfromDenChai–onthe ists andtravellers of because theirremoteness province of Nanare often overlooked bytour- construction). house orfurniture (butnotin decorative carvings for from fallenteak woodmayalsobeused cutstaken Speciallylicensed from oldhouses. teak businessnowinvolves recycled timber are protected bylaw.Mostof theprovincial forests these the 1989nationalbanonlogging, the thickest aroundtheKm25marker). Since asteady blurofyou’ll see teak forests (theyare centre. AlongRte Phrae 101between andNan teak animportant wood. Phrae haslong been Hua Dong location. towers inthemiddleof ricefieldsforthe exact SungMen.and Amphoe Lookforlaunching gest Long celebrationstake placeinAmphoe inMay.rice-growing season InPhrae, thebig- town of Phrae. ThungHongoutsidethe cloth ismadeinBan university professors like towearthem.The political solidarityof Thai the1970s,even life, andsincethestudent-worker-farmer Bangkok Bank Information sized town inThailand. modern Phrae lookslike anyothermedium- styles. andLao ern-Thai (Nanand Lanna) bit unusual:you’ll findamixof north- Burmese, of distinction for these staples ofof staples ruralThai distinctionforthese land. ‘Made asign inPhrae’ hasalwaysbeen The province of Phrae anditsneighbouring The annualRocket Festival the kicksoff Amphoe SungMenAmphoe isalsoknownfor Southeast of theoldcity,newer,more , a market specialising in carved teak , amarket specialisingincarved (Th Charoen Meuang; Charoen Meuang; (Th h 8.30am-
Talat 379 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND and ATM. h near the trafficcircle. 9am-noon Sat) Closetothe centre oftheold city Mon-Fri, Hae, southeast oftown. CAT office 380 Post office Hospital Phrae Centre Service KSC Internet Bank Krung Thai SavingsBank Government internet. can bemadeandyouuseaT-card toaccessthe Attached tothemainpostoffice. Long-distancecalls 30min 10B; station. h (85km) To Lampang 4 1 3 2 PHRAE 8.30am-3.30pm Mon-Fri) Foreign-exchange service service Foreign-exchange 8.30am-3.30pm Mon-Fri) 8.30am-3.30pm Mon-Fri) TheATM8.30am-3.30pm Mon-Fri) tothepolice isnext
Mae Nam Yom HA RVNE • ha ••Phrae PHRAE PROVINCE ha optl...... D4 Phrae Hospital...... SIGHTS INFORMATION Wat PhraBahtMingMeuang...... Wat Luang...... Wat JomSawan...... Vongburi House...... Ban PrathupJai...... Post Office...... Police...... KSC InternetServiceCentre...... Krung ThaiBank(ATM)...... Government SavingsBank...... CAT Office...... (see7) Bangkok Bank(ATM)...... 8 Cemetery Christian (Th Charoen Meuang; CharoenMeuang; (Th h (Th Charoen Meuang; Charoen Meuang; (Th AC
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Th Kham Doem 0 54522444) JusteastofThChaw 9 11 Wat Phong (Th RongSaw; (Th Th Phra Ruang (Th Ratchadamnoen; per Ratchadamnoen; (Th h h Courthouse 12 11 10 14 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8am-8pm) 8.30am-4.30pm B3 A3 D2 A3 A4 B3 B3 B3 C3 B3 C3 25 To DenChai(23km); 12 Utaradit (73km) B EATING SLEEPING Night Market...... Nakhon PhraeTowerRestaurant....(see17) Malakaw...... Thepviman...... Paradorn Hotel...... Nakhon PhraeTower...... Nakhon PhraeHotel...... Maeyom PalaceHotel...... Wat SaBoKaew...... Wat PhraRuang...... Wat PhraNon...... aadkr oe...... C4 Sawatdikarn Hotel...... 28 23
27 Th Kham Leu 7 Morning Market 4 6 18 Th Chaiboon (Victory Gate) Pratu Chai 17
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21 Th Rong Saw 3 Pratu Khong terite. Opposite the frontof the has unfortunately bricked been inwithla- Xangstyle but classic Luang Prabang-Lan Thai Lüfabric. in Phrae andNan,the and coconutpalms. As issometimesseen ing itonallfour sides,surroundedby on asquare withelephants support- base the large Lanna-style octagonal or 13thcentury. ing fromthefoundingof thecityin12th This istheoldest wat inPhrae, probably dat- ;yfs];' WAT LUANG Sights The veranda of themain 30 School 1 15 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13
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19 Th Chaw Hae Chaw Th Th Yantarakitkoson 24 TRANSPORT SHOPPING ENTERTAINMENT DRINKING iiue oDnCa...... C4 Minibuses toDenChai...... Bus Terminal...... Maw HawmAnian...... Iron Horse...... Sugar Beach...... Yota VegetarianFood...... Sod Cheon...... 16 0.2miles 300m 0 0 Phra That LuangChangKham That Phra 26 10 To RiversideYom(2km); chedi Phra ThatChoHae(9km) 29 To Airport(9km);Wat 5 Thung Hong(4km) wíh lonelyplanet.com isswathedin ǎ D an To PhaeMeuang chedi wíh isinthe Nan (112km) Phi (18km); ǎ 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 an , sits kùtì D2 B3 B4 C2 B4 C2 is ,
roof two-tiered withaseparate, porticoand around 200years agoandhasanimpressive image). The reveredhighly reclining Luang isa300-year-old watnamedafter its Southwest afew hundred metres fromWat ;yfritovo WAT PHRANON onrequest.open itonweekdays weekends only,butthemonkswillsometimes isusuallyopen a beheading.Themuseum display, includingsomegruesomeshots of 19th-century photoswithEnglish labels on is particularlyexquisite. There are alsosome Phrae-made sittingBuddhaonthe2ndfloor andMonperiods.A16th-century,Bago Nan,religious artdatingfromtheLanna, displaying temple antiques,ceramicsand incense. leave offerings of fruit,flowers, candlesand The image issacred tolocalresidents, who ruler. ofa statue ChaoPu,anearlyLanna gate. asagate, No longer itnowcontains used Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com Sawan. temple similar toWatJomBurmese–style corner of themoat, Phitsanulok. Justoutside thenortheastern resemblesclosely thePhra Chinnaratin reveredand thehighly Phrawhich Kosai, drumtowermadeentirelyoctagonal of teak Buddhist school, anold city, withintheoldAcross fromthe postoffice OTHER TEMPLES graved inBurmese. of section 16ivory ‘pages’is aTripitaka en- inthemain neath. Aprizedpossession of itsstuccotoreveal theartfulbrickworkbe- A large copper-crowned tiered, towerlike roofs like inMandalay. those wooden served Thewell-pre- influencethroughout. Burmese and early20thcenturies,shows Shan and ple wasbuiltbylocalShan inthelate 19th Mai,Outside theoldcityonThBan thistem- ;yf&v}l;ii%N WAT JOMSAWAN scenes. The woodenfaçadewithRamayana gilded, carved, with beadandfoildecoration. the Buddhaimage, swathedinThaiLücloth Also onthetemple grounds isa Wat Phra Baht Ming Meuang Ming Baht Wat Phra Wat
Phra wíh bòt (central sanctuary) wasbuilt (centralsanctuary) ǎ
wíh Ruang an behindthe Wat SaBo Kaew ǎ an , inside theold city,is and phrá nawn chedi chedi bòt haslostmost , anunusual bòt have high, PHRAE PROVINCE ••Phrae PHRAEPROVINCE houses a houses isaShan- contains contains (Buddha museum wíh ǎ an
a Nan-style,cruciform-plan typical of Phrae’s manyoldcitywats,with Tai; admission20B; Pillar-Filled alarge House), northernThai- 90-120B) Thepviman BUDGET Sleeping seriously. so don’ttake themoniker ‘impressive’ too nir vendors decorated, andisrathertackily isalsofilledwithsouve- Thehouse carved. Theinterior pillarsrural houses. are ornately to build,usingtimbertaken fromnineold tookfouryearsOpened in1985,thehouse than 130teak logs,each over 300years old. thatwasbuiltusing morestyle teak house 5pm) (Impressive House; On theoutskirtsof thetownis [hkoxitmy[B& BAN PRATHUP JAI as wellThai. teak-dynasty era. Mostare labelledinEnglish photos andotherartefacts fromthebygone ing early-20th-centuryslave concessions), century teak antiques,documents(includ- of 20roomsdisplaylate-19th- thehouse’s dows are ingoodcondition.Inside,many eaves, balconiesandabove doors andwin- ongables, in thecity.Elaborate carvings who onceheldaprofitable teak concession Phongphibun andhiswife ChaoSunantha, structed 1897and1907forLuang between rather wornbutstillinteresting. Itwascon- ofteak house thelastprinceof Phrae, is This private [hko;'LN[=iu HOUSE VONGBURI to beidentified. local (Nan-Phrae) provenance thathasyet unique mixisactuallyacoherent designof wíh 29 Th Ratsadamnoen; r290-400B; 29 Th Ratsadamnoen; squat toilets. comewith rooms to theThepviman,but these s/d100/150B) rakitkoson; ing travellers. toilets, are areasonable choice forbaht-pinch- showers, someof which come withWestern Nakhon Phrae Hotel Phrae Nakhon Sawatdikarn Hotel Sawatdikarn ǎ , also called Ban Sao RoiTon(Hundred, alsocalledBan an These very These basicrooms withcoldwater and a Lanna andaLanna
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381 8am- NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND up nightly in thelaneoppositeup nightly theSawat- foodvendors alsoset Several evening. every the PratuChai(VictoryGate) intersection A very good Eating recommendedrant hasbeen ( right ). decorated. There isapiano barandtherestau- places intown.Roomsare large andtastefully Maeyom Palace, nicerthanother itiscertainly breakfast 1800B; rinclbreakfast 650-750B,ste incl Hit; 3ThMeuang yahoo.com; are typicalinthelowseason. tioned optioninside. Discountsof upto30% on deckingoutside,aswellanair-condi- is agoodsizeandthere restaurant isapleasant some coulddowithafew pictures. Thepool sofa andminibar;although with cableTV, has allthemodernamenities:carpeted rooms site thebusterminal, Phrae’s topendoption 1400B, steinclbreakfast 3000-3500B; Palace Hotel Maeyom MIDRANGE &TOPEND and rates includeasimplebreakfast. pristine. There isawi-fi hot-spotinthelobby, hotwater andarenishings, have cableTVs, expensive suites, are decorated inteak fur- whether thecheapest fanroomsorthemore the sign‘absolutely clean’outside. Allrooms, 540B, ste800B; 177ThYantarakitkoson; r290- www.phrae-paradorn.com; lobbies of bothwings. information andmapsare available inthe sive oneshave air-conditioning. Sometourist large withsomefurniture; themore expen- are onopposite sidesof thestreet. Roomsare walk fromtheoldcity,thishotel’s twowings 382 from thebig potsof soups or Chinese-style restaurant.popular Chinese/Thai Choose Maeyom Palace Hotel, isthissimple butvery 4am) ian place. h eatingoptions. several Phrae Hotel neartheNakhon areamnoen, only.OnThRatsad- evenings on weekday a blockortwobehind theParadorn Hotel dikarn Hotel. There’s market anothernight hotmail.com; 181/6ThYantarakitkoson; rinclbreakfast 1200- in Phrae, youcan’tmiss thiswhite hotel with Sod Cheon Food Yota Vegetarian Tower Phrae Nakhon 7am-7pm) Paradorn Hotel Onthe crossroads, 50m northof the HA RVNE • ha ••Phrae PHRAE PROVINCE
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(Th Saisibut;dishes15-40B; (Th convenes just outside 0 54521029-35;wccphrae@ 0 54521321;nakornphrae@ ais % 0 54511177; h ) Oppo- 11am- 105/160/205/239B). (ordinary/2nd classair-con/1st class/VIP alsotake fourhours toreach Phrae services four hours) bus forPhrae. FromChiang Rai, class air-con/1st class/VIP 105/147/189/290B, leave (ordinary/2nd buses atregular intervals leave intheevening. (2nd classair-con/1st class/VIP 318/409/635B) Northern andNortheastern bus terminals Most of thatdepartfromBangkok’s thebuses BUS Getting There&Away old city. the southeastern gate (PratuChai) into the Muang; HawmAnian Maw A goodplacetobuy Shopping live music. a bar-restaurant there’s butonsome nights ion nearthebusterminal. It’sbasicallyjust isalarge,local nightspots, open-air pavil- and fronts theriver andfeatures live bluegrass vilions fashionedfromgrassthatch andpine nights. and-western décorandplayslive musicmost Phrae hascountry- Tower,theIronHorse Iron Horse Drinking &Entertainment Live musicisplayedhere from8pm. steaks andsandwiches. Thai dishes, seafood, This recommended restaurant offers tasty sôm-tam goodies.Localsravefresh, seasonal aboutthe and soare butthemenufeatures thelights, for socialisingwithlocals.Theceilingislow andchairs tables rough-cut isapopularplace 1am) The menuisinThaionly. superfresh Goodforlate eats. andtasty. night duck, orgoforyourusualThaidishes.Allare s tofind;it’sbesttake as difficult centre amidamazeof roads,andthusquite It’sabout2kmnortheastofnightly. thecity [email protected]; 3 Th Meuang Hit; dishes40-160B) Hit; 3ThMeuang [email protected]; ǎ wngth Nakhon Phrae Tower Restaurant TowerRestaurant Phrae Nakhon Sugar Beach Yom Riverside From ChiangMai’s Arcadebusterminal, Malakaw Thisrustichole-in-the-wallwithits phleng phêuachii-wít h ǎ here.
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(Th Ratsadamnoen; meals40-80B; Ratsadamnoen; (Th Book accommodationBook online at lonelyplanet.com , oneof themore salubrious ( h (no roman-script sign;36ThChareon (no roman-script 4pm-12am) , ashopabout 60mfrom mâw hâwm Opposite the Nakhon Opposite theNakhon (Thaifolkmusic) Thiscluster of pa- lonelyplanet.com ( % inPhrae is ǎ 0 54521321; amláw h 6pm-
or 10B, dependingon thedistance. (mainly ThYantarakitkoson) andcost5Bto 10pm andarrives at7.14am).Onthelatter the express 51(2ndand3rdclass,departsat leaves at8.30amandarrives at3.53pm),and 5.10pm), theexpress (2rdclassonly, 9diesel at7amandarrivesBangkok inDenChaiat rapid 111(2ndand3rdclassonly,departs cost1191B.only sleepers, these 317/467/431/767B. There are no1st-classseats upper bunk/air-consleeper sleeper. Theycost lowerbunk/fan sleeper option of afanseat/fan classthere200B for3rdclass.Insecond isthe Tickets cost fromBangkok toDenChaistation TRAIN the lastoneleaving at8.30pm. class/VIP 62/87/112/170B,twohours), with (ordinary/2ndclassair-con,bus station 1st you cancatch thenortherntrainline. next tothevocationalcollege. FromDenChai hourly from6amto6pm(30B)anddepart travel30 minutes). Minibuses toDenChai hourfrom3.30pmto6.30pm(20B, Chai every lonelyplanet.com ‘12,000 RiceFields’ in northern Thai),China. in Xishuangbanna (Sipsongpanna, literally tohavea typeof thought satin originated that worshippers wraparoundthe gilded Rte 1022,thiswatisfamousfor its33m-high On ahillabout9km southeastof townoff ;yfritTk^=(jvcV Wat PhraThatChoHae AROUND PHRAE around 25B. trip fromhere PratuChaishouldcost to,say, arecle taxis available atthebusterminal; a Prathup Jai itcancost upto40B. Motorcy- 30B; furtherafieldtosomewhere like Ban A s Getting Around rakitkoson. anywhere along thesouthernendof ThYanta- jaunt toPhrae (20-30B).Youcancatch them frequentlyDen Chaistation forthe23km 5461 3260) bycalling can bereserved youcan get a2nd-classsleeper.service Tickets There are toNanfromthe hourlybuses leaveBuses toDen fromthebusstation Trains thatarrive atadecenthourare the Shared s Blue s ǎ amláw anywhere intheoldtowncosts chedi , where Englishisspoken. ǎ wngth ǎ . ChoHae isthenameof thecloth wngth NAN PROVINCE ǎ ew ǎ ew plyafew of theroads
and red leave buses the Den Chaistation chedi –it’s ( % 0 sticky rice near the entrance – you may need sticky riceneartheentrance–youmayneed choked withbandits andPeople’s Liberation province’, Nan before theearly1980swas so ‘remote government-designated a Formerly NAN PROVINCE ternatively, charter as hitch about2.5kmtoreach theentrance. Al- to thepark.Fromthispointyoumust walkor turn-off right-hand another 6kmtoasecond Meuang Phi, andthencatching as getting atthesignposted off forPhae turn-off abusride9kmtowardsNan, transport entails theeroded pillars.surfaces between a drinkafter wanderingaroundthebaked yâang ions intheparkandfoodvendors selling are recent additions.There are picnic pavil- cial park;afew walkingtrailsandviewpoints giant fungi.Thearea madeaprovin- hasbeen zarre pillars of soilandrockthatlooklike of Phrae Rte off 101.Erosionhascreated bi- phenomenon approximately 18kmnortheast areferenceLand’, tothisstrange geological The namePhae Meuang Phi means‘Ghost- crtg}nv'zu Phae MeuangPhi That ChoHae (15B)are frequent. protected forest of mature teak trees. compound. Thehilltopissurroundedbya with magicalpowers) stairs leadtothetemple ics. Tiered fertility towomenwhomake offerings toit. Chinnarat inPhitsanulok, isreputed toimpart here, which issimilarinappearancetoPhra the north. The pilgrimageimportant site forThaislivingin Like ChiangMai’s WatDoiSuthep,thisisan Chiang Rai, Phrae and Utaradit pass through Phrae passthrough and Utaradit Chiang Rai, with thenearby provincesvincial capital of up considerably. The roadsthatlink thepro- during the lasttwodecades, Nanhasopened a more political machine in Bangkok stable travellers were discouraged fromvisiting. Army of Thailand(PLAT) insurgents that at thefrontof theschool. 250B. S coco pillars andwallswithlotus-bud mosa- Getting toPhaeGetting Meuang Phi by public S The With the successes ofWith thesuccesses theThai armyand ǎ wngth (grilled, spicedchicken), bòt ǎ wngth hasagildedwoodenceiling,ro- naga ǎ ew between thecityandPhraew between Phra Jao Than Jai JaoThan Phra ǎ (amythicalserpentlike being ew
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Doi Phaya Fo Phaya Doi Ban Don Kaew Don Ban
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Pa Lao Klang Lao Pa Sa Iap Sa (1465m) Mae 1091
Mae Kam Nam Tok Yom 103
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A RVNE NAN PROVINCE Ta Fah Tai Fah Ta PHRAE
1134 Pong
1021 Doi Khun Loen Khun Doi
1179
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CHIANG RAI
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Ban Hae Ban
Huay Rong Huay Baeng Phu Sang
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Ban Luang Ban
Pii Neua Pii Doi Phajik Doi
101
Nam Puk Nam
Na Moh Na
Huay Khok Huay
Saliam Doi Kusathan Doi
1148 (1728m)
Sap Neua Fang Min Fang
Luang Tham Thaleh
Nam Ban Pak Nai Pak Ban
1216
Samun Sakoen Ban
Hom Chom Hom
Tham Phah Tup Phah Tham Khwae
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Na Meun Na Ban Sophit Ban 1026
Mae Nam Nan Nong Bua Nong
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101 Xieng Hon Xieng Nam Haeng Airport Nan
1080
Wiang Sa Wiang Nam Mong Nam Forest Park
Sak Yai
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Pra That Pra
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Ban Nam Yao Nam Ban
Muang Chang Muang Tha Wang Pha Wang Tha
1162 Sop Kaen Sop 1169 Nam Tok Kaeng Luang
1080
Wat Nong Daeng Nong Wat
Ban Pa Ban Klang
1168
Thung Chang Thung
Chiang Klang Chiang
Fak Tha Fak
Huay Son Huay
Mae Charim Mae
Ngop Nua Ngop
Ban Kuaeng Ban
Pua
Liang
Nam
Huay Noi Ka Noi Huay
Ban
Pa Tong Pa
Nam Muap Nam National Park National
Nam Wa Kha Phu Doi
Santisuk Ban Khok Ban 1256
1125 Nam Tok Nam
Silaphet
Ban Huay Kon Huay Ban
Mae Ban Bo Kleua Bo Ban
1257 Pang Hai Pang
1123 Ban Muang Ban
1168
Mae Sanan Mae
Na Maen Na
Lak Lai Lak Boh Bia Boh
Jet Dan Jet Nam Ban Toei Ban
12miles 20km 0 0
Nam Yuak Bo Nan
Nam Phun Nam Wa
(2000m) Doi Phu Kha Phu Doi
1081
Muang Ngoen Muang
(1750m) Phu Fa Phu
lonelyplanet.com
& Conservation Area Conservation & National Biodiversity National
L AOS
Nam Phun Nam
(2077m) Doi Lo Doi
L AOS Hong Sa Hong also famousforits best growsthe ThungChangsupposedly phoe flavour. tart imparts aunique,sweet, Am- (lowland Thaioranges are mostlygreen) and winter weatherinNanturnstheskinorange kok andMalaysia. Apparently, thecooler pricesinBang- export, commandinghigh oranges). Thelatter are Nan’smostfamous máfai) versionChinese of Thailand’sindigenous Nan isalsofamousfortwofruits: and vegetables inthefertile river plains. growing stickyrice,beans,corn,tobacco areinhabitants agriculturallyemployed, Mostofnot afactoryorcondoinsight. the and itslikeable people. a province tobeexplored foritsnatural beauty rice fields.Like inthenortheast,thisis Loei exquisite sceneryof rich river valleysand lonelyplanet.com Mien kingfollowing a Pathet victory in Lao Pathet tocreate whopromised aHmong- Lao, were recruited with thecommunist tofight andPhetchabun)Nan (aswell asChiangRai Vietnam War,manyHmong andMienfrom with smallernumbers of Hmong.Duringthe dominant hilltribes are Mien(around8000), Outside theMae NamNanvalley,the pre- inothernorthernprovinces.from those ethnic groupsfound here significantly differ populatedNan isasparsely province andthe Population &People Nam Mun. third-longest river after theMekong andMae Pua. At627km,Mae NamNanisThailand’s include theNan,Wa,Samun,Haeng, and Lae onallsides. mountains which isabowl-shapeddepression ringed by of 364,000live intheMae NamNanValley, soon forest. Mostof theprovince’s population forests intheprovince are virgin uplandmon- Kha Phu is covered byheavily forested mountains; is actively cultivated), asmostof theprovince 25% of thelandisarable (andonlyhalfof that Only Nan shares a227kmborderwithLaos. Geography the roadside. heapsof chillies dryingby these you’ll see Sichuan Province. Duringthehotseason, growninChina’schillies) similartothose Nan remains alargely ruralprovince with The major river systems intheprovince sôm s and , at 2000m, is the highest peak.Half, at2000m,isthehighest the ǐ i thawng sôm s NAN PROVINCE ••Geography NANPROVINCE ǐ i thawng phrík yàihâeng intheprovince. Nanis (golden-skinned (long,hot fai jiin Doi (a of Amphoe Chiang Klang, Amphoe Pua and of ChiangKlang, Amphoe Amphoe lies spread across remote valleys mountain about 3000live invillages of 50orso fami- Pronounced ‘Tin’, groupof thisMon-Khmer HTIN aspoliticalandspiritualconsultants. serve ger), twooldermeninthecommunitywho meuang most ThaiLücommunitiesstillrecognise a of tradition; astrongsense Nan theymaintain themselves bygrowingriceandvegetables. In cotton fabrics.Many ThaiLüvillages support fromindigo-dyed own clothes,typicallysewn and weaving looms.Many stillmake alltheir stilts, beneathwhich theyplacetheirkitchens onthickwooden bamboo-thatched houses motifs show upinmanyNanhandicrafts. prized innorthernThailandandtheweaving ThaiLüfabricsareheritance. amongthemost pediments and windows, two-orthree-tiered roofs, curved Nong Bua–typifiedbythickwallswithsmall Haeng ( p388 ), WatPhumin ( p388 ) andWat temple architecture atWatPhra ThatChae the ThaiLüare Theravada Buddhists,andthe very Like Thai, been important. mostSiamese extent, Phrae)Nan (andtoalesser culture has ThaWangPha.Amphoe Theirinfluenceon andgrowvegetablesLü tostay inwhatisnow Nan kingdomatthetime,allowedThai local lord.Phra Jao Atityawong,rulerof the Nan in1836thewake of aconflictwith Yunnan Province, the Thai Lümigrated to Originally fromXishuangbanna inChina’s THAI LÜ Lü, HtinandKhamu. outsidethisprovince: seen theThai seldom is thepresence of three lesser-known groups ments. Whatmakes Nanunique,however, der withPhrae are afew smallMabri settle- trained inNorthVietnam. Someof so-called‘RedMeos’ these Laos. even bamboo and raised on bamboo or wooden bamboo and raised wells. salt from Bo Kleua,byextracting salt and, inBan mestic animals, farmingsmall plotsof land sist byhuntingfor wildgame,breeding do- Theytypicallysub- Sayaburi Province, Laos. also live acrosstheborder inneighbouring number A substantial ThungChang. Amphoe The ThaiLübuildtraditionalwooden or Along thesouthwestern provincial bor- Htin houses areHtin houses usually made of thatched (lord)and naga m ǎ lintels –isaThaiLüin- w meuang (state astrolo- (state
385
jâo NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND perform regular ritualstoplacate Salok,the inhistory. Forcenturiesitwas Nan issteeped Just over little-known 668km fromBangkok, pop 24,300 ojko NAN villages tovisit. Chang isoneof thelargest andeasiest Khamu Thung inAmphoe HuaySataeng work. Ban tion andare knowntovaluethriftandhard villagers holdfast totradi- very self-sufficient; spirit of theforge. villages Khamu are usually pkri-aak the northern-Thai their roofs beamssimilarto sportcrossed have dirtfloors like of those theHmongbut are nearstreams; established theirhouses ang KlangandPuadistricts.Theirvillages mostly intheWiangSa,ThungChang,Chi- Nan (more thananywhere inThailand), else There areand Laos. nowmore than5000in around 150years agofromXishuangbanna Like theThaiLü, migratedKhamu toNan KHAMU ing clothesfromneighbouring Mien. Htin don’tweave theirownfabrics,often buy- which isshaken toproducemusicaltones.The angklung instrument of stepped pipes(similartothe patterns. black-coloured grasstocreate boldgeometric the Htininterweave pared bamboowitha forfloormatsandbasketsaround thehouse; lating bambootomake needed everything taboo. ofthe constructionof because aHtin houses in –includingnailsisused stilts. Nometal 386 Thai nationalism. ofa significant role inthe development early meuang kingdom, the with the powerfulSukhothai became a powertocontend with.Associated –thatthecity Elephants) kingdom inLaos of Xang(Million Luang Prabang andtheLan 14th century–concurrent withthefounding Nanthaburi onMae NamNan inthemid- small several prehistoric exists,but itwasn’tuntil habitation ofties totheoutside world.Ampleevidence an isolated, independentkingdomwithfew The Khamu areThe Khamu and skilledatmetalwork They also use bambooto fashion amusical They alsouse The Htinare particularlyskilledatmanipu- A RVNE • a ••Nan NAN PROVINCE took the title Waranakhon andplayed tookthe titleWaranakhon ). of centralThailandandIndonesia), meuang kàlae consolidated toform (locallycalled ka- and hasATMs. services hotels. Operatesforeign-exchange and Dhevaraj in 1973. Relatively recent renovations have sion 30B; museum palidet and Jao Mahaphrom Surathada), this last two feudal lords (Phra Jao Suriyapong- inthe1903-vintageHoused palaceof Nan’s rbrbT#yIRNl$kocsj’(k^bojko NAN NATIONAL MUSEUM Sights source ofinformation( p389 ). shop. OppositeWatPhumin. Fhu Travelisalsoagood Kong; InformationCentre Tourist postoffice Main Kasikornbank Phone. 10pm) HasaHomeCountryDirect CAT office Bangkok Bank for 40Bperhour. are available aroundtown Internet services Information ship. sponsor-Nan finallyaccepted fullBangkok remained until1931,when semi-autonomous dynasty thenregained localsovereignty andit wrested in1786.Thelocal fromtheBurmese but abandoneduntilwestern Thailandwas toBurmaasslaves;itants thecitywasall in 1558andtransferred manyof theinhab- Prabang). Thong (GoldenCity,which istoday’sLuang ChiangMaibetween (NewCity)andChiang erence toitspositionapproximately midway the nameChiangKlang(MiddleCity),aref- the15thcenturyunder flourished throughout Thecity-state (now knownsimplyasLanna). NaThai Lan principalities thatcomprised became oneof theninenorthernThai-Lao Towards theendof the14thcenturyNan History the ThaiLü’shistoricalhomeland. fromXishuangbanna, Thai Lülegacybrought influence,whileothers belongtothe Lanna are distinctive: sometemple structures show inpresent-day Nan.Meuangseen Nan’swats periodcanbe wats datingfromtheLanna town. 9am-noonSat,Sun&holidays)In thecentre of Mon-Fri, tookcontrolofThe Burmese thekingdom Parts of early theoldcitywallandseveral h h ( 8am-5pm) Newcentre, completewithcoffee % (Main post office, Th Mahawong; postoffice,ThMahawong; (Main 9am-12pm,1-4pm) 0 54772777, 054710561;ThPhaKong; admis- (Th Sumonthewarat)AsBangkokBank. (Th (Th Sumonthewarat)NeartheNanFah (Th (Th Mahawong; Mahawong; (Th first opened itsdoors ( % h 0 54710216;ThPha lonelyplanet.com 8.30am-4.30pm h 7am- lonelyplanet.com Route 1091(177km) Phayao via Phukha (1km); To Chompu 4 6 1 3 2 5 NAN 26 SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Da Dario...... SP GuestHouse...... Nan GuestHouse...... Nan FahHotel...... Fahthanin Hotel...... Doi PhukhaGuestHouse...... Dhevaraj Hotel...... Amazing GuestHouse...... Wat SuanTan...... Wat Phumin...... Wat PhraThatChangKham...... Wat HuaKhuang...... Nan NationalMuseum...... Fhu TravelService...... Tourist InformationCentre...... Main PostOffice...... Kasikorn Bank(ATM)...... (see1) CAT office...... (see2) Bangkok Bank(ATM)...... Silver jewelleryshop...... (see15) Amnouy Porn&Jangtrakoon..... Yota VegetarianRestaurant...... Tanaya Kitchen...... Suan Isan...... Night Market...... Miw Miw...... Dhevee CoffeeShop...... (see12) Da Dario2...... oieSain...... B5 Police Station...... SHOPPING EATING SLEEPING Route 101 (135km) To Phrae(112km); Den Chai via AC 14
NAN PROVINCE ••Nan NANPROVINCE Th Rop Meuang Meuang Rop Th
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Th Thali 18 Department 2 22 27 3 12 Th Mahayot 5 Wiangtai Wat Hua Store Sports Nara
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Nan Th Jettabut Th Soi Tok
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17 Th Rat Amnuay Amnuay Rat Th
400m 0.2miles 0 0 Th Premprida Th Airport
11 Th Worawichai Th Sports To NanRiverside Field Gallery (20km) D
387 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND tavorapitthidet (1867–74).Muralsdepicting and restored duringthe reign of ChaoAnan- its cruciform Nan’s mostfamoustemple iscelebrated for ;yf#)}bomiN PHUMIN WAT and archaeology attheentrance. circumference. the tuskmeasures 97cmlongand47cmin a wooden of Chiang Tung(Kengtung). Held aloft by lord over ruler 300years agobytheKhün tohavetusk said presented been toaNan ‘black’ (actuallyreddish-brown) elephant outwards. ers are quite distinctive, withtheears curving very imitative of otherThaistyles,whileoth- sculpture; someexamplesondisplayseem curators positaNanstyleof artinBuddhist Luang Prabang influence. Theastute museum sides, pointingdown)andtheyshowamarked ‘calling forrain’posture (withhandsatthe images standing arefrom wood,these inthe as thefloppy-eared localstyles. Usually made ages stylesaswell includessomerare Lanna weapons, ceramicsandreligious art. archaeology, localarchitecture, royalregalia, the 2ndfloorare exhibitsonNanhistory, textiles, folkutensils andtribalcostumes.On Among theitems ondisplayare silverwork, Mabri,Lü, Htin,Khamu, HmongandMien. province, includingthenorthernThais,Thai ing thevariousethnicgroupsfoundin tion rooms,withethnologicalexhibitscover- on display. one alsohasEnglishlabelsformanyitems provincial and,unlike museums most,this made itoneof Thailand’smostup-to-date 388 find scenes like a groupof gossips, people depict more mundane aspects of life. You’ll fluidfigureshistory, the bright, refreshingly previous incarnations andNan’s legends and As wellashellandheavenly realms, Buddha’s life fromtheerainwhich theywere painted. value sincethey incorporate scenes of local artists; the executed during therestoration byThai Lü the of Thai Lüarchitects aswell. The muralshave historic aswellaesthetic collectionofThe museum’s Buddhaim- The groundfloorisdividedintosixexhibi- The museum sells afew sells booksonThaiart The museum Also ondisplaythe2ndfloorisarare Khatta Kumara A RVNE • a ••Nan NAN PROVINCE garuda bòt bòt exterior exemplifies thework thatwasconstructed in1596 (mythicalbird)sculpture, and Nimi Jatakas were Haeng; thefoundingdate isunknown.The Pha Kong) 22.5m long;theentire Sukhothai-style walking Buddha moulded Sukhothai-style small Buddha insidethe the145cm-tall purchase in 1955art historianABGriswold offered to kept inside. According tothevenerable abbot, ing the current abbottells aninteresting storyinvolv- bòt andSiSatchanalai. Sukhothai in seen elephant supports similartothose timethe temple wasfounded. Itfeaturessame dates tothe14thcentury, probablyaroundthe when teaching) sitstooneside. thammâat the history,lawandastrologyof thetime. A with theusualBuddhistscriptures butwith script)notonly scrolls inscribed(inLanna on hissermons!) distracting worshippers fromconcentrating theywere hethought whitewashed because abbot reportedly ordered themuralstobe ered. (Sometimeinthemid-20thcenturyan in theprocessof uncov- beingpainstakingly huge Buddhaimage seated andfaintmurals main important This isthesecond-most ;yfritTk^=(hk'%µk WAT PHRATHAT CHANG KHAM the doors. AgildedLanna-style woodeneaves anddragonreliefscarved over enced of Nanandthevalley.TheThaiLü-influ- walled enclosure ontopof ahillwithview cred watinNanProvince. inasquare, It’sset this temple datingfrom1355isthemostsa- Nam Nan,headingsoutheastoutof town, Two kilometres pastthebridge thatspansMae ;yfritTk^=c(jcsh' WAT PHRATHAT CHAE HAENG posture, facingineach direction. Mara’ –withonehandtouching theground) sitting Buddhasin bòt and amorouslovers. enjoying asmoke, womenfixingtheirhair a large square nexttothe base Next tothe Also inthe The magnificent sittinginthecentreThe ornate altar of the from the same era. fromthesame WatChangKham’s hasfoursides,withSukhothai-style bòt. wíh bòt bòt inthecityafter WatPhra ThatChae The image appeared tobe acrude ǎ features atriple-tiered roof with (a‘ andaBuddhaimage thatwasonce an, wíh chedi reconstructed in1458,hasa dhamma ǎ maan wíchai an isasmall,undistinguished chedi is a set of Lanna-period of isaset Lanna-period chedi seat’ used bymonks used seat’ behindthe is55.5mhigh. lonelyplanet.com bòt (‘victoryover chedi withsides temple wíh sitson ǎ
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combines WAT HUA KHUANG National Museum. lies empty. or bigger thantheaverage library)inThailand.It’sasbig (Tripitaka tinguished byhaving thelargest the plaster? Theabbotrefuses tosay. kùtì. Buddhist images fromthearea, intheabbot’s a glasspartition,alongwithothervaluable latter’s chagrin. Theimage isnowkept behind abbot madeGriswoldgive itback,much tothe of pure the tosay, goldunderneath.Needless Buddha away toreveal anoriginalSukhothai it fell broke andtheplaster aroundthestatue moving theimage fromthe 25,000B fortheimage, Griswoldbeganre- of plaster. After agreeing topaytheabbot Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com Hmong, Mien, ThaiLü andHtin villages. The 3 days &2nights1800-3200B) trek 1day800-1300B, 2days&1night 1400-2500B, min) ‘soft’ .fhutravel.com; 453/4ThSumonthewarat; perperson(2-person Service Fhu Travel or three-day excursions intothemountains. Mai, butthere isonecompany thatleadstwo- andChiang industry foundin ChiangRai Nan hasnothing like theorganised trekking Activities influence. Theheavily restored and lotus-bud motifsof obviousSukhothai teresting 15th-century (Palm GroveMonastery;ThSuanTan) Reportedly in1456, established ;yfl;o^k] TAN SUAN WAT be oneof thecity’soldestwats. is unknown,butstylisticcuessuggest thismay huge wooden veranda. worthy h style Xang- featuresKham adistinctive Lanna/Lan wat diagonallyopposite WatPhra ThatChang Largely ignored byarthistorians,thissmall ;yfsy;*j;' Buddha. bronzesitting anearlySukhothai-style tains ǎ w trai The watislocated acrossfromtheNan Wat Phra isalsodis- ThatChangKham Inside is a carved wooden ceilinganda Inside isacarved DidGriswoldsuspectwhatlaybeneath chedi naga bòt – now used asa –nowused withfourBuddhaniches, awooden altar. The temple’s founding date prang with a Luang Prabang-style carved withaLuangPrabang-style carved
(Hindu/Khmer-style ( % 0 54710636, 0812877209;www offers treks toMabri, chedi kùtì bòt wíh (40m high) that (40mhigh) features anin- –butashedid –andanote- ǎ wíh an, Wat SuanTan NAN PROVINCE ••Nan NANPROVINCE butnow ǎ h an ǎ w trai chedi con- )
English-speaking ownerisvery helpful. cold-water bathrooms. It’sfairlyquietandthe get tobutoffers spacewithclean basicsleep in aresidential neighbourhood isawkwardto GuestHouse Doi Phukha BUDGET Sleeping with coloured, fluttering flagsandpaper. race inthelong,dragonprowboats, decorated impressive towatch around 50 oarsmen sight Nan from5pmto6pmeach It’san evening. participants practisingalongthe Mae Nam races,it’spossible tosee early fortheofficial and mid-November. Even ifyouarrive too mid-October between (opposite ), Kham Chang the robe-giving ceremonies atWatPhra That andduring held attheendof therainyseason It isworthbeinginNanforthe Festivals &Events ing tripsontheMae NamNan(1000B). three hours). Fhualsorunstwo-hourkayak- as cyclingtours are offered (300Bper person, surrounding area (500Bperperson), aswell person forhalfaday.Tours of thecityand Elephant tours are alsoavailable for1000Bper person, dependingonthenumberof people. rubber-rafting tripsare 4500Bto6000Bper guide, lunch andsafety equipment.Three-day two people).Thispriceincludestransport, people) to2300Bperperson (fortripsof 1000B perperson (fortripsof sixtoeight Charim are offered. Thepricesrunfrom rubber-rafting tripsontheNamWainMae One-daywhite-water enough. ishigh level in DecemberandJanuary, whenthewater of participants. ices; andpricesvarydependingonthenumber bagandguideserv- accommodation, sleeping and are professional, honestandreliable. operators have leadingtours been for17years, bathrooms. Bicycles and motorbikes can be in concrete rooms outthe backhave ensuite clean beds andhotshared showers. Rooms able forsome. Allroomshave woodenfloors, The hosts are but maybetooperson- sweet, ing withyourlong-lost Thaigrandparents. Amnuay, thisintimate placeis abitlike stay- rey ThRat onaquiet laneoff wooden house Amnuay;s/d120/350B; Rat Aranyawat; s/d100/150B) Amazing GuestHouse The trekking fees includetransport,meals, Fhu alsorunsboattripsonMae NamNan This rambling old house Thisramblingoldhouse a
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( ) % In atidy,two-sto- 0 54751517;94/5Soi1Th 0 54710893;23/7Th boat races 389
, NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND have bathtubs. larger Slightly them downthough. versions and minifridge. Heavy, uglyheadboardslet hotshowerviews, andallhave cableTV, around 500B. Someroomshave excellent whenrates hoverdeal duringthelowseason modern buttattered, thishotel isagood r600-800B; taworarittidet; Hotel Fahthanin MIDRANGE can berented here. tached, andbicycles,motorbikes andpick-ups from theroad.There’s agoodrestaurant at- bour’s movements, sotryandget aroomaway youwillhearallofwooden house yourneigh- a fridge andhot-water showers. Being TV, neat, large rooms.Theyallcomewithcable wooden hotel feels like with aroominghouse, being builtatthetimeof writing. newroomswereTh Sumonthewarat.Eight andachoice of fanorair-con.TV, It’sjustoff tiled floors. Allcomewithhotwater andcable bedrooms andbathrooms,withwoodenor town. Thesixroomshave large, well-equipped isthe bestdealin well situated, thisguesthouse Huawiang Tai; r250-350B; bikes.mountain andrents out an international callservice excellent choice. Italsoorganises tours, has it’san placetosleep, a clean,comfortable despite thereadily available menus.Butfor you should notcountoneatingmealshere and bathrooms. Itcanbehardtoget service cious rooms,mostwithensuite hotwater placehasspotless spa- This wellmaintained r230-350B; house.com; 57/16ThMahaphrom; isavailable.station rented here, andfree pick-upfrom thebus 390 site. there’s arestaurant and massage centre on the amenities you’dexpect atthisprice,and location and comfort.Rooms are clean with laundry. Still,itisthebest placeinNanfor ple dealingwith the sortingandfoldingof areasseating couldbe,instead there are peo- are built around atiledcourtyardbutwhere havebut details overlooked. been Rooms This four-storey hotel potentially looksgood Sumonthewarat; rincl breakfast 700-1200B; monthewarat; s/d/tr350/500/600B; Hotel Nan Fah Nan GuestHouse SP GuestHouse Dhevaraj Hotel Dhevaraj A RVNE • a ••Nan NAN PROVINCE
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35B; it fortheday. and oncethefoodisgoneafter lunch, that’s is perhaps thebestdealinNan.It’spopular town whowillnotletyouleave hungry,this rivers and waterfalls. Local Hmong appliqué shows stepped patterns representing streams, the red onwhite isalsocommon. Afavourite is geometric andanimaldesigns; indigoand and blackdesigns onwhite cotton infloral, banna. Typical Thai Lüfabrics feature red the ThaiLüweaving stylesfrom Xishuang- Good buysinclude localtextiles, especially Shopping offerings. foodstall tasty by thejunctionwithThPha Kong,hassome Poom Sam. det branch sitsabove restaurant theChinese cadre of regulars. The ThAnantaworaritti- mosphere ishomeyandthefoodattractsa isexcellent,at- Prices are reasonable, service as otherWestern treats and someThaidishes. breakfasts, aswell deliciouspizzaandpasta, restaurantin town,thisItalian makes great taworarittidet; dishes 40-160B; are closed. 59B) andisopenwhenmanyother places (lunch goodbuffets restaurant buffet does Modest, cleanandreliable, Dhevaraj Hotel’s 466 ThSumonthewarat;dishes40-140B; tourist clientele. good choice foranydiet.Itcaters toamostly ian (andnonvegetarian) options,Tanaya isa made withoutMSG,andavarietyof vegetar- and tidy,withacreative of selection dishes dishes30-80B; taworarittidet; yen popular intheafternoon forice-cold congee), noodles,andreal coffee, anditis bank, thisplacehasgood dishes 20-50B; Restaurant Yota Vegetarian Eating 30-90B; monthewarat past the Bangkok Bank. monthewarat pasttheBangkok outdoor spotis200mupthelaneoffThSu- The Da Dario CoffeeShop Dhevee Miw Miw Suan Isan Tanaya Kitchen (Thaiicedtea). h lai náam l h 7am-3pm) night market 11am-11pm)
(no Roman-script sign;347/3ThSumonthewarat; (no Roman-script
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388B for2ndclass(7.20am,8am, 8.30am, 1091), opposite aPTpetrolstation. 1km outof townontheroadtoPhayao (Rte 303 ThAnantaworarittidet) travel agency at canbebookedonce aday).Flights atthe toNan(3160B, fromBangkok runs flights PB Air AIR Getting There&Away Phayao ( items beingmade,headto to NanFah Hotel other onThSumonthewarat. are worth alook,too. Thebestshopsfortextiles Htin grass-and-bamboo baskets andmatsare and Mienembroideryare of excellentquality. lonelyplanet.com Ratchaphatsadu MarketRatchaphatsadu on ThJettabut. Sa, Na Noi)depart from thecar parkopposite bound s Hotel South- onThAnantaworarittidet. kasem leave opposite from thepetrolstation the Su- the province (ThaWangPha, Pua,Phah Tup) Pick-ups todistricts inthenorthernpartof S 5471 1078) tickets call nal. Toreserve areSombat Tourbuses alsoat thebustermi- The journeytakes 10to11hours. Theprivate (8am, 9am,7pm)and770BforVIP (7.30pm). 9am, 6.30pmand7pm),497Bfor 1stclass at thesouthwestern edge of town. leavevately run buses, fromthemainterminal 2½ hours). includingpri- FromNanallbuses, air-con/1st class/VIP 62/87/112/170B,two to to Nanleave frequently (ordinary/2ndclass lots of from Phrae motionsickness.Buses asthere’sroads –get awindowseat usually six gruellinghours viatreacherous mountain one dailybusat9am(150B)thattakes five to there’s hours. FromandtoChiang Rai seven con/1st class/VIP158/221/284/440B,sixto Arcade terminal isordinarybus/2ndclassair- and Phrae toNan.The fare fromChiangMai’s travelBuses fromChiangMai, ChiangRai BUS office. office. monthewarat). % Ǎ There’s asilver jewelleryshop attached Regular air-con cost toBangkok buses WNGTH Amnouy Porn 0 54710177;www.phukhasilver.com; ),
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0 . NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND a Lawa-Thai village nearthesummitat a Lawa-Thai town of ThaWangPha, approximately 30km This neatandtidyThaiLüvillage nearthe sov'[y; Nong Bua via anetworkof unpaved roads. can befollowedsouthbacktoNan (107km) BoKleua;Rte Rte 1081 meets 1081nearBan Rte 1256 2kg bagsfor25B;it’sdeliciousstuff. in thelocalsalt shops andvendor sell stands or lessinthecentre of thevillage. Many small well,moreto findthemaincommunitysalt wells.It’seasy extraction of fromlocalsalt salt the parkwhere the mainoccupationisthe at about7am. Toei about 6am,theonefromPuatoBan fromNantoPualeavesThe onethatgoes park headquarters Hut(35B). orBamboo up oneof theinfrequent s north of NantoPua(30B),andthenpick port youmustfirst take abusors mon –sodress accordingly. temperatures of 5°Cto10°Care notuncom- get quite coolinthewinter months –evening andhill-tribevillages.house) Thisarea can cave –about aone-daywalkfromtheguest- limestone caves isthebiggest (ThamLawng cluding allmeals).Treks visitlocalwaterfalls, on one-tothree-day treks (600Bperday,in- andvalleyviews.Itleadsguests mountain huts withshared bathroomandstupendous simple andclean,well-spacedbamboo-thatch Hutoffersthe parkbungalows.Bamboo five edge of thepark,isamuch better choice than AmphoePua, Nan55120;r200B) Phu Kha, food service. nolongerfrom town,astheparkoffice offers You mustbringfoodanddrinkingwater in 392 its restoration. adonation for templealtar upkeep and for to unlock thedoor. sure toleave Be at the progress, but there’s usually someonearound often aren’t in locked whenreligious services mural artistsasWat Phumin. The buildingis tohavethought painted by thesame been some noteworthy butfaded heads attheroof corners. Insidethe simple yetstriking –note thecarved wooden portico,the carved Bua north of Nan,isfamousforLü-style To reach thenationalparkbypublictrans- Bamboo Hut Ban BoKleua . Featuring a typical two-tiered roof and A RVNE • rudNn ••AroundNan NAN PROVINCE
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bike since it’stime consuming to reach by south of Nan. NaNoi,aboutRte 60km 1026 inAmphoe sion. The area covers nearly 3.2hectares off of earthprotrudingfrom abarren depres- Meuang Phi inPhrae Province columns –tall phenomenon similar tothatfoundatPhae Pillars’,Literally ‘Earth Sao Dinisanerosional glkfbo Sao Din Hotel. the Sukasem hicles leave opposite fromthepetrolstation at theturn-off tothecaves for15B. The ve- bound forPuaorThungChang;it willstop means of (butunmarked) established trails. counted, of which nineare easilylocated by wildlife Some17 reserve. north of Nanandispartof arelatively new This limestonecave complexisabout10km $µkzk^)[ Tham PhahTup ForestReserve Bua ontheright. WatNong continue for2kmuntilyoucansee you reach anotherdead end.Turnleftand bridge across Mae NamNanandwalkuntil andthenleftoverto adeadend;turnright a Take thefirst Rte leftoff 1080andfollowit of Fai Ban Munbutbefore ThaWangPha. NamYangcalled Lam justpastthevillage transport onRte 1080,you’llcrossastream tothewat. from thehighway side of thebridge toWatNongBua. It’s3.1km Nam Nan,thenleftatthedeadendonother Wang Pha, andwalkwesttoabridge over Mae Longbom, athree-way intersection before Tha offatSamyaek Get from themainbusstation. Hotel.opposite Ortake Nan’sSukasem abus S THERE&AWAYGETTING behind thewat. There are just weaving houses alsoseveral while nicelywoven costmore. neckscarves shoulder bags)are available foraround60B, for purchase. Large the locationsof loomsortolookatfabrics as alocalweaving centre –check there for rompanya in thevillage. Thehomeof ǎ wngth From Nanyoucancatch as Sao Din isbest visited by bike ormotor- If you’re comingfromNanviayourown You can also see ThaiLüweaversYou canalsosee atwork ǎ , a few blocks behind the wat, serves , afew blocksbehindthewat,serves ew toThaWangPha (20B)leave from yâam Khun JanthasomPh- Khun (hill-tribe-style caves lonelyplanet.com have been ǎ wngth ǎ ew The path to the cave isnot signposted, but Prabipoo, thistwo-storey buildingholds in2004byNanartistWinaiting. Established influenced artisexhibited inapeacefulset- h 1080;admission20B; Km20Rte www.nanartgallery.com; 1080 isthe Twenty kilometres northof NanonRoute Other Attractions of earthpillars called s ThereDin itself. are alsooccasionaldirect here you’llhave towalkorhitch 4kmtoSao entrance toSaoDinafter 5kmorso. From for Fak getting atthe off Khok, ThaorBan you mustget yetanothers MarketRatchaphatsadu inNan.FromNaNoi the southbound s take as wheels, public transport.Ifyoudon’thave yourown lonelyplanet.com if you askat thepolice checkpoint in Ban is ahuge, 200m-widecave called 1148 and northof thevillage of Sakoen, Ban and Phrae. villages canbefoundonRte Nan 101between Mai Othersilverwork andBangkok. Mien village suppliesmanysilver shopsinChiang silversmithsworth avisittosee atwork. This of the roadistheMienvillage of in November. Ontheway tothefallsandwest attheendof themonsoonseason is bestseen The water fallsinawideswathover and acliff NamYao. Pua andBan off theroadbetween (Silaphet Waterfall) issoutheastof Puajust its classicthree-tiered roof. temple, you cancheck outanotherfamousThaiLü Pua tions inandaroundtheThaiLü village of the gallery. take abus(20B)ors dens are nicetowanderaround.FromNan, Nam Nanandthebeautifulmanicured gar- ontheMaeshop andcaféhave right seats rice barnwithanarrowshaped turret. The unusual buildingisalight-filled converted inspired by theWatPhumin murals.The tobemainlylection upstairs –which seems ings –aswellapermanentpaintingcol- downstairs –sculpture, ceramicsanddraw- the more interesting temporary exhibitions ǎ wngth Northwest of SaoDin,offRte 1216,isaset In thenorthwest of theprovince, Rte off There are acouple of interesting destina- 9am-5pm Wed-Sun) , roughly 50kmnorthof , roughly Nan.InPuaitself Wat TonLaeng ǎ ew fromNaNoi. Nan Riverside Gallery Nan Riverside PHITSANULOK PROVINCE ••Phitsanulok PHITSANULOKPROVINCE ǎ ǎ wngth , where contemporary Nan- wngth Hom Chom , which isadmired for ǎ ǎ ǎ ew toNaNoifrom wngth ew station oppositeew station ǎ wngth Nam TokSilaphet
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down byamassive fire in1957,thearchi- lines thebankssouth of here. andeach a lively marketlights, night night Bridge islitupwithblingingred andblue outskirts of thecity.ThecentralEkathotsarn mosthaveHowever, moved nowbeen tothe withinmunicipalboundaries. on ahouseboat only cityinThailandwhere it’slegaltoreside liningthebanks,asit’s floating houseboats Thecity wasassociated withTributaries). sometimes referred (Two toasSongKhwae a junctionwithMae Noi,it’s NamKhwae thetownstraddles Maecause NamNannear ofas thecapital Thailand for25years. Be- Trailokanat (1448–88),Phitsanulok served Under the reign of AyuthayaKingBorom pop 100,300 rbKI=F]d PHITSANULOK PROVINCE PHITSANULOK only. eigners. Fornow,it’sforThaisandLao Thung Changmaysomedaybeopentofor- Huay Kon(140kmnorthof Nan)inAmphoe There have rumours been foryears thatBan Border Crossing(Laos) Thung Chang. to 11amthere’s alively Lao-Thai called northern end,there of isaset river rapids Nam Nanfeeds intothelake atitsextreme is themainfishing village. Justbefore Mae residents. as wellarecreational attraction forNan freshwateris animportant fisheryforNan, Sirikit formedbyKheuan (Northern Lake) findaguide. even or youmight youshould beableSakoen toget directions torical Sukhothai,torical from which toexplore the attractions of his- dha images. one ofcontains Thailand’s mostrevered Bud- Mahathat, whichwhich isWatPhra SiRatana some interesting chief sites of andmuseums, this vibrantandextremely friendlycityboasts tecture of thecityispretty nondescript. Yet, Due tolarge partsof thetown beingburned Every Saturdaymorningfromaround5am Phitsanulok makesPhitsanulok anexcellent base To thesouthabout100km, Kaeng Luang Kaeng Ban Pak Nai . Kamphaeng Phet and Si onitsnorthwestern shore SapNeua Thaleh market 393 in
NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND as ‘Philok’. 150km of Phitsanulok. Thailand (CPT).Allof places are these within gic headquarters of theCommunistParty of and Phu HinRongKla,theformerstrate- wildlife of sanctuaries ThungSalaengLuang Satchanalai, aswellthenationalparksand 394 (5km) To Wat Chulamani To (56km) Sukhothai 4 1 3 2 5 PHITSANULOK The name Phitsanulok isoftenThe namePhitsanulok abbreviated
Th Wang 33 Mae Nam Nan 36 Singhawat Th HTAUO RVNE • htauo ••Phitsanulok PHITSANULOK PROVINCE
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Offices
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Bucha 41 Th Athitaywong Borom Th Hospital 29
20 12 Th Naresuan Th 19 Tower Clock 4 39 11 38
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Th Sithamatraipidok Lithai Trailokanat Th Phayalithai Th 3 6 15 31
1 Th SaIreuthai Th 17 Topland 25 Plaza 32 27 34 40 Th Phra Ong Dam 13 24 26 B 42 Th Si Suriyothai 14 Th Ekathotsarot 7 Station
Th Thammabucha Train Th Ramesuan Th To Airport Th Thammabucha (5km) 16 9 28 Mosque Pakistan 23 Th Wisut Kasat 8 Several banks intownoffer foreign-exchangeSeveral faster connections. per hourfortheslightly 15B perhourforslowconnectionsto60B Pricesrangenear SaphanEkathotsarot. from Hotel andonthewestern bankof theriver neartheTopland around therailwaystation, Shops offering internet accessdotthestreets Information 37 12 Station) (2.5km);PN Motorbike (2.5km); Lom Sak(117.5km) To BawKhawSaw (Government Bus Th Sanam Bin 22 21 5 SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Yan YonTour...... Thai Airways...... Main CityBusStop...... Sutter's Mill...... Wong Ocha...... Steak Cottage...... (see 17) Song Kwae...... Sabai...... Rin Coffee...... Phae FaThai...... Pa Lai...... Noodle &RiceShops...... (see22) Karaket...... Jaroen Tham...... It IsCake...... (see17) Food Stalls...... Fah-Kerah...... Ban KhunPho...... Centre...... Thep NakhornHotel...... Samai NiyomHotel...... Princess GreenHotel...... Phitsanulok YouthHostel...... Phitsanulok ThaniHotel...... Petchpailyn Hotel...... Pailyn Hotel...... London Hotel...... Lithai GuestHouse...... Golden GrandHotel...... Bon GuestHouse...... Asia Hotel...... Amarin NakhonHotel...... Wat Ratburan...... (WatYai)...... Wat NangPhaya...... Museum...... Buddha CastingFoundry...... Tourist Police...... Thai MilitaryBank(ATM)...... Thai MilitaryBank(ATM)...... TAT Office...... Police Station...... Main PostOffice...... CAT office...... (see2) Bangkok Bank(ATM)...... odnHueTu...... A5 Golden HouseTour...... Topland Hotel&Convention Wat PhraSiRatanaMahathat Sergeant MajorThaweeFolk TRANSPORT DRINKING EATING SLEEPING 0.2miles 300m 0 0 lonelyplanet.com D 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 C5 B1 B4 C3 A4 B3 A3 B4 B4 A4 B4 A3 C5 A2 A4 B4 A2 B1 B4 A4 A4 B3 B4 B2 B4 B4 B3 C5 C5 A3 A3 A4 B4 B3 B4 B4 B4 A2 A2 A2 B5 post office. Offers phoneandinternetservices. post office.Offers of ToplandHotel. hours exchangewindow. TAT office 9am-noonSat&Sun) 4.30pm Mon-Fri, postoffice Main h storage Left-luggage CAT office Bangkok Bank pound. Mahathat com- side theWatPhra SiRatana andATMs.services There’s also anATM in- lonelyplanet.com three bronze images, high-quality sohe sent pleted, King Li Thai wanted ittocontain King Li Thai in1357.When itwascom- wat was commissioned under thereign of solid feel. avery giving thestatue Sukhothai, standard The headof thisBuddhaisalittlewider than headson eithersideofserpent theimage. that turnsupatthe bottomtobecomedragon- the flamelike haloaroundtheheadand torso style, butwhatmakes itstrikinglyunique is east of Bangkok. Yai follows WatSothoninChachoengsao, lected (around12millionbahtayear),Wat Kaew. Interms of annualdonationscol- total WatPhraEmerald BuddhainBangkok’s onlytothe inimportance is probably second and copiedimages. Thisfamous bronzeimage Chinnarat), oneof Thailand’smostrevered theChinnaratBuddha tains (Phra Phuttha Themain towards Sukhothai). asyou’rethe right headingoutof Phitsanulok east endof thebridge over Mae NamNan(on Phra SiorWatYai. nearthe Thewatstands Mahathat, butthelocalscallitWat Ratana The fullnameof thistemple is Wat Phra Si ;yfritLiuiy^o}skTk^= WAT PHRASIRATANA MAHATHAT Sights Police Tourist waterfalls and resorts alongtheway. andresorts waterfalls nationalparks, Route’ mapofHwy12,whichmarksseveral fromPhitsanuloktoLomSak,askforthe‘Green do thetrip andPhetchabunProvincesaswell.Ifyouplanto Sukhothai tram (see p399 ). Thisistheofficialinformationofficefor sheet.Italsorunsasightseeing town andawalking-tour staff (someofTAT’s best)whohandoutfree mapsofthe withknowledgeable,helpful ThBoromTrailokanat, Off 209/7-8 ThBoromTrailokanat; The story goes thatconstruction ofThe story goes this The image wascastinthelate Sukhothai 7am-10pm) ( (Th PhutthaBucha; (Th % ( 0 55252742-3;[email protected]; (35ThNaresuan; % (Th PhutthaBucha; (Th PHITSANULOK PROVINCE ••Phitsanulok PHITSANULOKPROVINCE 1155; Th Ekathotsarot) 300m north 300mnorth 1155; ThEkathotsarot) (trainstation;perday10B; h h h 8.30am-4.30pm) 7am-11pm) Atthe to 8pm)Anafter- h wíh 8.30am- ǎ an con- height, but Khmer-styleheight, lintels remain, harbours some ruins dating to the Sukhothai harbours someruinsdatingtothe Sukhothai Th BoromTrailokanat, 4B), Wat Chulamani Five kilometres southof thecity(bus5down ;yf&=>k}Iu WAT CHULAMANI Ratburan are twoothertemples of period– thesame tops. sleeveless this mostsacred of temples – noshorts or complex. Dress appropriately whenvisiting touristpolicewithinthe wallsofnotable the line thewalkways,andthere’s anATM and túk linetheentrancestreet, souvenir stands ceramics andotherhistoricartefacts. Túk- Wed-Sun) converted into afree WatPhra Kaew.Bangkok’s with mother-of-pearl inadesigncopiedfrom serenity. Thedoors of thebuildingare inlaid ofwards theimage andevoke astrongsense the lacquered columnsdrawyourvisionto- marblefloorinfrontofItalian theBuddha, architecture issuch thatwhenyousitonthe or northeastern wat.Thebrilliantinterior larger inacentral proportionsthanitmight ern temple architecture, sotheimage takes on flame-dragon halo. OnlytheChinnaratimage hasthe Bangkok. to theroyaltemple of WatBowonniwetin werenasi andPhra SiSatsada, later moved wíh Buddha anditbecamethecentrepiece inthe was namedtheChinnarat(VictoriousKing) casting, thendisappeared. Thislastimage appeared fromnowhere toassistinthefinal of hasitthatawhite-robed all.Legend sage three attempts before itwasdecreed thebest castings worked well,butthethirdrequired as wellfive Brahmanpriests.Thefirst two Chiang SaenandHariphunchai (Lamphun), for well-knownsculptors fromSiSatchanalai, on theruined there isanoldThai inscriptionto that effect Trailokanat wasordained asamonkhere and of theornate Khmer-style tower. KingBorom impressive,been judgingfromwhatremains period. Theoriginal buildingsmusthave modate thelow-sweptroof, typicalof north- of KingNaraithe Great. Near WatYai, sideof onthesame theriver, toonesidehasbeen Another sanctuary The tower has littleleft of itsoriginal The wallsof the ǎ an , displayingantiqueBuddhaimages, . Theothertwoimages, Phra Chin- and Wat NangPhaya wíh ǎ wíh an, datingfrom thereign ǎ museum an are lowtoaccom- .
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395 Wat NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND law) inthebackground. purchase bronzeimagespurchase of varioussizes. small giftshop atthefoundrywhere youcan expert onnorthern-Thaifolklore. There isa andnationallyrenowned anartisan Thawee, complete. ThefoundryisalsoownedbyDr of thelarger images take ayearormore to the lost-waxmethodof casting.Some metal photo exhibitsdemonstrating detailed even Visitors are welcometowatch andthere are famous Phra ChinnaratBuddhaatWatYai. ages of allsizesare cast.Mostare copiesof the Foundry is thatof atraditionalbirthingroom. and basketry. Perhaps themostuniqueexhibit ceremonial clothing,ancientkitchen utensils the more impressive objectsare thebirdtraps, play area behindthetwofarbuildings.Someof well-groomed gardens.There’s asmall,kids’ out five traditional-styleThaibuildingswith isspreadin Thailand.Themuseum through- theirplace started collectingitems topreserve thatoldwaysofognised life were dyingsohe cartographer turnedBuddhacaster whorec- Province. wasamilitary Thawee Sergeant textiles and photographs fromPhitsanulok Sun) bus8;admission50B; Wisut Kasat; The rbrbT#yIRNr³o[hkookpm;u!Fi's]jvrit FOUNDRY &BIRDGARDEN FOLK MUSEUM,BUDDHA-CASTING about theplace. Still, there isapeaceful,neglected atmosphere mani are theremains of themonastery walls. only originalstructures leftatWatChula- dha anda walkingBud- onewithaSukhothai including 396 the birds are caged alone. tunately, thecages look toosmall and mostof prehistoric-looking helmeted hornbill.Unfor- pretty pink-chested jamu fruit-dove, andthe and some endangered species, like thevery tion of aviaries indigenous contains Thaibirds child/adult 20/50B; new project, the FolkCock’.) Conservative for thispartof of thefacilityis‘TheCentre all over English Thailand.(Theofficial name of cocks,which fighting are bred andsold Attached to the foundry is Dr Thawee’s to thefoundryisDrThawee’s Attached In additiontothefoundry,there isadisplay As wellasthetowerand Across thestreet isasmall displays aremarkable collectionof tools, Sergeant Major Thawee FolkMuseum Thawee Major Sergeant HTAUO RVNE • htauo ••Phitsanulok PHITSANULOK PROVINCE
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an, (26/43 Th the .tyha.org; 38ThSanamBin;dm/tr/q120/450/600B,s200- are thebestvalueintown.Mosthave large rooms don’thave much character but they so cleanitgleams.Thelight-filled 60 or so taywong; s/d400/450B; is arestaurant andbarattached. morning wake-up callsmaybe anissue. There and themosqueisnot far,soearlylights, bars. Someroomscoulddowith afew more andmini- well furnished, andhave cable TVs hotel hasspacious,spotless roomsthatare Dam; r390-490B; chickens. tesy withitscollectionof ceramicpigsand Thecommunalarea isvery cu- cable TVs. charm andallfeature hot-water showers and inside. Thequiet,spotlessroomshave some by thebuildingoutfront,itisworth going Th Phayalithai;r300B; on site. air ticket agent, coffee shopandrestaurant breakfast andfree bottledwater. There isan plentiful furniture andafridge. include Rates en suite bathroomswithhotwater, cableTV, Th Phayalithai;s240-350B,d460B; cold-water bathrooms. clean andcolourfullytiledroomsshare three eight asyou’llfind.These rooming house toanearly-20th-centuryhotel isasclose Bucha; r150B) hotel nextdoor. stopoutsidethelargethe busterminal. Buses andbus1fromor 4fromthetrainstation, check ifitisopen.Toget here take bus12 a one-yearrenovation isplanned–callto breakfast. aroundJanuary Starting 2007, includeis surroundedbygreenery. Rates areaoutdoor seating hashammocksand onantiquedoorsdetails andfurniture. The made of salvaged teak, andmanyintricate place. Ithasalotof character, withrooms whenbackpackers season fillthethe high 300B, d300-400; maintenance. budget category tend tohave aproblemwith thelargelodgings. However, hotels in the of hasagoodselection Phitsanulok budget BUDGET Sleeping Petchpailyn Hotel London Hotel Princess Green Hotel Green Princess YouthHostel Phitsanulok Lithai GuestHouse Bon GuestHouse This old, wooden, Thai-Chinese Thisold,wooden,Thai-Chinese Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com a a
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( % ) Thecon- 0 55247800; style the LondonHotel. pictures of before Phitsanulok the1957fire. out front.Onthe walls,there are interesting trays fromthedishesinmetal Choose of fresh curriesandvegetables ondisplay. this simplerestaurantHouse, hasavariety dishes 20-30B; orsalads. sandwiches ple theicecream, heartybreakfasts, waffles, coloured orperch atthebarandsam- seats late drinkconcoctions.Sitinthebrightly cated tovariousgreen tea, coffee andchoco- young Thais.Wholemenupages are dedi- light-filled, glass-fronted caféispopularwith 15-50B; ian Food’. brown rice. ‘Vegetar- Lookforasignsaying choice of vegetarian dishespaired withhusky from theTAT a office,thissimpleplaceserves dishes 15-20B; a steal at20B. is madedailyandthe kaeng mátsàmàn a popularone. Thick the mosqueonThPhra OngDam,andthisis 2pm) As wellasthe DOWNTOWN restaurants. kets, there’s asolidcollectionof high-quality dition tooneof themostactive mar- night Inad- Phitsanulok takes itscuisineseriously. Eating large andhave cableTV. views of Roomsare Phitsanulok. comfortable, facilities. Theupper-floor great roomsafford fitness centre, restaurants several andother café,snookerpland hasabeautysalon, club, nais tarts andpies aswell asgood sandwiches, tarts the Steak decent cakes, Cottage, thisplace sells Thai dishes. Europeanand otherhigh-quality also serves andchicken beef salmon, steaks. It serves ing complex,this air-conditioned eatery h Karaket Karaket Jaroen Tham Fah-Kerah It isCake Cottage Steak Rin Coffee Rin 7am-2pm &5-9pmMon-Sat) There are Thai-Muslimcafésnear several food stalls h
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(www.railway.co.th; (Th BoromTrailokanat) (Th ( % 0 55242971-2;209/26-28ThBorom 0 55258647;ThEkathotsarot) operates dailycon- % lonelyplanet.com Opposite the 0 2220 4334,free runs lonelyplanet.com terminal 50B,airport 150B, temples 50B, TAT for different destinations around town:bus tion there’s asign indicatingtúk-túk prices cost nomore than 50B. Outsidethetrain sta- S Getting Around Sukhothai. away. Fromthere youcancatch abusto 4km tothebusstation the trainstation air-con 8B/11B)oratúk-túk (50B)from from Phitsanulok, take the citybus10(fan/ six hours) departsat7.35pm. train(1064/629-699B, and 2nd-classsleeper A1st- hours quicker thantherapidservice. daily (449B,five hours), which are about two ‘Sprinter’), at8.30am,10.50pmand7.20pm air-con, 2nd-class, express-diesel trains(or hours.and take There seven are also three 5.50am, 7am,2.30pm,7.50pmand 8.10pm fivedepart fromBangkok timeseach dayat ǎ amláw rides withinthetown centre should Rapid trains(2ndclass/3rdclass 309/219B) Rapid If you’re toSukhothai continuingstraight BUS DESTINATIONS FROMPHITSANULOK B (r () (hr) (B) (hr) (B) Destination Bus Fare Duration Destination Bus Fare Duration s ls i-o 27 5 6 277 1stclassair-con 215 2ndclassair-con 5 5 Kaen Khon 344 air-con 80 1stclassair-con 267 2ndclassair-con Phet* 6 Kamphaeng 3 6 401 VIP 344 1stclassair-con 267 5 2ndclassair-con (via Sukhothai) 5 Chiang Rai 5 292 1stclassair-con 227 2ndclassair-con (via Tak) Chiang Mai 340 VIP 5 (via Uttaradit) Chiang Mai PHITSANULOK PROVINCE ••Phitsanulok PHITSANULOKPROVINCE ordinary 154 6 ordinary 57 3 ordinary 246 6 ordinary 191 6 ordinary 162 5 the Folk Museum andBuddhaFoundry. the FolkMuseum Mahathat (orWatYai) to andbus8also goes for 150B. to WatPhra SiRatana Bus1also goes no citybustotheairportbuttúk-túk bus 1or8(ordinary/air-con 8/11B).There is on ThEkathotsarot. issouthof stop forcitybuses thetrainstation, feature air-con coaches for11B. Themainbus anywhere bybus.Acoupleof thelinesalso 18 routes, makingiteasytoget justabout fice 50B. 50B,Folkloreoffice 50B,post of- Museum is temple.the same Yai before and stopsat15sights returning to The the first departing at9amandthelast3pm. Theridetakes around45minutes,sights. with Tramway many isaquickwaytosee (PTT) s ls i-o 24 7 234 half-hour. leaveevery **Buses toSukhothai Phet&Tak*Buses toKamphaeng hour. leaveevery 1stclassair-con 301 7 VIP 95 Udon Thani 3 air-con 42 6 Tak* 1 air-con 258 338 Sukhothai** 8 VIP 1stclassair-con 395 Nan 6 VIP (Khorat) Ratchasima Nakhon Sot Mae PN Motorbike The only place intown torent motorcycles Run bytheTAT, thePhitsanulok Tour To get tothebusterminal fromtowntake cost 8BandthereOrdinary citybuses are tram
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399 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND south of town.ThaiAirwayshasadoor-to- túk the airporttohotels (150Bperperson). Túk- from airport indicatingitsmini-van service 9973; 55/37ThBoromTrailokanat) when theCPTsidedwithVietnam.) communists, andVietnamese the Chinese (Thiswasuntilthe1979splitbetween tactics. cadres received theirtraininginrevolutionary is only300kmawayanditwashere thatCPT to thePathet Lao. China’sYunnanProvince were fell wellguardedafter 1975whenLaos border,solinesof retreat50km fromtheLao benefit wasthattheheadquarters wasonly was perfect foraninsurgent army.Another (PLAT). Theremote, easilydefended summit the People’s LiberationArmyof Thailand Party of Thailand( arm, CPT) anditstactical strategic headquarters fortheCommunist asthe is knownasPhu HinRongKlaserved that 1967and 1982,themountain Between v=mpkocsj'(k^b#)sboijv'd]hk PHU HINRONGKLANATIONALPARK 1350B perday. offices attheairport.Theychargerental from Avis (50B perperson). passengers toaccommodationinPhitsanulok thatshuttlesincomingflight door vanservice perday200B; motorbike 400 cated nexttothebusterminal. NATIONAL PARK PHU HINRONGKLA Budget Phitsanulok’s Nam TokPhatcharinTon
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( % Vendors Food 0 55258556;www.budget.co.th) Camping Ground & Bungalows airport airport (100m fromroad) Headquarters Park Nam TokHuay Golden HouseTour Khamin Noi h Air-Raid Shelter To NakhonThai(27km); 8.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat) Phitsanulok (125km) CPT Headquarters ( Nam TokKaeng % Sopha (75km); , hasaboardatthe 0 55301002) To HmongVillage, Rte2196 Nam TokRomKlao (250m fromroad) & Military School of Political (15km); LomSak (25km); Tactics 0.1miles 200m 0 0 Approximate Scale Phetchabun (80km) Khao Kho(40km);
have car- ( % is5km 0 5525 and Wheel Water lo- quarters thatdisplays relics fromCPTdays, cessible pointintheterritory before aroad of the main At the endof theroad into the parkis asmall including weapons and medical instruments. living conditions were. electricity –atestament tohowprimitive the wood andbamboo andhave noplumbingor The buildingsin theparkare madeoutof was constructed bytheThai government. is an victory. Alsointhisareaannounce amilitary theredthe communistswouldraise flagto where sometimes calledRedFlagCliff), Cliff, A trailleadsto Sights &Activities students. by exiledengineering road fromtheschool isawater designed wheel the CPTadministrationbuilding.Across the school of–and tactics politicalandmilitary hall,the –arusticmeeting the CPTstronghold thepark include theremainsroad through of Attractionsonthemain inthehotseason. even is about1000m,sothearea isrefreshingly cool and forest. atparkheadquarters Theelevation covers about307sqkmof rugged mountains The Orientation &Information park in1984. Phu HinRongKlawasdeclared anational 1982 effected thesurrender of thePLAT, and their membership. push inlate Afinalmilitary movement, which hadbecomedependenton most of thestudentsbroke thespineof the the communistsafter 1976.Thedeparture of an amnestyforallthestudentswhohadjoined came in1982,whenthegovernment declared CPT territory. Butthedecisive blowtotheCPT again andwere abletorecapture somepartsof In 1980and1981theThaiarmedforcestried 1978 thePLAT rankshere hadswelledto 4000. and aschool By of tactics. politicalandmilitary fled here upahospital tojointheCPT,setting worker uprising.Many studentssubsequently duringtheOctober 1976student- Bangkok killedhundredsThai military of studentsin Rong Klabecameespeciallyactive after the against thePLAT. TheCPTcampatPhu Hin ment launched anunsuccessfulmajor offensive and thecommunists.In1972Thaigovern- asabattlefieldforThaitroops Rong Klaserved For nearly20years thearea aroundPhu Hin There isasmall park air-raid shelter air-raid
(www.dnp.go.th; admission400B; CPT headquarters Pha ChuThong Pha , a museum lookout atthepark head- –themostinac- andtheremains lonelyplanet.com (Flag Raising (FlagRaising h 8.30am-5pm)
people, inthree different zonesof thepark, person tent150-600B) bungalows800-2400B;tentpitch30B,2-8 [email protected]; Department RoyalForest Thailand’s Sleeping &Eating a more peacefulvisitformidweek. crowded onweekends andholidays;schedule Centre raids, called where PLAT troopswouldhideduringair Pum Hin rock formations–juttingboulders called and Hin RongKla,there are hands of theThaigovernment. are undergoing ‘culturalassimilation’ atthe the Hmongwere itsally.NowtheHmong Hmongvillage White Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com the scenic, rapid-studded Lam Nam Khek. Nam Khek. the scenic, rapid-studded Lam known asthe ‘Green Route’, which parallels Phitsanulok and Hwy 12between Lom Sakis PHITSANULOK TOLOM SAK the hillstoPhu HinRongKla. toconquer but astrongengine isnecessary since there’s along theway, notmuch traffic tripifyou’reis adelightful ona motorcycle 1500B forcarand driver; petrolis extra. This Tour( the day.GoldenHouse above ) charges Thaiforaround800B driver inNakhon entrance.2331 fortheVisitorCentre stone totake Rte 2013,thengoeastonRoute your ownvehicle, turn atHwy12’sKm86 daily from7.30amto4.30pm).If youhave a s from 6amto6pm).Fromthere youcancatch Thai (35B,twohours, hourly bus toNakhon Phitsanulok. Toget here, first take anearly The parkheadquarters isabout125kmfrom Getting There&Away are are restaurants andfoodvendors. Thebest lok, itcanhelpbookaccommodation. h (30B) andpillows(10B)are available. can alsopitch atent orrent one. bags Sleeping can berented fromthis organisation. You sôm-tam Phu HinRong Klacanbecomequite If you’re notinterested inthehistoryof Phu Golden HouseTour A smallgroupcancharter apick-upand Near thecampinggroundandbungalows ǎ 8am-6.30pm) Duang JaiCafeteria wngth scenic views ( , andanarea of rockycrevices deep h –and ǎ 8.30am-4.30pm) ew tothepark(30B,three times NeartheTAT office inPhitsanu- Lan Hin TaekLan Hin , aswellsomeinteresting Rang Thong Rang Bungalows ( % . WhentheCPTwashere –tryitsfamouscarrot 0 5525 9973; 55/37 Th Trailokanat; 0 55259973;55/37ThTrailokanat; formaps. waterfalls, hiking trails hiking waterfalls, . Ask attheVisitor .
for two to eight for twotoeight ( % PHITSANULOK PROVINCE ••PhitsanuloktoLomSak PHITSANULOKPROVINCE 0 55233527; Lan
45 and52of Hwy12. which corresponds more Km orlessbetween withthemostrapids, alongthesection Khek also oncehometo thePLAT. fireback Thung SalaengLuangwas pheasant. of which for bird-watchers is the Siamese cies confirmedinthepark,mostsignificant licks.Thereand salt are over 190birdspe- meadowsandaroundthepondson these wildlifeflowers, is andthebestplacetosee ber themeadowsbloomwithcarpets of wild streams. FromNovember toDecem- through rocarp forests, limestonehillsandnumerous vastmeadows,evergreenpasses anddipte- ThungSalaengLuangencom- sanctuaries. land’s largest wildlife and mostimportant km retreats.meditation /schedules/schabha.htm) tation Center at Km49,isthe Song andKaeng Sophawaterfalls, turningoff sôm-tam the rains. there are more orfewer rocks dependingon walk fromrockformationto– area of smallfallsandrapidswhere youcan Sopha Kaeng fore get overwhelmed withvisitors. Thethird, on thewaytoPhu HinRongKlaandthere- Song Kaeng Tok Sakhunothayan want tobypassthefirst twowaterfalls, along this130kmstretch of road.Youmay utes a‘Green Route’ mapof theattractions ise more popularonweekends andholidays. Luang NationalParks. Thesites tend tobe Hin RongKla( opposite ) andThungSalaeng thisroute areOff waterfalls, resorts, thePhu stands a tall atall stands 2323. Atthesummit, 30km from thehighway, you mustturnonto the very Rte steep Kho, 1970s. About 1.5kmfromthe summitof Khao bytheCPT duringthe lairused mountain .go.th; admission400bht; and headfor south attheKm 100 marker ontoRte 2196 accommodation. quarters here hasinformationon walksand at theKm80marker, where theparkhead- Further eastalongtheroadis1262-sq- TATThe Phitsanulok ( office p395 ) distrib- Any of theresorts alongHwy12canorgan- If youhave you canturn your ownwheels, white-water rafting white-water Thung SalaengLuangNationalPark Thung and (attheKm45marker), which are Food vendors attheKm72marker, isalarger obelisk ( kài yâang Khao Kho % 0 55268049; Dharma Abha Vipassana Medi- DharmaAbhaVipassana (attheKm33marker) and , which does regular, which does 10-day erected inmemory of the h trips on the Lam Nam tripsontheLam (Khao Khaw), another Khaw), (Khao . In between theKaeng. Inbetween 8am-5pm) provide inexpensive
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Nam 401 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND 12, Km46;r1600-3800B; &Spa Resort food. Anothergoodchoice is locally growncoffee andgoodThai serves thailand.com; Km42;2-6personcottages1400-4800B; and foodvendors inthepark. possible topitch atent. There’s arestaurant entrance orintwootherparkzones.It’salso available neartheheadquarters bytheKm80 commodate fourto10people. Bungalowsare well-equipped woodenbungalowsthatac- 2-8 persontent150-600B) bungalows1000-5000B,tentpitch30B, [email protected]; SalaengLuangNationalPark Thung Sleeping &Eating well take alook. youmayas Kho come allthewaytoKhao garden.Ifyou’vebut hasquite anicerose fairly uninteresting, of modernset structures of thesmallerroyalpalacesinThailand,it’sa from Rte 2196,you’llpass south toPhetchabun. OnRte 2258,about 4km Rte 203youcancontinuenorthtoLomSakor Rteoff 2196,untilitterminates atRte 203.On ortake Rte Sakhighway, 2258, sanulok–Lom eithertoreturnyou canchoose tothePhit- degree viewfromthesummitiswonderful. historical reminders. On aclearday,the360- perched onthesummithave as leftintact been lookoutposts emplacements andsandbagged is surroundedbyanattractive garden.Gun the communistinsurgency. Themonument Thai soldiers killedduringthesuppression of 402 a little chancy. continue your journey, butafter 4pm itgets hours it’seasytoflag down anotherbus to along the waywillcostless. Duringdaylight and 70B for air-con, each way.So anystop andLomSakcost50Bforordinary sanulok Phit- between Buses with yourownwheels. For more freedom it’s best todothisroute Getting There& Away biking. and mountain and arrange activitieslike white-water rafting priced spa. Bothresorts have onlinediscounts retreat withtheadded bonusof areasonably to sixpeople. Anindoor-outdoor restaurant ing Mae accommodate NamKhek fromtwo designed cottages spread over ahillside fac- this isthebestof thelot.Spacious,tastefully There are resorts several Hwy12and justoff Rainforest Resort Rainforest If you’ve made the side trip to Khao Kho If you’ve Kho madethesidetriptoKhao UHTA RVNE • uhta SUKHOTHAI ••Sukhothai PROVINCE
( % 0 55293411-4;www.wanathara.com; Hwy
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Sukhothai. Police station attached topostoffice. international phoneservices; CAT office (p406 ). Thai mation are especiallyBan the guesthouses, internet. pretty alsooffer quick. Someguesthouses Most placesconnections (40Bperhour)are plus oneinOldSukhothai. around thecentralpartof NewSukhothai, There are bankswithATMs scattered all Information for more information( opposite ). HistoricalPark Sukhothai by Ayuthaya. See wasabsorbedkings later in1438,Sukhothai almost allof present-day Thailand.Butafew He alsoexpanded thekingdomtoinclude tions are considered thefirst Thai literature. thefirstdeveloping Thaiscript–hisinscrip- reigned from1275to1317andiscredited with most famouswas who King Ramkhamhaeng, nasty lasted 200years andhadninekings.The dy- inthe13th century,Sukhothai’s tablished wasthefirst of capital Sukhothai Siam.Es- History sanulok. can alsobevisited viaadaytripfromPhit- which toexplore theoldcityruins.These accommodation make from itagoodbase mosphere, goodtransport linksandattractive interesting. Yet itsfriendlyandrelaxed at- Yam it,isnotparticularly runningthrough town of withtheMae NewSukhothai Nam ancient sites inThailand. km of ruins,which are oneof themostvisited (old city)of features Sukhothai around45sq most classicof Thaistyles.The architecture of theeraare considered tobethe age’ of –thereligious Thai civilisation artand kingdomisviewedasthe‘golden Sukhothai 13th centurytothelate 14thcentury.The ing of Happiness) flourished fromthemid- As Thailand’sfirst capital, (Ris- Sukhothai pop 39,800 l=F*myp SUKHOTHAI SUKHOTHAI PROVINCE Sukhothai’s bestsourcesofSukhothai’s touristinfor- Internet iseasytofindinNew Sukhothai. themarketAlmost 450kmfromBangkok, (Th Nikhon Kasem; Kasem; Nikhon (Th Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com Mp p403 ; (Map % h 0 5561 1010)InNew 7am-10pm) Offers 7am-10pm) Offers meuang kào
Withithong) Fri, 1-4.30pmSat&Sun,9am-noon holidays) Fri, lonelyplanet.com old walls, with anadditional 70 sites within torical sites and four large ponds within the sites. Theparkincludes remains of 21his- Thailand’s mostimpressive World Heritage motorcycles/cars 10/20/50B; The v=mpkoxit;y^bLkl^iNl=F*myp PARK HISTORICAL SUKHOTHAI Sights police Tourist hospital Sukhothai Post office opposite the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum. NationalMuseum. opposite theRamkhamhaeng policestation 1155 foremergenciesor gotothetourist To Kamphaeng Phet (77km) Park (12km);Tak(78km) To SukhothaiHistorical 4 1 3 2 NEW SUKHOTHAI Sukhothai ruins Sukhothai SLEEPING SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Kasikorn Bank...... CAT Office...... (see4) Bangkok Bank...... TR GuestHouse...... Sukhothai GuestHouse...... Homestay...... Ruean Thai...... River House...... No 4GuestHouse...... Ninety-Nine GuestHouse...... Lotus Village...... J&J GuestHouse...... Garden House...... Cocoon GuestHouse...... Ban Thai...... Suan NamPremsuk...... Bicycle Tours...... (see9) C3 Aerobics...... Sukhothai Hospital...... Siam CommercialBank...... Post Office...... Police Station...... Sabaidee GuestHouse& 6 18 Approximate Scale
(Th Nikhon Kasem; Kasem; Nikhon (Th Th Jarot Withithong Jarot Th AC (Map (Map p404 Park) Call Historical ; Sukhothai SUKHOTHAI ••Sukhothai PROVINCE ( %
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, NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND rbrbT#yIRl$kocsj'(k^b ik}%ecs' Museum National Ramkhamhaeng the park. tofullyappreciateis essential everything. outside thecitywalls,soabicycleor motorcycle chedi and double-tiered shaped Sinhalese Srivijaya and modifiedduringtheperiod,such asbell- hibit otherrich architectural formsintroduced structure onathree-tiered Somesites base. ex- featuring aconicalspire toppingasquare-sided 404 long and 200m wide) and a moat that is said to to long and200m wide)and amoat thatis said est wat issurrounded bybrick walls(206m larg- Finished in the13thcentury, Sukhothai’s ;yf}skTk^= Mahathat Wat artefacts. khothai among animpressive collectionof theSu- WiangKumKam tion (see p289 ) iskept here inscrip- replica of thefamousRamkhamhaeng p404; ruins is point for exploringthepark A goodstarting (65km) To Tak 1 3 2 SUKHOTHAI HISTORICALPARK See See p408 onthebestwaytotour fordetails % . Someof themostimpressive ruinsare a aS...... C2 Wat SaSi...... Wat PhraPhaiLuang...... Wat Mahathat...... Wat ChangRop...... Museum...... Tourist Police...... Ticket Booth...... (ATM)...... Police...... Information Centre...... SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION a hn o...... D2 Wat ChangLom...... Ramkhamhaeng National Siam CommercialBank UHTA RVNE • uhta SUKHOTHAI ••Sukhothai PROVINCE 0 55612167;admission 30B; Ramkhamhaeng NationalMuseum Ramkhamhaeng AC 12 8 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 C1 C2 A2 C2 C2 C2 C2 C1 C1 Mamuang Wat Paa Food Stalls...... Coffee Cup...... (see16) Coffee Cup2...... Vitoon GuestHouse...... (see16) Tharaburi Resort...... House...... Old CityGuestHouse...... Wat TrapangThong...... Wat SiSawai...... Wat SaphanHin...... Orchid HibiscusGuest B1 Wat SiChum...... EATING SLEEPING h 9am-4pm) Wat Sii Thon B
(Map (Map . A 13 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 C2 C2 D3 D2 C2 D2 C2 A2 Thuriang walls inthe west zone, WatSaphan Hin is Four kilometres tothe westof the old city ;yfltrkosbo Wat Saphan Hin that it’snolonger possibletoview the blockedwall thatleadsto the tophasbeen so inthe mhaeng inscription. Apassage Atchana’ mentionedinthefamous Ramkha- chaeologists that thisimage theorise isthe ‘Phra tapered fingers are much-photographed. Ar- Buddha. ThisBuddha’s elegant, stucco seated an impressive This watisnorthwestof theoldcityandcontains ;yfLiu(=} Wat SiChum administrative centre of theold capital. in whatmanyconsiderwasthespiritual and within themonastery walls–alottoexplore columns of the old Buddhafiguresstately stillsitamongtheruined mous lotus-bud motif, and someof theoriginal cosmic ocean.The represent theouter wallof theuniverse andthe inscriptions thatline thetunnelceiling. Kiln Concession Wat Trapang Wat Chana Songkram Stalls Ngoen Ramkhamhaeng Monument Wat Sang 10 Khawat 11 14 Chetuphon Wat 9 mondòp Wat 1 Centre Archaeology Mai 2 20 4 6 wíh 3 5 chedi Ton Jan 19 16 Wat Wihaan Wat 15 ǎ witha15m,brick-and- Thong Entrance 1km 0.5miles 0 0 an Gate spires feature thefa- . There are 198 18 (15km); Sangkhalok lonelyplanet.com Phitsanulok (71km) 1272 To NewSukhothai Museum (16km); D 17 Wat Mumlangka 12 Thong Luang Wat Trapang mondòp 7 jataka chedi
a Hindutemple. as moat. ItwasoriginallybuiltbytheKhmers three Khmer-style towers andapicturesque ing fromthe12thand13thcenturies)features Just southof WatMahathat, thisshrine (dat- ;yfLiul;kp Wat SiSawai brick terrace. Buddhaimage standing ona a 12.5m-high a few tothenorthandsouth. and themountains view of ruinstothesoutheast theSukhothai which are stillinplace. Thesite gives agood thatleadsuptothetemple, path andstaircase means ‘stonebridge’, isareference totheslate above theplain.Thenameof thewat,which on thecrest of about200m ahillthatrises lonelyplanet.com (Elephant Circled Monastery) is about 1km Hwy 12in theeast zone,Wat Chang Lom Off ;yf(hk']hv} Wat Chang Lom century. ofby theKhmers Angkorpriortothe 13th the centre of whenitwasruled Sukhothai atWatSiSawai.Thismayhavethose been 12th-century Khmer-style towers, bigger than this somewhatisolated watfeatures three Outside thecitywalls inthenorthernzone, ;yfritrkps];' Wat Phra Phai Luang of itswater. communitywithmost supplies theSukhothai site of Thailand’s theoriginal that surroundsit.Thisreservoir, footbridge acrossthelarge lotus-filled pond wat withitsfinestuccoreliefs isreached bya thissmall,still-inhabitedNext tothemuseum, ;yf^itry'mv' Wat TrapangThong wíh dha, one alarge watcontaining Sukhothai-style Bud- king).It’sasimple,classic third Sukhothai (the monument of KingRamkhamhaeng Wat SaSisitsonanislandwestof thebronze Also knownas‘Sacred Pond Monastery’, ;yflitLiu Wat SaSi ing of tworowsof laterite columnsflanking All thatremains of theoriginaltemple are ǎ an chedi . chedi andtheruined andthecolumnsof theruined SUKHOTHAI ••Sukhothai PROVINCE Loi Krathong wíh etvl (p406), festival ǎ an, consist- from 6.30pm to 7.30pm nightly. from 6.30pmto7.30pm nightly. instructors theirpaces putacrowdthrough upamong thetrees.stage isset Here, aerobics the bridge a andopposite WatRachthani, Join thelocalsinopen-airdiscoaerobics. Over AEROBICS itinerariescan alsobearranged.alised watsandvillages. Person- seen stops atlesser tours). Ridesinclude (antelope andoff-road who want achallengingtour) orthose ride whowanttotake itslowly (theturtle those hermit.Therean entertaining are tours for mit tour’,where hillstomeet youridethrough andvillages,plantations tothe‘eccentricher- range from a‘coffee tour’,where youvisit 400/700B, sunset tour 250B)of thearea. Tours bicycle tours ( p406 ) offers avarietyof funand educational cyclingenthusiastRonnieof Thai Ban Belgian BICYCLE TOURS Activities potterynon-utilitarian madeasart. floor features someimpressive examplesof from Vietnam,BurmaandChina. The2nd found inthearea, plussomepiecestraded tion of original700-year-old Thaipottery h child/adult50/100B; 3ThMuangkao; 5561 4333;203/2Mu pottery, enjoythis youmight If youlove ancient,rusticallydecorated rbrbT#yIRNly'%F]d MUSEUM SANGKHALOK Chang Lom. elephant-base of WatSaphanHin,thiswatfeatures an On anotherhillwestof thecity,justsouth ;yf(hk'iv[ Wat ChangRop sculpted intoitsbase. shaped weekends. and-white sign.It canget crowded on the couple of brick pillars tall supporting ablue- ofincludes use allthe facilities.Look fora courts and ping-pongtable. Theadmission Suan NamPremsuk SWIMMING complex withaclean swimmingpool,tennis Km 4marker onRte 101,isamodestsports east of themainparkentrance. Alarge bell- 8am-5pm) chedi (onehour100B,halfday/fullday . Itdisplaysanimpressive collec- issupported by36elephants chedi
(admission 40B; , similartothatatWat h museum 7am-9pm)
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0 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND a tinybridge inthespaciousbunga- andstay bathroom isjustforguests,orcross separate whereupstairs inthefamily house, thelarge down alaneoff themainroad.You canstay is thishomestay town fromthebusstation, Tambol Banklouy;r150-300B; 1 81/7Mu 08 99883589;www.sabaidee-guesthouse.com; bicycle tours. Therestaurant isalsogood. arange ofinformation, anddoes interesting Thaiisagreatden. Ban resource forlocal and towels.Bothsitaroundanintimate gar- air-con ones thatcomewithgoodfurniture bungalows withprivate bathroom,orthenew sparkle. There’s alsoachoice of simplefan excellent shapeandtheshared bathrooms you are withafamily.Roomsare staying in you’ll cometofeeling likeplace istheclosest 150B, bungalows250-450B; rwithshared bathroom 38ThPrawetNakhon; yahoo.com; New Sukhothai also rent bicyclesandmotorcycles. offer free pick-upfromthebusterminal. Most commission –check first. Many guesthouses isnotpayingthem iftheguesthouse closed proprietors.house Drivers aplaceis maysay mafiahasitshooksintheguest- The localtaxi BUDGET bikes andhave alaundryservice. festival. rent Mostguesthouses motorcycles, Prices tend togoupduringtheLoiKrathong they are gathered aroundthehistoricalpark. upmarket choices are comingtotownbut and isdominated bybudget options.Afew Most accommodationisinNewSukhothai, Sleeping production. light-and-sound are fireworks, folk-danceperformancesanda thereIn additiontothemagicalfloatinglights, ebrated forfive daysinhistoricalSukhothai. The Festivals 406 about andthere isarestaurant attached. overlooking the river. Hammocks are dotted has simple, tidyroomsin anoldteak house young Thai-French couple,thisrelaxing place of bicycles. Therestaurant here isgoodtoo. French, ThaiandEnglish, and offers free use inagarden.Thefriendly hostspeaks lows set .com; 7 Soi Watkuhasuwan; r150-350B) .com; 7Soi Watkuhasuwan; Ban Thai Ban Thai Sabaidee GuestHouse&Homestay River House River Loi Krathong UHTA RVNE • uhta SUKHOTHAI ••Sukhothai PROVINCE
( % ( % 0 55610163;banthai_guesthouse@ festival inNovember iscel- 0 55620396;riverhouse_7@hotmail a a ) Thisultrafriendly ) On thewayinto Operated bya
( % 0 55616303, set inajunglelikeset garden. the backof Dream are Café downapathand a manicured garden,hasalarge andasmall family. to large andwell-furnished toholda enough rooms range from beingsmalland quite dark r 120-600B; torical park.Both rent outbicycles. The followingplaces are across fromthehis- HistoricalSukhothai Park run cookery courses. surroundedby gardens.Bothplaces house Ninety-nine’s rooms are inatwo-storey teak the fieldsandhasbamboo-thatch bungalows. House s/d200/300B) Ramphan; Mae friendly andvery helpful. eclectic mixof bric-a-brac andtheowners are garden. Thecommunalarea isfilledwithan bungalows withterraces packed intoashaded ai 68ThVichienChamnong; r450-600B; khothaiguesthouse.com; good sourceof information. (English, French, Dutch andThai)a are multilingualrooms. Thefriendlystaff and minibars, aswellspotless,spacious wooden bungalowswithterraces, cableTV There are brandnew,tastefully decorated known foritsfresh baguettes andcroissants. restaurantswimming poolplusapleasant bungalows 500-700B; r300-400B, Ramphan; [email protected]; 122SoiMae this street, itisstilloneof thebetter choices. lacking thecharacter of otheroptionsdown well furnished andspotlesslyclean.Although inaconcreteSet building,thelarge roomsare r200-350B; thaimail.com; 27/5ThPrawetNakhon; movies nightly. large andvery clean.Therestaurant screens two-storey theshared house; bathroomsare are well-kept alsoseveral roomsinawooden large terraces andprivate bathrooms.There value placehasbungalowswithcharacter, lows 250-350B; r150B,bunga- 11/1ThPrawetNakhon; [email protected]; are managed people. bythesame No4is hawat; rfrom500B; Old CityGuest House GuestHouse Sukhothai J&J GuestHouse TR GuestHouse No 4GuestHouse Cocoon GuestHouse Garden House Garden
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Book accommodationBook online at lonelyplanet.com 170 Th Ratchathani; r500-1350B; 170 ThRatchathani; are tastefully decorated andare to bigenough tion of Themodernrooms Thai-stylehouses. garden andamonglotuspondsisthiscollec- Thai style rooms, with carved roomdividers Thai stylerooms,withcarved rooms. Ateak buildinghascharming, very andlargeture, well-equippedbath- cableTV recycled teak floorboards,someantiquefurni- ing roomsthatsurroundthepoolhave chunky budget. everyone’s Theromantic-look- meet hotel hasheapsof character andpricesto 2500B; Withithong; concrete building250-400B,otherrooms600- .rueanthaihotel.com; 181/20SoiPrachaRuammit,ThJarot budget-priced options. A numberof thefollowingoptionsalsooffer MIDRANGE neighbour OldCity. but cluttered andoverpriced compared to its 600B; a gardenarea forrelaxing. to thehistoricpark;unfortunately there isn’t lonelyplanet.com styled roomsand villas. Someare themed (Su- zine, withits 12individually and beautifully like something outof historical park, ste 4600-5800B; r1200-3300B, 113ThSrisomboon; www.tharaburiresort.com; TOP END Kmmarkersbetween 48and49. is Hwy12–theturn-off 1272 about600m off good familychoice. isonRte Theguesthouse floors, livingroomsandveranda –another away fromthepoolare withtwo teak houses rooms thatwouldsuitfamilies.Across apath arebehind these twonew,huge multicoloured cosy roomswithfour-poster bedsbythepool; laxing, manicured grounds.There are eight resort, thiscollection of inre- roomsisset 1272;r800-1200B; Rte 3284; [email protected]; 407/2 area.boutique andcommunalseating from simpletosuper-chic. There’s aspa,arty host ayogaclass. Thebungalows onstiltsrange bus station. forfree pick-upfromthe out theback.Call ing withsimpleandcheaper air-con rooms and aloungingarea. There’s aconcrete build- Tharaburi Resort Tharaburi Vitoon GuestHouse Vitoon Orchid Hibiscus GuestHouse Orchid Hibiscus Lotus Village Ruean Thai Hotel Ruean Thai ai ais ) RoomsatVitoonare comfortable ais
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Mp p404; (Map ( % )
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0 55612444;www Mp p404; (Map % ) Set in a lush inalush Set 0 55697132; % maga- 0 5563 Most are accustomed toaccommodating food is good and the staff attentive.food isgoodand the staff Alterna- aswellThaidishes.The and sandwiches, of pasta afabulousselection desserts, serves full of curiosities,andsomeThaiantiques, it eclectic caféisagem. Decorated withcabinets hawat; dishes60-140B; few doors down,which hasabarinside. 40B perhour. There’s alsoCoffee Cup2,justa whopping goodhamburger. is Internet service avarietyof snacksanda is fresh. Italsoserves breakfast; thecoffee isstrongandthebread old cityorare comehere anearlyriser, for 30-150B; in town. tion, thisisalsotheplacetorent motorbikes chocolate). AgoodsourceofBelgian informa- delicious owners are alsoreally intochocolate –trythe andverysandwiches Thaidishes.The tasty and themenuoffers great breakfasts, hearty The décorissimpleandspotlesslyclean, couple. is runbyavery friendlyThai-Belgian the centre of town,thisnewbarand restaurant Jarot Withithong;dishes25-80B; out front. fashionedfromceramicpots with afountain The restaurant isinanicewoodenbuilding of theturn-offforRueanThaiGuestHouse style 30B; Sukhothai Kuaytiaw Thai Eating nitely themoststylish hotel inSukhothai. there are alsotwo-floor familyrooms.Defi- simpler, thesuites feel like asmallhome,and The cheaperattention to detail. roomsare with fineantiques,lushsilksandexquisite Japanese,khothai, andthisisdone Chinese) lively theremenus. OnTuesday nights, are more foreigners have andeven bilingual,written andincrease capability.insensitivity in medicinevials. Formula4claimstocure tively, drink’ corked just popinfora‘stamina does sandwiches andpasta. sandwiches does plentyof Thaidishesbutalso lunch. Itserves homey placeispopularfor yaki, thisbright, h Coffee Cup Don’t miss New Sukhothai’s Don’t miss NewSukhothai’s Sukhothai Suki-Koka Sukhothai 10am-11pm) h Dream Café Dream Poo Restaurant Poo Restaurant k night stalls ŭ 9am-8pm) h ayt dame blanche 7am-10pm) ǐ aw, SpecialisinginThai-stylesuki- (Map (Map p404 dishes 3,OldSukhothai; ; Mu AgoodspottotrySukhothai- it’slocated about20msouth
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NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND (ordinary/2nd classair-con/1st class 179/ 2nd classair-con 167/234B,5½hours) viaTak from7amto11pm. hours) leave half-hourly con/1st class/VIP273/349/407B,six toseven 1½ hours) leave 40minutes. every (ordinary/2nd classair-con/1st class39/55/70B, class 40/56/72B,1½hours) andKamphaeng so. toTak Buses (ordinary/2nd classair-con/1st 30/42/54B, onehour),leave halfhouror every (ordinary/2nd classair-con/1stsanulok class Tak orKamphaeng Phet. to/fromPhit- Buses iseasily reached Sukhothai fromPhitsanulok, BUS Fares forchildren are halftheadultprice. ang Mai (1440B,40minutes). toSukhothai theairportandSukhothai. between Airways charges 120Btotransportpassengers (1700B,70minutes). Bangkok from Bangkok 7224; www.bangkokair.com) Bangkok Airways tropical architecture toitsbestadvantage. is abeautifullydesignedsmallairportusing Airways and,like itsKoSamuicounterpart, It’sprivately ownedbyBangkok wankhalok. Rtefrom townoff 1195,about11kmfromSa- airportis27km The so-called‘Sukhothai’ AIR Getting There&Away strip. from thelittleguesthouse atthisplace,withinspittingdistance tation hangover forfood,drinks,live musicandflir- ellers andlocalscongregate fromdusktill Chopper Bar Drinking and simpleopen-airrestaurants. torical park,there isacollectionof NeartheticketRestaurant. kioskinthehis- 408 daily), Lampang (2nd classair-condaily), Lampang 162B, four class air-con 83/116B, three hours, fourtimes 251/322B, 6½hours), Phrae (ordinary/2nd to 6pm. one hour)leave hour fromaround6am every lok (40B,45minutes) and SiSatchanalai (38B, toSawankha- buses Otherwise Sawankhalok. nine hours). The9amone isagoodchoice for (ordinary/2nd classair-conRai 186/260B, are frequent from 7pmto2am. Other destinations include Khon KaenOther destinations include Khon Departures (2ndclassair- toBangkok AirwaysalsofliesdailyfromChi- Bangkok Buses toandfromChiang MaiBuses (ordinary/ Four air-con leave buses dailyforChiang UHTA RVNE • rudSkohi SUKHOTHAI ••AroundSukhothai PROVINCE (Th Prawet Nakhon; PrawetNakhon; (Th
( % 0 5563 3266/7, airport 0 55633266/7,airport operates a daily flight operates adaily flight h 5-12.30pm) food stalls % Trav- 0 5564
an older city site (dating to the 11th century), an older city site (dating to the11th century), 12m-wide moat.Chaliang, 1kmsoutheast,is 720hectaresroughly andis surroundedbya though itstwo temples though date tothe 14thcentury. 10/30/50B; per bike/motorbike/car usablefor30days;plus fromSukhothai, the 150Binclusiveticket The Sukhothai. people prefer theatmosphere here over that of untouched. Some peaceful andalmost seems Historical Park,khothai ismore butthesetting intheSu- are basicstyleasthose inthe same and Chaliang,about 50kmnorthof Sukhothai, tury ruinsintheoldcitiesof SiSatchanalai of trulyimpressive ruins. you’re sure tolove thismore rusticcollection of adventureyour imaginationandsense and of WorldHeritage theSukhothai site. Bring If youhave thetime,don’tskipthisportion v=mpkoxit;y^bLkl^iNLiuly((ok]yp!(tg]up' Si Satchanalai-ChaliangHistoricalPark AROUND SUKHOTHAI Sukhothai. rant ( p407 inNew ) andmany guesthouses s khothai, cost 30B. Ifgoingdirectly totheOldSu- s tered vehicle, or10Bperperson inashared centre of costs40Binachar- NewSukhothai theoldcityfor20Bperperson.through park entrance. Theparkoperates atramservice tothe found atshopsaroundthecorner,closer in theoldcityasbetter bikes tend tobe rent thefirst beater atthebusstop bikes yousee (30B).Don’t in NewSukhothai any guesthouse outside theparkentrancefor20Bperday,orat park isbybicycle,which canberented atshops actually leave fromthesouthside. on thenorthsideof thestreet, buts Withithong nearMae NamYom.Thesignis Park (15B,30minutes), leaving fromThJarot Historical andSukhothai New Sukhothai should costnomore than40B. S A ridebys Getting Around three hours) 8.30amand5.30pm. between minivanstoMae 12-seat Sot(125B, also eight 1st class132/185/238B,fourhours). There are hours) andNan(ordinary/2ndclassair-con/ run frequently from6.30amto6pmbetween ǎ wngth The bestwaytoget aroundthehistorical Set among thehills,13th-to15th-cen- Set Transport fromthebusterminal intothe Motorbikes canberented atPooRestau- ǎ ew. S ǎ wngth ǎ amláw ǎ park amláw ǎ ew
(admission 40B or free if you have (admission 40Borfree ifyouhave around New Sukhothai around NewSukhothai
charge 80B.
and motorbike taxis h 8.30am-5pm) lonelyplanet.com ǎ ǎ wngth wngth covers ǎ ǎ ew ew lonelyplanet.com the right arethe right the remains of Ph- Wat Khao On the hilloverlooking Wat Chang Lomto ;yfg*kro}gr]b' WAT KHAO PHANOM PHLOENG 1285and1291. between Ramkhamhaeng thetemple wasbuiltbyKing inscription says An thanitscounterpart inSukhothai. preserved ing abell-shaped city of SiSatchanalai, haselephantssurround- This finetemple, markingthecentre of theold ;yf(hk']hv} LOM CHANG WAT the mainsupplycentre forthearea. be taken aroundthepark(20B). bus stopsonthemainroad.Atram canalso rented better thanthose slightly where the near theentrancegate totheparkthatare attractions. There are bicyclestorent (20B) small exhibitoutliningthehistory and major park distributes free parkmapsandhasa tinctive of thenumerousSiSatchanalai ruins. listed belowrepresentThose onlythemore dis- 1 3 2 Satchanalai SI SATCHANALAI–CHALIANGHISTORICALPARK The nearbytownof ( Sawankhalok p411 ) is An Sawankhalok Si Kilns (5km) Suwan Khiri Si SatchanalaiCentreforStudy& Wat ChaoChan...... Wat ChangLom...... PreservationofSangkalokKilns...... Information Centre...... a hd e he...... A2 Wat ChediJetThaew...... SIGHTS INFORMATION Wat Khao information centre To Walls City Wat KutiRai AC SUKHOTHAI ••AroundSukhothai PROVINCE chedi 3 6 that is somewhat better thatissomewhat better 5
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To AncientTextileMuseum(7km); C2 A2 C2 B2 Nam
New SiSatchanalai(7km) Yom B Bike Rental...... Wang YomResort...... Wat NangPhaya...... Wat KhaoPhanomPhloeng...... a haS aaaMhta...... D2 Wat PhraSiRatanaMahathat...... TRANSPORT SLEEPING 9 atthe Singkharam Wat Khok wood (anancient Indian technique allover used barred windows designed tolooklike lathed interesting brick-and-plaster copy of oneatWatMahathat An inSukhothai. rowsofseven ruinscontain Next toWatChangLom,these ;yfg&fupNg&Hfc$; WAT THAEW CHEDIJET SuwanKhiri. Wat Khao Sukhothai-style west of Phanom iscappedbyalarge Phloeng the once-great hill higher city.Theslightly hill youcanmake outthegeneral designof supported theroof of the Buddhaandstone columnsthatonce seated includinga anom Phloeng, built in the 15th or 16th century, a bit later than built inthe15th or16th century, abitlater than Thaew, this South of WatChang LomandWat ChediJet ;yfok'rPk PHAYA NANG WAT spire) and with acruciform ground planandneedlelike Southeast Asia). A Wat NoiJampi Chaliang 2 Wat KhaoIn 10 9 8 7 6 chedi 101 D2 B2 B2 A1 chedi Archaeological 4 Wat Chom Museum Cheun; chedi are stacked on the roof. chedi is Sinhalese in style and was in styleand was isSinhalese prasat 0.3miles 500m 0 0 , thelargest of which isa –allthatremains of (small ornate building (smallornate building wíh 8 10 Footbridge wíh To BanHatSiaw(10km); ǎ New Sukhothai(57km) chedi an Sawankhalok (21km); D ǎ . Fromthis an , alarge features
409 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND kilns are open tothepublic: a kiln centre in kalok’, amispronunciation of Sawankhalok. periods –thepieces cametobecalled‘Sang- andAyuthaya pottery duringtheSukhothai Asia. InChina –thebiggest importer of Thai which wasexported tocountriesthroughout famous foritsbeautifulpottery, much of Satchanalai areaThe Sukhothai-Si wasonce g^kgzkly'%F]d Kilns Sawankhalok exposure andweathering. ing Buddhathathasallbutmelted awayfrom thelateritecontains outlinesof alarge stand- good shape. Theroofless restoredThe towerhasbeen andisinfairly KingJayavarmanKhmer VII(1181–1217). probably constructed duringthereign of similar tolater towers builtinLopburiand central attractionisalarge Khmer-style tower Mahathat inChaliang.The Phra SiRatana watruinsareThese about500mwestof Wat ;yfg&hk&yomiN Wat ChaoChan Mahathat. Phra SiRatana tinguished images. The other of style. theflowing,bonelessSukhothai the famouswalkingBuddha,soexemplary imagesmaller standing andabas-relief of Buddhaimage,a large a Sukhothai seated two tween laterite ruinsatChaliangconsistofThese alarge ;yfritLiuiy^o}skTk^= Wat PhraSiRatanaMahathat pháyaa, the districtstillcraftadesignknownas Goldsmiths in was knownasSawankhalok. from theAyuthayaperiodwhenSiSatchanalai reliefs onthelarge laterite the othermonumentsatSiSatchanalai. Stucco 410 of Sangkalok Kilns Kilns of Sangkalok the carefullybeen excavated andcanbe viewedat the area have aroundSi Satchanalai. Several kilns linedthebanks of Mae NamYomin and Pontianakin Indonesia. of inthenationalmuseums Jakartabe seen Particularly finespecimens of thispottery can the There’s 10Badmission aseparate forWat At onetime,more than200huge pottery chedi Si Satchanalai Centre for Study & Preservation forStudy&Preservation Si Satchanalai Centre UHTA RVNE • rudSkohi SUKHOTHAI ••AroundSukhothai PROVINCE modelled after these reliefs. modelledafter these chedi –nowsheltered byatinroof –date wíh wíh (datingbackto1448–88)be- ǎ ǎ an an (admission 30B) . Oneof the contains somelessdis- contains wíh wíh . Two groups of ǎ an ǎ wíh an on the right ontheright infrontof ǎ an holds naang naang 600-1000B; Wang YomResort PARK SI SATCHANALAI-CHALIANG HISTORICAL Sleeping &Eating April. usuallytake placeinearly ordinations; these elephant-back Si Satchanalai, northof theruins. sion; Ancient Textile Museum atthe from 80to200years old,canbeseen Vintage Hatwankhalok. Siawtextiles, ranging atthesourceorfrom shopspurchased inSa- lage hasaloomunderneathit;clothcanbe dark plaids,are regarded. alsohighly fromHat(short sarong) Siaw,typicallyin patterned brocade. Themen’s terns of stripesbordered horizontal bythickly (brocade-bordered skirts), which have pat- textiles woven wereand Chinese innortheastern Laos. about100years ago whentheAnnamese Laos Provincegrated fromtheXiengKhuang in Phuan), aTaias Lao tribalgroupthatimmi- analai ishometotheThaiPhuan (alsoknown This colourfulvillage southeastof SiSatch- [hkoskfgl²p; Ban HatSiaw local villagers anddonated tothewat. ramic wares andBuddhaimages unearthedby of 12th-to15th-centuryartefacts, utensils, ce- mission 30B; sponsored on thewestern bankof theriver, thislocally town,nearWatSawankhalam In Sawankhalok rbrbT#yIRNl;ii%N;iokpd Museum Sawanworanayok ken, pieces. warpedandfused misfired, sell bro- andSawankhalok khothai the fields,are stillbeingfound.Shops inSu- the 150Ball-inclusive ticket. visited bybicycle. Admissionisincludedin lack of sites English are labels.These easily ruins. Theexhibitsare interesting despite the Kilns site 5kmnorthwestof theSiSatchanalai one kiln;andalarger outdoorSawankhalok Chaliang withexcavated pottery and samples Sawankhalok pottery rejects,Sawankhalok buriedin Another Thai Phuan custom is the use ofAnother ThaiPhuan custom istheuse withinthevil- stilthouse Practically every The localThaiPhuan are famousfor h 7am-6pm) a h museum Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com 8am-4.30pm Wed-Sun) ) , particularlythe This collection of rustic, worn processionsinlocal monastic
(Sunanthana; opposite themarket inNew
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places sell noodlesand places sell drag. options. the historicalparkhasacoupleof overnight This charming townabout20kmsouthof SAWANKHALOK a coffee shopinthehistoricalparkuntil6pm. very good.Foodanddrinkare alsoavailable at restaurant (dishes 50Bto140B)isreportedly lacksenthusiasm butthelarge old city.Service 400m before thesoutheastern cornerof the the SiSatchanalai-Chaliang HistoricalPark, bungalows inamature gardenliesjustoutside lonelyplanet.com just so thathe couldvisit theruins. on the mainnorthern trunk)to Sawankhalok Dara(asmall town railway spur builtfromBan VI hada60km KingRama the main local sights. isoneof originaltrain station Sawankhalok’s TRAIN leads directly intotheSiSatchanalai ruins. 2km furthernorthwest justpasttwohillsand crossing is about hat atChaliang;the second Mahat-Mae NamYomtoWat Phra SiRatana Nam Yom.Thefirst leadstoafootbridge over the ruinsinpark;bothinvolve crossingMae wherehighway youcanget off thebusandreach leavesback toNewSukhothai at4.30pm. butmakesthe same fewer stops.Thelastbus which costs catch the9ambustoChiangRai, get offat Satchanalai bus(38B,twohours) andaskto takeSatchanalai. aSi FromNewSukhothai, andnewSi Sawankhalok Rte 101between Si Satchanalai-Chaliang HistoricalPark isoff BUS Getting There&Away its mainstreets. Sawankhalok. it’s probably thebestspottochow downin skirts of towardsSukhothai, Sawankhalok gardenrestaurantand Chinese ontheout- much else. clean, comfortable roomsandacoffee shop. clean, comfortable Ithas street Sawankhalok. thatrunsthrough 1km southof onthemain thetrainstation Damri 3;s/dfrom220/360B; Damri A coupleof otheroptions alsolinethemain There are twoplacesalongtheleftsideof the Sawankhalok’s This isn’tabigtownforeating;mostfood Kung Nam Saengsin Hotel ‘meuang kào’
(dishes 40-70B;
KAMPHAENG PHET PROVINCE •• Kamphaeng Phet ••Kamphaeng PROVINCE PHET KAMPHAENG ( % night market 0 55641259-1424;2ThThetsaban a (oldcity).Alternatively, khâo mankài h ) Thishotel isabout 10am-11pm) assembles along assembles andnot AThai Has internet. to Wat Phra Kaew; hassomemapsandpamphlets. to WatPhraKaew; Main postoffice Main Information Centre Tourist the mainpostoffice. Teresa try otherwise andThRatchadamnoen, couple of otherinternet cafésintownonTh Thereriver andonThCharoensuk. are a with ATMs alongthemainstreets nearthe Most of themajor banksalsohave branches Information thatreceivesvincial capital few tourists. ruins andexperiencingasmallnorthern pro- spend adayortwowanderingaround the nana) inThailand.It’squite aniceplaceto banana’,adelicious kindof(‘egg smallba- known forproducingthetastiest kingdom butitisnowmostly the Sukhothai frontlineofonce animportant defence for Chum, Kamphaeng Phet (DiamondWall)was Formerly knownasChakangraoorNakhon pop 27,500 decr'gr(i KAMPHAENG PHET PROVINCE KAMPHAENG PHET Mahathat. shop atthegateway toWatPhra SiRatana You canrent Getting Around to bookinadvanceviawww.railway.co.th. fare includesdinnerandbreakfast. Itispossible means 2ndclassair-con, nosleepers, andthe to Phitsanulok (50B).It’sa‘Sprinter’, which the cityat3.30am.Youcanalsohopthistrain at7.40pm,arrivingin heads backtoBangkok at5.50pm.Train4 arrives inSawankhalok at 10.50am,stopsPhitsanulok at4pmand hours),(482B, seven which leaves thecapital toSawankhalok (train 3)fromBangkok bicycle/motorbike/s Park Historical Phet A Unesco WorldHeritage site, the g}nv'gdjk OLD CITY Sights Police
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NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND
412 Phom Thing Mak Suan Khlong 4 6 1 3 2 5 Setti (Fort) KAMPHAENG PHET (110km) Nakhon Sawan To Tak(72km);
APAN HTPOIC • KmhegPe Phet ••Kamphaeng PROVINCE PHET KAMPHAENG Mae Nam Ping Nam Mae AC Wat Nong 101 Pikul Wat SumKo 11 27 12 Wat Nong Phom Chao Indra (Fort) Lanka Klang Thung Phom Phet(Fort) Wat Chedi Wat PhraNon Wat Singh Th Kamphaeng Phet B 14 Wat MaPhi 24 To Sukhothai (77km) Meuang Lak Wat AwatYai Phra Mon 7 Wat Tuk Well (BoSanMeun)
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18 Th Rachavitee Th
Th Th Charoensuk Th Chakungrao 3 lonelyplanet.com Wat Trabak 6 19 Lang D To Phitsanulok Kalo Thai Wat Chedi (103km) 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 D6 C6 C6 C6 C4 B3 C4 B5 A2 C5 C4 C4 C4 D6 C5 C5 D6 C6 C5 A5 C6 C6 B5 C6 C6 C6 C5 the Kamphaeng Phet area, includingterra- Upstairs there isacollectionof artefacts from of Thaiartperiodsdownstairs. usual survey mission 30B; The nearby rbrbT#yIRl$kocsj'(k^bdecr'gr(i MUSEUM NATIONAL PHET KAMPHAENG and walkers. columns. Thisparkispopularwithjoggers a large round-based Phra Kaew is Swiss artist).About 100msoutheastof Wat of the sculptures of AlbertoGiacometti(a der, porousformsthatremind somevisitors havecorroded Buddhastatues assumedslen- more intimate andlessvisited. Weather- well restored butit’ssmaller, asSukhothai, royal palace(nowinruins).It’snotnearlyas Kaew Phra theoldcity siteencloses where you’llfind Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com Museum, the SanPhra Isuan (ShivaMuseum, Shrine) has Near theKamphaeng Phet Phrakiat Chaloem Lk]ritvbL;i SAN PHRA ISUAN added earlyinthe 20thcentury. umbrellanow crownedwith aBurmese-style large Borommathat has afew small remains are WatPhra postclassicalSukhothai. Kamphaeng Phet’s visible heyday, although ruins inanarea longbefore thatwassettled Across Mae NamPingare more neglected ;yfrit[i}Tk^= WAT PHRABOROMMATHAT and Thaiexplainthedisplays. ous tribes.Push-button recordings inEnglish miniature doll-like figures representing vari- displaysof featuring encased logical museum architecture; anethno- and thethirdhouses about geography inlocal andmaterials used history andprehistory; onefeatures displays on onefocuses buildings inthemuseum: landscaped grounds.There are three main wooden structures amongnicely onstiltsset h The rbrbT#yIRNgC]b}ritgdupi^bdecr'gr(i MUSEUM REGIONAL PHET KAMPHAENG Ayuthaya styles. and Buddha images inboth theSukhothai fromruinedtemples ornamentation and cotta 9am-4pm) regional museum regional chedi , which used tobeadjacentthe, which used h of period thatis thelate Sukhothai is a series of isaseries central,Thai-style national 9am-noon &1-4pmWed-Sun) Wat Phra That Wat Phra
( museum % chedi 0 55722341;admission10B; , distinguishedby
surroundedby ( % chedi 0 55711570;ad- KAMPHAENG PHET PROVINCE •• Kamphaeng Phet ••Kamphaeng PROVINCE PHET KAMPHAENG andone has the hasthe Wat hotel maylackstyle, butitscarpeted rooms comfortable hotel featurescomfortable spacious,well- Kamphaeng Phet. There isasmallpool, modernroomswithviews overmaintained, r 500-800B; far fromthemunicipalmarket. nessmen, it’s its large, cleanrooms.PopularwithThai busi- Gor Choke Chaiisagoodbudget choice with Charoensuk; rfrom250B; for rent. con. Bicyclesandmotorcyclesare available bathroom andthemore expensive have air- terraces. Thecheapest onesshare aclean Pathways lead tocleanlogbungalowswith den hasavery andfriendly host. hospitable ant collectionof bungalowsinapretty gar- r200-500B; .com; 79ThRachavitee; JGuestHouse Three Sleeping generalin thesame vicinity. weather-worn Buddhaimage –canbefound flat brickfoundations,withtheoccasional temple ruins–mostof themlittlemore than an elephant-buttressed other wall.Several Encircled Temple) isjustthat–atemple with Northwest of here, ages style. allsculpted intheclassicSukhothai sitting, walkingandreclining Buddhaim- Iriyabot Chang Rawp. temples are WatPhra SiIriyabot andWat of itcalled cludes accesstotheforested area justnorth Phet HistoricalPark intheoldcityalsoin- The 40Badmissionfee totheKamphaeng OTHER TEMPLES idol’s handsandhead(theywere returned). In1886,atouriststolethe National Museum. a replica: theoriginalisinKamphaeng Phet bronze sculpture of Shiva (Isvara).Theimage is uponwhich isaKhmer-style base a sandstone views. coffee shopdownstairs and some roomshave are There cleanand fairly comfortable. isa 600/950B; in Thaiscript. top of thebuilding.Thestreet-side signisonly restaurant andbar. Lookfor thesignon Phet Hotel Phet Navarat Gor Choke Chai Gor Choke Northeast of theoldcitywalls, hastheshattered remains of standing, a ais (Nawarat; ) Aranyik Set off theroad, thisfive-storey Set
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413 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND h (ordinary/air-con/VIP 175/215/274B,five 1½ hours). to/from Bangkok Regularbuses nary/air-con 57/80B,2½hours) orTak (50B, 39/55/70B, 1½hours), Phitsanulok (ordi- (ordinary/2nd classair-con/1st classair-con town. Mostvisitors arrive fromSukhothai Teresa tosave getting as in theoldcityoratroundabout onTh orPhitsanulok get offing fromSukhothai The busterminal is1kmwestof town.Ifcom- Getting There&Away 1am) music ontheweekends. around Phet Hotel. Someof themfeature live There are anumberof discoswithkaraoke Drinking air-con restaurants. Park bytheriver are family-friendly, several Bamrungrat) found inalarger the roundabout.Inexpensive canbe foodstalls and there are alsosome of theprovincial offices neartheoldcity walls floating restaurants ontheriver. friendly atmosphere andgreat icecream. dows, butinsideyou’llfindacasual,family- withitsheavilymay lookclosed tinted win- eaten withpeanut-ricebrittle. the shop’snamesake, afermented tea salad noen) Chakangrao Miang Eating 414 s about across theriver. Fromthere take a s intotownistohoponasharedbus station The leastexpensive waytoget fromthe Getting Around book tickets inadvanceat hours) leave theday.Youcan throughout music. Western food.Sometimesthepubhostslive a lotof whiskyandamixture of Thaiand 1095; Th Kamphaeng Phet). 1095; ThKamphaeng Guest House ( Guest House p413 ) has bothfor rent. explore areas outside of the oldcity – Three J It isworth renting abicycleormotorbike to ǎ ǎ amláw anywhere intownfor20B to30B. wngth Eagles Pub A Ping Rim Phae Phayao Cafe Phayao 11am-midnight) A pub with a Western theme, it serves ApubwithaWestern theme,itserves Sells local sweets andsnacks,particularly local sweets Sells night market A RVNE TAK PROVINCE ǎ . Along Th Thesa acrossfromSirijit . AlongThThesa ew (5Bperperson) to the round-
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Nam Tak from Tak, you canvisit and north. Red Karen thewest throughout settlements Lisuand White and (Lahu), Hmong, Musoe Mai, mostof itlocallyorganised. There are king occurs, somefurther northoutof Chiang wantingtotrek.tion forthose Organised trek- andisanexcellent destina- and mountainous in 1997. military off alltimberdealswiththeBurmese trade islegalsincetheThaigovernment cut conveniently looktheotherway.Noneof the distributed amonglocalThaiauthorities, who much as200,000Binbribespertruckloadis Myanmar onlarge tractor-trailers As atnight. (Kayah) intoThailandfrom andthenbrought uct isteak, cutbytheKaren ortheKarenni contraband prod- and Waley.Oneimportant Yang, Mae Sarit,Mae Tan, Mae Wangkha, Sot gateways ontheThailandsideare ThaSong legal international trade. Themainsmuggling ing onbothsidesof theborderislegalandil- Province alone. istered migrantworkers fromBurmainTak was estimated thatthere were 151,000unreg- across theborder. Atthetimeof writingit government, which isdrivingKaren civilians National Union(KNU)andtheMyanmar outcome of thefirefights theKaren between Mae Sotare dotted withrefugee camps, an districts of ThaSongYang Mae Ramat, and influences. TheThailand–Myanmarborder ofbecause strongKaren cultural andBurmese tinct contrastwithotherpartsof Thailand and agriculturaltasks. Karen villagers inwestern Tak fortransport elephants, which are by stillcommonlyused Thailand’s largest populationof domesticated feeling aboutuntamed it.Thisprovince boasts open tooutsiders, butthearea stillhasan sort-hotel andTak development isvery much local CPTmovement involved hasbeen inre- ity. Sincethe1980sformerleaderof the were ahotbedof communistguerrillaactiv- plex historyanduniqueculturalmix. proximity toMyanmarhasresulted inacom- Tak province. isawildandmountainous Its TAK PROVINCE In Ban Tak,In Ban 25km upstream along Mae The majority of Tak province isforested Western Tak hasalwayspresented adis- ofIn the1970smountains western Tak The mainsourceof incomeforpeopleliv- lonelyplanet.com Wat Phra Wat Phra
lonelyplanet.com is Km 464 markers), via the road toSamNgao, theKm463and and then 17kmwest(between for theweek. reveal tothemthewinninglottery numbers inthebeliefthat week chedi rounded bynumerous smallerbutsimilar slender, gilded Mae Sot. Thewat’smainfeature isalarge, atornear dependent kingdom oncebased victory over King SamChon,rulerof anin- (1275–1317) tocelebrate hiselephant-back during thereign of KingRamkhamhaeng that, accordingtolegend, wasconstructed Borommathat Mae Nam Moei Nam Mae Mae Tan AROUND TAK&MAESOT Kheuan Phumiphon Kheuan Song Yang Ban Tha 105 Approximately 45km northof Tak via Rte 1 Ban SopNgao . Many Thaisflock tothetemple each HONG MAE SON Mae Sarit M YANR (B URMA) , theoriginalsite of aThai Doi Thae Yi Chao (1764m) Tham MaeUsu TAK ••Tak PROVINCE chedi Kawkareik Tha SongYang Om Koi CHIANG MAI (Bhumibol Dam), which Khao Khun intheShan stylesur- Maw Tun (1081m) Myawadi Wangkha Mae OkHu Wildlife Sanctuary chedi Um Phang Yang Piang Puling Huay Bong Huay 1099
Mae Tup Tun Noi
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Khun MaeTho Moei Mae Sot Mae Kasa Ban Nam Tok 1206 Pha Charoen Ban Nong Luang Hin Lat 1175 Phra Phop Nam Tok Mae Ban SawOh Waley Mae Ping
Phumiphon National chedi Park La Mao Thararak
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Mae Nam Doi Ta National Park TAK Ko Thung Lan Sang Taksin Maharat
National Park Ping Um Phang Klong Mai Ban Mae
LAMPHUN Lao Yang Pha Tai 1090 Phang (1182m) Doi Luang Chiang RaiBon Ban Mai Um Khi Ban Puang pop 49,200 ^kd TAK favourite picnicspotforlocalThais. areThe shores a andislandsof thereservoir dam inSoutheastAsia.making itthetallest impounds Mae of NamPingata height 154m, a couple decent places to stay. a couple decent places tostay. selves stuckhere Luckily there for a night. are activity. Occasionally travellers findthem- tion about Mae Sot,UmPhang andborder also thebest placetoget up-to-date informa- Phumiphonwest orKheuan tothenorth.It’s and Taksin Maharat National Parks tothe Sang good pointfrom which tovisit theLan Tak isnotparticularlyinteresting, butit’sa (1027m) Khao Chomphu Sam Ngao 105 Li Khao Kha (2152m) Khaeng 1109 Phrik Mae Tak Lo Kho Phrik Bon Huay NamYen 106 Ban Tak Khao Khum Nam Yen (1646m) Pong NamRon 1 104 Prajop Wang Khanun Thoen Pang 1 Kum Neung Dong LAMPANG National Park Khlong Lan 30miles 50km 0 0 Pang Am 1 Wang Chao Pong Daeng Nam Dip Doi TaChi Khao
1048 Mae (1027m) Pang Kum 1132 Prap Sop Kamphaeng
KAMPHAENG PHET SUKHOTHAI Nam Lan Thong 1117
Phet
Khlong Lan Khao NamKhun Ping 12 Saliam Thung Ban Dan Lan Hoi Ta Tong Thong Khlong Khlung Wang Chin Tha Sadao Na Phong Hua Yang National Park Si Satchanalai Khamhaeng 1 Phran Kratai (1185m) Khao Luang 115 Muang Khao Rama 101 Woralaksaburi PHRAE Sawankhalok 1084 Khon Sukhothai Hat Rua Ban Hat 101 Khanu Siaw Thung Sai
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415 Huay Khrai
1280 Nam 101 Yom NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND homes. Residentsare proudof thesuspension ofsection thecityharbours afew oldteak cement-block architecture, thesouthern 416 193 Th Taksin; maps atthe with ATMs. andThTaksin,Thai Bamrung allof them bankshave branchesSeveral along ThMahat Information dry season. which flowsquite broadlyhere inthe even and pedestriansonly) over Mae NamPing, bridge (formotorcycles,pedicabs,bicycles much more. Bridge (50m) To Suspension Phet (68km) Kamphaeng 4 1 3 2 TAK
You can pick upbrochures andsomebasic mostofAlthough Tak exhibitsnondescript,
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SLEEPING INFORMATION Bus Station...... Pond...... Viang Tak...... Viang Tak2...... Racha VillaHotel...... Mae PingHotel...... Thai MilitaryBank(ATM)...... TAT Office...... Siam CommercialBank(ATM)..... Police Station...... Kasikornbank (ATM)...... Bangkok Bank(ATM)...... ATM...... TRANSPORT EATING uiia akt...... A2 Municipal Market...... Th Thai Chana Thai Th Thetsa
Th Thetsaban 2 8 Th Charot Vithi Thong Vithi Charot Th ( 0.1miles 100m 0 0 Wat Sitalaram % Th Thetsaban Th
ban 5 Thetsaban 3 0 5551 3584; www.tak.go.th; 0 55513584; www.tak.go.th;
Th Tha Reua Banphot Nong Mani
, but don’texpect To Lampang Th Phahonyothin Th (194km) Hospital 14 Taksin 1 B To Airport(15km); Sukhothai (79km) Banphot Wat Mani 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 B1 A2 A2 A3 B3 A2 A2 A1 A2 A2 A3 A2 B1 9 the market specialisinginThaicurries. 110B, d140-200B; dishes 15-30B; hours) leaves once aday. There are fourdaily while a2nd-class air-con bus (207B, eight (176B, 10hours)Bangkok three timesdaily, hours). 176/246B, seven (ordinary/air-confour hours), ChiangRai Chiang Mai (ordinary/air-con 133/186B, (ordinary/air-con 90/126B,three hours), hours). class air-con/1st classair-con 40/56/72B, 1½ Takbetween (ordinary/2nd andSukhothai walk ifyoupacked Frequent light. travel buses centre foraround30B,butit’salsopossibleto side town.Atúk-túkwilltake youtothetown sanulok. look; thenearest functioningairportisPhit- onHwy 12,wasn’toperatingatlast khothai Tak airport,15km outof towntowards Su- Getting There&Away Taksin; dishes10-30B; (Th rates. Tak 2,anditfeatures 100roomswithcheaper ference internet roomandanattached café. rant hasariver view,andthere’s apool,con- rooms withcableTV. Itscoffee shop/restau- storey hotel well-maintained hascomfortable, By farthebestplaceintown,thissmarteight- hotel.com; 236ThJompol;r/ste600-950/2100B; opposite themarket. It’s surprisinglyquietconsideringitslocation than oneroombefore handingover anybaht. without repair fortoolong. Lookatmore worn andvery basicroomsthathave gone likesthis place,butnoteveryone thesuper- most jumponthenextbustoMae Sot. Few inTak, tospendthenight peoplepause as Sleeping &Eating English isspoken. prices.Thelocationisawkwardandno these rooms have more extrasthanyou’dexpectat this plain58-roomhotel. Theretro-looking here,sleep butyouwon’twrite homeabout rung; r490B) nyothin; r220-300B; Ordinary government departfor buses Tak’s You canbuyfoodatthe PingHotel Mae There is also regular service to Lampang toLampang There is also regular service TakViang Hotel Villa Racha Viang TakViang 2 bus station istheolder,bigger siblingof Viang
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( (Th CharotVithiThong) (Th % ) ( % ) Everyone’s budget likes % h You’ll get agoodnight’s 0 55512507;www.viangtak 0 55511807;619ThTaksin; s 0 55512361;307/1ThPhaho- isasimpleplacenear 6am-6pm) municipal market . Pond isjustout- ais
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ings) toMae Sot. countries allowedlandcross- the intervening which andSingapore wouldlinkIstanbul if all 105/Asia Rte 1(theso-calledPan-Asian Hwy, sion 400B) small These v=mpkocsj'(k^b^kdlbo}skik( National Parks Sang Lan & Maharat Taksin AROUND TAK leave almosthourly(53B,1½hours). 2pm, 4pmand5pm.MinivanstoMae Sot in thereverse direction. kok andone10pmdeparture (275B,sixhours) 1st-class air-con departures fromTak toBang- lonelyplanet.com swimming, fishing and picnicking destina- isafavourite canoeing, This huge reservoir g*Ævo#)}br] Phumiphon Kheuan trips totheparks. Rte 105.Sometouragencies inMae Sotdo entrance. Bycartake Rte 11033kmsouthoff the roadwhere youcaneasilywalk tothepark car, butthebusto Mae Sotwilldropyouon 15 people. fourand between roomsthatsleep utilitarian National Park tents (40B)are alsoavailable. commodate twoto36people. Two-person namesake.40m-high leads toseveral of theTenasserim Anetwork of Range. of granite rugged, 1000m-high peaks–part National Park a104-sq-kmarea preserves pond heron. the tiger shrike, forest andChinese wagtail known resident andmigratoryspeciesinclude tobeparticularlygoodhere;watching issaid and16mincircumference.is 50mtall Bird- a record-holding the 30m,nine-tiered trance is2kmfromtheKm26marker onRte in1981)coverstablished 149sqkm;theen- Taksinempty duringtheweek. Maharat (es- weekends andholidays,buttheyare almost 400-4000B) arranged inbothparks. ground Air-con toMae buses Sot(74B)leave at The bestwaytoreach theparks isbyprivate The park’s most outstanding featuresThe park’smostoutstanding are Lan SangNationalPark Nineteen kilometres fromTak, Sang Lan (tent sites 20B). Food service canbe (tent sites 20B).Foodservice receive asteady trickleof visitors on rents rusticbungalowsthatcanac-
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(www.dnp.go.th; admis- 0 55519278;bungalows Taksin Maharat Taksin Maharat camping
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flower) blossomaroundthecentre. ers, andsomeforeign NGOworkers. Shop men, Thaiarmyrang- bearded Indo-Burmese Karen womenintraditionalhill-tribe dress, men intheir aninterestingsee ethnicmixture –Burmese from Myanmar. andIndianimmigrants controlled byChinese centre along theborder,withmostof thetrade jadeandgembecome themostimportant Phop Phra andUmPhang. Mae Sothasalso the districtsof ThaSongYang, Mae Ramat, placein taking enue, withmosttransactions Thailand istheprimarysourceof localrev- restaurants andafascinatingculturalmix. this laid-back townhasavibrant market, good longermany endupstaying thanexpected; run, and mosttouristsjustcomeforavisa aren’t inMae manyformalsites tosee Sot, theresimmering touristdestination.Although trading outpostthathasbecomeasmallbut Mae SotisaBurmese-Chinese-Karen-Thai c}jlvf MAE SOT and December, as low4°Cinthewinter. DuringNovember cultural performance. Thetemperature cango the day,orspendnight Sot; bungalows200-700B) centre into Mae Sotisthissmall At thetopof before themountain you descend L)opNry ( % 0 55512131,3614;Km28ThTak-Mae maintains several bungalowsand several maintains longyi bua tong (EGAT; Bangkok (sarongs), Hmongand (sarongs), where youcanvisitfor (akindof wildsun- % Electrical Generating Generating Electrical research andcultural research . 0 55549509;multibed Here they grow % 0 24363179,Ban 417 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND 418 0 200 m MAE SOT 0 0.1 miles A RVNE • a o TAK Sot ••Mae PROVINCE A B C To Khao Mao D E F To Wat Phra That Khao Fang (500m); Doi Din Kiu Mae Ramat (33km); Mae Sariang (221km) INFORMATION (Ji) (11km) SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES Bank of Ayuthaya (ATM)...... 1 C2 Eco-Trekking...... (see 20) International Phone Booths...... (see 6) Mae Sot Conservation Tour...... 10 C2 1 International Phone Booths...... (see 24) 15 Max One Tour...... 11 D2 Krung Thai Bank (ATM)...... 2 C2 Mo Mo & Bo Bo Cookery Course...(see 32) Th Asia Krung Thai Bank (ATM)...... 3 C2 To Bus terminal for Bangkok Wat Mani (Sauna)...... 12 D2 Police Station...... 4 C2 buses (2km); Tak (80km) Post Office...... 5 D2 SLEEPING River Book Exchange...... 6 C2 Bai Fern Guest House...... 13 C2 Se Southeast Express Tours...... 7 C2 Ban Thai Guest House...... 14 B2 Siam Commercial Bank (ATM)...... 8 C2 Central Mae Sod Hill Hotel...... 15 D1 Traffic Police...... 9 C2 DK Mae Sot Square Hotel...... 16 D2 First Hotel...... 17 C2 Th Chidwana 19 Market Green Guest House...... 18 C2 Kame Guest House...... 19 C2 33 2 17 No 4 Guest House...... 20 B2 18 Rujira...... 21 C4 3 16 12 30 6 13 24 29 11 Siam Hotel...... 22 C2 Wat 32 7 4 Aranyakhet Th Intharakhiri 20 2 5 EATING 14 9 23 1 8 31 26 Aiya...... 23 C2 25 28 10 35 22 Th Prasat Withi 34 Mosque Bai Fern...... 24 C2 School Casa Mia...... 25 B2 27 Day Market...... (see 22) Th Tang Khrua Canadian...... 26 C2 Kim Chiang 36 Night Market Food Stalls...... 27 D3 Th Si Wiang Th Sri Phanit T Corner...... 28 B2 3 To Mao Tao Clinic (Dr Cynthia Hospital DRINKING Clinic) (700m); New bus terminal Crocodile Tear...... 29 C2 (850m); Airport (1km); Wat Wattanaram (3km); Mae Nam Kung's Bar...... 30 C2 Moei (Moei River) (7km); Lucky Music Room...... 31 C2 Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge Pha-Waw (7km); Tourist Police (7km) Hospital SHOPPING Borderline Shop...... 32 B2 Municipal Market...... (see 22) TRANSPORT Bus Station...... 33 C2 lonelyplanet.com Jit Motorcycle...... 34 C3 4 S†wngth†ew to Moei...... 35 C2 S†wngth†ew to Phop Phra, Waley & Um Phang...... 36 D3 21 To Um Phang (151km) information. lessons (fivedays3000B,personaltutor)andsometourist ofbookstoexchangeandoffers Thai Has afaircollection 5553 4700;ThIntharakhiri; BookExchange River ( Canadian and Khrua p421 ). ( information are ThaiGuestHouse Ban p420 ) TAT officeinMae Sot,butgoodsourcesof There touristinformationor isno official SoutheastExpressExchange Tours. andSe. FernBai restaurant ( p421 ), theRiver Book canbefoundat International phoneservices are conveniently located inthecentre of town. allhaveSiam CommercialBank ATMs and of Bank AyuthayaandKrung ThaiBank, Information to Mawlamyine (Moulmein)andYangon. Mae west SotwithMyawadiandthehighway the area’s perceived instability. Thai–Myanmar border,elementsthataddto rocketand theoccasionalmortar –across the of thousands refugeesat anytime,sending – lonelyplanet.com is occasionally blocked by Thairangers. Ask considered unsafe andthe roadto thetemple sives against theKNU,this area issometimes offen- find, and duringMyanmar’s dry-season and Myanmar. forsometo It’s abitdifficult hilloverlooking300m-high Mae NamMoei temple 11kmnorthwestof Mae Sotona is aforestWat Phra ThatDoiDinKiu(Ji) ;yfritTk^=fvpfbodb;Z&uX WAT PHRA THAT DOI DINKIU(JI) including tuneddrums andgongs. a collectionof musicalinstruments, Burmese dha. Inthemain reclininghuge, modernBurmese-style Bud- Mostassociatetanaram). thiswat withits temple, (Phat- WatWattanaram this Burmese road totheThailand–Myanmarborder, lies MaeAt Ban Tao, 3kmwestof Mae Sotonthe ;yf;y Southeast Express Tours Southeast Express ( % TAK Sot ••Mae PROVINCE 1155) Has an office at the market by 1155) Hasanofficeatthemarket wíh (Tourist Information; (Tourist h ǎ an 10am-6pm Mon-Fri) 10am-6pm Mon-Fri) (Th Intharakhiri; perhr Intharakhiri; (Th onthe2ndflooris % 0 for more details. Checkthe website trek south to Sangkhlaburi. seven-day on yourinterests. One ofhisspecialitiesis a challenging (especially birds) andwilldesignspecialised toursbased knowledge offloraandfauna Mr Oomhas extensive /no4guesthouse; No4Guest House;736ThIntharakhiri) the priceof yourtour. sure toclarifyexactlywhatisincluded in Be trips –notincludingtransporttoUm Phang. day tours or4500Bforthree-day/two-night Mae Sotrunatabout 1800Bperperson for with agencies outof UmPhang. Tours from onthedifferenttabs tours andcanbook tours restaurant ( Canadian p421 ) keep pretty good rounding area. workingattheKhrua Thestaff arrange guesthouses tours ofSeveral the sur- Tours results intheadjoiningcafé. preparation, acookbook,andsharingthe includes atriptothemarket, foodanddrink Karen dishes. Running from8amto12pm,it ( p422 teaches) thiscourse Shan, and Burmese a day,3peoplemin) 400B 674/14ThIntharakhiri; 6584; [email protected]; Mo &Bo Course Cookery COOKERY COURSE monks’ back of themonastery grounds, past the istowardsthe herbal medicines.Thesauna monk-made volunteers alsosell The sauna 20B; Wat Mani herbal hasseparate HERBAL SAUNA to thepeak. stone caves inthesideof thehillonway Myanmar. There are acoupleof smalllime- of thethickteak forests acrosstheriver in up thehillto anddriveright 3km.Thetrailthatwinds take Hwy105toWatThaniWattharam,turn Myanmar. is reminiscent of theKyaiktiyoPagoda in balancedontheedge It has been of acliff. mounted onwhatlookslike aboulderthat heading uptheroad. in townabout thecurrent situationbefore Eco-Trekking Eco-Trekking out of Um Phang. most reliable. See p427 forothertouroptions The followingare thelongest runningand If you’re onamotorcycle,orhave acar, of thiswatisasmall The highlight h 3-7pm) kùtì . ( facilitiesformenandwomen. % Held attheBorderlineShop 0 55544976;www.geocities.com chedi provides goodviews (Borderline; sauna % (admission chedi 0 5554 419 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND terminal has clean dormsand120Brooms overlooking thisguesthouse but stark, thebus .net; 119/22ThChidwana;dm/s/d60/120/150B; curfew. are shortonbahtanddon’tmindthe11pm rooms are stairs. downsteep It’sfineifyou with mattresses onthefloor. Shared bath- This large hasvery teak house basicrooms dm/s/d50/80/100B) .com/no4guesthouse/; 736ThIntharakhiri; monthly discounts. longer-termstaying andoften offer or weekly Most placescater forNGOworkers thatare in Mae Sot,especiallyinthebudget category. The lodgingmarket ischanging andgrowing BUDGET Sleeping the annualslugfest. to askaroundfindthechanging venue for tillfirstfight bloodorknockout.You’llhave With theirhandsboundinhemp,theboxers last three minutes, thefifthhasno timelimit. and goforfive rounds;thefirst fourrounds style. Matches are inacircularring fought somewhere outsidetowninthetraditional foranannual meet boxersAround thistimeThaiandBurmese A big Festivals &Events SoutheastExpress Se. OneTour Max villages. andHmonghill-tribe educational tourstoKaren [email protected]; 415/17ThTang Chiang)Runs Kim Tour SotConservation Mae 420 s/d 150/250) centrally located and hasapretty garden. and decentfurniture. It’s greatwith TV value, offershouse avarietyof good-sizedrooms and herhusband, thispeaceful,friendlyguest- dm/s/dfrom80/150/250B) hakhiri; bicycle here for30Baday. share hot-water bathrooms. Youcanrent a expensive roomshave beds andafan.All on.Themore matstosleep with justtatami Mae Sot. Mae toursaround Um Phangandaround,aswellone-day tofour-daytours Doestheusualthree- Intharakhiri) superclean, large, if ratherplain rooms, right most elaborate adventure-centric tours. most elaborateadventure-centric Biggestcompanywiththe SotSq,ThIntharakhiri) Mae Bai Fern Guesthouse GuestHouse Kame No 4GuestHouse Green GuestHouse Green A RVNE • a o TAK Sot ••Mae PROVINCE Thai-Burmese gemfair Thai-Burmese The newlyrenovated Fern Bai has ( % 0 55542942;www.maxonetour.com; ( Thai-boxing competition Thai-boxing % ( ( ( % % ( % % 0 55535868;kame@picosystems 0 55533207;406/8ThIntara- 0 55544976;www.geocities 0 55547048;522/3Th 0 5553 1349; Th Intharakhiri; 0 55531349; ThIntharakhiri; ( % Run byateacher isheldinApril. 0 55532818; i ) , held Tidy cute coffee shop, two conference rooms, wi- place) withaxe cushions. There is arestaurant, (open-sided covered hall orresting meeting anda hammocks aroundafountain sofas. Themany communalareas include rooms have romanticfour-poster bedsand and slippers are included.More expensive large fridges, goodtoiletries,bathrobes TV, roomswith lots oflight homelytouches. Cable 3/18 ThBuakjoon;r350-1000B; MIDRANGE &TOPEND laundry service. are bicyclesandmotorbikes torent and a DVDsandfree wireless internet. ThereTV, lounge/office. Shared sittingareas have cable rooms, large terraces andsomecomewitha rooms; themore expensive have ensuite bath- cheaper roomshave plentifulshared bath- axe loungingpillowsandThaitextiles. The ish woodenroomswithThaistyle furniture, a hibiscus-linedalleyhasspacious, very styl- bourhood of five converted down Thaihouses a r300-550B; banthai [email protected];740ThIntharakhiri; andlots of furniture.TV roomsareLarge notatallgrandbuthave cable teak make itimposinglygrand. heavy carved outside butinsidetheceilingsandwallsof this hotel appears tobeinshambles fromthe r270-450B; Intharakhiri; England-language titles. a bookshop nextdoorthatoccasionallyhas some furniture tofillupthespace. There is rooms withhotwater, asmallbalconyand and coldwater, tomore air-con comfortable range withfans,hospital-like beds fromthose vast roomsinthisplain,three-storey hotel r250-450B; 5554 2648/9;298/2ThIntharakhiri; rooms. has clean,ifstark, afairnumberof familiesand Siam. Italsosees that Myanmarintelligence agents frequent the 200-500B; munal area. inthecom- fridge, wireless internet andTV and professional of withtheuse akitchen, isvery friendly shared bathrooms.Theservice in themiddleof town.Allhave well-equipped value hotel southof thecentre, hasspacious, and gem traders’ haunt,localrumourhasit Rujira First Hotel Siam Hotel DK Mae Sot Square Hotel SotSquare DK Mae ) Popularamongvolunteers, thisneigh- Ban Thai GuestHouse Ban Thai n ( % Although it’sbasicallyatruckers’Although Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com 0 55544969;[email protected]; ( % ( % 0 55531233;fax1340;44Th 0 55531376;185ThPrasatWithi;r a ) Just off themainstreet,Just off ai (Duang Kamol Hotel; (Duang Kamol ( % ) This fantastic This fantastic 0 55531590; ai saalaa ) The % 0 road toMae thisistheplaceforaro- Ramat, theKm1and2markersbetween on the made pasta, pizzas and focaccia are served pizzasandfocacciaaremade pasta, served NGOworkers.ommended byItalian Home- restaurantthis simpleItalian isheartilyrec- 30-160B; RESTAURANTS veggie-friendly options. Mae Sotisaculinarycrossroadwithplentyof Eating courts, goodrestaurant, discoandabar. four-star amenities.There’s apool,tennis centre. Roomsare spaciousandhave allthe to Tak is 10minutes’ drive fromthetown 1100/2900B; 100ThAsia;r/ste inclbreakfast .centralhotelsresorts.com; (50B). station are forpickupfromthebus free Call touse. thehotel, andbicycles fi accessthroughout lonelyplanet.com yam hètkhon is equally inventive, withsuch specialities as you’re dininginthe forest. TheThaicuisine this open-air restaurant to make itfeel asif designed out.AThaibotanist mantic evening Pa;Mae dishes50-90B; best placetocatch uponinternational news. information isabundant here. It’salsothe is varied,theprices are reasonable andlocal are large, themenu is strong,theservings Phanit; dishes40-100B; is apopulargatheringspot. andThaifood,this coffee, salads sandwiches, large breakfast,air-con good Serving section. has adecked terrace withparasolsandasmall 35-60B; too. Aiyaalsodelivers. basswithginger isgood sauce curry. Thesea withmixedsalad friedpeasortheaubergine on vegetarian options.Trydishes like tealeaf food, which isparticularlystrong Burmese fantastic Aiya isasimpleplacethatserves h deliveriesGuesthouse are alsoavailable. foodisonoffer.tions plusThaiandBurmese wicked chocolate cake. Lotsof vegetarian op- violi withsage andbutter sauce. Theyalsodoa here. Trydishes like ra- spinach andricotta Casa Mia Khao Mao Khao Fang Khao Mao Khao Aiya Central Mae Sod Hill Hotel SodHill Mae Central T Corner 10am-10pm) Khrua Canadian Canadian Khrua h ( h % 8am-10pm) as 8am-10pm) ( 0 5553 0102; 533 Th Intharakhiri; dishes30-160B; 0 55530102;533ThIntharakhiri; % ( % Opposite Bai FernOpposite Bai GuestHouse, (a spicy salad made withfor- (aspicy salad 0 55534297; 08 7204 4701; Th Don Kaew; dishes 08 72044701;ThDonKaew; TAK Sot ••Mae PROVINCE ) Thisresort onthehighway h This new,fresh lookingcafé h Tucked downaside street, 10am-10pm) ( 7am-10.30pm) % ( % 557/2 0 55534659;3ThSri 0 5553 3607; 382 Mu 5, 0 55533607;382Mu ( % Th Intharakhiri; dishes Th Intharakhiri; Northof town 0 55532601;www Thecoffee Don’t miss thelarge, lively Shopping cover (20B). around 10.30pmandsometimes charges a live musicandmanydrunken travellers. an extensive of selection mixed drinks,folky food isalsoavailable. choice GoodThai of outsideorinside seating. has achunky and a woodenbar,pooltable, thislaid-backSaturday nights, popularplace the weekends. Mae Sothasalively nightlife thatheatsupat Drinking &Entertainment very similarto pork, greens, peanuts,chilli andgreen beans– a rich bowl of ricenoodlescovered withsliced other localfoodspecialityis ‘fried crispy’),asortof vegetable tempura. An- ite localsnack, Withi).Lookoutforafavour-from ThPrasat to thebackof the to the For cheap head takeaway, ThaiandBurmese QUICK EATS too. Peruse the currieshaveand Burmese recommended been the goodcoffee andbread. Thesteaks, salads popular alldaylong.Many comehere for FernBai atmosphere hasapleasant andis 240B; lettuce, ginger, limeandchilli). of home-cured peanuts,riceshoots, sausage, and October) and shops and stalls along Th Prasat Withi (beside along Th Prasat shops andstalls bustle among theglittering treasures in the along the border. Check outthehustle and jade andgemand isthe mostimportant centre slippers fromMandalay. blanketssturdy Burmese and velvet thong clothing, cheap cigarettes, Indianfood, roses, someinteresting sells includingBurmese stuff, est mushrooms only available in September est mushroomsonlyavailable inSeptember at LuckyMusicRoom,which gets going local flavour, youcandanceyourself silly Mae theSiam Hotel, the market Sot.Behind rice-noodle vendors Withi. alongThPrasat while youwait. Lucky Music Room Lucky Music Crocodile Tear Kung’s Bar Bai Fern Mae Sotis mostfamousfor its gems trade, h day market 7.30am-10pm) ( % ( Th Intharakhiri) (Th Intharakhiri; Intharakhiri; (Th 0 5553 3343; Th Intharakhiri; dishes60- 0 55533343;ThIntharakhiri; k krabawng jaw Bangkok Post ŭ behind theSiamHotel or ayt night market Thecosy,wood-furnished m (Th PrasatWithi) (Th ǐ aw sùkh ŭ u khâo mâo Lively on Fridayand h municipal market municipal market k ŭ 3pm-1am) ayt (furthestaway ǒ orthe (Burmese for (Burmese thai ǐ aw meuang, For more . Lookfor (a salad (asalad Features Nation 421 in NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND kok, gotoTak (minivan/air-con bus53/74B, If you’re headinganywhere otherthanBang- BUS &S time of writing. The Mae Sotairportwasnotoperatingatthe AIR Getting There&Away located here. course (see p419 ) andoutdoor caféare also paintings.AcookeryUpstairs agallerysells them soyouknowwhere themoney isgoing. items, haveclothes andhousehold labels on foundation. Allof theproducts,such asbags, a woman’scollective andachild-assistance women, theprofits of thisshop gobackinto artsandcraftitems madebyrefugeeSelling 674/14ThIntharakhiri; yahoo.com; to bargain hard. the Siamhotel). Iflookingtobuybeprepared 422 Breln Shop Borderline most aren’t registered themavoid Thai andtheir legalstatus makes institutions. Consequently, becauseinsurance scheme,butthisis largely unattainablefor the majorityofmigrants, partly totheschools. andregistered Migrants accessing transport can accessanationalhealth workers language differences themvulnerable todeportation, anddifficultyinlack oflegal statusmaking reality thislawapractical challenges remain formigrantchildren. tomaking These includetheir tion ofupto12years, regardless oftheirnationality, legal statusanddocumentation.Yet many employer needsto cover someofthecosts. majority ofthemigrants are notregistered, as itisanexpensive andunclearprocessthe to workforoneyear andtheworkpermitshave toberenewed onayearlybasis. However, the identification cards and beissuedworkpermitsonceemployment issecured. are Migrants allowed and frequently lackaccess tobasiceducationalandhealthservices. They are byofficials,work. extremely vulnerabletoexploitationbyemployersanddeportation and domestic fishery,construction farm, factory, at waybelowsubsistence levels –performing Approximately andtheirfamilieslive twomillionBurmesemigrantworkers inThailand –often rights violationsoften withaprecarious becomemigrantworkers, politicalandlegalstatus. fighting. Those whocrosstheborder becauseofpoliticallyinducedeconomichardshiporhuman to provide humanitarian assistance,includinghealthcare andschooling. tered alongtheborder. InthesecampstheThai government allowsinternational organisations in eastern Burma. Today, refugees continue tocrosstheborderescapefromongoingfightingandpersecution the suppression demonstrationsin1988 andtheoverturned 1990elections. ofpro-democracy advocatesnority populations,studentsandpro-democracy were forcedintoThailand following forced relocation campaignsoftheindigenouspopulations. Large numbersofcivilianethnicmi- stateethnic Karen andestablishedbasesneartheThai–Burma border,fromwhere theylaunched Burmese refugees firstcrossedintoThailand in1984,whentheBurmesearmy penetrated the BURMESE REFUGEES&MIGRANTS A RVNE • a o TAK Sot ••Mae PROVINCE According toThai government policy,migrantchildren inThailand have arighttobasiceduca- fromtheregionIt ispossibleformigrantworkers tobelegallyregistered, obtainnon-Thai Many whofleeBurmaare notpermitted toberegistered refugees ifnotrunningfrom active At present, over 151,000Burmeserefugees live inrelative safety inninerefugee camps scat- Ǎ WNGTH ( Ǎ % EW 0 55546584;borderlineshop@ h 8am-6pm Tue-Sun) reportedly bylate 2007.Blues willstophereAll buses whenitisfinished – was beingcompleted atthetimeof writing. Th Asia. Anewbusterminal neartheairport thatisaround2kmoutofbus station townby hours). leavedaily (565B,eight These fromthe leave to/fromBangkok fourtimes (24 seats) hours) have similardepartures. VIPbuses hours); 2nd-class air-con (284B,nine buses kok andMae Sotsixtimesdaily(365B,nine and noon. also leave 6am hourlybetween thisstation 1½ hours) andMae Sariang (170B,sixhours) Sarit (70B,2½hours), ThaSongYang (60B, thenortherndestinationsof Maeserving Orange station. s from thesame leave Buses police station. lessfrequently justnorthofhourly fromthestation the andMaeang Rai Sai.Minivansleave forTak ChiangMai, headedtoLampang, Chi- buses 1½ hours) where youcaneasilyconnectwith First-class air-con Bang- runbetween buses lonelyplanet.com ǎ wngth ǎ wngth ǎ ew ǎ ew to Thirty -six kilometres fromMae Sot,Rte [hko;tg]pN Waley AROUND MAESOT for tripsaroundtown. Fernany hotel orBai restaurant ( p421 ). can berented foraround1200Baday;askat rents outmotorbikes (see p406 andvans ). Cars a bike before also renting. Thaiguesthouse Ban rents outmotorcycles.Make sure youtest ride (10B). including Moei s Most of Mae on foot.Regular Sotcanbeseen Getting Around southern endof ThSriPhanit. the off 7amand3pmfromanoffice between Um Phang (120B,fourhours) leave hourly lonelyplanet.com 1206 splitssouthwestoff Rte 1090atBan ǎ wngth Jit Motorcycle Motorcycle taxis ands Motorcycle taxis Center’ sign,where youcangivemoneyinreturn forareceipt. Itisalsopossibletovolunteer Here there Bridge. isadeskwith‘Public SotandtheFriendship Relations to theclinic,whichishalfwaybetweenMae nities. In both cases the minimum volunteering period is3months. [email protected] period nities. Inbothcasestheminimum volunteering formore information. advance. Mostofthevolunteers are healthprofessionals doinginternshipsbutthere are someEnglishteaching opportu- migrants ayear. helpisbydonatingmoneyto theclinic. waysofoffering Take Oneofthe bestanddirect as to meetthehealthneedsoftheseBurmesemigrants. The clinicgivesfree medicaltreatment toaround50,000 Burmese Taoare position.TheMae inaprecarious refugee, herselfaKaren Clinicwasestablishedin1989 byDrCynthiaMaung, of Burma’srefugees thatfloodovertheborderendup in refugee campswithaccesstomedicalcare; thosewhodon’t Ban Thai GuestHouse Burma Volunteer Programme Mae Tao Clinic formallywithan aid organisation. However,camps unlessworking there are variouswaysto help: in needofoutsideassistance. Tourists,bothThai andforeign, are nolongerpermitted tovisit the Although manyThai andforeign volunteers have cometotherefugees’ aid,thecampsare very much HOW TOHELP? sites are www.burmanet.org andwww.irrawaddy.org. this gapinhealthcare, often incooperationwithprovincial healthauthorities. many grassrootsandinternational nongovernmental organisations are tobridge actively working disruptive, theminimum commitment is usually one month. Sot,an informalteachingpost maybearranged.Soas nottobe demand, and with40schoolsinand aroundMae around, but positions in Mae Hong Son, Mae Sariang and Chiang Mai are possible. andChiangMai Sariang Hong Son,Mae around, but positionsinMae training. Sotand Placementsare mainlyinMae skills volunteers maygetinvolved ineditingpublicationsorpractical Teachingeducational opportunities. placementsare foraminimumofthree months. AswellasEnglishtraining, to enablecommunication oftheirsituationwiththeinternationalcommunity, andtofacilitateaccessadditional provide Englishteaching todifferent Burmesesocial,politicalandethnic groupsalongtheThai–Burmeseborder, To findoutmore abouttherefugees andmigrants,aswellthesituationinBurma,useful ǎ ew serve surroundingcommunities ew serve (Th PrasatWithi;motorcyclesperday160B) (Th TAK Sot ••AroundMae PROVINCE (DrCynthia’sClinic; ( p420 options. Teaching) Askatthis guesthouseaboutother volunteering ǎ amláw charge 20B % (www.geocities.com/maesotbvp) Thisvolunteerprogrammewassetupto 0 55563644;www.maetaoclinic.org, www.burmachildren.org) Whilemany Thanks totheInternationalRescueCommunity(www.theirc.org) main gateways toKawthoolei, the Karen three mealsperday. month. Thefee includesavery nice room and of US$25perperson perday,orUS$600 but there isathree-day minimumatacharge andlivesible tovolunteer atthesanctuary, have rescued been fromcaptivity.Itispos- that cares forgibbonsandotheranimalsthat near Phop Phra. Thelatter isaprivate facility 1090) Km42.8,Rte (www.members.tripod.com/highlandfarm; Chedi Kok furniture instead. trade. Nowadaysthere’s abrisktradeinteak government,tary teak wasthemainborder cut off alltimbertradewithMyanmar’smili- ousted theKNU. UntiltheThaigovernment nation, butin1989theYangon government gling point. border townof smug- Waley,animportant Saw Ohandterminates 25kmsouthatthe One canvisithill-tribevillages near sidewasonceoneofThe Burmese two , orthe Highland Farm andGibbonRefuge Highland at the clinic if you apply in at theclinicifyouapplyin is often in is often ǎ wngth ǎ ew ew 423 Ban NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND relations between Myanmar and Thailand can relations MyanmarandThailand can between 2006coup.Inaddition,sporadic September duetothe foraweek the crossingwasclosed situation inMae Sot.Atthetimeof writing the FriendshipBridge, askabouttheborder ( you anew30-daytouristvisa p753 ). Thai immigrationofficeatthebridge willgive immigration. Onyourreturn toThailand,the to pickupyourpassportandcheck outwith as longyou’re backatthebridge by4.30pm Then you’re free towanderaroundMyawadi or 500Bandleave yourpassportsasadeposit. payafee ofpermits foraone-daystay, US$10 Myanmar immigrationbooth 420m FriendshipBridge. then you’re free towalkacrossthearched paperwork toleave and Thailandofficially, It takes around15minutes tofinish allthe in thenearbyMae Shopping Bazaar. Moei Thai gration procedures are taken care of atthe ing theMae to NamMoei Myawadi. Immi- the sake bycross- of 30-dayvisa, aninstant asliceofExperience Myanmar,orjustgofor ^]kfib}g}p!g}up;;fu Border Market&Myawadi S THERE&AWAYGETTING 424 of themore exciting markets inThailand, ture, jade andgems. it’s notone However, kets, lacquerware, woodenfurni- tapestries, products, teak furniture, thickcotton blan- shoots, mung beans,peanuts, woven-straw goods –driedfish andshrimp, driedbamboo Burmese on theThaiside thatlegallysells each day’sextension after thatitcosts500B. extension forfree atthe immigrationoffice. For has runout,itispossibletogetvisa aone-day andyour 30-day days. Iftheborder isclosed forafew the bordertoclose sometimes cause problems there’s another immigration office Friendship Bridge, ifyouhave although any as the s as the place 6amand6pm,fromthesame between (45B) departfromMae half-hour, Sotevery police outpostbefore Waley. unpaved. Yourpassportmaybechecked ata 25km toWaley;thelast10kmof theroadare Rte 1206southwest.Fromthisjunctionit’s east towardsUmPhang andafter 36kmtake by motorcycleorcar,followRte 1090south- ǎ wngth There isa Before taking the6kms taking Before At theotherendof thebridge isarustic immigration booth A RVNE • mPag&Aon TAK ••UmPhang&Around PROVINCE ǎ ǎ wngth ew toPhop Phra (40B)andWaley market market ǎ ew toUmPhang. Ifyougo about 100mfrom theriver ( h , where you’llfillout 8.30am-4.30pm) ǎ wngth ǎ ew trip to ew tripto atthe and these inturnareand these encircledby12larger used to be called the ‘Death Highway’ be- tobe called the‘Death Highway’ used Phang, 150km away.This stretch of road Route 1090goes south from Mae SottoUm v=h}zk' UM PHANG &AROUND to Mae Sotleaves at5pm. RimMoei of Thelasts theMoei). 6km westof Mae (Edge Sot: askforRimMoei S THERE & AWAYGETTING residents canspeaksomeThai. Maebetween SotandMyawadi,manylocal time commercial,socialandreligious links of long- large balancedonherhead.Because and justabout womanhassomething every vehicles travel thebarely paved mainavenue, life isonthissideof theriver. Few motorised few extrabaht,you’llfeel justhowdifferent gather aroundlonetravellers inhopesof a claimed guidesandenergetic s bridge, you’llnote thedifferences. As self-pro- Buddhas –butassoonyoustep the off different thanThailand–temples, alongthesouthernsideof town. can beseen erected bythearea’s originalMoninhabitants, 1000-year-old citywalls,probably earthen Buddhas.Myawadi’s bronze Sukhothai-style with Buddhasinotherstyles,includingseveral while niches inthesurroundingwallare filled Mandalay-style Buddhasaroundacentralpillar, chedi Ahollow for itscrocodile-shapedsanctuary. gon with lotsof mirrored mosaics. style, the typicalMonandcentral-Burmese Shin UpagotandotherBuddhistdeitiesfollow ones. ColourfulshrinestoMahamuni Buddha, rounding themain 1600 precious andsemiprecious gems. Sur- many kilosof goldandtoppedbymore than Wan temple is so on.Themostimportant a numberof monasteries, schools, shops and town,with Myawadi isafairlytypicalBurmese g}up;;fu MYAWADI currency) here atfavourable rates. You canalsobuyblack-market and theMae Sotmarket ismuch more lively. ǎ wngth It might soundlikeIt might Myawadiisn’tallthat Another noted Buddhisttemple is , calledWatDonJarakhe inThaiandnamed , atraditionalbell-shaped at Myikyaungon contains four marble fourmarble atMyikyaungoncontains ǎ ew frequently gototheborder(10B), chedi ǎ wngth are 28smaller chedi lonelyplanet.com ǎ ǎ kyat ew goingback amláw drivers gildedwith (Burmese (Burmese chedi Shwe Muay Shwe Muay Myikyaun- chedi and , highway totwowaterfalls,highway scenery. mountain incrediblethis steep, windingroadthrough ofcause brake failure ortreacherous turnson ended inthe1980s,butlives are stilllostbe- days hindered Those development. highway ofcause theguerrillaactivityinarea that lonelyplanet.com Mae Nam Klong Nam Mae Um PhangKi 4 1 Mae Khlong 3 2 5 UM PHANG Mai (8km); Along thewaythere are shorthikes the off (21km) To Ban Nam Tok Thilawsu(45km) To Nam TokThilawjaw (4km); Palatha (25km); 8 A 11 ang TRANSPORT EATING SLEEPING SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Phudoi CampSite...... Garden Huts...... Umphang HillResort...... (see11) Trekker Hill...... (see7) Boonchuay CampingTours...... Post Office...... District Office...... Border Police...... S†wngth†ew toMaeSot...... Phudoi Restaurant...... (see6) Market...... (see 12) Umphang HillResort...... Umphang CountryHuts...... Um PhangGuestHouse...... Trekker Hill...... Hu A5 Tu KaSuCottage...... Ph Huay Um 10 ay TAK ••UmPhang&Around PROVINCE Checkpoint 5 Ya Mae 1 District Gate 3 200m 0.1miles 0 0 9 Station Meteorology 4 Nam TokThararak Airstrip 2 6 Wat Nilawan 7 B 12 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Hospital Umphang B5 A5 A4 B5 B5 B5 A5 B5 B4 B5 A3 other sideof border. originally hailedfrom Htikabler village onthe lage inhabited bymore than500 Karen who Huay, isaKarenLuang andBan refugee vil- near theThai-Karen villages of Nong Ban where UmPhang Myanmar, meets Amphoe to afew smallerKaren villages. Attheborder ricefieldsandalongHuayUmPhangthrough lows thefootpaths northeastof thevillage from theKaren word the district.Thenamefordistrict comes of plenty outsideofhouses town.You’llalsosee are ontheverandas acommonsight of Karen forelephantwrangling used and othertack oxen forfarmwork. ditional, andelephantsare asmuch as used Many Karen villages inthisarea are very tra- grown village populated mostly byKaren. and HuayUmPhang, UmPhang isanover- Hmong villages. Therearound RimMoei. are alsoseveral refugees thatwere moved here fromcamps lage (calledUmPiam)with around 20,000 very large Karen refugee andBurmese vil- Maeway between SotandUmPhang –isa mid- RomKlao4–roughly Just beyondBan villages (Karen, Lisu,Hmong,Mien,Lahu). a groupof government-sponsored hill-tribe ers. AsideroadattheKm48marker leadsto theKm24and25mark- between highway up here. toilets nearby;onweekends foodvendors set falls forcoolingoff andacoupleof outhouse inthestreambenches of right atthebase the madeintoaparkofeasy. It’sbeen sorts,with texturea rough thatmakes climbingthefalls over andcalcifiedrockswith limestonecliffs roen (26km fromMae Sot)and Sanctuary (another Unesco World Heritage National Park Kaeng and Huay Kha Wildlife Sanctuary linkswiththeThung Yai Naresuan est waterfall inThailand. UmPhang Wildlife tions isNam TokThilawsu ( p426 ), the larg- Heritage site. Oneof itsmostpopularattrac- Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi province, authorities. ried theirdocumentstoshow toThaiborder inwhichboo container travelling Karen car- elephants South of UmPhang, towardsSangkhlaburi Sitting atthejunctionof Mae NamKlong The eucalyptus-lineddirtroadleaves the An interesting hike can be donethatfol- (41km).NamTokThararakstreams (admission 400B) inotherKaren villages throughout Yaeng umpha, isaUnescoWorld (elephant saddles) (elephantsaddles) Um Phang Wildlife Um Phang Nam Tok Pha Cha- Nam TokPha atypeof bam- 425 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND fern-covered cliff. off at back toUmPhang fromPalatha youcanstop to theHmongvillage of 20km furthersouthalongtheroad toPalatha returned toUmPhang. Oryoucancontinue mentioned villages tobemetbyatruckand cross theriver byelephanttooneof theafore- atthefalls.On thirddayyoucan night along theriver before Thilawsuandasecond the river; thefirst atacave night orhotsprings theKarenthe fallsthrough villages of Phang tothefalls,thenatwo-daytrek from clude araftjourneyalongtheriver fromUm Typicalthree-dayguesthouse. excursions in- Thilawsu andKaren villages –inquire atany down Mae NamMae KlongtoNamTok UmPhangIn Amphoe youcanarrange trips oµk^d mu]v:) NAM TOKTHILAWSU Sights &Activities connection for20Bperhour. in townnearWatNilawanoffer thesame Places 40B perhourthatnonguestscanuse. sort ( p428 ) hasaslowinternet connectionfor phones.TheUmphangHillRe- long-distance There’s a with you. so bringallthecashyou’llneed are notequippedtodealwithcredit cards, There isnobankinUmPhang andbusinesses Information natural forests inSoutheastAsia. wildlife corridorandoneof thelargest intact National Parks toformThailand’slargest and Mae Lan site), Wong aswellKhlong 426 Sanctuary headquarters nearthe fallsany most beautiful waterfall inthecountry Thais consider NamTok Thilawsu tobethe ming. Part of UmPhang Wildlife Sanctuary, of levels forswim- and several poolssuitable There’sseason. ashallow cave behind thefalls and upto400mwideduringthe rainy high land’s largest, measuring anestimated 200m Thilawsu isatits best. Thiswaterfall isThai- arecliffs streaming withwater andNamTok December) when the200mto400mlimestone (Novemberpecially after therainyseason and and Palatha byroad). and returns themtoUmPhang (25kmfrom You can The sceneryalongtheriver isstunning,es- Some peopleprefer tospendtwodayson Palatha A RVNE • mPag&Aon TAK ••UmPhang&Around PROVINCE Nam TokThilawjaw post office , where a4WDpicksuptrekkers camp atthe UmPhang Wildlife , which hasacoupleof , which tumblesover a Kangae Khi Kangae . Ontheway Khotha S sive ifyougono further.the trip even Impres- isworth among spikypeaksand cliffs setting common thanmotorcycles. Thepicturesque trading village where carts are buffalo more Talaku Indo-Burmese, Burmese, andThai (sometimes spelt Peung Kleung)–aKaren, southwest along the borderto Mae Sot,agradeddirt road(Rte 1167)heads metres northof UmPhang to viathehighway MaeFrom Ban Mai, Khlong justafew kilo- g]^v'%=!veg#vly'*]t[=iu TOSANGKHLABURILETONGKHU Tours ( opposite ) formore information. gramme, or4000Bifbooked inMae Sot.See three-daycost 3500Bforatwo-night, pro- tripsarranged inUmPhang typically Rafting times of enough. yearthewater isn’thigh level is short –AugusttoOctober only–asother forUmPhang Khi Theraftingseason season. of duringtheheight therainy IV (difficult) rapids rated atclassIII(moderate) andclass of47 (someraftingcompaniesclaim 67) sets northeast of there UmPhang. Officially are Um Phang isa‘new’area Khi forrafting, RAFTING Mo Phado fourhours fromhereto thefallsisastiff via road southof UmPhang toKm19;thewalk bike rideronly.Orfollowthemainpaved Um Phang, for4WDoraskilleddirt- suitable drive tothe fallsover 47kmroadfrom arough to Palatha. variegata) commonplace, andtheorchid tree of palm;giantbambooandstranglerfigsare more tocontain is said than1300varieties Tok Thilawsucanbesuperb.Theforest here forest, andthehikinginvicinityof Nam river are Thailand’sthickest of stands natural Surrounding thefallsonbothsidesof the tion of well-conceived educationalplaques. nature tour,with theaddi- into aself-guided quarters transformed andthefallshasbeen head- thesanctuary The 1.8kmtrailbetween person, butyoumustbringyourownfood. there are alsoroomsavailable for150Bper time of year. DecemberandMay Between to 25Bperperson. ask for Km 19marker fromUmPhang oncedaily; ǎ wngth Between December andJuneyoucanalso Between Nam Tok Ekaratcha kii-loh sìpkâo ǎ village. As ew from Um Phang usually make a can even be seen alongtheroad beseen caneven ǎ isan hour’swalk away. andexpecttopay20B wngth ǎ lonelyplanet.com ew goes tothe ew goes Beung Kleung (Bauhinia track (passable by 4WD in the dry season), by4WDinthedryseason), track (passable ‘sage’) whowears hishairlong–usuallytied chaik a spiritualandtemporal leadercalleda around 30more inMyanmar. village has Each such villages inThailand;there are reportedly isone of onlysix and animism.Letongkhu a formof Buddhismmixed withshamanism orTalakuto theLagu torepresent said sect, for themostpartKaren inlanguage, belong formation isavailable, thevillagers, although Letongkhu villageis theculturallysingular,109-house of Mae Nam SuriyanexttoSamRommountain, near theMyanmarborderonbanksof tional Karen village of the wayyoucanstopoff atthesmall,tradi- home foradonationof 100Bperperson. On atthevillagesible tostay clinicorinaprivate Kleungonceaday,andit’spos- trip toBeung lonelyplanet.com break outinthis area during the dry months government offensives against theKNU can upitslatest headquarters. tactical set Yangon Myanmar sideof theborder, theKNUhas ( p416 ) inTak. onthe Opposite Letongkhu inUmPhangder status orattheTAT office shouldn’t have aproblem. If youtreat thevillagers withrespect thenyou do nottake photographs withoutpermission. Likewise, without permission orinvitation. take care notto enter anyvillage structures away uponarrival.IfyoudovisitLetongkhu, visit. Travellers are tohave said turned been this uniquecommunitywillwelcome your call headingouthere Before to outsidevisitation. the Talaku, thus makingtheTalaku sensitive infiltrated thearea andhave tried toconvert talismans. magic. Antiqueelephanttusksare kept as on herbal healingandritual medicine based the village traditional inatemple andpractise and are celibate. Thepriestslive apartfrom similar robes. All in topknots(often tiedincloth)andmaywear sage’s manymaledisciplesalsoweartheirhair ing backtotheirresidence inMyanmar. The 10th inalineof ‘white-thread’ priestsdat- brown robes,dependingonthesubsect. in atopknot–anddresses inwhite, yellowor Four hours’ walkfromhere alongarough According towhatlittleanthropologicalin- You shouldalso inquire aboutthebor- Evangelistic Christianmissionaries have The current Ban LaeTongku (whomtheThaiscall (Leh Tawng (Leh Khu). pu chaik TAK ••UmPhang&Around PROVINCE reus ( % ǐ 0 55561008) i Ban Thiphochi abstain fromalcohol abstain at Letongkhu isthe atLetongkhu reus tomake sure ǐ i – . ‘rishi’ or pu up in the rough rapids. Choose rubberunless rapids. Choose up intherough switched torubber asbambooraftscanbreak what kindof raftsare mostplaceshave used; trip forUS$400.Itisworthchecking tosee a similarandrecommendedSot alsodoes Trekking ( p419 inMae) atNo4GuestHouse mum fourpeople,perperson 9000B);Eco- treka seven-day (mini- downtoSangkhlaburi few noticeUmphangHillResort does weeks’ day tripstoNamTokThilawsu. If given a food andaguideservice. The priceincludesrafting,anelephant ride, from 4500Bperperson (fourormore people). area. the The typicalthree-night, four-day tripcosts in trips rafting and trekking arrange of inUmPhang theguesthouses can Several Tours October toJanuary. notice. Thebesttimeof yeartodothetrek is withadvance from UmphangtoSangkhlaburi Hill Resort( p428 treks) canarrange seven-day Trekking inMae Sot( p419 ) andUmphang Eco- Kleung.Otherwise, this route inBeung Phang. Youmaybeable toarrange aguidefor recommended foranysojourn southof Um becoming lost,illorinjured, aguideishighly this borderarea andthevery real potential for UmPhangroad between andSangkhlaburi. discussion of cuttinganewer,more direct crossing backintoThailand.There hasbeen beforeder intoMyanmarforsomedistance branches; over themainroute crosses thebor- village. Theroute hasseveral toSangkhlaburi out acrossthebordertoaKNU-controlled route,the same there’s adirtroadbranching Takube the road,isextensive cave system of Kleung),about 250m off (11km fromBeung five-day Kleung.Ontheway trek fromBeung will turnalltrekkers back. likely checkpoints tohappen,Thaimilitary have rafting and hikingtrips to Nam Tok have English-speaking guides. The majority as therecommended companiesbelow who arrange treks,signs. Most guesthouses aswell ( p428 ) hasthebestequipment andtrip de- ing there). walking toyour camp site rather thanraft- you are really lookingfor adventure (such as of theyear,butwhenthisishappeningor Longer treks are alsopossible, aswell Because of theoverallBecause sensitive nature of ( Sangkhlaburi p222 ) is90kmorafour- to Within UmPhang, UmphangHill Resort . From Ban Mae. FromBan Chan,35kmalong Tham Tham 427 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND seven-day treks south to Sangkhlaburi. treks southtoSangkhlaburi. seven-day oftime. Canarrange groups offoreigners whobookahead company inUmPhang. Itsemphasisisonleadingbig Sot( One TourinMae p420 ) thisisthelongest-running 5553 1409;www.umphanghill.com)AssociatedwithMax focus iscampingandcommuningwithnature. 1ThPravitpaiwan)Its [email protected]; 360Mu 400B) 8783; www.phudoi.com;637ThPravitpaiwan; tent200B,r number of English-speaking guidesintown. runthemost tours and has thelargestit does huts withjustamattress. Plussidesare that grave of need TLC. There are alsotinybasic sixto 20peopleandaredesigned tosleep in of theoversized themountains, bungalowsare 500-2000B; 1409; www.umphanghill.com;perperson100-200B, bungalows Resort Umphang Hill BUDGET especially inthewetseason. couples maybeable tonegotiate lowerrates, designed forfourormore people. Singlesor places cater tolarge groupssotheirroomsare normal andallof thebedsare rockhard.Most Thai, roomrates than tend tobealittlehigher since themajority of visitors tothearea are Accommodation inUmPhang isplentiful,but Sleeping Resort Umphang Hill Hill Trekker Tours Boonchuay Camping an option. elephant ridinginstead of walkingisalways or shorter tripsmayalsobearranged, and of rapidsonMae NamMae Klong.Longer ary thattakes rafters 11different through sets Thilawsu andbeyond,includingoneitiner- 428 an open area near thecottages. to four. There’s alarge outdoor restaurant in Western toilets andhotwater, whichup sleep three, and nicerwood-and-brick cottages with local Near WatNilawan, thisplaceisownedbythe a restaurant name( withthesame right ). have verandas. There’s alsoacampingarea and log cabin-stylebungalows are spacious and landscaped hillside nearthevillage centre. The clients, Phudoi has bungalows set onawell- clients, Phudoi hasbungalowsset from onedaytofour. highly recommended oftreks outfitoffers running avariety like upto roomswith squattoilets that sleep Um Phang GuestHouse Um Phang Phudoi Camp Site Site Camp Phudoi Primarilycatering toitsprebooked tour A RVNE • mPag&Aon TAK ••UmPhang&Around PROVINCE kamnan a ( % ) Set in apretty gardenwithviews Set (precinct Ithasmotel- officer). 0 55561090;620ThPravitpaiwan)This ( ( ( % % % 0 55561049,Bangkok1886 ( 0 5556 1063, Mae Sot05553 0 55561063,Mae ( 0 5556 1063; Mae Sot 0 55561063;Mae % % 0 55561073;r250-450B) 0 55561020;boonchuay % 0 are also rice dishes, noodles, cially the 20-40B; you’ll find noodle shopsalong themainroad. small sundriesshop. There isashort stringof and riceshops, plusamorning Um Phang hasthree orfoursimplenoodle Eating rooms. The cheapest rooms have cold-water bath- two-storey buildingwithprivate verandas. larger, more atmospheric roomsinanother Klong share acommonveranda. There are thatch, two-storey buildingfacingHuayMae Roomsinawood-and- a nicehillysetting. 1.5km before UmPhang, hutsenjoy these phangcountryhut.com; r500-1500B) English-speaking guide. trekking-rafting trips,butitonlyhasone outdoor feel. TuKa Sualsorunsgoodlocal bathrooms have hot-water showers withan 600Band800B.tages forbetween Allof the half of oneof thesmallertwo-roomcot- 10,butit’spossibletorentbungalows sleep flower andexoticfruitgardens.Thelargest stone, multiroomcottages issurroundedby Phang. Theattractive collectionof brick-and- cleanest andbest-runaccommodationinUm 1500B) of thenaturalsceneryinUmPhang. neighbours andtake goodadvantage though, andwellkeptcomfortable thantheircheaper places inotherareas. Theyare more notably the bellsandwhistlesof comparably priced Midrange optionsinUmPhang don’thave all MIDRANGE &TOPEND perky bonus. garden. Thestrong,Thai-grown coffee isa sittingareaspleasant andawell-cared-for comfort andsizefrontstheriver. Itfeatures collection of bungalowsof varyingdegrees of 300-500B) in Bangkok lite TV. three mealsa day andalsohassatel- serves of thevalleyandUmPhang. Therestaurant collection of hillsidehasviews hutsonasteep Garden Huts Garden At thecamp site of name ( thesame left ) Umphang CountryHuts SuCottage Tu Ka Trekker Hill Trekker Westof Huay UmPhang, this isthe h Operated oldercouple,this byasweet % 8am-10pm) phánaeng Phudoi Restaurant Restaurant Phudoi 0 1642 7594; www.boonyaporn.com; 8/1 Mu 6;r 0 16427594;www.boonyaporn.com;8/1Mu Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com (Boonyaporn GuestHouse; ( % . Ithasvery good food,espe- 0 55561090;r300B) (Kin Ka Tu; Ka (Kin (mild curry)dishes. There ( % % Off the highway thehighway Off ( 0 55561079;www.um % tôm yam 0 55561295;r600- 0 55561049; dishes market % Thisrustic 0 55561093, anda (hot- Route 105runsnorthalongtheMyanmar c}jlvf!c}jltgiup' MAE SOTTOSARIANG want tocarry3Lor4Lof extrafuel. Rom Klao4,80kmfromMae Sot,soyoumay The onlypetrolpumpalongthewayisinBan drivegrades. Total timeisaroundfourhours. engine astheroadhaslotsof fairlysteep from Mae Sot,besure it’sonewithastrong S 7amand3pm. timesadaybetween several Mae Sot(120B,five hours, 165km)departing There are s Getting There&Away open past9pm. bilingual menuandit’soften theonlyplace and-sour Thaisoup)andcoldbeer. There’s a lonelyplanet.com tion inMae Sarit. water showers. It’s eastof themainintersec- rooms withprivate toiletandshared cold- phang HillResort andoffers sixvery simple Guest House in Mae Sarit(118kmfromMae Sot). in onego,somepeople opttospendthenight thecave offning through themouth. seals whentheriver run- intherainy season, closed it’s a2kmwalktoThamMae Usu; note thatit’s limestone caverns at the Km13and14markers, andextensive Mae Sarianginclude ble Buddha. Otherattractionsonthewayto alarge andhouses office Mandalay-style mar- Don Kaew rarely visited communities.Don’t miss stop andcheck friendly, low-key, outthese patrols often. pared toshowyourpassportThaiborder pre- theoccasional workelephant.Be to use ofstands teak andtheKaren villages continue The thickforest partsstillhasafew inthese SongYangBan Tha small communitiesof The winding,pavedthe through roadpasses riang (226km)inMae HongSonProvince. border fromMae SotallthewaytoMae Sa- near Ban ThaSongYang.near Ban Fromthehighway stop onRte 105. Just follow thesigns. Tha Song Yangin Ban nearthe s Ban RomKlao4 ǎ wngth If youdecidetotryrideamotorcycle There isavery basic Instead of doingthe Myanmarborderrun If youhave yourowntransport,besure to in Mae Ramat. It’s behind the district inMaeIt’sbehind thedistrict Ramat. ǎ ew usuallystopforlunch atwindy (Mae Sarit; s/d50/100B) Sarit; (Mae ǎ wngth ontheway. MAE HONG SON PROVINCE •• Mae Sariang ••Mae MAE HONGSONPROVINCE and ǎ BanSopNgao Nam Tok Mae Kasa Nam TokMae ew toUmPhang from Tham Mae Usu Mae Tham Mae Ramat Mae guesthouse isrelated toUm- (Mae Ngao). ǎ , at Km 94 , atKm94 , wngth (s/d 80/100B) Mae Sarit Mae , between , between Mae Salid Mae ǎ Wat Wat ew , capital. However, few However, toleavecapital. visitors seem many resorts openinginthearea around the tourist miniboom over thepast decade,with burn agriculture inthehotseason. fog inthewinter andsmoke fromslash-and- drop to2°C.Theairisoften mistywithground 40°C, whileinJanuary thetemperature can thetemperature abovetainous, rises seldom windsandisthicklyforestedof sea andmoun- consists of andforest. mountains immigrants. Reportedly 75%of theprovince Shan (knownlocallyasThaiYai) andBurmese Karen, withsome Hmong,LisuandLahu), a crossroadsforethnicminorities (mostly Thailand’s most northwestern province is PROVINCE MAE HONGSON just northof thepolicestation. s hours) orange withanexhausted bum.These tually you’lllandinMae Sariang(170B,six onthes Sarit, juststay charter atruckfor200Bto250B. to Mae Sariang,youcanusuallyarrange to miss themornings head toMae Sariang(60B,three hours). Ifyou utes) where morningandmiddays Mae ThaSongYang Sarit toBan (30B,30min- Mae Sariang).Frequent s s noon (thesame hours) leave fromMae 6amand Sotbetween fried rice). ter shrimp,and sên The creative menuincludesgood around thecornerfrommainmarket. inthecentretaurant of ThaSongYang, Ban 20-50B; Hong Sonprovince are concentrated in the Many of thehill- inMaetribe settlements pop 7800 c}jltgiup' MAE SARIANG track. the beaten Mae HongSon–Soppong–Pai ǎ wngth Hourly s Krua BanTai Mae HongSonprovince hasundergone a As theprovince issofarfromthe influence overnightIf youdecidenottostay inMae (spicy noodle salad) madewithfreshwa- (spicynoodlesalad) h ǎ 8am-9pm) ew ǎ wngth leave fromMae Sot’sbusstation (Th SiWattana,BanThaSangYang; dishes (Th khâo phàtphánaeng isatwo-storey woodenres- ǎ ǎ ǎ wngth ew toMae Sarit(70B,four wngth ǎ wngth ǎ ǎ ǎ wngth ew continueonto ew fromMae Sarit ǎ ew andeven- ǎ ew ǎ wngth yam wún (curried connect 429 ǎ ew NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND definitely worthavisitifyouhave time. Built (not farfromtheMae are Sariangbusstation), Si Bunruang temples, with asmalltravel scene. TwoBurmese-Shan laid-backSariang, it’sapleasant, riverside town camp. asabase ties foruse Sariang isthelargest andoffers themostfacili- Shan villages. three smalltowns,Mae Ofthese ture pointsfortreks toHmong,Karen and Noi andMae Sariang,which are gooddepar- districts andtownsof Yuam,Mae Khun La 430 Renu Restaurant. next toRiver Hotel and just south of House road toMae HongSon.Internet isavailable border. onthe It’sopposite thepetrol station if you’re inapinch andonyour waytothe byacoupleofthat willextend yourvisa days and an Mae Sariang has acoupleof banks withATMs Information chedi of thetwotemples andhasslender, Shan-style in 1896,WatJongSungisthemore interesting M YANR MAE HONGSONPROVINCE Although thereAlthough in Mae isnotmuch tosee (B URMA) A OGSNPOIC • MeSrag Sariang ••Mae MAE HONGSONPROVINCE andwoodenmonastic buildings. Khong National immigration office Lum Nam Wat JongSung Moei Nam Mae Park Nam TokPhaSua , justoff Mae Sariang’smainstreet Ban RuamThai Mae HongSon Sop Soi Ko Prae Chiang Thong Pho So Mae Surin Salai Meuang Noi Soi Na Pa Ban Huay Paek Pon Ban Mae Aw Yuam Fish Cave Khun Pong Pha Pum Hoy Sen 105 108 Tham Pla Thao National Huay MaeMut Mae Sariang Mae LaNoi Ban SopNgao Park (Uthayarom)and Mae Doi ThaeYiChao ( Khong Nam % (1764m) Hua Pon Mae Surin Nam Tok 20miles 30km 0 0 Nam Tham Lang Nam 0 53681339;Route108) Sop Wak Om Koi La-Na Chaem Op Luang Pai Mae Mae 108 CHIANG MAI Nam Sop Sa Rin (Pangmapha) Doi Inthanon 1088 Tham Lot Soppong Yang MaeSa CHIANG MAI Wat Chan National Kiu Lom Park Mae Tup Kheuan (2595m) Doi Inthanon Pai Yang Piang Doi Tao Hot Pai Tha Ban Piang Haeng 1012 Thong Chom Wiang Haeng Wat Mae Nam 1095 Ping a helpfulandwelcoming couple. Roomsare guesthouse keeps growing andimproving.guesthouse Phanit; r300-600B; and free coffee andtea isavailable. proprietor makes alovely icedlemondrink, clean andbasicwith large bathrooms. The river viewshere, anit; r300-450B; showers. and towels,share two spotlesshot-water good size. Thesixroomscomewithslippers on thefloor)butget and are naturallight a Phanit; s/d150/200B) with Thaitruckers. in thenewwing.Theolderwing is popular wooden wingorroomswithhot-water shower riang’s oldesthostelry. Ithasroomsintheold r120-600B; Sariang; .com; ThMae GuestHouse Mitaree BUDGET Sleeping ( Guest House below ). Karen villages. YoucanfindheratSalawin river tripsontheSalawinand4WDto cycling tours aroundMae Sariang,aswell .co.uk) and speaksvery goodEnglish. nexttoRiversidehas an‘office’ GuestHouse, likeknows themountains aguideshould. He is fromoneof thesurrounding hilltribesand the soletrekking guidewhorunsSalawinTour day trek 2200B) have particularlyrecommended: been runtours butthese daisies. Mostguesthouses ‘golden lotus’),which looklike large yellow nearby hillsbloomwith elephant riding.InNovember manyof the trips toMae bamboorafting,and SamLaep, focus ontrekking tohill-tribevillages, boat less ‘prepared’ foryou.Mosttours includeor the communitiesyouvisitare goingtobe less othertrekking likely groupsand tosee you’reHong Son,ChiangMai orChiangRai, from thepopularjumping-off groundsof Mae thearea aroundMaeBecause Sariangisfar trekking Little-known Mae Sariangoffers amazing Activities wooden house arewooden house simple(thinkmattress Riverside GuestHouse Riverside Tour Kanchana Salawin GuestHouse West Guest House North Salawin Tour Thisex-teacher andfull-day offers half- and Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com With thebestreputation intown, tours na (Th Laeng Phanit; one-day trek 1300B,3- LaengPhanit;one-day (Th a ( % Theroomsinthislarge , bothscenicandcultural. this simpleplace isrunby ) ( This friendly, ramshackle % 08 19522167;kanchanakosai@yahoo ) Although thereAlthough are no ( 0 53681110;www.mitareehotel % ( % bua thawng ( % 0 53681490; a 0 53681188; ThLaeng 0 53681956;ThLaeng ) ThisisMae Sa- Th LaengPh- (literally Book accommodationBook online at lonelyplanet.com simply decorated incream andwood.Avery hammocks outside. Allare wellequippedand stairs, fanroomsare alsoriverside andhave the river, andfloor-to-ceiling windows.Down- floor roomshave huge verandas overlooking the bestspotintown.Air-conditioned 2nd- and stylish décormakes thisriverside hotel a [email protected]; 77ThLaengPhanit;d550-750B,tr950B; MIDRANGE &TOPEND feel cluttered. Limited Englishisspoken. wood furniture fillstheroomsmakingthem but zerocharacter. spacious,dark Although 700B; if he’snotinhisplacenextdoor. Tour trekking guidetends tohangouthere a mediocre restaurant, andthelocalSalawin in theriver andthevalleybeyond.There is large terraces viewsof withfantastic aturn Some roomsfeel crampedbutmostshare lonelyplanet.com run fromhere. restaurant ( p432 ) andrecommended tours are There’sromantic placetostay. anexcellent River HouseHotel River (44km) Sam Laep To Mae 1 3 2 MAE SARIANG Kamolsorn Hotel Kamolsorn ) To Mae Sot Thecomboof teak nostalgia-inducing a (221km) ) Amultistorey hotel withcleanrooms AC Th Wiangmai MAE HONG SON PROVINCE •• Mae Sariang ••Mae MAE HONGSONPROVINCE ( % Mosque 0 5368 1524; Th Mae Sariang; r450- Sariang; 0 53681524;ThMae 18 ( Suwanarangsi Wat % Morning 14 Market 16 0 53621201;river 4 13 Mae Nam 11 20 Department 2 Forestry Th Laeng Phanit 15 Office Yuam Th Wai Weuksa B 8 12 3 Th Mae Sariang Sariang Mae Th 7 23 Wat JongSung 21 5 10 19 17 22 Wat SiBunruang aai or...... B1 Salawin Tour...... Kanchana Tour...... (see 16) Post Office...... Police...... Krung ThaiBank(ATM)...... Internet Café...... Internet Café...... Immigration Office...... SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES (ATM)...... Siam Commercial Bank INFORMATION hotels.com; ThLaengPhanit;rincl breakfast 1700-2800B; river viewroomasthetown-sideonesare the cappuccino. and tuckintoscoopsof icecream orafrothy fee. Perch onabarstool orsitbythewindow by theconeorinasundae,aswellreal cof- icecreamThis large, modern,airycaféserves Shaw Yang Eating andagoodrestaurant. a barwithpooltable river. There isalawnedgardenwithdeckchairs, onthe1stflooropenonto the price. Those same porary charm. Newroomsare spaciouswithcontem- people astheRiver Hotel butlacksits House This large three-storey hotel isrunbythesame have hotwater, air-con andcableTV. in frontwithgreat views of All themountains. ‘resort’ cottages atthebackhave sittingareas Thenewerwooden GuestHouse. as Mitaree friendlyfamily fice, thisisrunbythesame 800B, two-bed cottage1200B; 800B, two-bed s 600-700B,d700- www.mitareehotel.com; 24ThWiang Mai; River House Resort HouseResort River Garden House Resort Garden Court décor, minibarandcableTV. Ask fora (Th Mae Sariang; snacks15-49B; Sariang; Mae (Th Th Wiang Mai 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8 B2 C2 B2 B2 B2 B1 D1 6 ( % (New Mitaree; (New Mitaree; Bar...... Sawadee Restaurant & SLEEPING Salawin GuestHouse...... Riverside GuestHouse...... River HouseResort...... River HouseHotel...... North WestGuestHouse.... Mitaree GuestHouse...... Kamolsorn Hotel...... Garden HouseResort...... Sombat Tour...... Bus Station...... Shaw Yang...... River HouseRestaurant...(see 13) Renu Restaurant...... Kai YangRaiKhwan...... Inthira Restaurant...... TRANSPORT EATING a 0 5368 3066; www.riverhouse 0 53683066;www.riverhouse 200m 0.1miles 0 0 9 ) Nearthepostof- 1 To BanMaeWaen(36km); % Chiang Mai(185km) D h 0 53681109; Hospital 10am-5pm) 108 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 23 22 9 431 a B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B2 B2 D2 B2 B1 B2 B1 B2 A2 B2 ) NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND menu. Several of Thaiand the standard menu. Several a mere sidenote totheextensive andtasty withsomecreativeIts casualsetting décoris most popularrestaurant foragoodreason. dishes 40-100B; ‘nut-hatch curry’. rice, butadventurous eaters enjoythe might Inthira. Theveggie optionsare limited tofried local spothasamore basic menuthanthe of KingBhumibol this playingsaxophone, dishes 25-70B; bridge crossing. (10B) (half/whole chicken 72/150B)andstickyrice A great grilledchicken spotforIsan-style 432 [email protected]; 77ThLaeng Phanit; dishes45-160B) [email protected]; just tosip abeer. options for vegetarians; it’s alsoagoodplace attheriver There view tables. areserved lotsof Thaiandfishdishesfasts, sandwiches, are chill outontheaxe cushions.Healthy break- mats or onrattan place sitatthelow tables 40-150B; is delicious. sions. Themushroom andlemongrasssoup dishes areChinese available inveggie ver- Restaurant Renu Yang Khwan Rai Kai Inthira Restaurant Sawadee Restaurant &Bar Sawadee Restaurant youcanhaveguidelines forminimisingtheimpact onlocalcommunities: localbehaviour. the timetoobserve someoneorbytaking by asking Here are several other When visitinghill-tribevillagestrytofindoutwhatthelocalcustomsand taboosare, either VISITING VILLAGES River House Restaurant House Restaurant River You might also want to check the ‘Guidelines for Visitors to Northern Thailand’s Youmightalsowanttocheckthe‘GuidelinesforVisitors Mountain toNorthern Don’tlitter orstaying invillages. whiletrekking opiumorusingotherdrugs. Setagoodexampletohill-tribeyouthsbynotsmoking Exercise restraint ingiving withthem.Ifyou wanttogive thingstotribespeopleorbartering Showrespect forreligious symbolsandrituals. Don’ttouch totems atvillageentrancesorany photosoftribespeople and/ortheirdwellings. Alwaysaskforpermissionbefore You taking A OGSNPOIC • MeSrag Sariang ••Mae MAE HONGSONPROVINCE Peoples’ atwww.lanna.com/html/tourists.html. probably don’thave toothbrushesandtoothpaste youdo. like way togetasmile–giving sweetstochildren contributes totoothdecay–remember they village schoolorothercommunityfund.Yourguidecanhelparrangethis. Whileit’saneasy something tothepeopleyouencounter on a trek, adonationtothe thebestthingistomake yourdistancefromceremonies. keep participate, permission.Unlessyou’re to asked ofobvioussymbolicvaluewithoutasking other object many individualsand even stronglytobeingphotographed. wholetribesmayobject can askthroughyourguideorbyusingsignlanguage. Becauseoftraditionalbelief systems, , thissimpleplaceisatthefootof the h 8am-11pm) h h 10am-11pm) 8am-10pm) ( % At thisfunky,colourful ( % (dishes 10-150B; 0 5368 1171; Th Wiang Mai; 0 53681171;ThWiangMai; 0 4368 1529; Th Wiang Mai; 0 43681529;ThWiangMai; Decorated withpics Thisisthetown’s (Th LaengPhanit;dishes (Th ( % h 0 5362 1201; 10am-5pm) 6pm and7pm daily(571B, 12 hours). air-con leave buses from here at 4pm, class ( two hours). Yuam (ordinary/air-conin Khun 65/110B, 100/180B, fourhours), witha stop midway iang toMae HongSong(ordinary/air-con 1pm, 3pmand4.30pmfromMae Sariang. 11am and9pmfromChiangMai and12pm, (180B,fourhours) departat6.30am, buses 10.30am and12.30pm.First-class air-con iang toChiangMai leave buses at7am,9am, 8am, 1.30pm,3pmand8pm.From Mae Sar- hours) leave ChiangMai’s Arcade terminal at toMaeOrdinary buses Sariang(100B,four Getting There&Around isgreat. service anything includingfresh river fish,andthe especially The foodistasty, thetables. tween litandthere’spleasantly plentyof roombe- andnowhitewith antiquetables linens,but ing river, thisistheplacetobe. It’srustic For aromanticmealoverlooking thewander- about the s Mae ( Sariangsection p429 ) formore details theMaebut onlyleave Sot to whenfull.See hours) 6.30amand12.30pm, hourlybetween % Buses alsoregularlyBuses connectMae Sar- S For a bus to Bangkok headto For abus toBangkok ǎ 0 5368 1532, 0 5361 8255; Th Mae Sariang). Sariang). 0 53681532, 053618255;ThMae wngth ǎ ǎ wngth ew leave forMae Sot(180B,six ǎ ew trip. lonelyplanet.com Sombat Tour First- the middleof aKaren district.Toget there, isamixedWaen itself Thai/Karen village in Mae rooms.Ban inseparate and mensleep local treks. NoEnglish isspoken andwomen (MrPan)a guidenamedTWeerapan leads 200/400B; www.dnp.go.th) motorcycle taxi. you canpitch atent (30B)onawhite-sand available (300-800B),andinthedryseason Mae There are SamLaep. basicbungalows to upriver materialised. time of writingthecheckpoint hadnotyet Thailand andMyanmar. atthe However, topromote tradeandtourismbetween Laep border checkpoint wouldopenatMae Sam In April2006itwasannouncedthatanew Karen villages andMae (see SamLaep p430 ). boat triponMae NamSalawin,withstopsin One trekking optionoutof Mae Sariangisa AROUND MAESARIANG lonelyplanet.com ons, military equipment, personal possessions equipment, personalons, military possessions II Museum of rusted trucksmarks the military andafew sights. stay notable tions nearby.There are acoupleof placesto nice break frommore ‘experienced’ destina- of Yuam.Thislittle-visitedKhun town isa town their halfwaystop, isthequietmountain Hong Son,where all northbound make buses About Mae halfwaybetween Sariangand Mae *=op;} Khun Yuam if theroadiswet. you’re especially drivinga4WDisnecessary, a coupleof streams. Thisisadirtroadsoif across ridge and(during therainyseason) Waen isa5kmwalksouthalong mountain and get outattheKm65marker. Mae Ban take aChiangMai-bound buseastonRte 108 MaeBan Waenis teak, Asian redwood andcherrywood. headquarters. Theparkisheavily forested in views of theriver andMyanmarfromthepark in frontof There theparkoffices. are good beach calledHat ThaenKaew, alongtheriver per person50B) an hourtoreach theparkheadquarters from area in1994.Ittakes established about half From Mae theboatmayhead SamLaep Destinations anywhere intownare 20Bby At thenorthern endof town,a collection About 36kmsoutheastof Mae Sariangat (admission 10B; Lum NamKongNationalPark , a wooden house on stilts,where, awoodenhouse MAE HONG SON PROVINCE •• Around Mae Sariang ••AroundMae MAE HONGSONPROVINCE Pan House , a722-sq-kmprotected h 8am-4pm). ( % Here weap- 08 71874169;r World War (child/adult Hmong village of Mae Ban (25km UKhaw viewing it. oneaccruesmeritsimplyby believe devotees The bungalowshere are overpriced in butset town (lookforthesignsnear bus stop). off themainroadtowardsnorth endof Chiang Mai-Mae HongSon; r300-500B,bungalow800B; Chiang Mai-Mae tre, restaurant onsite isreasonable. forest. Herbal isavailable massage andthe andaterrace lookingtothe fridge, cableTV The more expensive onescomewithair-con, galows are plainanddarkbuthave aterrace. beautiful, lushgrounds.Thecheaper fanbun- bungalows600-1200B) .com; 499ThRatburana; tions. YoumHotel, andafewKhoon op- sleeping the waterfall. November; thisisalsothebesttimetoview area bloomswithscenic reportedly The cataract. Thailand’shighest Surin NationalPark; child/adult 200/400B), 100m and 50kmnortheastof Yuamisthe Khun YuamviaupgradedRte 1263), from Khun a scenefromthe side of themainaltar. depicts Thetapestry that’skept toone tapestry) behindcurtains Burmese latter, take alookatthelarge, 150-year-old immaculate Burmese-style antique woodenmonks’residences andan country stream andboastsaMon-style the atmospheric in thearea diedin2000. married. ThelastJapanese soldierwhosettled Japanese Yuamand soldiers inKhun stayed Burma. After theyhadrecovered, someof the ofYuam intheclosingweeks thewarwith the periodwhenJapanese occupiedKhun and black-and-white photographs document Youm Hotel can arrange meals. FarangBan has arestaurant and Mit Khoon of by5pmor6pm. town.Most of close these side, orRte 108,towards the southernend modest bungalows bythe garden. bathrooms andthere are afew more expensive has simple,clean rooms.Somehave ensuite On theslopesof DoiMae isthe UKhaw Ban Farang About 5kmtothewestof Yuam, Khun On the main road through thetowncen- On themainroad through There isanATM intownjustsouthof Mit In Khun Yuamyou’llfindacollection ofIn Khun Mit Khoon YoumHotel Khoon Mit Nam Tok Mae Surin Nam TokMae rice and noodleshops rice kalaga ( % (embroidered andsequined Vessantara Jataka Wat ToPhae 0 53622086;banfarang@hotmail bua thawng (partof theMae ( % wíh sitsalongsidea alongthe east 0 53691057;61Th ǎ an . Insidethe islocated andlocal during chedi 433 a ) , NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND of themcatering much toThais.However, of hotels andresortshouses, inthearea, many touristcircuit,withplentyofstandard guest- Son hasbecomepartof northernThailand’s of fromChiangMai. dailyflights Mae Hong still relatively peacefuldespite theintrusion this provincial Lake), Kham is capital (Jong by smallbutpicturesque NongJongKham Surrounded andpunctuatedby mountains pop 8300 c}jVjv'lvo MAE HONGSON Song. Maeruns between SariangandMae Hong dinary/air-con 65/110B,twohours) ontheir 434 Sang TongHuts(300m) To PanaHuts(280m); 4 1 3 2 MAE HONGSON Buses stopregularly Yuam(or-Buses atKhun Stadium Kong Mu (1500m) 16 Doi A OGSNPOIC • MeHn o HongSon ••Mae MAE HONGSONPROVINCE Th Wat Phra Sirimong Non AC 21 khon 22 Th Pha Doong Muay Do Th Udom Chow 1095 108 Th Khonlum Praphat Khonlum Th (43km); Soppong(65km); Sunyata (40km);MaeAw (10km); WatThamWua 2 To GoldenPaiandSuite 36 Resort (5km);SopSoi 3 19 Th Khunlum Praphat Khunlum Th 41 33 To ImperialTara MaeHongSonHotel (350m); PhaBong HotSprings(1km); Pai (111km) 39 (8km); Kariang Padawng Kekongdu Fern Resort(7km); BanHuayDeua 32 17 (12km); MaeSariang(139km) 35 8 1 11 13 5 24 29 28 1 Soi 6 12 Th Phanit Th 30 37 Market 40 Th Singhanat Bamrung Singhanat Th 25 31 4 B Wattana 42 Pangloenikom Th 34 15 Nong Jong Th Udon Th 38 18 Kham 10 Th Pradit 14 Jong Kham 26 Chao Nites Chao 27 9 Th Chamnansathit 20 43 23 nentCf...... B3 Internet Café...... Tourist Police...... TAT Office...... Srisangwal Hospital...... Main PostOffice...... Kasikornbank...... CAT Office...... (see 6) CAT Office...... Bank ofAyudhya...... Bangkok Bank...... INFORMATION need atleastonethicksweaterneed andagood areis thatthenights cold–you’ll downright only problem withgoinginthecoolseason smoke fromslash-and-burn agriculture. The theMaethe hotseason, Pai valleyfillswith therecult because are few paved roads.During to October) travel intheprovince canbediffi- (June most beautiful.Duringtherainyseason vember andMarch whenthetownisatits villages. Musoe and trips, andfurtherafieldare Lisu,Lahu villages inthevicinitycanbevisited asday predominantly Karen Shan. Several andShan across theborder. Thetown’spopulationis rice andconsumergoodstothedruglords the capital’s prosperityisduetoitssupplyofthe capital’s Mae HongSonisbestvisitedNo- between Th Nives Pisarn Nives Th Airport 7 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0.2miles 300m 0 0 B2 B3 C3 B3 B2 A3 A2 B2 IPnrmc...... A2 HI-Panoramic...... Wat PhraThatDoiKong Sunflower CaféTour...... (see37) TRANSPORT DRINKING EATING SLEEPING SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES Thai Airways...... S†wngth†ew toMae Aw..... PA Motorbike...... (see 10) Bus Station...... Lakeside Bar& Restaurant.... Crossroads...... Chilli Bar...... Sunflower Café...... Salween RiverRestaurant.... Pa Dim...... Mae SiBua...... Lucky Restaurant...... La Tasca...... Kruathip Restaurant...... Kai Mook...... Fern Restaurant...... BBQ Corner...... Romtai...... Princes GuestHouse...... Piya GuestHouse...... Panorama Hotel...... Palm HouseGuestHouse..... Mountain InnHotel...... Mae HongSonHillResort... Johnnie House...... Friend House...... Baiyoke ChaletHotel...... Mu...... Wat JongKlang...... Wat JongKham...... Wat HuaWiang...... Tour MerngThai...... Rosegarden Tours...... Friend Tour...... lonelyplanet.com D 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 B3 B2 A2 B3 B2 B3 B3 A2 B3 B2 A2 B3 B3 B3 B3 B3 B3 B3 B3 B2 C3 A4 A4 B3 B3 B3 A3 B3 B3 B2 B3 B3 B3 room. facilitythatincludesanemergency Bamrung) Afull-service Bamrung; complaints aboutguesthousesandtrek operatorshere. internet accessbytheminute. ( &Restaurant Bar Lakeside p440 ), provide ( p439 ), andanamelessinternet cafénextto places aroundtown,includingSunflowerCafé anywhere from40Bto60Bperhour. Several work outto15Bperhour. Otherplacescharge office of Mae HongSon’splacesdon’tlast.The But like manyplacesaroundThailand, Where there are travellers, there’s internet. ACCESSINTERNET Police Tourist EMERGENCY Information blankets. bagorseveral a sleeping pair of and socksformorningsandevenings, lonelyplanet.com (1500m), to visit this Shan-built wat, also Climb thehill westof town, Doi Kong Mu ;yfritTk^=fvpdv'}) WAT PHRATHAT DOI KONGMU Sights TAT office TOURIST INFORMATION the entrancetopostoffice. International Phonecard telephone outside –hoursoffice are There’s thesame. aLenso the CAT which office, tothepost isattached isavailable at International telephone service TELEPHONE Praphat. end ofThKhunlum closedholidays)Towards thesouthern 4.30pm Mon-Fri, postoffice Main POST ofBank Ayudhya. Kasikornbankavailable Bank, atBangkok and have ATMs. are Foreign-exchange services Most of Praphat thebanksonThKhunlum MONEY Hospital Srisangwal MEDICAL SERVICES brochures and maps can be picked uphere. brochures andmapscanbepicked building oppositethepost office.Withhelpfulstaff,tourist h 8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri) In an old two-storey wooden Inanoldtwo-storey 8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri) (Th UdomChow) (Th h ( % 8.30am-4.30pm) Report mishapsorfile 8.30am-4.30pm) Report ( 0 5362 3016; Th Khumlum Praphat; 0 53623016;ThKhumlum % (Th Khunlum Praphat; Khunlum (Th MAE HONG SON PROVINCE •• Mae HongSon ••Mae MAE HONGSONPROVINCE 0 53611812,1155;ThSinghanat has T-card computers which ( % 0 53611378;ThSinghanat h 8.30am- CAT Mai, which season meansthatinthehigh bytoursSoppong isalsoused fromChiang The area around Mae Hong Sontowards TREKKING Activities Praphat. Th Khunlum inthis can beseen the Mandalay style,calledChaoPhlalakhaeng, state of decay,afamousbronzeBuddha in itswooden Although ;yfsy;g;up' WIANG HUA WAT Buddhisttemples.for Burmese-Shan women are forbiddentoenter –notunusual areasdaily. WatJongKlanghasseveral that wíh tion of giving’) –allvery instyle. The Burmese the‘perfec-which develops theBodhisattva the full of woodenreliefs andfigures depicting old glass Province. 100-year- WatJongKlanghouses about halfof thepopulationof Mae Hong Son ago byThaiYai (Shan) people,whomake up wats. Burmese-style part of town are acoupleof mildlyinteresting Next toNong inthesouthern Jong Kham ;yf&v'%e!;yf&v'd]k' WAT JONGKHAM & WAT JONGKLANG food tofeed alarge numberof monks. with townspeoplegainingmeritbybringing depending onthelunarcalendar,whenitfills the annualrainsretreat, usuallylate October Buddha andcatch viewswestof theridge. slender,standing atall, of thewatyoucansee from Myanmar’sShan state. Aroundtheback 1860 and1874,enshrine theashesof monks a viewof thetown.TwoShan is impressive; atothertimesof thedayyouget of fogthatcollectsinthevalleyeach morning known asWatPhai Doi.Theviewof thesea Amphoe Khun Yuamand north of Khun Soppong. Amphoe Popular routes include the Mae Pai Valley, three to five daysbeing thenormalduration. per day(if there are fouror more people),with most treks are about 700Bto800Bper person andtraveleral guesthouses for agencies. Rates jungle. Trekking tripscanbearranged atsev- pristine while trekking theseemingly through other groupsof travellersit’s possibletosee A goodtimetovisitthewatisatendof Wat Jong Kham wasbuiltnearly200yearsWat JongKham ǎ Vessantara Jataka an containing these isopen8amto6pm these containing jataka paintingsandhassmallrooms wat (thepopular (Th PhanitWattana) (Th bòt isinanadvanced chedi , erected in jataka , eastof 435 in NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND Sunflower Café ceived goodreviews: money’s worth. a trek andstopsoryoumaynotget starts your elsewhere inthenorth,be sure toclarifywhen 700B perperson perday.As withtrekking Mae HongSontonearSoppongcostsaround six-daytrekA straightforward fromeastof 436 cafetour.com; ThUdomChaonithet) Theguideshere have The followingtourcompanieshave re- noted onapayment receipt Culture issuedby the‘Karenni Department’. refugee settlement,alsocontrolled bytheKNPP.Soi isalarge Kayah Som (about7kmbeforeand Huay MaKhen MaeAw).Acouple ofhundred metres beyond Nai Hong Son,20minutes byboatfromthe nearbyBanHuayDeualanding),NaiSoi (35kmnorthwest) arrange atourforabout 700B. Youcanchooseamong HoySenThao (11kmsouthwest ofMae for theprivilegeof photographing tribalpeoplewhenthe latter receive nothing. Soi asaself-sustaining refugee camp.Forvisitorsthecurrent set-up beatspayingatrek operator alivingunder currentmake socialconditions inMyanmarandThailand. Thai authoritiesviewNai time tolearnmore abouttheir lives continuetopointoutthat this gives to theman opportunity viewingthePadaungOn thesurface, crass exploitation,butthosewhohave seemslike the taken by choice,havingfledapotentially worsefate inMyanmaramidethnicwar. fields. Wemissourhomes,butwedon’t wanttogoback’.These peopleare usuallyinThailand quoted inthe oftheirlivelihood. Asby thephotography,whichtheyconsider tobepart NaiSoi’sMaNangwas adorned womenposingorstandingwith visitors. The womentell reporters theyaren’t bothered as 3000Bpermonth).Typically,avisit consistsofextended photographysessionsofthecoil- mostoftheirmoneysellinghandicrafts(somesay asmuchof themoneycollected, but make the bulkofwhichisbelieved togotheKNPP. The ‘long-neck’womenreceive asmall portion Son. Itreceives anaverage anentryfee of1200tourists annuallyandcollects (250Bperperson), subgroup oftheKayah. state ineastern Myanmar.to establishanindependentKayah The Padaung are anethnolinguistic insurgenttional Progressive (Karenni) group whosereported objective is Party (KNPP),aKayah tourism hasreinvigorated it. custom paystribute totheirdragonprogenitor. This customwasdyingout,butmoneyfrom spring ofaliaisonbetweenthewindandbeautifulfemale dragon,andthatthecoil-wearing wouldn’t carrythewomenoffbytheirthroats. The Padaung claimtheirancestorswere theoff- thewomenunattractiveto make menfromothertribes. Anotherstorysaysitwassotigers health atall. at willwithnosuchproblems. there Infact, isnoevidencethatthisdeformationimpairstheir fall over fromatrophyandthewomenwillsuffocate. The women attachandremove thecoils unnaturally stretched. Acommonmythclaimsifthecoilsare removed, thewomen’snecks will tall as30cm.The neckcoilsdepress theirneckslook thecollarboneandribcage,whichmakes ismostcommon)andstandas (but5kg and sometimestheirlimbs,thatcanweighupto22kg lages where ‘long-neck’womenlive. The womenwearacontinuouscoilaroundtheirnecks, Some cometoMaeHongSonwiththeintent tovisitoneofthenearby Padaung refugee vil- ‘LONG-NECKED’ PADAUNG VILLAGES A OGSNPOIC • MeHn o HongSon ••Mae MAE HONGSONPROVINCE At the entrance to the village your name, passport numberandcountry ofresidenceAt willbe theentrance tothevillage yourname,passport If youwanttosee any ofthePadaung settlements,any travel agencyinMaeHongSon can Opinions are sharplydivided astotheethicsof‘consuming’Padaung asatouristattraction. The biggestPadaung ofMaeHong villageisNai Soi(alsoknownasNupaAh),35kmnorthwest The islargely businessofthelong-neckasatouristattraction Na- controlledbytheKarenni Nobody knowsforsure Onetheoryisthatitwasmeant howthecoilcustomgotstarted. Tour Bangkok Post ( % 0 53620549;www.sunflower , ‘WehadnothinginMyanmar. Ihadtoworkrelentlessly in therice Tour Merng Thai Tour Merng as wellbird-watching. SontoPai,cycling toursaroundtownandfromMaehong theydo new ideas. As wellastheusualtrek itineraries, coming upwith been highlyrecommended andare often nature focused. community andalsooffers homestays. Treks are verymuch Itemploysguidesfromthelocal munity-based tourism. ( from Fern Resort p438 ), thiscompanyfocusesoncom- toFern Praphat) Locatednext andoriginating Restaurant ( % 0 5361 1979; Th Khunlum 0 53611979;ThKhunlum lonelyplanet.com trekking, elephant riding and rafting, aswelldaytours. andrafting, elephantriding trekking, House,thisrecommended outfitoffersOpposite Friend French-speaking guidesfocusonculturaltours. French-speaking Praphat)English-and -tours.com; 86/4ThKhunlum also possible. Thao) ontheThailand–Myanmarborderare lage of pier, down-river tripstothe‘long-neck’vil- long upriver journeyof 5km.Fromthesame 8km southwestof Mae HongSon,foraday- Tha Mae Pai (Pai River Pier)in The mostcommontypeof from off tripsets Mae HongSoncanarrange theriver trips. trekking agencies thatorganise treks from and guesthouses popularity, andthesame tripsonthenearbyMaeRaft Pai are gaining RAFTING Rosegarden Tours Tour Friend Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com Poi SangLongFestival Festivals &Events not bepossible. and Yangon troops inthearea, thistrip may When there Shan between armies isfighting not includedinthe priceof therafting trip. admission (250Bperperson) intothetownis Son toescapeanethnicwarinMyanmar. The Padaung people whohave fledtoMae Hong afew scenerytosee unspectacular through to some,exploitative; it’sa four-hour trip boxed text opposite ), isabitof arip-off and, thePadaungsee or‘long-necked’ people(see trip, which attractstravellers whowantto for raftstofallapartorsink.The Myanmar if theraftholdsup–it’snotuncommon Huay Deua. white Mae Hong SonRiverside Hotel inBan pier) istotheleftof theentrancetolarge HuayDeua HuayDeua(Ban agency. ThaBan per person aMae ifdonethrough HongSon arranged HuayDeua,or900Bto1200B inBan typically cost700Bto900Bforsixpeopleif daytrips of name totheeast).These thesame withthelargerconfused Shan tradingvillage the village of tween friends orrelatives andparaded around thewat under friends ontheshoulders of Thailand, theordinands are carried ceremony known as young Shan boysare ordained asnovicemonks inthe are thefocalpoint ofthisfestival, whereWat JongKham Another popularraftingroute runsbe- The Mae Pai rafttripscanbegoodfun Sop Soi Kariang Padawng Kekongdu Kariang ( % (10kmnorthwestof town)and Soppong 0 5361 1647; 21 Th Pradit Jong Kham) 0 53611647;21ThPraditJongKham) bùat lûukkâew ( % (March) WatJongKlangand (March) 0 53611577;www.rosegarden tothewest(notbe . Like elsewhere in . Like Ban HuayDeua MAE HONG SON PROVINCE •• Mae HongSon ••Mae MAE HONGSONPROVINCE (Hoy Sen (HoySen , kràthong residents launch balloonscalled HongSon –Mae orriver floats) onthenearest pond,lake usually celebratedbyfloating r 150-400B) be rented here. the lake toWatJongKlang.Motorbikes can river views,plusashared balconyoverlooking Upstairs roomshave large bathroomsand with decentmattresses andwoodenfloors. threebetween large rooms,which have beds the lake. Twohot-water showers are shared on rooms withabackdoorleadingto seats It hasacollectionof spotless,great value r150-400B; [email protected]; ThPraditJongKham; a darkwoodenbuilding. rooms withshared bathroomare basicandin andthereral light, are viewsof thelake. The spacious withtilefloors andplentyof natu- water showers are anexcellentdeal.Theyare r 100-250B) and few placeshere offer air-con. priced. Thecheapest roomsshare abathroom, they’redeal, because cleanandcompetitively Hong Son.Often thenewestplacesare thebest New budget optionskeep springingupinMae BUDGET Sleeping Krathong Loi Jong Para Festival looking over alush garden withfishponds. choice of spacious, clean roomsor bungalows a dry service. lake. Breakfast isavailable andthere isalaun- theupstairs roomshavehouse, a viewof the in ateak andconcreteen suite rooms.Set basic thatshare hot-water bathroomstolarger Sometimes they ride onponies. Sometimes theyride robes) andwearflowerheaddresses andfacialmake-up. are dressed inornatecostumes(ratherthansimplewhite oftheShancustom,boys festive parasols. Butaspart grounds, some of it unique to northwest Thailand. grounds, someofituniquetonorthwest onthewat folk theatre anddance,whichisperformed ofthefestival isthe part of castlesonpoles. Animportant bythecarrying ofmodels temples inaprocessionmarked tomonksinthe offerings begins withlocalShanbringing fromyeartoyear.lunar month,soitvaries Thefestival –threeRetreat daysbefore thefullmoonof11th itisheldtowardstheendofBuddhistRains event, Friend House Friend Guest House Princes Romtai Johnnie House ) Bythelakeside temples, thisplacehas a ) fromDoiKongMu. Supercleanrooms runfromtheultra Thenewroomswithprivate hot- ( % (November) During thisnationalholiday– (November)During 0 53612437; ThChumnanatit;r250-600; ( % ( (October) Another important local Anotherimportant (October) % 0 5362 0119; 20 Th Pradit Jong Kham; 0 53620119;20ThPradit JongKham; 0 5361 1667; Th Pradit Jong Kham; 0 53611667;ThPraditJongKham; ( % kràthong kràthong sàw 0 53611136;princesguest (smalllotus ǎ n (heaven ai 437 ) NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND is available. garden ithasaparkinglot.Alaundryservice Instead Thai-stylehouse. in anelevated of a 20-room hostel hasspotless,cluttered rooms place has cement bungalows set aroundaquiet place hascementbungalowsset lum Praphat;bungalows600B; MIDRANGE you atthebusstation. around Mae HongSon–thetoutswillfind heartymeals. tastic great English, teaches Thaiandcreates fan- for chillyThefriendlyowner speaks nights. roof, campfire woodenbenches and enclosed propriately rustic,withitsthatched teak leaf mosquito nets.Thecommunalarea feels ap- pots of flowers, Thaitextile bedcovers and terraces. Rooms lookcharming withtheir all have attractive hot-water bathroomsand cute bamboohutsspacedoutonajunglyhill peaceful placeisworththeextrahike. Five 500B) 11Pang 293/9Mu Moo;bungalows400- www.panahuts.com; Praphat;r400B) rama.html; 54/1ThKhunlum toamplifysound. and seems travellers.to meet Thebuildingisallcement second-storey commonarea isagoodplace rooms withhotshowers andcableTV. The sterile, Palm offers House spaciousmodern Chamnansathit; r300-500B; family-run place. showers andaprivate veranda. It’safriendly, woven bamboowalls,abitof furniture, hot spot offers 24well-kept bungalows,each with Praphat;bungalows 250-600B; Khunlum 438 tonghuts.com; bungalows 700-1600B; location is quite convenient though. balconies. The carpet and strange enclosed the dark, wood-panelledrooms have ill-fitted decorated iswelcoming,but withThaidetails Praphat; r600-800B; com; 51ThKhunlum lakea pleasant viewfrom therestaurant. Some are lookingalittleweathered. There is and are well furnished andof adecentsize. have woodenfloors, air-con and hotshowers, garden withsmalllotusponds.The rooms it doesn’t looklikeit doesn’t much atfirst, thisquiet Piya GuestHouse Sang TongHuts Panorama Hotel HI-Panoramic Resort HongSonHill Mae Other lessconvenient placescanbefound Palm HouseGuest Pana Huts Although ontheedge Although of town,thisnew, A OGSNPOIC • MeHn o HongSon ••Mae MAE HONGSONPROVINCE ( % ( % ( % 0 53611757;www.tyha.org/HI-pano ( % ( 0 53614331,0867728502; % 0 53611757;www.panorama.8m. a a 0 53611260;1/1ThKhun- 0 5362 0680;www.sang ) Family-run butabit ( ( ) % % Thiswell-managed 0 53612475;106/2Th 0 53614022;22/1Th s a a ) Tucked on ) ) Thelobby Although Although This new, River andfeatures Shan-style in chalets. Set the road toPai, this resort on thePai isset manicured gardens, roomsare large, tastefully 2500B; .goldenpai.com; 285Moo1BanPang moo;s/d1400-2300/1500- follow thewinding road2km. 108 7kmsouthof town,turnatthesign and ( Restaurant opposite ). Todrive here take Rte tles runto/from town stoppingattheFern the airportandbus terminal. Regularshut- local villages. Free pick-upisavailable from tourism, mostof comefrom theemployees be arranged. Toencourage community-based jacent Mae SurinNationalPark andtreks can the pool.Nearbynature trailsleadtothead- are tucked around alushgardenoroverlook amongricepaddies andstreams,set others with stylishlydecorated interiors. Someare sort features Shan-style woodenbungalows 1500/1800/2500B; Bo,Tambon 64Mu resort.info; PhaBong;standard/deluxe/ste listed walk-ins. beloware forhigh-season counts canbefoundanytimeof year. Prices are andonlinedis- commoninthelowseason groomed grounds.Discountsof up to40% hotels withpleasantly ous, service-oriented area.rural orsemirural Many are quite luxuri- of thetermThai sense meansanyhotel neara on theriver, are ‘resorts’, several which inthe ThaPongDaeng HuayDeuaandBan Ban Southwest of town,afew kilometres towards TOP END is included. rates areLow-season 30%lessandbreakfast away fromthestreet oronanupperlevel. stairs canget quite loud,sorequest aroom groups andtherestaurant/lounge down- modern. ItispopularwithEuropeantour Praphat; rinclbreakfast 1000-1400B; this placeispopular. online– aheadorreserve ner isexcellent.Call in nature. communalfive-course Theset, din- have terraces andprovide of areal being sense sofaor rattan andchairs withThaisilks.All have floor-to-ceiling windowsandabstractart, of contemporary Thaistyle. Yourroommay decorated usingnaturalmaterials invariants roomisdifferent andevery Each and to stay. collection of uniquehutsisafabulousplace a hillsideontheedge of town,thiseclectic have afew charming andare details bigand ChaletHotel Baiyoke Golden Pai and Suite Resort Golden Pai andSuite Fern Resort Fern Resort as ) Book accommodationBook online at lonelyplanet.com Five kilometres outof townoff nas ( % ( % 0 53686110;www.fern ) Thisecofriendly re- 0 5361 1536; 90 Th Khunlum 0 53611536;90ThKhunlum ( % a lonelyplanet.com 0 53612265;www ) Roomshere 100B; northern-Thai food. 4444-9; www.imperialhotels.com/taramaehongson; 1494444-9; www.imperialhotels.com/taramaehongson; 150B) TV. race overlooking thegarden.Allhave cable are abetter dealthandeluxe asyouget ater- rooms ponds, benches andparasols.Standard There isapretty courtyardgardenwithsmall cosy roomswithThaidecorative touches. breakfast 1700/2000/4000B; Praphat;standard/deluxe/ste incl taininn.com; 112ThKhunlum and fitnesscentre. out. Facilities swimmingpool includeasauna, change business hotel fromthestandard lay- windows thatopenontoaterrace make a floors andare tastefully decorated. French this upmarket, 104-roomhotel allhave wood 8;r2804B,ste3708-4944B; Mu ing inmudtreatments nearby. the Pai River location.There isaspaspecialis- ing areas. Therestaurant makes themostof decorated withtextiles andhave outsideseat- lonelyplanet.com has limited offerings for vegetarians. Drinks place cooksup alotof savoury meatdishes but vegetarian options. information. The menuisalsovery strongon ers are very friendlyandare agood sourceof ginger andhoneyglazedporksteak. Theown- fermentedcasserole), green orthe tea salad, dishes. Trythe Shan specialitiesandimaginative Western fee, delicate chocolate local-style croissants, excellentorganic hill-tribecof- place serves The localhang-outforNGOworkers, this 2050; ThSinghanatBamrung;dishes35-150B; Breakfasts are alsoavailable.served. good view.Tasty Thaidishesandriver fish are 20-45B; your bellywithcurryorfreshly baked bread. therelinary delights, are plenty of placestofill MaeAlthough HongSonisn’tknownforcu- Eating options. sive varietyof well-pricedThaiandChinese place isamore withan equally affair sedate 8pm) Pa Dim Mountain InnHotel Tara HongSonHotel Imperial Mae SiBua Mae Lucky Restaurant Lucky Restaurant Kruathip Restaurant Everyone loves thisplaceforitsexten- Salween River Restaurant Salween River Next to Lakeside Bar & Restaurant, this &Restaurant, Bar NexttoLakeside h h 9am-10pm) (Th Khunlum Praphat;dishes25-80B; Khunlum (Th 10am-6pm) (Thai Yai Food;ThSinghanatBamrung;dishes (Thai MAE HONG SON PROVINCE •• Mae HongSon ••Mae MAE HONGSONPROVINCE kài òp Popular withtravellers, this Offers deliciousShan and (Th SinghanatBamrung; dishes40- (Th ( % a (Th Pradit Jong Kham; dishes30- Pradit JongKham; (Th (baked Shan chicken 0 53611802;www.mhsmoun nas ) This hotel hasclean, ) h ( Roomsin % ( % 7am-1am) h 0 5361 0 5368 8am- with checked tablecloths andchunky wood house, isappropriately locatedhouse, atthecross- Crossroads Drinking calzone. pizzaand decenthomemadepasta, serves ingredients andafunwaytoeat. and yournoodlesveg inthesoup.Good fling themeatof yourchoice onthegriddle where uponyourtable and souppotisset you place offers ‘BBQ’s’.Asmallhotplate table barbecue 69B; menus are alsoagooddeal. yam bai kùt and headed fish withnorthern-Thai sausage) honey gravy), as and Westerners specialitiessuch forhouse intown.It’spopular withbothThais taurants street isoneof res- thebetter Thai-Chinese smart, open-airrestaurant justoffthemain Nites; dishes55-160B; lounge musicsomenights. or justcomefortheicecream. There islive friends, French winewithyoursweetheart, the foodisgood.Enjoyabottleof whiskywith isprofessional and but casual,option.Service h also runsrecommended tours. is acosyplacewithfriendlypeople. Sunflower munch onafull-sizedhomemadepizza. This again, youcouldjustwaituntildinnerand Then of tomatoes. pumpkinsouporstuffed or swingbyintheafternoon meal foralight cup of coffee andsomefresh-baked bread, h .sunflowercafetour.com; ThUdom Chaonithet;dishes40-150B; a mealwithfriends. placetolinger Butit’sapleasant overthought. also served atthis friendly, laid-back place. also served as well asThai dishes(dishes 50B to200B) the bar. of Agoodselection mainlyWestern, fromthehugeand choose listof at cocktails shoot some pool;downstairs perch onstools Praphat. Upstairs watch theworld gobyor andKhunlum roads of Bamrun ThSinghanat Praphat) seem to be the focus and service isanafter- tobethefocusandservice seem 90-145B; BBQ Corner Fern Restaurant La Tasca Mook Kai pèt yâangnáamphêung 7.30am-9pm) 10.30am-midnight) Sunflower Café Sunflower Café Thistwo-storey ina wooden bar,set h (cnr Th Singhanat Bamrung and Th Khunlum (cnr ThSinghanatBamrung andThKhunlum 10am-10pm) ( % h (Khai Muk; Muk; (Khai (yamwithfern leaves). Itsset Start yourdaywithanoversized Start ( % 0 5361 1344; Th Khunlum Praphat;dishes 0 53611344;ThKhunlum 5pm-12am) plaa châwn sâiùa h (Th Khunlum Praphat;dishes50-180B; Khunlum (Th 08 1385 7277; Th Khunlum Praphat; 08 13857277;ThKhunlum TheFern isanupmarket, 10am-2pm &5pm-midnight) % This rusticlookingplace ( 0 53612092;23ThUdomChao % This social,open-air 0 53620549;www (roastduckwith (serpent- This 439 are NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND to Mae HongSon:the270kmnorthernroute From ChiangMai there are twobusroutes BUS Airways Thai PB Air Nok Air travel isworththeextrabaht. Chiang Mai toMae HongSonversus bus For manypeoplethetimesaved flyingfrom AIR Getting There&Away ( around thelake becomesalively From October toFebruary thewalkway Shopping drinking. After about it’saplacefor 10pm,however, there’s 69B). all-you-can-eatdining(buffet popular withThaifamiliesfordinner,and for peoplelookingalittlesocialising.It’s phere. Thisisagoodchoice forgroupsand who appreciate live musicandasocialatmos- h ischalkedsandwiches, uponboards. food (dishes 30-80B),frombarsnacksto orshakes.from whiskies,beers Theavailable up atthechunky, long,woodenbarandchoose barisnewbutalreadysemi-open-air lively. Sit 440 Mae Hong Sonvia Mae Sariang leave Chiang – withlarge to –arebuses Buses seats used. hours fora10-to15-minute break, andlarger two thebus stopsevery because comfortable route Mae through Sariangis much more hours) at8amand9am. (250B, seven Two minivansalso runtoChiangMai viaPai Mae Sariangis(ordinary/air-con 100/180B). toninehours).187/337B, eight Thefare to route Mae through Sariang(ordinary/air-con hours) toeight andthe368kmsouthern seven Paithrough (ordinary/air-con 142/200B, handicraft stalls set up every evening. evening. upevery set handicraft stalls entrance to the airport. entrance totheairport. HongSon(2370B).Itsofficeisatthe from BangkoktoMae airport (open8.30amto5.30pm). airport daily (1270B,35minutes).Italsohasanoffice at the fourtimes HongSonfromChiangMai Has flightstoMae twice adayfor900B. A cheapersubsidiaryofThaiAirways,itfliesto ChiangMai .com; 71ThSinghanatBamrung; h Although it maybelonger,Although thesouthern Bar&Restaurant Lakeside Chilli Bar 10.30am-midnight) 5pm-11pm) A OGSNPOIC • Aon a ogSn HongSon ••AroundMae MAE HONGSONPROVINCE ( % ( % 0 53614369;www.pbair.com) Fliesdirect 1318; www.nokair.com; airport office) 1318; www.nokair.com; airport (Th Pradit Jong Kham; PraditJongKham; (Th ( % . Foodandavarietyof hill-tribe 0 53612220/1194;www.thaiairways The Lakeside is for those isforthose The Lakeside h (Th Pradit Jong Kham; PraditJongKham; (Th 8am-5pm Mon-Fri) 8am-5pm Mon-Fri) h 7am-1am) night market This with Km 256 marker on Rte 108, this public park kilometresEleven southof atthe thecapital [jvoµkihvozk[jv' Pha Bong HotSprings AROUND MAEHONG SON .com) top. on 1000B perday).Insurance canbebought (from 150Bperday),cars (from andjeeps itrentsOpposite FriendsHouse, motorbikes (150B to200Bperday)aroundtown. to theairport. bus stop.Theycharge 40Bpertripand50B now afew túk-túkintown;mostare atthe but fares outof townare expensive. There are drivers willalsotake passengers furtherafield it’s 50Bonewayor80Breturn. Motorcycle within towntheycharge 20B;toDoiKongMu wear ared tunicwithawhite numberand drivers motorcycle taxi Hong Son.Official It’s pretty easytowalkaroundmostof Mae Getting Around sickness. the younger passengers tend toget motion smaller, they’re usuallymore crowdedand onthisroadare used thebuses time. Because ing andoffers viewsfromtimeto spectacular built bytheJapanese inWWII,isvery wind- 50/85B, 1½hours). Yuam (ordinary/air-conSariang stopinKhun toMaebus 45/60/150B,1½hours), andbuses in Soppong(ordinary/air-con/air-con mini- minibus 70/98/150B,three hours) alsostop Mae HongSonat10.30amand12.30pm. (Pai 150B,ChiangMai 250B)departsfrom as farasPai.bus onlygoes Anair-con minivan 8.30am, 10.30am,12.30pmand4pm.The4pm direction, leave buses Mae HongSonat7am, and 10.30am12.30pm.Intheopposite four timesadayat7am,9am cade station airport. Rates start atabout1300Bperday. start airport. Rates con buses departat6am,10.30amand9pm. con buses Chiang Mai at8am,2pm,8pmand9pm;air- leavetion, ordinarybuses Mae HongSonfor 6.30amand9pm.Inthereversetween direc- Mai’s five Arcadebusstation timesdailybe- Avis Rent-A-Car PA Motorbike Pai,The northernroute through originally toPaiBuses (ordinary/air-con/air-con The Pai busleaves theChiangMai Ar- Motorcycles are readily available forrent Itsoffice islocated attheMae Hong Son hot springs hot springs ( % ( ( h % 0 53611647;21ThPraditJongKham) 8am-sunset; private bath/bathing 8am-sunset; private 0 53620457-8;www.avisthailand lonelyplanet.com be reached onanysouthbound bus. private bathorrent aroom.Thespringscan sign indicatingthe village of Na Pa Paek andcontinue6kmtotheShan isstunning. town itself, the sceneryonwayuphere, andinthe with peoplegoingabout theirbusiness,but renegade fighters, thisisnowaquietplace KMT outpostsinThailand.Filled withold KMT oneofChinese settlement, thelasttrue Thai(Thai-Loving Village).Rak Mae Awisa The modernThainameforMae AwisBan peakattheMyanmarborder.on amountain is to Mae Aw,43kmnorthof Mae HongSon Another daytripfromtheprovincial capital c}jvv Mae Aw&Around room 50/400B) lonelyplanet.com Myanmar, some of which have their own bamboo huts looking over to thereservoir 0955; r600-1000B) to stay. end of thepaved road there are twoplaces the facesandsigns are very Atthe Chinese. town sitsontheedge of and alarge reservoir and jaw-droppingscenery.The plantations Mae Tak AworBan Thai,pasttea andcoffee Paek. Fromthere itis6km furthernorthto 1244; r200-400B) Ung lake where A-frame as asuccess. thereplacementcrops, mostsee crop project miss the‘beautifulflowers’ fromtheopium has transformedthisvillage. some Although which provided arabica beansandexpertise, growing area, helpfromtheRoyal Project, and grindtheirownbeans.Oncean opium- whereroom atthehomestay visitors canroast the roastingandgrinding.There isaroasting ess of makingit,fromthepickingof beansto English-speaking MrHilaryexplainstheproc- here forabrew. Passionate the aboutcoffee, stunning scenery.Even stop ifnotstaying, surrounded bycoffee plants,fruittrees and ple bamboohutspositionedonaslopeare ( Call tobookahead. Call are available here torent (2people100B). of rafts SwitzerlandthanThailand.Bamboo beautiful sceneryhere ismore reminiscent % Drive NaPa back thewayyoucametoBan A few kilometres furthernorthisPang On theroadtoMae Aw,take aleftatBan 0 53692144,0869168967;r200-300B) Tha Law Sue Rak Thai Resort Thai LawSue Rak Tha Ban RuamThai covers 12sqkm.Youcantake a are perched onitsbank.The isquite plush andhaslarge MAE HONG SON PROVINCE •• Around Mae HongSon ••AroundMae MAE HONGSONPROVINCE Guest HouseandHomestay . Lookfortheyellow wooden huts , where ( % ( % 08 9950 0 5361 sim- and far between it’sworthgettingand farbetween agroupof lieve themtobevegetarianlieve andfeed themonly vegetables thelocalsbe- although andinsects, Chanthaburi and Kanc Mae ChiangMai, Rayong, HongSon,Ranong, length andare foundonlyintheprovinces of brook carpthrive. fish growupto1m in These visit to A triptoMae Awcouldbecombinedwitha v=mpkocsj'(k^b$µkx]k THAM PLANATIONAL PARK Summer Palace andthePha Sua waterfall. Karen andHmong villages, thePang Tong a driver androomforfour1300B. anytouragency youwith Otherwise willsend on whetherthedrivers have anypaidcargo). It willcostyou600Bto1300B(depending people together andchartering as s from Mae Aw.Because to catch oneearlyinthemorningcomingback at9am,12pmand3pm Wattana Hong Sonmunicipalmarket onThPhanit RuamThai),leaveand Ban fromtheMae villages NaPa ontheway(includingBan Paek and youshouldn’tgowithoutaguide. happens, publictransportisusuallysuspended leaderships.units underseparate Whenthis Sa,butnowoperatingasfoursplinter Khun formerly ledbytheinfamousopiumwarlord theKMTbetween andtheMongTai Army, Occasionally there’s alongtheborder fighting todotrekkingbut it’snotadvisable inthisarea. with hot-water showers. the store hasfour,cleansimplerooms(300B) Thefriendlyfamilyrunning you cansample). chee- andplum-flavoured palmwine(which ing massive bagsof tea andpineapple-,ly- Yunnan dishes. terraces. There isarestaurant serving attached holy fishfrom danger, nearby. It’s a stands toprotect the a Hindu rishi calledNara, said ofbase anouter wallof thecave. A a 2-sq-metrefish through rockhole atthe and continues tothecave. the Youcan see a suspensionbridge astream thatcrosses at theparkentrance). fruit andvegetables (which canbepurchased a water-filled cavern where hundreds of soro tred ontheanimisticThamPlaor A pathleadsfrom theparkentranceto The triptakes Shan, twohours andpasses Yellow s There’s adirtroadtothebordercrossing, theresortBehind restaurant isashop sell- Tham Pla Forest Park PlaForest Tham ǎ wngth ǎ ew to Mae Aw(60B hanaburi. Thefish eat ǎ wngth (admission free) . It’s necessary It’s necessary ǎ ǎ ew are few wngth Fish Cave statue ) cen- and ǎ 441 ew. of of , NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND cave itcosts600B. andthrough ThamPaka- a 12kmlengthof river –andajourneytothe the largest andmostfamous–it’sthreaded by caves . but notaloneorduringtherainyseason. riders candothisroute onasturdydirtbike – MaeLana GardenHome( right ). Experienced lages alongtheway.Ask forinformationat vil- overnightSoppong, staying inRedLahu the wayfromMae toThamLotand La-Na a few caves withina4kmto8kmradius. villages andto eral nearbyRedandBlackLahu overnight.stay Fromhere youcantrek tosev- road),where youcan 1095 viaahalf-sealed Shan village of Mae (6kmnorthof Rte La-Na beautiful sceneryiswithinaday’swalkof the stone caves. Someof Mae HongSon’smost streams, Shan andhill-tribevillages andlime- anareawinds through of forests, mountains, Mae HongSonandPai,Between Rte 1095 c}j]tok La-Na Mae is thebestwaytoget here. toPaiBuses passby,butrenting amotorcycle November toMay isbird-watching season. February isgoodforstar-watching andfrom the northernsideof Hwy1095.October to park is17kmnortheastof Mae HongSonon has someinformationabout thepark.The are available. bucolic, shady placetohangout;picnictables bit anticlimactic,buttheparkgroundsare a 442 Local guideswillleadvisitors tonearby It’s possible to walk a 20km half-loop all It’s possibletowalka20kmhalf-loop The TAT ( office p435 ) inMae HongSon infection canbe stopped. some welfare groups saythatentire tribalcommunities willbewiped outunlessthe rate of tribe villages. Given thealready Thai highincidenceof HIVinfection prostitutes, among northern heroin(needles areinjecting often shared) rates has ledtoskyrocketing ofHIV infection inhill- men) andreduced overall Also,anincrease agriculturalproduction. inthenumberofvillagers reduced malelabourforceandcorresponding increase are inwomen’sworkloads(mostaddicts away,whilethevillagerscontinue tofacethetemptationof kilometres every day. to theinfluenceofyoungtrekkers, onceandafew whomay smoke part weekslater behundreds opium,heroinand amphetamines.people inthevillages are This now taking ispossiblyduein example foryoungpeopleinthevillages. opium-addicted guides!Volunteers setsabad whoworkintribalareas alsosayopium smoking companies haveto beagoodidea,sinceoneproblem trekking had inthepastisdealingwith Some guidesare ofopiumontreks. very now aboutforbiddingthesmoking strict This seems OPIUM &TREKKING A OGSNPOIC • Aon a ogSn HongSon ••AroundMae MAE HONGSONPROVINCE Addiction has negativeAddiction effects forthevillageaswell individual’shealth,includinga Opium istraditionally acondoned viceofthe elderly,yetanincreasing number ofyoung Tham Mae La-Na Mae Tham , 4kmfromthevillage, is this isagreat placetostay. 6021; r100-200B). commodation optionswere wipedout. Due tomajor floodsin2005mostof theac- SLEEPING &EATING are yourbestbet. the village cost30Bperperson –mornings Infrequent s tery. Thevillage is6kmnorthof thejunction. WuaSunyata WatTham the three-way junctionisashort turn-off for 70.5km fromPai. Twelve kilometres westof Mae HongSon,13.3kmfromSoppongand sceneryisquitemountain pleasing. there’s butthesurrounding littletosee, around thenoodleshops andpetrolpumps, andthepreviously ‘downtown’areahouses the Shan-style WatMae aschool, some La-Na, interesting Beyond fora shortstay. cul-de-sac ing, Mae canbeapeacefulandmildly La-Na accessible duringtherainyseason. during theday.Someof thecaves maynotbe lage shop,iswhere theguides youmaycontact s at asmall arecost 200Beach forguides.Rates posted Cave) allfeature goodwallformationsand rang (CoralCave) andThamPhet (Diamond shared bathroomare clean,wellmaintained ings anddrippinginorchids. Roomswitha decorated withcolourful Thai paint- house fully tended gardensisatwo-storey wooden ǎ alaa MaeLana Garden Home Garden MaeLana Even ifyoudon’tfancy trekking orcav- The Mae junctionis51.3kmfrom La-Na , andatthesocialspotof themainvil- s ǎ Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com ǎ alaa wngth The only guesthouse intown, The onlyguesthouse near a noodle stand. Atthe nearanoodlestand. ǎ , apeacefulforest monas- ew from the highway to ew fromthehighway ( % Set among beauti- Set 0 53619028,8706 villages are Shan, alsoseveral Lisu,Karen andLahu come inNorthernThailandfor SOPPONG &AROUND he willplaceyouinahome. the village head’spermission atthe backintoacommunityfund.Askmoney goes programme only really openinthedryseason. very basicplaceoverlooking ariver valley,it’s is adirtroadleading1.4kmto 15km before NamKhong Mae inBan La-Na check thatsomeoneisthere. callaheadto information. Intherainyseason runs itspeaksEnglish andisagoodsourceof be prepared (50Beach). TheThailadywho with alarge where diningtable, mealscan a huge lotuspond.There isacommunalarea are A-frame bamboobungalowsoverlooking and have mozzie netsandquilts.Outtheback Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com through Soppong orisclearly markedthrough by All accommodation is onthe mainroad Sleeping &Eating wasbeing builtatthetime ofBank writing. ket motorcyclists. and off-highway bikersMae ispopularwith mountain La-Na information. ( p444 ) inSoppong are alsogoodforreliable ( p445 ) inThamLot.ThepeopleatBorderBar king inthearea istheownerof Cave Lodge best sourceof information oncaving andtrek- interchangeably. located here. tobeused The twonamesseem since thePangmapha isnow DistrictOffice calling it‘Pangmapha’,ernment hasbeen known onlyasSoppong,lately theThaigov- ing abuzzingtravellers’ haunt. Chiang Mai. Sopponginparticular isbecom- for minivantours fromMae HongSonand Tham Lothave becomepopulardestinations Since thepaving of Rte 1095,Soppongand of Pai andabout 70kmfromMae HongSon. market village acoupleof hours northwest Soppong isasmallbutrelatively prosperous l[xjv' Alternatively, Mae hasa La-Na Wilderness Lodge If you’re here onTuesday,check outthe Soppongand backroadbetween The rough formany yearsAlthough this townwas The area aroundSoppongis . Next to the Border Bar ( . NexttotheBorder Bar p444 ), aBangkok thatcaneasilybevisited onfoot.The (per personpernight100B) (dm/bungalow 50/250B) this lodge. A caving the , where the MAE HONG SON PROVINCE ••Soppong&Around MAE HONGSONPROVINCE s ǎ placeto homestay alaa . There About and mar- including homemade bread. here overlooking great food, the river serves maintenance.Some need Thelarge restaurant onalawnedslope. has basicbungalowsset About 500moff themainroad,JungleHouse homegrown organic veggies. foodusingits tasty looking theriver serves attractive but decent. Therestaurant over- Theroomsaresome Thai-styledetails. less have hot-water showers, woodenfloors and and bamboobungalowsare spick-and-span, or roomsneartheroad.Thelarge concrete brand newbungalowsfacingthe Nam Lan has afriendlyandfunnyownerwho offers 400-1000B; 7213; [email protected];r200-300B, bungalows available. restaurant here isvery is goodandmassage overmatically situated right theriver. The is thebestasithasaprivate balconydra- .soppong.com; hut150B,r500-1200B; frommid-JulytoOctober.closed to get is apickupfromtown.LisuMountain ( inadvanceorturnupatBorderBar Call p444 ) caving tripsandmotorbike tours of thearea. English guyandhisThaipartner,theyoffer are Runbyafriendly simplebutcomfortable. The thatched hutsonstiltshave terraces and village, Lodge Mountain isapeacefulretreat. kilometres fromSoppongandnexttoaLisu .com; dm90B,r200-250B) tached. signs. Every hasarestaurant guesthouse at- with hammocks. Onehas itsown fireplace and interesting nooks andcrannies, and terraces are stylishly decorated, have living rooms, Perfect forfamilies oragroupof friends,they storey thatmakes ‘houses’ this placespecial. hot-water showers. Yet, it’sthebeautifultwo- ant, grass-decked poolare well kept with The nineA-frame bungalowsaroundapleas- r420-1500B; www.littleeden-guesthouse.com; character andare alldifferent. The850Bone four roomshave open-airshowers, heapsof shared terrace overlooking asmallgorge. Its hasawonderful Thehouse but comfortable. dens withwindingpaths, thehutsare basic amonglush gar- budget.thing forevery Set storey thischarming house, placehassome- huts orstylishroomsinariver-facing two- GuestHouse Lemon Hill Lisu Mountain Jungle GuestHouse Little EdenGuest House Soppong River Inn Soppong River a ) Near the bus stop, Lemon Hill Near thebusstop,Lemon ( % Up in the mountains, four Upinthemountains, 08 71758581;www.lisumountain ( % ( 0 53617099;s/d250/350B) % ( % 0 53617107;www 0 53617039, i ( % ) Withbasic 0 53617054; ais 443 ) NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND in advance. site formore tobebooked itneeds details; Checkouttheweb- to practisingmeditation. learning Lisuhealingremedies andmassage lage andvariousholisticprogrammes,from through it. Along with Tham Nam Lang fur- it.Alongwith ThamNamLang through boxed text below ), and awidestream running impressive caves’ and‘coffin stalagmites (see thâm náamlâwt (pronounced About 8kmnorthof Soppongis Tham Lot $µk]vf Tham Lot snacks. good fresh coffee and internet and serves 9pm) ( Lisu Mountain p443 ). by anEnglish andThaicouple,theyalsorun beers orwineinafriendlyatmosphere. Run anddrink bar orsitbytherusticwoodtables what’s goingonaroundSoppong.Perch atthe this new,tinybaristheplacetofindoutabout 1000B) roominclfoodand4hrsofclassesaday crafts.blogspot.com; organises allsortsof activitiesinthearea. speak Thai,English, and Danish andGerman Theownercan rooms intheowner’shouse. ontheriver.is right There are alsotwochic 444 Tribal Café &Connection Café Tribal Border Bar Lisu Homestay explore. The mosteasily accessible oneis thecoffin cave chamber atTham Lot. public, but JohnSpiesatCave Lodge ( opposite ) mayknow whichcoffincaves are possibleto Pangmapha. China andthePhilippines, but thehighestconcentrationofcoffin caves fromthisperiodisin rate burial. areasSimilar coffinshave westofBangkokandalsoinBorneo, beenfound in karst most caves have lessthanten coffins itindicates thatnoteveryone wasaccordedsuch anelabo- caves). Itisnotknownwhomadethem or whytheywere placed where theyare, butbecause is displayedinthe Nature Education Centre ( above ) atTham Lot. design schemes. Pottery remains associated withthesites have alsobeenfound,some ofwhich old. The endsare andThai anthropologists usuallycarved have identifiedatleast50different scaffolds insidethecaves. The coffinshave beencarbondated between1200and 2200years from solidtreefins carved logs. Upto9mlong,thecoffinsare typicallysuspendedon wooden to beoneofthelargest caves intheworldterms ofvolume. ofSoppongnear BanNamKhong. It’salmost9kmlongandsaidLang, whichis20kmnorthwest where over from Tham 200have Lot,oneofitsmostfamousis beenfound.Apart Tham Nam The 900-sq-km area ofPangmapha isfamousforitshighconcentration ofcave district systems, CAVES COFFIN Opposite LittleEden,thisnewcaféhas A OGSNPOIC • Spog&Aon ••Soppong&Around MAE HONGSONPROVINCE Thisplaceoffers inaLisuvil- staying The eightcoffin caves thatscientists are investigating atthe moment are off-limits tothe The localThais knowtheseburialcaves as More 200limestonecaverns than83ofthedistrict’s are knowntocontainancient teak cof- ( h thâm lâwt 10am-11pm) ), alarge limestonecave with ( % 08 99984886;www.lisuhilltribe (internet perhr50B; andalsoknownas Next to Lemon Hill, NexttoLemon h 8am- thâm ph are fromlocalShan villages. tourismasall ofbased theguidesatcave stalagmites. pour intoThamLotandclingtotheirbedtime hundreds of of thousands cave adapted swifts when way). Tryandbeattheexitsunset totheexit(300Breturn/200Bthrough one to wadetheDollCave andthentake araft itmaybepossible minutes). Inthedryseason can walkbackfromoutsideof thecave (20 return, or300Boneway.Ifgoingwayyou Cave, therafts(uptofouradults)cost400B in theColumnCavern, DollCave andCoffin ofAugust andOctoberbecause water levels. to partsof thecave maybelimited between or allof thecaves. thejourneythrough Access totake abambooraftforsome it isnecessary the wholething.Dependingontimeof year ladders. Ittakes aroundtwohours toexplore Cave andCoffin Cave –thatcanbereached by and for600mthestream it. runsthrough lengthofThailand. Thetotal thecave is1600m ther west,it’soneof thelargest knowncaves in three sidechambers –ColumnCavern, Doll Apart fromthemainchamber, there are also tors are notpermitted totourthecaves alone. thecaverns;people) totake youthrough visi- guide for150B(oneleadsonetofour and entrance,youmusthire agaslantern and Tham Lotisagoodexampleof community- From the entrance to the exit and taking From theentrancetoexitandtaking At the ǐ i (spiritcaves), or Nature Education Centre EducationCentre Nature thâm ph ǐ lonelyplanet.com i maen ( h 8am-5.30pm) (coffin .com; dm60B,bungalows300-450B) trance offers simpleThaifare. h very good.ThamLotisashort walkaway. isanexperienceandtherestaurantsauna is communal area. ThetraditionalShan herbal are available) orjusthangoutinthebeautiful trips, guidedorunguidedtreks (goodmaps fromcavingabound. Choose andkayaking isbeautifuland optionsforadventuresetting junglelike hillleadingdowntotheriver. The ing bungalowshere are alluniqueanddota adventures hehashadinthearea. Thecharm- the25yearsCoffins andChaos’details of caving andfluentinShan, hisbook‘Caves, region’s caves, John Spies.Passionate about expertonthe place isrunbytheunofficial SLEEPING &EATING Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com not Pai (pronounced like theEnglish word ‘bye’, pop 3000 xkp PAI other peoplefor200B. pick-up truckswill take you anduptofive or theCave Lodge for70Bperperson; private in Soppongwilltake passengers toThamLot to 1½hours. pong (ordinary/minivan35/75B) takes one take 1½hours. Pai Thetripbetween and Sop- dinary/air-con/air-con minibus45/60/150B) From Mae (or- HongSontoSoppong,buses and there are sixadayineitherdirection. Pai toMae stop inSoppong HongSonbuses Getting There&Around makes awicked mulberryliqueur. on nearbyhill-tribevillages tovisit,plushe available too. Theownercangive information Thai stylingandterraces. Afamilybungalowis lows withlovely recycled teak furniture, tasteful bathroom A-frames towoodandstonebunga- fruit trees. Choicesrange fromsimple,shared scenerywithagardenfilled mountain r 300-600B) at pong), youcanstay towards Pai (or34kmcomingfromPai toSop- At thisLisuvillage 9kmsouthof Soppong [hkooµkibo Ban NamRin Cave Lodge Cave A rowof Motorcycle taxis stationed at thebusstop stationed Motorcycle taxis 9am-6pm) ‘pie’) issomething of atravellers’ mecca. . This quiet place is set inbeautiful . Thisquietplaceisset outsidetheThamLotparken- outdoor restaurants ( % 0 53617203;www.cavelodge Lisu Lodge Thispopular ( % (dishes 15-40B; MAE HONG SON PROVINCE ••Pai MAE HONGSONPROVINCE 08 99534243; foreign-exchange service. foreign-exchange .paipost.com) good selection ofnewandusedbooks. good selection Pai, village isnearNam Tok whiletheLahu Shan, Lisu andKMT villages liewithin4kmof NamTokMoPaeng Santichon lage, aLisuvillage, aKMT village called Northwest of vil- town,a Shan village, aLahu [hkolyo^b(o BAN SANTICHON Sights Siam Books Bank Krung Thai up aroundtown. andbaropenings, andcanbepickedtaurant destinations, politicalpieces,and some res- newspaper. Itcovers travel culturalevents, (40Bperhour). internet services thatofferpecially onThChaisongkhram, There are plentyof placesaroundtown,es- Information excursionsbetween elsewhere inAsia. thetownasaplacetochill out –whouse nese long-term visitors –mostly living, Pai alsofeatures asizeablecollectionof population.Attracted by easy Muslim Chinese and Thai,butthere’s alsoasmallbutvisible do tothelaid-back sceneof thetown. ofeffect thenewChiangMai toPai will flight whattheadded Itremainsseason. tobeseen completely overrun byforeigners inthehigh surpassitscapacityandthetowncanfeel does a lovely lazyriver. itspopularity However, green valleywithhotsprings,ricefieldsand treats. Oh,andit’sinthemiddleof agorgeous a deliciousrange of international culinary modernartand andsomeaffordable else, a live-music sceneyouwon’tfindanywhere tract artists,musiciansandfoodies.It’sgot to at- happens tobeinThailandthatseems Instead it’salittlecornerof theworldthat It isn’tawat-filled townemanatingThai-ness. early December. are October to bestjust after therainy season, ofbase the fallsare forswimming and suitable it’sonly 4km.Acoupleofhighway poolsat the getting atasignpost forthefalls;from the off Hong Son-bound busnorthabout 5kmand town (8kmtotal). Mo Paeng, which isanother 4kmfurtherfrom Most of thetown’spopulationare Shan You cancutthehike aMae inhalfbytaking (SanTi and ChueninYunnanese,) isthefree localEnglishlanguage ( % 0 5369 9075; Th Chaisongkhram) Hasa 0 53699075;ThChaisongkhram) (Th Rangsiyanon) HasanATM Rangsiyanon) and (Th canallbevisited onfoot.The faràng Pai Post andJapa- (www 445 Ban NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND 446 road thatfollows adifferent route tothe top. that lead tothe top.Or take the 400msealed avillage,through to get tothestairs (353 steps) main intersection in town,acrossastream and overlooking thevalley. Walk1kmeast fromthe This temple sitsatopahilland hasgoodviews ;yfritTk^=c}jgpHo WAT PHRA THAT MAE YEN Mai (98km) To Chiang 4 1 3 2 5 PAI Mo Paeng(8km) (6.5km); NamTok Muang PaiResort Santichon (4km); Hu (1km);Ban To BanNam A OGSNPOIC • Pi ••PaiMAE HONGSONPROVINCE SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Restaurant...... Thom's ElephantCampTours..... Thai AdventureRafting...... Pai TraditionalMassage...... Pai CookerySchool...... Mr Jan'sMassage...... (see19) Mama's YogaHouse...... Duang Trekking...... (see17) Back Trax...... Siam Books...... Post Office...... Police...... Krung ThaiBank(ATM)...... Abodaya GuestHouse& The HealingPyramid...... (see5) SLEEPING AC 3 Hospital 34 33 26 Wat Luang 36 23 Th Khetkelang 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 C2 B2 B3 C3 C2 B3 C2 C2 A3 B3 C2 35 14 B 28 38 l bu ofe...... B1 All AboutCoffee...... 2 Soi EATING Cher XinJai...... Burger House...... Blue Restaurant...... Baan Benjarong...... Angie's Kitchen...... Shan GuestHouse...... Rim PaiCottage...... Pravee's House...... Pai RiverCorner...... Mr Jan'sBungalows...... Golden Hut...... Duang GuestHouse...... Charlie's House...... Breeze ofPaiGuestHouse...... Blue LagoonHotel...... Baan TawanGuestHouse...... Baan PaiVillage...... 9 29 25 37 Th Chaisongkhram Th Mosque 2 6 Th Rangsiyanon Office District 39 30 To BelleVilla(1km); Resort (1.5km);Pai Baan KratingPai Bungalow (2km) 24 Airport (1.5km); Sipsongpanna 32 10 16 hot springs in placesto make bath- pleasant the park;the streamthrough mixes with the 1km from theroad.Ascenic stream flows 50B) (admission free; soaking town via apaved roadis Across Mae NamPai and8km southeastof [jvoµkihvomjkxkp THA PAI HOT SPRINGS 1 Th Ratchadamnoen Th 17 21 41 11 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 Soi Klang Wat 5 7 Wancha 19 C2 B3 C3 D2 B2 B3 D2 B3 B2 B3 D2 C2 D2 C2 C2 C2 C2 40 31 15 loem Poppies Restaurant...... (see12) Laan-Taung...... Chez Swan...... Bus Station...... AYA Service...... Pai PostStudio&Gallery...... Taku ArtBar...... Shisha Bar...... Charnos Bar...... Boom Bar...... Bebop Cafe...... Market...... Saengthongaram dbeJz...... C2 Edible Jazz...... TRANSPORT ENTERTAINMENT DRINKING Soi Wat Pa Kham18 Mae 8 Kham Wat Pa 4 13 Nam , awell-kept localpark Th Wiang 200m 0.1miles 0 0 Tai 22 Thom's ElephantCamp(6.5km); Pai Tha Pai HotSprings Tha Thapai SpaCamping(7km); (300m); PaiLanna (500m); GoodViewGuest Pairadise (300m);SunHut Tha PaiHotSprings(8km) lonelyplanet.com House (550m);WatPhra Spa ExoticHome(6km); 12 27 20 Amido's PizzaGarden That MaeYen(1km); D 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 41 40 C2 C2 B1 B2 B3 B3 B3 A3 A3 B2 B3 helmet. ThaiAdventure isconsidered the your life jacket fitswellandyouhave asafety about usingsafetyserious equipment,that you handover anybaht.Make sure theyare Pai, gauge before theirattitudeabout security p448). and ThChaisongkhram) 5369 9739;[email protected]; localagenciesestablished are rafts orelephantsinvolved. Amongthemore treks foraslittle as 700Bperdayifthere are no mation onlocaltrekking andafew doguided intowncanprovideAll theguesthouses infor- TREKKING &RAFTING Activities (per pitch 30B;notents forrent). There isacampsite here inthedryseason intowhich hotspringwaterhouses ispiped. ing areas. There are alsosmallpublicbathing lonelyplanet.com rafting, hill-tribe village orany combina- stays variety of trips,including bamboo or rubber tubs afterwards. Thom’s canalso arrange a Rides include asoakinthe hot-spring-fed laughs ona bouncingelephant intheriver. swimming withthe elephants–abarrel of person 300/450B) per 1/2hr rides .geocities.com/pai_tours/; ThRangsiyanon; Tours Pai ElephantCamp Thom’s ELEPHANT RIDING inChiangMai.also hasoffices aren’t usuallyoffered. ThaiAdventure Rafting mid-June tomid-February; after that thetrips runsfrom rapids. Themainraftingseason are alsoavailable easier for1500Bonslightly permanent riverside camp.One-daytrips isspent atthecompany’s springs; onenight rafters visitawaterfall, afossilreef andhot gear, drybagsandinsurance. Ontheway, including food,raftingequipment, camping Pai toMae HongSonfor2400Bperperson Pai rafting tripsinsturdyrubberrafts,from rafting inPai. is thesafest andbestplacetodowhite-water the Mae Pai andotherrivers intheregion, this French guywhohas18years’ experienceon ThRangsiyanon) .activethailand.com/rafting; most professional outfitinPai. bareback andsomeridesinclude orinaseat, riding between hot springs.You can choose from Thom’s campsoutheastof Pai nearthe It leadsexcellenttwo-daywhite-water Mae Whatever in raftingcompanyyouchoose Thai Adventure Rafting Adventure Thai Duang Trekking offers jungle ridesyear-round MAE HONG SON PROVINCE ••Pai MAE HONGSONPROVINCE (at Duang Guest House; (atDuangGuestHouse; (TAR; ( % % Back Trax 0 53699111;www 0 53699286;www Runbya ( % 0 able. the end.One-to three-day courses are avail- book and,of course, eatingyourcreations at how tomake five meals,getting afree recipe a triptothemarket foringredients, learning typicallyinvolvesdishes tolearn.The course courses (red, green oryellow) withdifferent courses 750-800Bperday) School Pai Cookery COOKERY COURSE 150B anhour. sage placesaroundtowncharging around and plain. arerooms atThapai,however, overpriced massages and spring-water treatments. The here forthereasonably pricedmudwraps, most of thenearbyhot-springwaters. Come this hotel hasgoodspafacilitiesmakingthe Hi) .com; BanMae Trax(see at Back left ) intown. 6km outof towntowardsthewaterfall. Book surgery healing.It’s located andcrystal about well asthemore dubioussoundingpsychic scrubs, aromatherapymassage andReiki,as packages include body andone-hoursessions songkhram) sage technique. town employsaharderShan-Burmese mas- thisplacein stuff, intotherougher For those are available onweekends. services Old Medicine Massage Hospital. andsauna the massages are graduates of ChiangMai’s phrai wheresauna youcansteam yourself in very aswella good northern-Thaimassage, this ispublished.Pai TraditionalMassage has writing, itshould beopenagainbythetime Sat &Sun) around 2500B; Pai TraditionalMassage MASSAGE &SPA TREATMENTS per person perday. tion of theaforementioned forabout1000B non; one-day course500B, 100Bper hour) non; one-day Mama’s Yoga House YOGA 150/230/300B, saunapervisit70B,3-daymassagecourse [email protected]; 1ThWiangTai; 1/1½/2hrmassage Thapai SpaCamping Thapai HealingPyramid The Mr Jan’sMassage There are plenty of traditionalThaimas- (medicinalherbs).Thecouplethatdo Being rebuilt after Being afire at thetimeof Using products,spa herbalbased h Next door to Spa Exotic Home, NextdoortoSpaExotic 4.30am-8.30pm Mon-Fri, 8.30am-8.30pm 4.30am-8.30pm Mon-Fri, ( % (Soi Wanchaloem18;perhr150B) ( % offers achoice of three ( % 08 17063799;SoiWanchaloem; ( 08 9954 4981;Th Rangsiya- % 0 19512784;www.thapaispa ( % 0 99982031; 0 53699121;pttm Just north of sàm Th Chai- 447 ŭ n NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND edge of town off Th Rangsiyanon isade- edge of ThRangsiyanon townoff well-run andwell-wornspotonthe southern restaurant onsite. oftenance because flooddamage. There isa are main- simplebutclean.Some roomsneed Golden Hut Budget IN TOWN sure it’sasturdybungalow. ontheriver, right makeand youwanttostay were sweptaway.IfinPai fortherainyseason in 2005,which someriverside bungalows the lastfew years; aparticularlybadonewas end hasarrived. are moving intothemidrange, andthetop Budget placesare butmore thestaple, places spots. head outof towntooneof the‘off-map’ forawhile, countryside, orplanonstaying If you’re comingtoenjoythequiet,idyllic There’s lotsof accommodationchoice inPai. Sleeping tosixmonths.last fromoneweek months before departure andplacementscan and aroundPai. toapplyatleasttwo Youneed programmes where youcanteach English in .travel-to-teach.org/thai/pai.html) and putsomethingback If youwanttospendlonger intheregion VOLUNTEERING andcourses insmallgroups. classes Mamathe policestation, offers Hatha Yoga 448 saunas aresaunas available season. in high plain andrather dark. Massages andherbal medicinal herbgarden,the roomsare very 18; rfrom200B) quite stark. in thecentre of townbutmostrooms are a range of options.Very clean,cheap and 100-600B; pond. Long-term discountsare available. lounging pavilion sitsinthemiddle of abig cent option.Anew,rathergrand, dining and you want to be close toPai’syou wanttobeclose nightlife, this ble roomsinalarge bamboo-thatch building anddou- beds (notavailable inrainyseason) and river. Thethatched hutsonstilts,dorm phere, andproximity gardensetting totown This placeispopularforitslaid-back atmos- Mr Jan’sBungalows Shan GuestHouse There have massive been floodsinPai in Charlie’s House A OGSNPOIC • Pi ••PaiMAE HONGSONPROVINCE a ( % ) Thefriendlyproprietor offers Although set around alovely set Although 0 53699949;dm/d50/100B,r300-500B) ( % ( ( % % 0 5369 9039; Th Rangsiyanon; r 0 53699039;ThRangsiyanon; 0 53699162;r100-300B) 0 53699554; SoiWanchaloem organises affordable affordable organises Travel toTeachTravel (www If the corner,thisattractive offers house large, rooms with cable TV and hot-water showers rooms withcable TV 500-750B; Blue Lagoon Hotel Midrange garden. relaxing, plus spaciousterraces toenjoythe matsandaxerooms, rattan cushions for sliding windows, large, quite plushbath- signed, each bungalow hasfloor-to-ceiling de- among winding pathways. Beautifully has acollection of woodenbungalows set thischarmingPoppies Restaurant, new place .baanpaivillage.com; Th ing downtheriver) are available forrent. table. Motorcyclesandinnertubes(forfloat- with plentyof balconyhammocksandapool will doinapinch. It’squite asocial place newer, cementroomshardlycompare, but salvaged teakare thereason here. tostay The riverside two-storey bungalowsmade with The older,more charming, more expensive, 4,WiangTai;.baantawaninpai.com; 114Mu r300-800B) décor inside. bamboo plantsoutsideandasimple yetchic rooms besidethemhave attractive decking, rooms andhammocks.Therowof spacious in contemporary Thaistyle,hot-water bath- has sixlarge A-frame bungalowsfitted out is downaquiet 400B) SoiWatPa4597; [email protected]; r300- Kham; location. Itlacksagardenthough. hot-water showers andacentral cable TV, some cosytouches andare agooddeal,with name. Themodern,cleanroomshavesame areguesthouse behindtherestaurant of the r300B) 9041; ThChaisongkhram; maintenance.bathrooms need get noisy,sotake aroomattheback.Shared itcan opposite thebusstation town. Being a reasonable in choice ifyouwanttoberight andbungalowsis storey rowhouses houses, r200-500B) khram; out front. and smallverandas. There isasmallgarden clean roomswithsomedecentfurnishings with fan200-300B,raircon600B; ofPai GuestHouse Breeze Abodaya GuestHouse&Restaurant Duang GuestHouse Baan Tawan GuestHouse Pravee’s House Pravee’s Baan Pai Village Baan Pai Village Behind GoldenHut,thisbrandnewplace Behind s Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com ) Clean, characterless motel-like Thisramblingcomplexof two- soi ( ( % % but right bytheaction.It butright Wiang Tai; r500-650B) 0 53699368;SoiWanchaloem;r ( 0 5369 9998; Th Rangsiyanon; r 0 53699998; ThRangsiyanon; % ( % 0 53699101;ThChaisong- ( Theroomsatthis ( % % 0 53698152;www 08 41705184,1998 0 53698116/7;www a ) Tucked in ( % Behind Behind 0 5369 Book accommodationBook online at lonelyplanet.com available inlowseason. lounges andinterior spapool.Discountsare all have river facingbalconiesandsomehave Definitely theplacefordesignconscious, gorgeous colours andlotsof deluxe details. sitely designedwithbeautifulThaifurniture, river elegantroomsare intown,these exqui- corner.com; Top End dramatically. whenthepricesdrop lent dealinlowseason some villasontheriver. RimPai isanexcel- may hearyourneighbours. There are also particularly nice. Inthecheaper roomsyou andtheopenbathroomsarerating details, feel withtheirmosquitonetsandThaideco- lovely garden.Theinteriors have aromantic of ina darkwoodbungalowsandroomsset other timeperiodandhasastylish collection This placefeels like asmallvillage froman- r& bungalowsfrom1000B; .com; ThChaisongkhram; screen towatch movies. andbig and barattachedwithapooltable surround asizeablepool.There is arestaurant lonelyplanet.com in low season. Mae Yen. Fiftypercent discounts are possible 200m before the entrance toWat Phra That Hut comes after abridge over astream, about area forSun withhammocks. Theturn-off lots of charm. There isanattractive communal more expensive bungalowshave porches and area. Bungalowsare nicelyspacedapartand the more uniqueandcalmingplacesinthe tion of zodiac-inspired bungalows isoneof down aforested pathway, thiseclecticcollec- Yen; 28/1BanMae [email protected]; r350-1100B) and placesforcampfires. of thatched communalareas withhammocks, andrice fields.Therethe mountains are lots A-frame bungalowsandroomswithviewsof sociable placehassimple,shared bathroom Near SunHutbutfurtherupthe hill,this Guest House Good View Budget Mae Yen. springs, notvery farfromWatPhra That alongtheroad thatleadstothehot to stay Southeast of townare anumberof places OUT OFTOWN Pai River Corner Pai River Rim Pai Cottage Rim Sun Hut Th Chaisongkhram; r3000-6000B; Th Chaisongkhram; ( % 0 53699730,0813013443;pai_the MAE HONG SON PROVINCE ••Pai MAE HONGSONPROVINCE ( % ( % 0 53699133;www.rimpaicottage 0 5369 9049; www.pairiver 0 53699049;www.pairiver (Ban Mae Yen;(Ban Mae r100-250B) a ) By the Set a ) option forafamily withtransport. neat theyalmost feel plastic.Thisisagood loungers. The bungalowsandgardenare so medium-sizedswimming poolwith pleasant, from 1200B; 4,BaanMorPaeng; 94Mu bungalows -resort.infothai.com; vegetarian-cooking lessons are available. are basic.There is avegetarian caféandThai ing theriver. have Bathrooms hotwater but bungalows openfullytoterraces overlook- beds onadifferent Thefrontof level. some with amixof abstractartand lacycurtains, erside bungalowsare rusticandabitquirky Wiang Neua;bungalowsfrom900B) 5,Ban Juang, 7631; [email protected];60Mu stylish touches. cushions forrelaxing, mozzienetsandafew neat, andallhave hot-water showers, Thaiaxe view of Roomsare themountains. simpleand bamboo, thatched bungalowswithagood to Pairadise, thisbrandnewplacehaswoven Yen; 1,BanMae Mu bungalowsinclbreakfast 900B) food. goodThaiandWestern The restaurant serves 35% are available fromMarch toSeptember. overall atmosphere isrelaxing. Discountsof isconscientiousandthe tubs outside. Service on-site springwater. There are alsoopen-air partially open-airbathroomsforenjoyingthe hasaprivate tubin landscaped garden.Each ing bungalowshere sitaroundabeautifully bungalows850-1000B) Hi; 2, BanMae for swimming. surround aspring-fed pondthatissuitable livingroom,deskanddaybed.All a separate mocks. Themore expensive bungalowshave rustic bathrooms,andterraces withham- chic, withgoldleaflotusmurals,beautiful garden. Thedécorisunderstated andvery spacious andcosybungalowsamidapretty the ridge, Pairadise features super-stylish, Yen; 1,BanMae .com; 98Mu bungalows650-1000B) Midrange teak, and have large windows overlooking fully decorated with white and linen, rattan bungalows onstilts areThese allbeauti- krating.com/pai; 119ThWiangNua; r2700-5500B; Baan Krating Pai Resort Top End Pairadise Spa ExoticHome Muang Pai Resort Pai Resort Muang Sipsongpanna Bungalow Pai Lanna as ( % ( % 08 96913367;www.pailanna.com; 169 ) Muang Pai isknownforits ( 0 98387521;www.pairadise % ( % 0 1917 9351, 0 5369 8088; 86 Mu 0 19179351,53698088;86Mu ( 0 53270906;www.muangpai % ( % These woodenriv- These 0 53698255, www.baan Allof thecharm- 0 53698259,081881 as Atop Next 449 ) NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN NORTHERN THAILAND dishes 20B; tasteful bungalowsare very and comfortable 180B; shake mixes too. overevents breakfast. Lotsof unusualfruit place toread thepaperand catch uponworld typical ThaiandWestern dishes.It’sanice are thebestdeal.Themenuincludes dishes 30-100B; guitar. andespresso Fullcocktail menu. the Thaiownerplaysimprovisational acoustic CDs playinthebackgroundandoccasionally orMexican sandwiches pasta, night food.Jazz 11pm) There’s goodfruitandsoyamilkshakes too. with much tofu andveg plusbrownhuskyrice. traysoutfront,whichin themetal are filled fromthedishes vegetarian Thaifood. Choose deliciousand cheap vegan and mats serves onrattan fice, thissimpleplacewithlowtables are located intown. Thai places.Theplacesthatwehave selected there of isalsoahealthyselection well-priced sity of international residents andvisitors, but Pai’s range of eatingoptionsreflects thediver- Eating transfers totown. bonus. There isarestaurant onsite andfree infinity pooloverlooking theriver isanice andDVDplayers. The come withcableTV over theneatlylawnedgardens,androoms hope foratthisprice. Attached terraces look have somestylebutnotthe‘wow’factoryou’d 118 ThWiangNua;bungalows3600B; Thaidishes. with tasty itshome-grown jasminerice serves taurant manicured gardensorricepaddies.Theres- 450 ice cream too. with viewsoftables the ricepaddies. There’s areflower salad Outtheback are delectable. crabsin coconutmilk,and spicybanana salted the bestThai foodinPai. Dishes like stewed, lookmuch fromoutside it serves place doesn’t siyanon; dishes40-120B; andvegetariansalads, Thaioptions. lassis,recommendedtastic burgers, lotsof resort, openrestaurant thispleasant hasfan- make thisagoodchoice foraleisurely late- Blue Restaurant Kitchen Angie’s Edible Jazz Belle Villa Cher XinJai Baan Benjarong h Thecushions-on-the-floor atmosphere A OGSNPOIC • Pi ••PaiMAE HONGSONPROVINCE 8am-11pm) h ( 8am-5pm) % h (Soi WatPa dishes30-90B; Kham; (Pure Vegetarian Food;ThRatchadamnoen; 0 5369 8226-7; www.bellevillaresort.com; 0 53698226-7;www.bellevillaresort.com; 7.30am-10pm) NexttoPai River Corner ( h % (Th Chaisongkhram; dishes30- Chaisongkhram; (Th Opposite theDistrictOf- ( 11am-10pm) 0 5369 9105; Th Rangsiyanon; 0 53699105;ThRangsiyanon; % 0 53698010;ThRang- The 60B set meals The60Bset nas Although this Although ) These These h 2- favourite ispopular withtravellers and haslive scene. Pai boastsasmall but happeninglive-music Drinking &Entertainment Saengthongaram Market tious. downside isit’soverpriced preten- and atad the accompaniment of classicalmusic.The school onThRatchadamnoen. permanent bridge over Mae Nam Pai, nearthe Bourguignon).beef It’sabout 300meastof the dishes anddailyspecials(including delicious Italsofeaturesto bemissed. avarietyof pasta through. probably take mostof themorningtoget go fortheTruckDriver Special,which will a fortifyingbreakfast,sauce. Orifyouneed quarter pounders, twocheeses andspecial the super-high Burger Barbarian withitstwo big juicyburger thisistheplacetocome. Try 75-200B; area seating outback. pleasant is afriendlyplacefordrinkandthere’s alsoa dishes.Thebar pasta pies orthevariousItalian European dishes.Trythevery English crusty and chicken inred aswellother winesauce, French bistro-stylefood,like salad goatcheese thiscosy,romanticplaceserves wooden house, dishes 70-190B; recommended. is really have deliciousandthesalads been lots of colourfullanterns. Thepumpkinsoup rounded bydarkred parasols and Chinese and Western sur- foodonwoodentables Thai tasty This stylishopenrestaurant serves wiches are madewithhomemadebread. ragtime, jazzorblues.Yummyopensand- town. Instead of popmusic,expectAmerican coffee drinksandthebestFrench toastin eye-opening ish littlebohemian placeserves dishes45-75B; songkhram; sented and tasty Thai dishes are served with Thaidishesare andtasty sented served attractive woodenbuilding,beautifullypre- very romanticallyThai.Ontwofloors, inan great pizzaatthisopen-airrestaurant isnot menu fortwo250B) Bebop Cafe House Burger Chez Swan Poppies Restaurant During theday, there’s foodat takeaway Laan-Taung Amido’s PizzaGarden All AboutCoffee h 9am-9pm h ( % (Th Rangsiyanon; Rangsiyanon; (Th (66 Th Rangsiyanon; dishes 129-149B,set (66 ThRangsiyanon; ( 8am-11pm) % This elegantrestaurant looks 0 53698253, ) Ifyouare hankering after a 0 5369 9093; Th Rangsiyanon; dishes 0 53699093;ThRangsiyanon; h (Th ( (dishes 80-160B) % (Th Khetkelang) (Th 8.30am-6.30pm) Set in an atmospheric inanatmospheric Set 0 5369 9111; Th Rangsiyanon; 0 53699111;ThRangsiyanon; Wiang Tai; dishes50-70B h 0 53699429;ThChai- 6pm-1am) lonelyplanet.com Thetruly . This styl- This old ) bass comeouttoplaysomechilled live jazz. and has anotherincarnation,whensaxophones it Saturdaynight for photography.Butevery lish-language rag,andthefrontisawhite space white woodenbuildingishometoPai’s Eng- 9.30pm Sat) to cappuccino. hookahs withflavours rangingfrommango lounging oncolourfulsofas andsmoking bridge, thiscosyplaceisfilledwith people andfunkareit, andgoodhouse played. toys indisplaycabinets.Trendy Thaisfrequent chairs, pink swayinglampsandkitschy bright place hasaslinky’70sfeel withitsred easy The coolest-lookingbarinPai, thisintimate blues, R&Bandrock. (fromabout 9.30pm),playing music nightly lonelyplanet.com the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’ the above - ‘Do the right the termsand conditions onour sitefor alonger wayofsaying youknow, orresell it. See everyone site,mass emailitto only. Inother words,please don’t uploadthischapter toapeer-to-peer In return, wethinkit’sfair toaskyouuseit forpersonal,non-commercial purposes restricted. © Lonely PlanetPublications. iteasierfor youtouse,access tothischapteris not digitally Tomake ang Mai’s five Arcade bustation timesaday. (ordinary/air-conBuses 80/142B)leave Chi- BUS SiamGAto book 20 minutes. Contact cost oneway/return 1450/2900Bandwilltake scheduled tocommence. Itisestimated to Aviationcalled SiamGeneral (SiamGA),is ang Mai toPai acompany through flight, added.FromFebruarybeen 2007anewChi- tions hadfinished andanewterminal had At thetimeof writingthePai airstrip renova- AIR Getting There&Away be live bandsbythetimethiscomesout. football.There andtable ing, apooltable should brand new,partlyopen-airbarhaslots of seat- music onTuesday,FridayandSaturday. moment.There’sat theright folky/rocklive CD tender hasaknackforspinningtheright It’s popartydécorisreally funkyandthebar- is themaincentre forvisitingThaihipsters. tially ownedbyawell-knownThaiartist,Taku 2664 6099,026414190;www.sga.aero). Rte 1095. located around2kmnorthof thecityalong Taku Art Bar Taku Art Pai PostStudio &Gallery Shisha Bar Boom Bar Charnos Bar Mostof thetime,backof this (Th Rangsiyanon; Rangsiyanon; (Th (Th Rangsiyanon; Rangsiyanon; (Th (Th Rangsiyanon; Rangsiyanon; (Th MAE HONG SON PROVINCE ••AroundPai MAE HONGSONPROVINCE (Th Rangsiyanon; Rangsiyanon; (Th (Th Chaisongkhram; Chaisongkhram; (Th h h h 6pm-1am) 10am-11.30pm) 5pm-1am) The airportis h This big, Thisbig, 8pm-1am) h By the ( Par- % 7.30- 0 opium warlord. Haeng isaShan eral villages Piang alongtheway.NearBan Wiang Haeng valley alltheway to theMyanmarbordernear ridgeskirts amountain andtheMae Taeng roads –someare littlemore thanfootpaths – littleexplored.far been Anetwork of unpaved Further afield,thearea northeastof Pai hasso tribe villages, Santichon such ( asBan p445 ). Pai forexcursions tohill- asabase canbe used AROUND PAI Nam HuJin;and50BtoThaPai. and WiangNeua;40B toNamHuLisaw Ban bus stop.Fares are NamHuand 30BtoBan per24hr100cc/larger80/100-500B) bikes khram; rented at bicycles for80Bperday.Motorcycles canbe ( door toDuangGuestHouse p448 ) rents out locationsaroundtown.Aplace next at several cursions youcanrent bicyclesormotorcycles Most of Pai isaccessibleonfoot. Forlocalex- Getting Around (600B,10hrs).6hrs) andChiangKhong Tham Thom(400B,5hrs), Mae Sai(500B, toChiangMaiminivan buses (150B,3hrs), your ticket inadvanceatAYA; itrunsair-con 1½ hours. and 70Bforair-con minivan.Thetriptakes fromPaibuses toSoppongcost35B ordinary hourfrom8.30amto3.30pm.Regular every toMaebuses HongSon(150B)departalmost 8.30am, 11am,1pmand4pm.Air-con mini- Hong Son(70B)leave at7am, thebusstation forMaefrom 9.30amto6pm.Ordinarybuses leave hour almostevery station fromthesame 2pm and4pm.Theair-con (150B) minibuses tion forChiangMai (80B)at8.30am,10.30am, 70/98/150B). hours (ordinary/air-con/air-con minibus this winding111kmstretch takes aroundthree Mae HongSonthere are alsofive aday; buses hours duetothesteep windingroad.From It’s only134kmbutthetriptakes three tofour Motorcycle taxis wait at the taxi stand atthe stand waitatthetaxi Motorcycle taxis AYA Service Ordinary buses departfromPai’sOrdinary buses bussta- AYA Service and ( % 0 53699940; Ban PiangHaeng temple ( % built by Khun Sa,the builtbyKhun © LonelyPlanetPublications 0 53699940;ThChaisong- Th Chaisongkhram) , passingsev- . Book 451 NORTHERN THAILAND THAILAND NORTHERN