Trekking Northern Thailand
With a sense of adventure, you can see this Asian country in a whole new light
By CARLY MILNE
Over the years I’ve had the good fortune to travel all over the world, seeing and doing things that many people dream of. But my travels tend to be comfortable -- sometimes a little too much so. I’ve always stayed in decent hotels and eaten pretty standard food, transported from place to place in a nice, safe taxi once I’ve settled at my destination. And it’s not that I’m complaining about such things... more that I realized it was time to step out of my comfort zone and really test whether or not I had what it took to be a road warrior to the utmost. It’s easy to go somewhere when you know the routine, but what happens when you challenge yourself and take yourself completely out of your element?
My opportunity to experiment came courtesy of Intrepid Travel. For 18 years Intrepid has built its name on offering a travel experience unlike any other -- namely, one that affords explorers of all kinds the opportunity to see the world in a way that they wouldn’t be able to on their own. Intrepid employs local guides for each of their destinations, ensuring that tourists get an authentic experience with a leader who knows the ins and outs of their home countries in a way that a foreigner wouldn’t and couldn’t. In some cases, travelers get the chance to donate time and effort in helping those less fortunate than themselves. The result is incredible memories that last a lifetime.
As far as I was concerned, an Intrepid trip was just what the doctor ordered. I opted to sign up for the two-week Northern Thailand trip, the trip that launched the company 18 years ago and remains one of their most popular to date. I chose my package and plane tickets, and waited patiently for my departure to arrive. And even though I had no idea what to expect, I still found myself surprised.
Bangkok
I arrived in Bangkok early on a Sunday morning and immediately felt out of my element. I’d traveled to foreign lands before, but I’d never been to Asia -- a place where I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb. I left the arrivals area and found a metered taxi to take me to my hotel, which was the meeting point for our group. In the meantime I wandered the streets in search of… comfort, really. I felt incredibly out of place and, honestly, I questioned my wisdom in booking a trip to a place where I didn’t speak the language and had no idea how to take care of myself should anything go wrong. Had I made a big mistake? Though I wandered Khao San road and found many Western tourists and backpackers wandering through the stands of clothing and jewelry, I still felt out of my league.
That evening I started to feel a little better after I met with my guide, Nan, and the rest of the group I'd be touring with. There were two doctors from Sweden, a young couple from England, three English girls who’d just graduated college on a three-month tour of Asia, an older couple from Australia, a young woman from Buenos Aries, and a good-natured loudmouth guy from Australia. All of them seemed at ease with the trip, which helped put me at ease. And the fact that our guide was pretty fluent in English -- and completely fluent in Thai -- helped a lot. We ran down the trip notes and paid a local fee to Nan to be used for various transports and associated expenses, stepped out to a local restaurant to grab a bite to eat, and hit the sack in preparation for our journey the next day.
Kanchanburi
Our morning in Bangkok began with breakfast followed by a longtail boat ride down the Chao Phraya River so we could visit What Pho, a temple that held the largest reclining Buddha measuring 46 meters long. It really was an incredible sight -- calling it “huge” just doesn’t do it justice. We took some time out to tour the rest of the palace before hopping aboard the boat once more to head to the bus station, where we boarded a cushy, air conditioned coach set to take us to Kanchanburi, two hours north of Bangkok. The ride to town was easy breezy, leading me to wonder if I was just doing the same trip I've always done. My answer came loud and clear when I exited the bus and boarded a rickshaw to take me to Apple’s Guesthouse, our hotel for the evening. I felt bad for the older gentleman who was pedaling me and my ginormous backpack through rush-hour traffic, until I saw his calves. It suddenly became clear to me that he was more than used to carting around Westerners who pack their kitchen sink on vacation.
After dumping my backpack a group of us walked about a half-hour down the road to visit the infamous Bridge on the River Kwai, which was loaded with visitors from all over the world. There was also a nearby market that was preparing to close for the night, but not before I scored a string of jade mala beads. The following day we boarded a raft house with one house for sleeping, another for dining and a little raft off the end for lazing in the sun as the whole thing floated down the river. We stopped to climb up to a cave temple and visit a giant golden Buddha before taking a swim in the river. As I floated in the water with the giant Buddha looking over me from the top of the hill, I was starting to feel more comfortable about being in Thailand. Our dinner that evening was a traditional home cooked meal with fried rice, ginger chicken, noodles, and if we wanted, fruit for dessert. The on-board sound system provided top 40 hits while everyone played cards, but I was exhausted. I retired to the rafts where our beds were set up side by side, covered in a mosquito net. I fell asleep before my head hit the pillow.
Chaing Mai
We left Kanchanburi via local bus (read -- no cushy seats and air conditioning) and made a quick stopover at Ayutthaya, where we visited the Heritage site marking the former capital of Thailand. But our chariot to Chaing Mai awaited -- or rather, our night train. We passed the time by reading or playing cards (when we weren't eating Thai curry), and when it was time to sleep the train attendants folded away our table and set up our beds -- a lower and upper bunk -- quickly and efficiently. I passed out almost immediately, rocked to sleep by the feeling of the train swaying gently along the tracks (though those who slept in the top bunk felt differently about the swaying sensation!)
By 7am the next morning we were in Chaing Mai. We checked in at People Place and left our bags behind to go ride elephants through the jungle. Each of the elephants were led up to a "boarding platform," where we climbed a flight of stairs to a little railed balcony that put us at the perfect level to climb on to our elephant. Each of them were fitted with a little metal seat big enough for two people. I climbed on and sat down, and our guide -- who sat on the elephant's neck -- directed our elephant with a dull hook that he used to pull his ear this way and that, or swat away its trunk when it got too demanding about the bananas and sugar canes we were carrying. We tromped through the jungle with grace and ease, getting an incredible view along the way... and just as we were starting to get a little too comfortable on our journey, we stopped at some water tanks, where our group became the unwitting victims in an elephant water fight. Those Looney Tunes cartoons where pachyderms load up their trunks and hose each other down? Yeah, it actually happens. (And a word to the wise: elephant snot is not easy to get off your clothes!)
Though we were led by a guide most of the time, at one point he hopped off the elephant and let us have a chance to sit on its neck and ride it authentically. I gently placed my feet on its head and slid down off the chair, wrapping my legs behind its ears. It was simply amazing -- you just haven’t seen what the world looks like until you’ve seen it from atop an elephant. The company that offered us that opportunity then fed us lunch before we took a trip to another temple, Doi Suthep, which required climbing 306 steps to get to the top... but doing so not only grants you the opportunity to get a good luck blessing from a Buddhist monk, but the chance to see all of Chaing Mai laid out beneath you. But the real highlight of Chaing Mai -- next to the $6 Thai foot massages and inexpensive internet access -- was the night market. Guided by Nan, our group was able to find the best spots to purchase authentic Thai clothes, jewelry and other nick nacks, bargaining our way through the night. I think I left with an entirely new wardrobe that night, and an incredible amount of respect for Nan. At 23 years old, she was handling our group with finesse and grace. Having her guide us was a godsend.
Chaing Rai and the Hilltribes
But the real highlight of the trip was yet to come. On our last night in Chaing Mai we made a stop to pick up gear and provisions for trekking through the jungle, where we’d have the opportunity to stay with hilltribe people high in the mountains above Chaing Rai. We stopped at PDA -- the Population and Community Development Association -- to store our valuables and excess baggage before driving to a homestay high in the hills at the base of where we’d begin trekking. Our host not only graciously made us dinner, but organized a music and dance show performed by the local school children. They started with a musical selection, playing instruments that were familiar but foreign all at the same time… guitars that didn’t look like regular guitars, little ornate drums and wind instruments that made the most beautiful sounds. One of the younger girls put down her instrument to do a special dance for us, telling a story with beautiful and fluid hand movements. Afterwards the kids set up a giant drum that one younger boy danced around as he beat on it rhythmically, while the other kids stood off to the side drumming along in unison. Calling it fascinating and magical would be an understatement.
The adventure began the next morning. After a quick breakfast, two pick-up trucks loaded our group into the back and drove us to our starting point, where we were each handed bamboo walking sticks to help us along our journey. Some of our group opted for porters to help carry their backpacks. I, on the other hand, did not. About 10 minutes in I was certain I’d made a big mistake, but decided instead to concentrate on my hike... which was simply beautiful. Challenging, for sure -- but stopping for lunch at the foot of a giant waterfall after what felt like hours of an uphill climb was a moment of pure bliss. But having my fellow trekkers to sing and chat with made the day fly by.
Our first day of trekking lasted about five hours, and landed us at the foot of the Lisu Hilltribe. We set up our sleeping bags in a bamboo house with an expansive balcony that overlooked the valley, and had the coldest showers you will ever experience. Shortly afterward the women of the tribe set up shop in a hut down the lane from our shelter and started selling handcrafted jewelry and beautifully woven wallets and water bottle carriers. We all gladly bought some goodies, knowing the money went directly to the tribe. And after a good, home-cooked meal and a good night’s sleep, we started the next day visiting the local school, where we were bombarded by children wanting to play ring around the rosie and soccer. And they loved our cameras, pulling us this way and that to take pictures of anyone and anything they desired. We had so much fun with them -- and they with us -- that it was almost sad to have to leave them behind.
The trek continued to the Akha Village, where we had even more rustic surroundings. Our host, who had a successful line of coffee beans sold at Thai retailers, set us up in a small hut that saw us lining up our sleeping mats one right next to the other with little room to breathe, but after a day of hiking, who was going to complain? We all just wanted a place to rest our heads. We took a tour of the village and once again bought local crafts, dined on a home-cooked meal, then partook in an authentic Akha dance performance before laying beneath the stars. I found it fascinating how many stars I could see that night in the depth of the hills of Thailand amid rustic huts... and yet I could get perfect cell reception. Go figure.
From there, the rest of the trip was all downhill -- literally. We spent our last day of trekking navigating our way all the way down to meet our transfer, which took us to hot showers and clean clothes. We were able to take some time out to visit the Chaing Rai night market, which had a fantastic spread of food booths offering everything from crickets to fish grilled right in front of you, and took a trip to the Golden Triangle to see where the borders of Thailand, Burma and Laos meet. And then we worked our way back to Bangkok via busses and night trains, all the way back to where it all began.
Though it took me some time to get used to the experience, I wouldn’t dare trade my memories from my trip to Thailand for anything. From taking all manner of transportation all around the country to piggybacking gleeful hilltribe children until I couldn’t lift anymore, from eating crickets to meditating under a giant golden Buddha... this, for me, was what traveling was all about: removing myself from my comfort zone and really seeing the world. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Well, with the exception of those cold showers at the Lisu Hilltribe house...
For those interested in experiencing a similar trip, visit intrepidtravel.com.
Carly believes a Thai hilltribe trek is the ultimate weight loss secret. She can be reached via e-mail at me@carlymilne.net.
My opportunity to experiment came courtesy of Intrepid Travel. For 18 years Intrepid has built its name on offering a travel experience unlike any other -- namely, one that affords explorers of all kinds the opportunity to see the world in a way that they wouldn’t be able to on their own. Intrepid employs local guides for each of their destinations, ensuring that tourists get an authentic experience with a leader who knows the ins and outs of their home countries in a way that a foreigner wouldn’t and couldn’t. In some cases, travelers get the chance to donate time and effort in helping those less fortunate than themselves. The result is incredible memories that last a lifetime.
As far as I was concerned, an Intrepid trip was just what the doctor ordered. I opted to sign up for the two-week Northern Thailand trip, the trip that launched the company 18 years ago and remains one of their most popular to date. I chose my package and plane tickets, and waited patiently for my departure to arrive. And even though I had no idea what to expect, I still found myself surprised.
Bangkok
I arrived in Bangkok early on a Sunday morning and immediately felt out of my element. I’d traveled to foreign lands before, but I’d never been to Asia -- a place where I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb. I left the arrivals area and found a metered taxi to take me to my hotel, which was the meeting point for our group. In the meantime I wandered the streets in search of… comfort, really. I felt incredibly out of place and, honestly, I questioned my wisdom in booking a trip to a place where I didn’t speak the language and had no idea how to take care of myself should anything go wrong. Had I made a big mistake? Though I wandered Khao San road and found many Western tourists and backpackers wandering through the stands of clothing and jewelry, I still felt out of my league.
That evening I started to feel a little better after I met with my guide, Nan, and the rest of the group I'd be touring with. There were two doctors from Sweden, a young couple from England, three English girls who’d just graduated college on a three-month tour of Asia, an older couple from Australia, a young woman from Buenos Aries, and a good-natured loudmouth guy from Australia. All of them seemed at ease with the trip, which helped put me at ease. And the fact that our guide was pretty fluent in English -- and completely fluent in Thai -- helped a lot. We ran down the trip notes and paid a local fee to Nan to be used for various transports and associated expenses, stepped out to a local restaurant to grab a bite to eat, and hit the sack in preparation for our journey the next day.
Kanchanburi
Our morning in Bangkok began with breakfast followed by a longtail boat ride down the Chao Phraya River so we could visit What Pho, a temple that held the largest reclining Buddha measuring 46 meters long. It really was an incredible sight -- calling it “huge” just doesn’t do it justice. We took some time out to tour the rest of the palace before hopping aboard the boat once more to head to the bus station, where we boarded a cushy, air conditioned coach set to take us to Kanchanburi, two hours north of Bangkok. The ride to town was easy breezy, leading me to wonder if I was just doing the same trip I've always done. My answer came loud and clear when I exited the bus and boarded a rickshaw to take me to Apple’s Guesthouse, our hotel for the evening. I felt bad for the older gentleman who was pedaling me and my ginormous backpack through rush-hour traffic, until I saw his calves. It suddenly became clear to me that he was more than used to carting around Westerners who pack their kitchen sink on vacation.
After dumping my backpack a group of us walked about a half-hour down the road to visit the infamous Bridge on the River Kwai, which was loaded with visitors from all over the world. There was also a nearby market that was preparing to close for the night, but not before I scored a string of jade mala beads. The following day we boarded a raft house with one house for sleeping, another for dining and a little raft off the end for lazing in the sun as the whole thing floated down the river. We stopped to climb up to a cave temple and visit a giant golden Buddha before taking a swim in the river. As I floated in the water with the giant Buddha looking over me from the top of the hill, I was starting to feel more comfortable about being in Thailand. Our dinner that evening was a traditional home cooked meal with fried rice, ginger chicken, noodles, and if we wanted, fruit for dessert. The on-board sound system provided top 40 hits while everyone played cards, but I was exhausted. I retired to the rafts where our beds were set up side by side, covered in a mosquito net. I fell asleep before my head hit the pillow.
Chaing Mai
We left Kanchanburi via local bus (read -- no cushy seats and air conditioning) and made a quick stopover at Ayutthaya, where we visited the Heritage site marking the former capital of Thailand. But our chariot to Chaing Mai awaited -- or rather, our night train. We passed the time by reading or playing cards (when we weren't eating Thai curry), and when it was time to sleep the train attendants folded away our table and set up our beds -- a lower and upper bunk -- quickly and efficiently. I passed out almost immediately, rocked to sleep by the feeling of the train swaying gently along the tracks (though those who slept in the top bunk felt differently about the swaying sensation!)
By 7am the next morning we were in Chaing Mai. We checked in at People Place and left our bags behind to go ride elephants through the jungle. Each of the elephants were led up to a "boarding platform," where we climbed a flight of stairs to a little railed balcony that put us at the perfect level to climb on to our elephant. Each of them were fitted with a little metal seat big enough for two people. I climbed on and sat down, and our guide -- who sat on the elephant's neck -- directed our elephant with a dull hook that he used to pull his ear this way and that, or swat away its trunk when it got too demanding about the bananas and sugar canes we were carrying. We tromped through the jungle with grace and ease, getting an incredible view along the way... and just as we were starting to get a little too comfortable on our journey, we stopped at some water tanks, where our group became the unwitting victims in an elephant water fight. Those Looney Tunes cartoons where pachyderms load up their trunks and hose each other down? Yeah, it actually happens. (And a word to the wise: elephant snot is not easy to get off your clothes!)
Though we were led by a guide most of the time, at one point he hopped off the elephant and let us have a chance to sit on its neck and ride it authentically. I gently placed my feet on its head and slid down off the chair, wrapping my legs behind its ears. It was simply amazing -- you just haven’t seen what the world looks like until you’ve seen it from atop an elephant. The company that offered us that opportunity then fed us lunch before we took a trip to another temple, Doi Suthep, which required climbing 306 steps to get to the top... but doing so not only grants you the opportunity to get a good luck blessing from a Buddhist monk, but the chance to see all of Chaing Mai laid out beneath you. But the real highlight of Chaing Mai -- next to the $6 Thai foot massages and inexpensive internet access -- was the night market. Guided by Nan, our group was able to find the best spots to purchase authentic Thai clothes, jewelry and other nick nacks, bargaining our way through the night. I think I left with an entirely new wardrobe that night, and an incredible amount of respect for Nan. At 23 years old, she was handling our group with finesse and grace. Having her guide us was a godsend.
Chaing Rai and the Hilltribes
But the real highlight of the trip was yet to come. On our last night in Chaing Mai we made a stop to pick up gear and provisions for trekking through the jungle, where we’d have the opportunity to stay with hilltribe people high in the mountains above Chaing Rai. We stopped at PDA -- the Population and Community Development Association -- to store our valuables and excess baggage before driving to a homestay high in the hills at the base of where we’d begin trekking. Our host not only graciously made us dinner, but organized a music and dance show performed by the local school children. They started with a musical selection, playing instruments that were familiar but foreign all at the same time… guitars that didn’t look like regular guitars, little ornate drums and wind instruments that made the most beautiful sounds. One of the younger girls put down her instrument to do a special dance for us, telling a story with beautiful and fluid hand movements. Afterwards the kids set up a giant drum that one younger boy danced around as he beat on it rhythmically, while the other kids stood off to the side drumming along in unison. Calling it fascinating and magical would be an understatement.
The adventure began the next morning. After a quick breakfast, two pick-up trucks loaded our group into the back and drove us to our starting point, where we were each handed bamboo walking sticks to help us along our journey. Some of our group opted for porters to help carry their backpacks. I, on the other hand, did not. About 10 minutes in I was certain I’d made a big mistake, but decided instead to concentrate on my hike... which was simply beautiful. Challenging, for sure -- but stopping for lunch at the foot of a giant waterfall after what felt like hours of an uphill climb was a moment of pure bliss. But having my fellow trekkers to sing and chat with made the day fly by.
Our first day of trekking lasted about five hours, and landed us at the foot of the Lisu Hilltribe. We set up our sleeping bags in a bamboo house with an expansive balcony that overlooked the valley, and had the coldest showers you will ever experience. Shortly afterward the women of the tribe set up shop in a hut down the lane from our shelter and started selling handcrafted jewelry and beautifully woven wallets and water bottle carriers. We all gladly bought some goodies, knowing the money went directly to the tribe. And after a good, home-cooked meal and a good night’s sleep, we started the next day visiting the local school, where we were bombarded by children wanting to play ring around the rosie and soccer. And they loved our cameras, pulling us this way and that to take pictures of anyone and anything they desired. We had so much fun with them -- and they with us -- that it was almost sad to have to leave them behind.
The trek continued to the Akha Village, where we had even more rustic surroundings. Our host, who had a successful line of coffee beans sold at Thai retailers, set us up in a small hut that saw us lining up our sleeping mats one right next to the other with little room to breathe, but after a day of hiking, who was going to complain? We all just wanted a place to rest our heads. We took a tour of the village and once again bought local crafts, dined on a home-cooked meal, then partook in an authentic Akha dance performance before laying beneath the stars. I found it fascinating how many stars I could see that night in the depth of the hills of Thailand amid rustic huts... and yet I could get perfect cell reception. Go figure.
From there, the rest of the trip was all downhill -- literally. We spent our last day of trekking navigating our way all the way down to meet our transfer, which took us to hot showers and clean clothes. We were able to take some time out to visit the Chaing Rai night market, which had a fantastic spread of food booths offering everything from crickets to fish grilled right in front of you, and took a trip to the Golden Triangle to see where the borders of Thailand, Burma and Laos meet. And then we worked our way back to Bangkok via busses and night trains, all the way back to where it all began.
Though it took me some time to get used to the experience, I wouldn’t dare trade my memories from my trip to Thailand for anything. From taking all manner of transportation all around the country to piggybacking gleeful hilltribe children until I couldn’t lift anymore, from eating crickets to meditating under a giant golden Buddha... this, for me, was what traveling was all about: removing myself from my comfort zone and really seeing the world. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Well, with the exception of those cold showers at the Lisu Hilltribe house...
For those interested in experiencing a similar trip, visit intrepidtravel.com.
Carly believes a Thai hilltribe trek is the ultimate weight loss secret. She can be reached via e-mail at me@carlymilne.net.
