The Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand

When you are in Chiang Mai or anywhere else in northern Thailand check out some of the hilltribe villages. You can hire a guide to take you there. Alot of the hilltribe villagers will try to sell you little trinkets or handbags. It’s nice if you buy a little something from them even if you don’t want it all that much because these people are really poor and tourists are one of their only sources of cash. And don’t bring any drugs with you or back with you! The cops often stop and search tourists coming back from the villages. Besides, you shouldn’t contribute to the country’s drug problems.

Going to the northern hill tribes is like leaving the usual hustle and bustle of thailand and getting into another country. A trip to the north is so easy to organise and cheap when your in the country (dont be tempted to arrange things while your still at home, you get exactly the same deal out there but for a fraction of the price, booking through the TAT is prob the best option) anyway we spent an entire day trecking up this massive mountain, it was so steep in some points we were forced to go up on all fours! absaloutley shattered ended up going to bed at like 7:00! the people in the village were so lovley and welcoming, i remember sitting on top of this mountain looking up at the spectacular night sky, eating chicken stew stuff and listening to the locals play they’re renditions of beatles tracks! Passing round extreamly strong whisky and watching the little children chase the dogs and chickens about the village. it was truley magical that these people let visitios into their village and are so welcoming about it. The next day we had to go down the mountain this time! Along the way we stopped for lunch and cooked up some noodles, our guide cut some bamboo from the jungle and fashioned bowls and chopsticks right in front of us, before we all went swimming in the waterfalls and lakes! That night we stayed with another village, we sat around a massive fire warming ourselves while our guide got increasingly drunk! funny times! once agin the people were so warm and friendly, prepared a gorgeous breakfast for us the next day, the third day saw us riding elephants through the jungle then going white water rafting! an odd but amazing end to the treck, we then floated on bamboo rafts to the beginning of where we had begun our treck. we saw some more people just leaving to go up the mountain, of course i was jealous but my aching muscles told me that i was going to enjoy getting back to chang mai to sleep in an actual bed and have an actual shower!
An absaliutley incredible experience wish i could have stayed longer, physically exausting but immensly rewarding!

It was raining but peaceful. The Hill people are really friendly but reserved and they are the same tribe as across to vietnam north and southern China. They are on the fringe and denied rights in many ways.
They have an interesting rural culture. You may see Hill people in cities like Chiang mai selling crafts. They can be pushy there and unlike themselves in their own region.