Booked a day trip to Thailands highest peak. The cost was 1000 baht, which included lunch and a Few stops as well. I think you can book this at any of the hundreds of agents along the streets and they phone through to someone and you are on a mini bus! Picked at promptly on time, 8.30am and then a few stops to pick up the other guests. All Israeli and one Japanese.
First stop was a very impressive waterfall, which name escapes me, most likely Mae Klang. Onwards to a kings stupa and a lovely walk through the rain Forrest, so lush and green and a lovely coffee shop! My first hot coffee in a week! It's very cool up here.
Phra Mahatathat Naphamathanidon a Chedi or pagoda built to honour the king and the queen is a rather lovely, but strange place. Very cold. It has escalators going up to one pagoda and then escalators to the opposite side the the other pagoda! It's is set in a beautiful garden and l was very surprised to see that all the flowers are ones we grow at home.
These mountains are home to thousands on Hmong and Karen tribespeople, originally from Burma, they came to grow opium but now the government has got rid of it ( they think and hope) and they have created this area for these people to grow vegetables and fruit to earn a living
We stop at a market and buy the most gorgeous fruit and vegetables, dried fruit and teas, everyone on our little bus shares their bits and pieces to we can try.
We stop off at a Karen villages and have a wander through and into the laddie fields, just amazing at this time of year. Imagine if a tourist bus pulled up out the front of our homes and people all pile out and walk through our gardens and years! This always bothers me!
Next stop is the Wachiratan Falls and lunch! A wonderful spread of yummy Thai food.
Back into Chiang Mai about 5 and enough time for a shower and off to the night markets for dinner, a terrific day out.
