Journey to Doi Inthanon and Mae Sariang

Day 1: Chiang Mai – Doi Inthanon – Mae Chaem

Kew Mae Pan Trail in Doi Inthanon National Park

Your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel for an early departure. They will be with you for the coming five days. It’s a private tour so you can ask them to stop anywhere you want.

Today you will hike the famous Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail. Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain in Thailand (2,565 m). The park boasts the highest diversity of forest types and bird species found in any single park in the country and has many beautiful waterfalls.

We will continue to the Vachirathan waterfall. Next stop will be the Karen village Ban Mae Klang Luang. The local coffee here is excellent. We will taste a cup. Continue to the Hmong market where products from the Royal Project are for sale. The Royal Project (1969) is a non-profit organisation founded by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej to solve the problems of deforestation, poverty and opium production by promoting alternative crops in Thailand.

Doi Inthanon, the roof of Thailand

Lunch will be at a local restaurant. After lunch, we will visit two chedis. They were constructed to honour the 60th birthday anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 1987, and the 60th birthday anniversary of Queen Sirikit in 1992, respectively.

We will drive up to the summit of Doi Inthanon where we will embark on a beautiful nature trail, the Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail. This trail is only open in the dry season. It is a lovely walk partly through the moist evergreen cloud forest and somewhat along a very steep ridge with fantastic views over Mae Chaem and the Mae Pan river valley. Let’s hope for sunny weather. There will be enough time to take pictures. A local guide of the Hmong tribe will accompany us. Here we walk for a couple of hours through an unspoilt cloud forest. When the skies are clear, the views are magnificent. After this, we will board our vehicle and descend to Mae Chaem.

The Chaem Muang  House is a cosy, small accommodation not far from the centre. Overnight will be at the Chaem Muang House.

Day 2: Mae Chaem – Mae Sariang

Mae Cheam teen jok textiles

Few people visit Mae Chaem, but we love this small, sleepy and charming town. This morning we will rise early to attend a remarkable local temple. At this temple, you will meet a local monk who will perform a typical Buddhist blessing ceremony. Return to the Chaem Muang House for breakfast.

After breakfast, we will explore some of the most beautiful temples of Mae Chaem, such as wat Buddha Enn and Wat Yang Luang. We will also visit the teen jok textile artisans. Mae Chaem is justly famed for its production of Pha Teen Jok, unique for its original patterns, vibrant colours and weaving style.
After lunch, we will drive to Mae Sariang. There will be time for stops along the way to enjoy the magnificent views. We will stop at the pine tree forest. The Pinus Kesiya is also known as the Khasi pine, the Benguet pine or the three-needled pine. Arrival in Mae Sariang. Check into the Riverhouse Resort where you will stay overnight three nights.

This hotel is right on the Yuam River. It is close to the morning market and restaurants.

Overnight at the Riverhouse Resort

Day 3: Mae Sariang

Delicious Huay Horm Coffee

After breakfast, we will drive to Mae La Noi, which is about 30 km from Mae Sariang. Today we will visit several Karen and Lawa villages.  At Mae La Noi we will leave the main road and drive into the mountains towards Huay Horm, a Karen village. The road is winding. Views are magnificent. We will stop to take pictures and enjoy the scenery. Huay Horm produces the best coffee and is one of the leading suppliers of Starbucks in Thailand. We taste a cup of this delicious coffee.

Wonderful Lawa villages

Next stop will be Ban Dong, a Lawa village which is the site of a Royal Project that produces vegetables and other cash crops. We will stop at several places to enjoy the splendid views. The Lawa are the indigenous people of North Thailand. We visit a house where you can watch some traditional weaving and see samples of Lawa textiles.

We will have lunch here. After lunch, we will to another Lawa village called Mae La Up. With your guide, you will explore the village and meet some of the villagers. We will visit the local silversmith and walk around the village. After this, we will drive back to Mae Sariang. Just outside of Mae La Noi is a small abandoned chedi on a hilltop. It is a short steep walk but worth the effort. History of this chedi is unknown. Return to the Mae Sariang.

Overnight at the Riverhouse Resort

Day 4: Mae Sariang

Journey to the border

After breakfast, your guide and driver will fetch you. We will drive to Ban Mae Sam Laep for our boat trip on the Salawin River. It will be one of the highlights of this trip.

The source of the Salawin River river is on the Tibetan Plateau. The river flows through China and Myanmar and forms the border between Myanmar and Thailand for about 120 km in Mae Hong Son province. At Moulmein in Myanmar, it flows into the Andaman Sea. The river forms the border here between Thailand and Myanmar. In Myanmar, they call this river the Thanlyin River.

Ban Mae Sam Laep used to be called Dagwin in the past. There was a border crossing here and there used to be a mail service to Rangoon (Yangon), the capital of Myanmar in the past.

Fantastic boat trip on the Salawin River

We board our local private boat and take a boat trip to Sop Moei, which will take about 50 mins. Enjoy the fantastic scenery. At Sop Moei we take a walk. Sop Moei is a Karen village. We will briefly drop by at the local school. Not many people visit this remote area. We take our boat back to Ban Mae Sam Laep, where we will enjoy a local lunch.
Drive back to Mae Sariang. The rest of the afternoon is free at leisure.
Overnight at the Riverhouse Resort

Day 5: Mae Sariang – Chiang Mai

Magnificent Ob Luang Gorge

This morning we leave Mae Sariang. On the way, we will visit Ob Luang National Park. We will make a comfortable, relaxing walk to the magnificent Ob Luang Gorge. Enjoy the rock formations and some interesting prehistoric rock paintings. If you want, you can climb up to a great viewpoint. We will have lunch at the restaurant near the park entrance. Continue to Chiang Mai.

Last stop today will be the Uthayaan Phra Norn (literally “Park of the Sleeping Monk”). A giant reclining golden Buddha statue is perched on the ridge of a mountain, overlooking the plains. Around the Buddha statue are several other gold statues of monks and abbots. Continue to Chiang Mai. Your guide and driver will drop you off at the hotel after a beautiful trip.

End of the program