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	---> MORE Destinations: _________________________________ New Perspective of Chiang Rai at Latitude 19 VISITING A BORDER TOWN: Mae Sot – then and now The Poy Sang Long Festival in Mae Hong Son The Samoeng Strawberry Festival Far Out and Cool in Fang District PICTURE PERFECT Mon Jaem Chiang Mai Reflections and a Night Safari Adventure Wat Palad: The Temple below the Temple The Bua Tong Waterfall Park The Cave and Hot Springs of the Mae On Area A DAY TRIP TO DOI INTHANON Two wheels good four wheels…er… The Sino-Thai Dragon Temple of Wat Tha Ton Doi Inthanon - Thailand’s Highest Mountain Kad Mua - an all-you-need market Chiang Dao High! Chiang Mai’s Red Cross and Winter Fair Loy Krathong at Tak A RETREAT TO... Kwan Yin Bodhisattva Hall Living with nature: Galyani Vadhana District Treasures of Myanmar A Journey to Shangri-La Pha Wing Choo – A Lover's Cliff Wiangtakan – The Past Remains Rural Life and Natural Mystery in Chaiprakarn Taking Aim at Chiang Mai's Shooting Gallery Chiang Mai - Maerim - Samoeng Route Hot Springs (and eggs) Ratchaphruek Festival 2009 The 5th Lanna - Japan Festival 2009 Make a Day of it at the New Look Night Safari Mae Sa Snake Farm Marine Lives in a Mountainous Zoo X-Centre Mae Hong Son, Pang Oong and much more along the way... Mae Kampong Village Tiger Kingdom Pai: The Hub of Joy Flower Festival Annual Bo Sang Umbrella Festival at Bo Sang Village Wiang Kum Kam: The Underground Ancient City Loy Kratong: The Town's Joyful Festival Monkey Centre Maerim, Chiang Mai Baankwai Thai Maerim Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden THE ROYAL PALACE ON DOI SUTHEP The Night Safari Ban Saonak Chae Son National Park Lamphun's Wat Chamathevi Doi Tao Lake Mae Sai Bai the Beautiful Wieng Kum Kam Mae Klang Luang Village Doi Pui - Hmong Tribal Village Nan Province Wat Suan Dok Chiang Saen: a city in myth and reality One Night in Chiang Rai and a day across the border A trip full of tour guides Two Days and a Night in the Country The Sumptuous Angkhang Gourmet Tour AWAY FROM IT ALL IN NEARBY MAE WANG Children's Day at the Westernmost Point of Thailand To Lamphun Along the Road of Histories ESCAPING TO PAI A WINTER TRIP ON THE PING RIVER To the Back of Beyond, right on your doorstep Visiting the Shrine of the Elephant-Headed God Visiting Samui Back to Nature at Opkhan National Park Lost in the Chiang Mai Zoo Three Days through the Northern Countryside DOING A NINE-TEMPLE KARMA TRIP - Right Here in Chiang Mai An Early Summer Trip to the Thi Lo Su Falls Nan: Forest, Temples and the Salt of the Earth TREKKING AND TUCKING IN: Wawee Coffee Plantation Mai Long Yee - Lovely Whatever Else You Call It Magnificent Creatures at Wat Changkham Off to See Some Mural Paintings in Lampang The Salawin and the People of Tha Tafang A Hike in the Forest A Journey back in time A Long Night of Luxury in the Chiang Dao Valley Ice-cold in Omkoy A Quick Visit to a Karen Wedding Strawberry Fields Forever A quick ride to Jaesorn National Park A Journey to Wawee A Birding Trip for Newbies Nam Bor Phi Cave A Breath of Sea Air Shopping With a Difference: Kad Luang Airport ELEPHANTS AND ORCHIDS AND THE SNACKS IN BETWEEN Monsoon Miscellany MAE RIM LAGOON AN IMPRESSIVE TRIP - to the Sukantara Resort Visiting Luang Prabang, the Pearl on the Mekong River Phrae: refreshing trip, auspicious visits Up on the Mountain (again) at Khun Wang UP THE MOUNTAIN TO THUNG LUANG SINGAPORE - City of Parks A Short Sight-Seeing Trip to the Monkey Centre GIVE PAI A TRY! You won’t regret it A BUSY DAY’S VISIT TO SANKAMPAENG A Rainy Day Outing to Phrao Monsoon Miscellany TRIPPING AND TASTING ALONG THE HANDICRAFT HIGHWAYS

Discover Hidden Rural Life and Natural Mystery - in Chaiprakarn

Around 128 kilometers from Chiang Mai city, on the way to the famous Angkang Royal Project, is a district offering tourists many interesting attractions. Chaiprakarn's population is not high and because the agricultural life can still be seen, it remains one of districts in Chiang Mai where the pure, simple life can still be appreciated. It's also a good spot to rest before continuing your long trip to Angkang Royal Project.

In addition to being a good place to chill-out, Chaiprakarn offers more to tourists. However, you'll need to have a vehicle of your own to travel around the district in. If you follow the signs directing tourists, several natural wonders are just waiting for you to visit.

Kad Muang Pii may be the most famous attraction of Chaiprakarn. The thirty to forty meter-high gorge with large sand poles in mushroom or Roman pole shapes is a natural wonder that was carved out around 1.5 million years ago during the Quaternary Period. There is a five hundred meter trail that easily leads you to the top of the gorge, the perfect site to relax and enjoy a beautiful bird's-eye-view of the Chaiprakarn and Fang districts.

Not far from Kad Muang Pii, Tab Tao Cave is another of Chaiprakarn's natural beauties. The cave is considered part of the Tab Tao Temple, an old temple in a lush environment. If you like to spend your time in peaceful surrounds, this is a good place to rest body and soul. To discover the cave, just ask a staff-member of the temple to turn the cave's electricity on for you. After the light is on, it's time to discover the cave. Tab Tao Cave is smaller than the famous Chiang Dao Cave but it also presents the beauty of nature. There are a lot of Buddha sculptures inside the cave and a soil stupa is located at the end of the cave. People believe that going deep into the cave to pay respect to the stupa is a way of demonstrating strong faith in Buddhism. On another side of the cave is a gigantic reclining Buddha. This Buddha sculpture dates back to around the year 1600 and was built in the Ayutthaya style and technique. The craftsmen built this Buddha sculpture during the war between Ayuthia and Burma.

One of the amazing things about Chaiprakarn is that this district is not the kind of tourist attraction that commands large amounts of money from tourists. Simply do your part by making a donation to help maintain these beautiful locations so they may continue to be enjoyed by all. And there are a lot more tourist attractions to be enjoyed in Chaiprakarn. If you want to spend more time there, or make another stop on the way back to Chiang Mai from the Angkang Royal Project, you can also visit Viang Pha National Park and shop for good quality pottery at Sansai Clay Pottery Village.

Before discovering Chaiprakarn, please visit www.chaiprakarn.go.th to download a map, or stop by the Chaiprakarn District Administration Office for more information.