Thailand on the border with Burma
The north of Thailand has a lot to offer in terms of nature and culture. We start our 'tour' in Sukhothai. Here the actual history of Thailand started in 1238 with a revolt against the ruling Khmer.
The city grew and prospered until exactly two centuries later Ayutthaya took over. Ancient Sukhothai fell into ruins. The current provincial town is charming, sleepy and a pleasant stopover on the way from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.
The remains of old Sukhothai are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and can be viewed in the extensive Historical Park, 12 kilometers from present-day Sukhothai, where the hotels are cheap and the food from the food stalls near the bridge over the river is excellent.
The road to Lampang is beautiful, but winding. In Lampang, a visit should definitely be made to the Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, in the village of Ko Kha. According to many, it is the most beautiful temple in northern Thailand and was rebuilt around the year 1000. There is not much to do in the city itself. In the direction of Chiang Mai we take the highway here, which leads along mountains and valleys.
It is at Tung Kwian Thai Elephant Conservation Centre, where unemployed and injured elephants are taken care of. The pachyderms put on a fun show and can even be ridden. Highly recommended, especially with children.
From here it continues on the wide highway to the 'rose of the north': Chiang Mai. Many foreigners live here because of the usually cool climate climate in the winter. Then the temperature can drop to just above ten degrees.
Chang Mai
SChiang mai is a must, if only because of the famous Night Bazar. Here you can buy almost everything that Thailand has to offer in the field of textiles, wood and bronze. A meal at / in the Antique House on Charoen Prathet Road, a stone's throw from the market, is part of it. All the antiques in this teak villa are for sale and the food is also excellent.
Of course Chiang Mai has an interesting city center, surrounded by a city moat and remains of city walls. There is a lot to see on foot, especially in the area of temples. The city also has a thriving nightlife. Moreover, there is a hotel room for everyone here, from very simple to extremely luxurious.
No visit to Chiang Mai is complete without a day trip to Doi Suthep, on the high mountain overlooking Chiang Mai. Here, after a climb of 300 steps (there is also a cable car), the visitor should be able to see a stunningly beautiful sunrise or sunset. This is one of the holiest places in Thailand for Buddhists, so respect for the religious experience of the visitors is in order.
Even higher is Doi Pui, a Hmong village. If you don't have time to visit a hill tribe elsewhere in the area, you can go here.
Mae Hong Son
The trip to Mae Hong Son by road is beautiful, but requires an attentive driver. The route passes the parasol village of Mae Sang on the 1095 to Pai. A curious village. Apparently there is nothing to do here, but it is teeming with musicians and visual artists. An excellent starting point for a trekking or rafting trip on the river, which can get quite full in the rainy season.
Mae Hong Son is a stone's throw from the border with Burma and was almost inaccessible twenty years ago. The road there is right up the road for motorcyclists, although you have to be careful with the many hairpin bends.
There are many guesthouses and small hotels in Mae Hong Son. Cheap and cozy, but hardly equipped with luxury. The village has some beautiful temples, clearly Burmese influenced. There is hardly any nightlife in the village, but most visitors do not come for that either. Those who want to avoid the eight-hour mountain trip from Chiang Mai can fly here for little money.
From the provincial capital of Mae Hong Son, the interested visitor can visit Thailand's highest mountain (2600 meters).
longnecks
Just outside the village the road to the Paduang (Kayan/Karenni longnecks) starts. These are Burmese refugees who settled here more than 12 years ago. The road to it runs through streams and an elephant corral. This is the true jungle.
Should we visit the longnecks at the risk of 'monkey watching'? Or do we pay with a broad gesture the five euro entrance to their village, intended to provide the inhabitants with education and medical care and to keep them alive? The girls and women, adorned with bronze rings, are more than happy to be photographed, provided you buy one of their trinkets. By the way, there is no such thing as 'long necks'. The weight of the rings, sometimes more than 4 kilos, presses down the collarbones. That gives the impression of a 'long neck'.
Then it continues to Mae Sot, the border town with a bridge to Burma. Those who love nature will have a good time here. The road leads through many nature areas or national parks, one even more beautiful than the other. Sometimes the impression arises that we have taken a completely wrong road, because there is hardly any traffic and the 105 becomes quite narrow here and there. The tropical rain showers have washed away entire sections of road and bridges here and there. Then it is walking pace over the emergency bridges….
About this blogger
- Almost 20 years ago, journalist Hans Bos moved to Bangkok. Almost from the beginning, he was involved in the birth of Thailandblog. As a journalist, he worked for Limburg newspapers and for the travel trade journals of what was once called Elsevier. Hans (76) has lived in Hua Hin for 14 years, with his wife Raysiya and daughter Lizzy. He was secretary and vice-chairman of the Dutch association in Hua Hin and Cha Am for about nine years.
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