Bali
Half Day
The Marvelous Monastery (Pick up in City)
Half DayTour
Overview
Explore soaring landscapes and discover a treasure trove of wonders on this Mae Salong tour. Witness Buddhist monks traveling by horseback to collect their daily alms. Explore Akha and Yao villages, seeing cultures untouched by time. And learn about the fascinating history of the KMT army with a visit to a mountainside settlement.
Itinerary
MEALS [ L ]
The Marvelous Monastery (Pick up in City)
- Half Day
You will be picked up at 07:00. Set off early in the morning from Chiang Rai on this Mae Salong tour to discover a part of Thailand that is not yet on the main tourist trail.
The first stop is ‘Wat Tham Pa Acha Thong’, or ‘Golden Horse Monastery’. This remote monastery is one-of-a-kind in Thailand as its monks collect their daily alms by horse instead of on foot. Learn the tale of how this unique procession came to be while walking around the grounds. There may be an opportunity to make an offering to the monks as they pass-by on horseback. Continue to a nearby hilltop temple where monks and novice monks are often practicing Muay Thai martial arts.
Having seen a unique side of Buddhism, venture into Mae Salong’s hills to meet with some of Thailand’s ethnic groups. Visit villages inhabited by the Yao and Akha people, learning about their traditional cultures and beliefs such as spirit worship.
Continue to climb further up the mountains, arriving at Santi Kiri. Santi Kiri is home to a settlement of Kuomintang (KMT) refugees. Learn how the KMT Nationalist Chinese Army fled to Thailand during the mainland civil war and have since fought alongside the Thai army. The descendants of the army have been given land rights to stay in this beautiful corner of Thailand. Visit tea plantations and a co-op store selling homemade wine, traditional medicines and other locally-grown products of the KMT and other Santi Kiri residents.
After this insightful visit, continue driving through spectacular Mae Salong before returning to Chiang Rai early this afternoon. (L)
The first stop is ‘Wat Tham Pa Acha Thong’, or ‘Golden Horse Monastery’. This remote monastery is one-of-a-kind in Thailand as its monks collect their daily alms by horse instead of on foot. Learn the tale of how this unique procession came to be while walking around the grounds. There may be an opportunity to make an offering to the monks as they pass-by on horseback. Continue to a nearby hilltop temple where monks and novice monks are often practicing Muay Thai martial arts.
Having seen a unique side of Buddhism, venture into Mae Salong’s hills to meet with some of Thailand’s ethnic groups. Visit villages inhabited by the Yao and Akha people, learning about their traditional cultures and beliefs such as spirit worship.
Continue to climb further up the mountains, arriving at Santi Kiri. Santi Kiri is home to a settlement of Kuomintang (KMT) refugees. Learn how the KMT Nationalist Chinese Army fled to Thailand during the mainland civil war and have since fought alongside the Thai army. The descendants of the army have been given land rights to stay in this beautiful corner of Thailand. Visit tea plantations and a co-op store selling homemade wine, traditional medicines and other locally-grown products of the KMT and other Santi Kiri residents.
After this insightful visit, continue driving through spectacular Mae Salong before returning to Chiang Rai early this afternoon. (L)
Important Information
Services
Notes
Our services include:
– English speaking local guide
– Tours and transfers by private Air
-Conditioned vehicles
– Entrance fees for all visits as mentioned in the itinerary
– Lunch
Our services do not include:
– International and domestic flights
– Meals other than mentioned above
– Personal expenses (laundry, telephone, drinks, tips, etc.)
– Travel insurance Any service not mentioned above
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