Elephant Ride to Lisu Village & Bamboo Rafting Chiang Dao
TOUR CODE : ES
Overlooked by Thailand's most Beautiful
Mountain Doi Chiang Dao (Mountain of the City of Stars),
60 kilometres north of Chiang Mai, is the country's
ruggedest and most beautiful mountain. Starting with
a visit to an elephants training camp nearby, and having
seen the amiable and intelligent animals bathing and
working, you take an hour and a half ride's through
the forest on elephant-back. Afterwards comes a fantastic
one-hour glide down the tranquil and lovely Ping river
by raft. Having lunched agreeably you look into a Hmong
village on the way back to the city, seeing these colourful
people in their natural surroundings.
Chiang Dao, Chiang Mai
Chiang Dao , Northern Thailand, Chiang Dao, literally
translated 'the City of Stars', is North of Chiang Mai
en route to Tha Ton. There is more to Chiang Dao than
just it's famous caves.
Chiang Dao town centre has charming old style wooden
shops flanking the highway. It is one of the few remaining
Thai towns without a Seven Eleven. Indeed the people
around here are mainly involved with agriculture, and
most people are asleep by 8.00pm! They tend to rise
very early for work. The morning market starts at around
3.00am finishing at about 8.00am. It is interesting
to see the locals shopping here. On a Tuesday Chiang
Dao has a bustling market where people from the surrounding
area, including many hilltribe folk come down to buy
and sell their wares. Not intended for tourists and
well worth experiencing.
Chiang Dao's most striking feature is Doi Chiang Dao,
Thailand's 3rd highest mountain at 2225m which plays
host to an abundance of wildlife and nature. It is one
of the lesser-visited, but nonetheless interesting Thai
birding sites.
Chiang Dao is an ideal base for people touring the area,
whether on foot, cycling, in rented cars, or on motorbikes.
Elephant centres and river rafting are situated close
by. A wide variety of hilltribe villages are dotted
around the nearby mountains which can be reached independently
or as part of a trek. There are also various hiking
trails through the forest, or up the mountain. It is
also a great place to unwind. Meditation at the temple,
relaxing in a hammock, drinking a beer, or reading a
book. It's such a beautiful, peaceful place, doing nothing
is always an option.
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