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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

Mae Kampong Village:
Enjoying Rural Living

The hot season has arrived with some rain sprinkling almost every day. For those of you who love to see the mountains when they are covered with green forest, this is a special time to find a place in the mountains to chill out at. There aren't too many activities during the rainy season, but Mae Kampong is of the most famous villages around, offering different size home stays and eco-tourism activities which are perfect for this time of year.

Community eco-tourism in Ban Mae Kampong was initiated in 1999 when this original idea was raised by the present leader of Mae Kampong village with assistance from some external organizations.

Ban Mae Kampong is a fermented tea-producing community, and cultivating and preparing tea remains the main source of income for every family in the village. Because of the decline in demand for fermented tea, locally called miang, recently some villagers have turned to growing coffee, planting it in the forest's tea gardens, and also to eco-tourism, which has become an alternative income source for the villagers.

Mae Kampong is a small community but offers numerous natural attractions such as a hill evergreen forest including forest tea orchards, many species of wild orchids, a seven-level waterfall and a stone cliff.

Staying overnight in a home stay is a popular option for those wishing to observe the simple way of life of the villagers. Mae Kampong is a typical Northern Thai village where you can get a sense of unique Northern Thai culture, listen to the local villagers speaking the Northern dialect and visit the Khantha Phreksa temple, the only temple in the community, which doubles as the village centre.

Eco-tourism in Mae Kampong Village can be divided into three different programs: one-day trips, home stays, and study tours. The time duration of each program is different and can be arranged to meet travelers' needs. On a one-day trip you can observe the village, visit waterfalls, trek to the mountains, and participate in group occupational activities, such as working in a tree orchard. If you want to explore the villagers’ rural life more deeply, the home stay program is for you. Since you spend a night or more under the same roof as the villagers, you will be able to participate in almost all the activities as a member of their family, doing such things as cooking, eating local food, offering necessities to monks in the morning, merit-making, tree planting and more. At night, cultural shows are provided upon request by local performers. If you have special requests or want a more educational trip, a study tour can also be provided. There are various occupational groups in the community which you can join, or get a service from, such as the herbal medicine group, the traditional massage group, the bamboo weaving group, and the blacksmith group.

Mae Kampong is 51 km away from Chiang Mai City, along the main Sankampaeng Rd., and past Sankampaeng's hot springs. After passsing the entrance sign to the hot springs on your left hand side, continue for around 10 kilometers until you hit Huay Kaew village. From this point simply follow the signs to Flight of the Gibbon, which is also located in Mae Kampong Village. For more information, rates, and reservations call 053-229 526 or visit www.mae-kampong.com.

Text: Pon
Images: W.B.