Mae Khajan Hot Springs, White Temple, Golden Triangle, Border Market, Akha/Yao Hill, Karen Hill

Saturday, April 23, 2011

06.30 Breakfast at Chiang Mai Thai House, toasted bread (2pc) with pineapple jam and butter, cost bath 25.

We wait our tour pick us up. Today we going to Chiang Rai with Travel Hub. We follow tour for bath 900 + Golden Triangle ride boat & tax bath 320 + Visit Karen Hill bath 200 = bath 1.400. It was the cheapest tour I can find, I book by internet, and payment at front for bath 900, the other was optional (pay there) if we didn’t want to follow it’s ok.

Our tour destination was :

• Visit Mae Khajan hot springs

• Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)

• Visit Golden Triangle

• Boat trip on the Mekong to Laos Island (option)

• Have lunch

• Visit border market at Mae Sai

• Visit Yao hill tribe village

• Visit Akha hill tribe village

• Visit karen hill tribe village

Here our journey.

Our tour guide (Ms. Anna) said that used to be there were Lanna Kingdom there. One day the king lost his elephant and he run search for his elephant, till he found land today called Chiang Rai (Chiang Rai only half of Chiang Mai) and built city there. The King names was Meng Rai. After that the king found Chiang Mai.

Mae Khajan Hot Springs

Mae Khajan Hot Springs

It’s take an hour drive from Chiang Mai to here. There were small geyser at front – the water was not hot. At here weather was cold, and at back stall market we can soak our foot here. The water was heat, clean, it’s about 70-80 celsius degree. But the place was not as big as Ciater hot springs at Bandung or at Kelud Mountain - Indonesian.

After soaking my foot here, I feel much better, my feet not too tired.

Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)

From Mae Khajan Hot Springs take an hour to go here. This temple was built by Thailand actor. He was born at Chiang Rai and want to do something for his village so he built this temple. Till today it hadn’t finish all, still in progress. But the main building already finish.

Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)

Toilet at White Temple

Story about the temple is : at below there were many hand handicraft, symbol of hell for bad people, good people will cross the bridge to go to the heaven. Inside the temple there were giant Budhha statue. And the wallpaper had story : was paint that the world had many disaster, by weapon, gun, nuclear, or other bad things, many super hero there, Superman, Spiderman, Batman, even Doraemon (Japanese cartoon super hero), etc, but they can save the world from disaster.

It was told us to pray to God. And only good people ride boat go to the heaven.

Nice story.

Outside temple there were gold building beside the temple, it toilet. But it’ beautiful.

Then we went to exhibition room, inside there hang many painting, no photograph allow here.

Golden Triangle

Then we went to Golden Triangle. Why it called golden triangle?

Because used to be it was plant many opium there, and they only sell it with gold.

Now there were no opium there, it was forbidden by Thailand government.

Triangle is because it was meeting point of 3 country : Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar.

So the place called Golden Triangle.

Golden Triangle rivers : Mekong river water came from Yunan (China River), which cross many country. Many Chinese people there made trading here. If went to China with small boat by cross Golden Triangle river it’s takes 3-4 days.

We ride boat here cross Mekong river, there were casino at Laos, border the river. Also hotel at there, it’s very expensive hotel, since people stay there usually gamble at the casino. We get off at Laos market, at here they offer us drink whisky for free. But I not try it. The whisky water was from a bottle, which inside there were snake, scorpio, spider all was poison animals.

At here bag was good quality (it's seems china product), but I'm not buy it. If wanna buy small wallet buy here. It’s cheaper then JJ market. Here 3 wallet cost 70 bath, at JJ Market 3 cost 80 bath (the cheapest I can find - only one), other 3 for 120 bath. Don’t worry bath was accept here.

After that we had lunch. Lunch was excellent, taste good. The fruit, rice, soup, pancake, all good.

Place we had Lunch

Border Market at Mae Sae

Here we buy a lot snacks, it's cheap. And at here I found la ji (read lak ji) same like I buy at Zhu hai – China, many product from china sold here. This market border with Myanmar, for foreign want to cross this border had to pay bath 500, but for Thai  person only pay bath 20. At here I can speak mandarin language, since many seller from China and they speak mandarin language.

All product same like China product, and cheap also. Just beware if you didn’t understand about stone don’t buy here.

Akha/Yao Trible Hill Village

At here we visit Akha Hill Village. Akha people was immigrant from Yunan - China, they came here hundred years ago, also from Burma and Laos (when their country had civil war).  They lived at bamboo house, only had one room for sleep, living room, kitchen was outside.

Karen Hill Village

Way of life Karen Hill People similar with Akha. But Karen girl wear rings on their neck. According with our guide, only women wear it, since used to be they was forbidden to get marriage with other people outside from their community.

They start wearing ring at their neck from 5 years old. But now they can choose not to wear it, since they want to go to school. But there were volunteer comes to their village gave education for them.
And now a days they already can get marriage with people outside their community and if they do it, they can let the ring off.

Now only girl who born at Wednesday, in full moon had to use the rings. Because they believe they will be beautiful when they use the rings. But as I see they was beautiful and had beautiful skin.

I hold the ring and you know what it’s more then 4 kg. Wow…. they had to carry it for they whole life. Just can’t imagine about it.

They made their clothes called sarung by them self, and they was so independent to full filling live.

Some of them use ring not at the neck but at the leg, and wear earring (very heavy and long one), it's was from different community.

That all our journey at Chiang Rai then we back to Chiang Mai takes 3 hour drive back.

We get off at Taste from heaven and had dinner there. It’s not cheap compare with other but it’s vegetarian and organic restaurant.