South East Asian Trips

The best trails are in northern Thailand, particularly the remote provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son. This is also the region of the infamous Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet and from where much of the world's opium originates. Treks usually run for three or four days through a scenery consisting of forested mountains inhabited by hill tribes whose small villages offer basic overnight accommodation for trekkers. Guides are widely available, but visitors should ensure that, besides English, they speak some of the hill tribe languages and have good contacts with the tribal communities. Although the people are reported to be extremely friendly, trekkers should also be aware that the area is mostly unpoliced and hold ups and robberies have been reported during the last few years.

Trekking is a very popular way of seeing the more remote areas of Thailand. In the north of Thailand it is possible to do treks, either by foot, elephant, horse or motorcycle, to visit Thailand's hill tribes in their villages. If staying in national parks, or smaller villages in the mountains, often it is possible to do treks organized by the guesthouse, some of the guesthouses and hotels are run by people from the hill tribes who understand the language, origins and customs. This can be far pleasanter than doing treks out of Chiang Mai, on a well-beaten tourist trail. Treks can last from one to five days. Often it is possible to leave baggage behind with the travel agent or tour operator and just take what you need. Make sure you are properly equipped physically, and mentally, for the journey. The treks can be physically demanding so make sure you are fit enough, and they do require a certain amount of responsibility towards the environment and the people you are visiting in the villages.

There are ethical issues involved with trekking which you should consider before deciding to go on a trek. People used to live in the hill tribes cut off from the outside world but now exposure to Westerners (farang) is changing their customs and way of life. Seeing farang smoking opium encourages the young people of the villages to take up opium smoking: the tourists move on but there is constant temptation for the people who live there. Guides have become strict about forbidding smoking opium on treks. This is preferable as there have been problems with opium-addicted guides. In some of the guesthouses and hostels in the hills, there are government posters advising tourists on how to behave in the villages.

Trekking near the border with Myanmar can be interesting as it may give you a chance to meet Burmese refugees and often the guides are from Myanmar. However, check the current situation before you go, as there are occasionally outbreaks of warfare in these areas. Other ethnic groups living in the mountains of north Thailand are from Laos, Tibet, China and Laos. They have their own religion, language and culture and tend to live separately from the Thais. They do not have Thai citizenship and therefore do not have the benefits of education and the right to own property. However integration with the rest of Thailand would mean the loss of their cultural identity over time. The hill tribe people dress very distinctively and look different from the Thais.