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Mae Kam Pong Village

- Introduction

- How to get there
  
- Via Mae Onn Route 1317

   - Via Highway No. 118 to Chiang Rai

- The serendipity adventue journey

- Village Produce


- Village Homestay scenario

- Forest Trekking

- Enroute to Jae Sorn National Park





Introduction
The geography of Mae Kam Pong Village located approximately 48 km from Chiang Mai and its neighbouring villages are collective highlights. These selected regions of interests are located at a cool height of approximately 800 metres, rising to a peak of 1.700 metres amidst inflorescence of evergreen forest sheltering surrouding watershed, multiple streams flowing over waterfalls, rocky landscape and fertile soil. The climatic conditions through the centuries have supported the villagers cultivation of the local Thai tea known as "pa Miang"
The constructions of concrete roads connecting villages and two provinces have turned the wheels of tourism progress. Visitors are offered different styles of homestay programs from basic rooms amidst village homes of a choice of resort accommodation with modern amenities. 
 

The highlands crisp cool weather is an attraction and the month of December to February promises some very cold nights, especially so, when the wind blows.
Of garden flowers, the species of ground orchid commonly known as "ern din" their blossoms is the regionis pride and they can be seen growing in the gardens and backyards of almost all home, dominating the original "dok kim pong" flower.
There are tow main routes from Chiang Mai to Mae Kam Pong Village. One via the highway route 118 to Chiang Rai and the other by highway 1317 and 1006 from Mae Onn District.

To have a better understanding of the places of interests and its locations, I have recorded the distance of both directions and ceased at focal point of Ban Huay Kaew Village. A new metre reading commenced again from the village and ended at Jae Sorn National Park of Lampang Province. This method would ascertain a more accurate coordination between distances and the places of interests.



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How To Get There

Via Mae Onn Route 1317 
Take Highway 1317 from the city and ignore all junctions until the 33 km mark and on the left a large signboard indicates the turn into Muang Onn Cave located approximately 900 metres on top of a lime-stone hill. All caves host a different scenario within and each has its own unique entry. The cave is lighted and kerosene lamps are on standby in case of an electricity blackout.

To reach the entrance of the cave further up the hill, one has to climb up 187 steps and the reward would be a scenic view of the valley. It is another 132 steps down to the bottom of the cave where cool air enhances oneis sights of amazing stalactite and stalagmite figures of dinosaurs, elephants, arches and faces at different levels of the cave.

The most breathtaking sight is the steeple tall sparkling stalagmite. This stalagmite can also be seen through a gap as bigh as a plane window along the stairway on the upper level. A corner of the cave where water spouts drops from the host of stalactites is also a wonder, especially so in the wet season whern continuous gushes offer a vision of and underground waterfall. A small tunnel at a corner of the wall receives a flow a fine sand, which through the years up-lifted the level of the ground.

After yuou have enjoyed the visit to this cave, drive on and at the 34 km a sign shows a left turn into Sankhampang Hot Spring and also a sign indicating you are about 8 km away to the focal point of Ban Huay Kaew Villages.

As you continue the next three kilometres, the road turns windy and teep to the top for another two-km before descending. A smooth drive lies ahead and views of commercial landscaping gardens selling mature trees and ornamental conifer trees(locally known as ton sonmangkorn) are apparent. If you look across the first garden on the right side, you would see a lake. take a righ turn through a clear path that would lead you to this lake view. fish farms, duck farms, fishing huts and on yonder mountain views offer interesting photography. Wild ducks and herons, escecially the leatter offer an amazing sight in the evening when they land to sleep for the night amoungst the reeds.

Next in view on the right is a Como Gas Station. Continue to drive pass a small bridge and the second left junction is the route from Doi Saket District and you are at the focal point of Ban Huay Kaew Village.

From this T-junction of Ban Huay Kaew Village focal point, the uphill overland drive to Ban Mae Kam Pong Village and across the mountain ranges Jae Sorn National Park of Lampang Province commences.

Let the wheels roll and the Village Government Office on the right with prominent blue roof tiles indicates you are on the right route.


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Via Highway No. 118 to Chiang Rai
Drive along Highway No.118, bypass the junction to Doi Saket District Office on your right at 15km. Proceed on the windy up and down route till you arrive at a police checkpoint at 27 km where a sign indicate a right turn into Ban Pong Kum Village.

After bypassing a bridge at 4 km and another narrow bridge a few modern bungalow units are seen on both sides of the stream. The HR Resort appears thereafter and another bridge is in view at 5 km. Crop rotations practiced by the farmers are distinct, with rice, tobacco, anions and garlic as the main produce. Closing in on the 6 km mark another smaller bridge is sighted before you arrive at Ban Tow Din Village. From here it is another 3-km to T-junction focal point of Ban Huay Kaew Village.

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The serendipity adventue journey
A short drive after passing the village government office, a Christian cemetery is seen on both sides. Compliments of evergreen forest and bamboo clumps lined the windy hill road and a bridge is sighted at 3 km.  And at 4 km, one of Mae Takhrai National Park Offices with young teak trees on both sides of the road is seen. You are now at the level of 800 metres of the highland and within the perimetre o Ban Tarn Tong Villaga.

Neighbouring this National Park is the in-with-nature resort of Kampong Lodges for discerning visitors. Located favourably on this highland valley where widespread of riverbanks edging pebbled stream meandering through natural artistic rocks and dense flora, offer diverse holiday opportunities with nature from dawn to dusk.

Specially constructed manmade "beach areas" hold great picnic opportunity. The backdrop of the forested hill springs the soft adventure of trekking and the study of flora and fauna. across the stream at the base of the hill is an open area suitable for camping and the tower is just the ideal height for bird watching. Or you could just laze and enjoy sunbathing amidst the serendipity of Mother Nature plus the pampering of foot and traditional massage.

Bedrooms, bathrooms, reception areas(with the warmth of a fireplace) and kitchenette are well furnished for a comfortable holiday. The restaurant offers Thai and western cuisine and the option to have candle dinner on the patio is a romantic delight.

Tour arrangements can be made for and insight into the cultural lifestlyles of Mae Kam Pong Villages located 5 kim away.
To the four winds of this resort one enjoys the spectacles of wooden, clay and stone artifactsm, naturally crafted by nature or artistes, from the agardens to under the roofs of dining hall, reception area, bedrooms and bathrooms.

There is a freedom of breathing space with no echoes and where footprints left behind would beckon a comeback holiday.

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The Teen Tok Royal Project at 6 km offers visitors a chance to see and understand the community agricultural services given to the villagers from coffee beans, dragon fruits to mushrooms and other commercilally viable flowers to ferns. The Royal Project assist and encourages the villagers to plant recommended agricultural produce and will also by their harvest. The continuation of this road from the Royal Project curves to another bridge with artistic boulders at both sides of the riverbanks.

About two kilometres from here is a turn off on the left leads to Mae Lai Village Waterfall, a trail seldom visited by outsiders hosts an adventurous hike. Reset your metre reading. A narrow concrete road of 2.7 km takes you to the fringe of this village. which is divided into 4 zones. Namely Pang Soong, Pang Makoh, Pang Markno and Pang Saen Pub. The villages mainly depended on th Thai tea leag of "miang" as their main source of staple income.

Adjacent to the temple is and unique chedi made of rocks collected from the streams. It took 52 villagers on each holy Buddhist day in a week over a period of 3 years to collect the rocks and complete the nine storey architecture. Rocks collected were placed on the roadside for half a day and appointed vehicles would transport them to the temple on higher ground.

Driving on dirt road for about 1.6 km brings you to the edge of the forest and also the home of the village headman. A parking space is located about 150 metres from here and the uphill hike to the waterfall is about 1 km.

The beginning of the hike sees plantations of tea plants and young coffee plants under the shades of trees. The trail narrows and wind deeper into the forest where thickbamboo clumps, tall trees, climbing vines and dense underbrush govern the terrain.

Walking and hopping over stones across streams is fun and scaling the steep cliff on man-made laddersto reach other waterfalls at higher level is and outdoor experience. An unspoiled environment where fish, prawns and crabs are seen in isolated pools with butterflies and song birds in the air and squirrels scrambling across your path.


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Back to the main journey:
Prevailing steep and windy road would have tested your driving skills and the vehicles performance as the journey proceeds towards the boundary of Mae Kam Pong Village at 9 km, where homes are built like a connecting maze on steep terraces edging the sides of the narrow road. This village is divided into 3 zones, mainly Nai(inner), Khrang(central) and Nok (outer).

At the fringe of Mae Kampong Khrang at 10 km, one would notice the unique architecture of John's House, an upper end accomodation charmingly built on terraces across the stream with a backdrop of a steep forested cliff.

The pillars and walls are pebbled, the structures are of timbers, planks and the roofs of teak tiles surrounding a botanical garden of flowering shrubs and trees. A 20-metre tower reinforced on a huge tree is and additional attraction for visitors who are bird watchers of scenery shutterbugs.
An elevated platform is the venue of the village traditional cultural dance and music while dinner is served offers and ambience of favoured holiday amidst the lifestyle of villagers.

There are two adjacent bungalows at different levels of the hill, each tastefully furnished with amenities to pamper a holiday mood. The main house offers the elegance of a basementroom with glass paneling exquisitely furnished with a spacious bathroom.
Blending into the main house is another room and attic to accommodate the younger generations. And within the hall area, the classics of Thai art and trendy collectibles stir conversation. The warmth of fireplace with satellite television programs plus snacks and hot beverages on cold nightswould be cosy and warm.

The rushing stream echoes the sound of hydro-music songbirds, squirrels, frogs, snakes and the melodies of insects, orchestra a healthy forest ecology.

Combined these nature delights and the warmth of comfortable rooms, tastefully furnished with Thai and English decors, plus meals served on raised patio overlooking the village is the ideal holiday venue for a family holiday.
John's House is just walking distance to the village homes, temples, schools and community centres that offers interesting insight into the activities of the villagers.

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Village Produce
Mae Kampong Village is one of the villages that have long been dependent on the local tea product known as "miang" for over a century. Chewing "miang" after food is a practice for the last century and more. The processing of this product hosts a story to share.

Tea leaf pickers trek uphill in the morning with a wicker basket, a wooden hook, a rope, bomboo strips and a blade attached to the finger. Selected leaves within arm's length are held between the thumb and second finger attached to a blade that cut off two thirds of each leaf from the stalk. Hence after a bush have been harvested of its selected leaves the bush bears the unique characteristic of one third leaves on its branches.
Taller brances are bent down with the wooden hook tied to a rope, the rope is then secured to a peg. The selected leaves are then collected. The last three fingers hold on all cut leaves till they form a thick clump and the picker binds it with a bambo strip bark and throws it into the wicker basket. A full wicker basket weighs about 20 to 25 kilograms of fresh tea leaves.

Clumps of tea leaves harvested from the hill are usually steamed for an hour on an earthen stove in the homes. The lot is then poured out to cool on a mat. The steamed tea leaves from the farms are then rebind with thicker bamboo strips into bigger palm size clumps and stacked int layers of circular pattern in a cylinrical cement trough which would be filled with cool fresh water. The mouth of the trough is then covered with plastic sheets and stack with stones.

The tea leaves are submerged and fermented fro a minimum period of 30 days to mature before it is rady to be sold.

Older tea leaves undergo a longer period of fermenting time. After the tea leaves are matured, they are again repacked into standard clumps and placed in plastic pails, each containing 100 clumps of "miang" for wholesale customer. Natural "miang" taste sour & sappy and some consumers prefer to chew it with a dip of sweet syrup.

Northern Thailand country folks are quite addictive to chewing "miang" after meals, more rampant in between conversations. As a beverage, the young shoots are gathered, dried in the sun, fried in a pan and packed as tea ready to brew. Fresh young tea leaves are also boiled or steep as a refreshing drink during special occasions.

Random harvesting of older leaves dried in the open at the edge of the forest is sold to tea factories in the lowland and to a woment community at Mae Kam Pong Village headed by Khun Wonwimol Bell that make s therapeutic pillows. The aromatheraphy form the tea leaves soothes the mind and renders a sound sleep. The pillows come in variable sizes with cases of oriental Chinese, Indonesian and Thai designs

Coffee is also a cash crop and villagers are increasing coffee farming as a revenue supplement.
Tea and coffee plants require the canopy of trees to grow well. Hence minimum timber poaching is seen as the tea farmers protect the forest areas. The ecological result is a wealth of tall trees that also preserve the watershed of this highland. And where lowland forest are parched this highland is constantly an evergreen forest.

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Village Homestay Scenario
There are nine homes in Mae Kam Pong Village catering homestay programs with meals and clean rooms. Local authentic meals cooked on firewood or charcoal clay stoves are nostalgic moments that introduce a new taste of food. The "yam bai miang" a herb salad and omelet cooked on banana leaf tops the dishes.

Morning scenario introduces villagers going to work in the hills and visitors are welcome to accompany them.

Trained village masseurs make house call whenever you need to pamper yourself after a trek to the hills, waterfall or visiting village homes to see how baskets and furniture are made from bamboo and a walkabout to see the moods and colours of domestic scenes.

The village information centre of Mae Kam Pong Khrang would give visitors a deeper understanding to the lifestyle of the villagers. Handmade local products are on sale at the cooperative shop and buying souvenirs from here will thus hulp the villagers. Traditional Thai dance and music can be arranged upon request.

A get to know the villagers over sips of traditional tea hosts the ultimate experience and there is no greater way to experience a homestay program, than to stay with the villagers and be temporary member of the family. When there is guide to translate, fine, otherwise sign language will break the ice.

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Forest Trekking
Over a breeze visit of a night and two days stay, a short trek to the top of Mae Kam Pong's 7 cascading waterfalls is recommended. Ascend and descend takes about 2 hours and could be more, if one is intensively attracted to the flora and founa.

The trek begins from a steep climb just about 2 km from the village through tea plantations dwarfed by tall trees. Higher altitude and cooler temperature are homes to a wealth of ornamental vines creeping wild, bamboo clumps, wild ginger and wild bananas. indents along the cliff are homes to small animals and bats. Flowering shrubs and trees on terraced slopes play host to butterflies, songbirds and a viversity of insects.

Herbal roots, leaves and stems for curing fever and gastric problems are found along the forest trails. The peak offers the panoramic scenery of folding hills and valleys, while the descend captures cool and relaxing moments as one pauses and admire the natural beauty of cascading falls and dense foliage from wild figs to aerial roots and buttress roots spreading over the rocks and boulders.

The trek end at the base of the waterfall and a cool splash is highly recommened to lock in a refreshing memory of this holiday experience.

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Enroute to Jae Sorn National Park
A vehicle with a strong engine, good tyres and cooling system is recommended when attempting this concrete paved route of steep and windy curves, sharp turns connecting steep ascend and descend are expected, forcing low gears, brake systems and the skills of the driver to perform its bests. This journey offers the classics of an overland adventure on wheels.

On the first ascend about 1 km away on the right is a hut overlooking the rooftops of the village. This is one of the areas where you can receive network for the use of mobile phones. Another one kilometre brings you to the Mae Kam Pong Waterfall that has steps and railings leading to seven cascading waterfalls way up high.

The boundary of Chiang Mai and Lampang provinces is at the 5 km mark and stands clear at a height of 1,500 metres of Doi Mon Larn Mountain. To reach the peak, take a left deviation at a rugged trail about 100 metres from this boundary.

This eroded trail is rugged and a 4WD is recommended or by hiking. About 300 metres away is a small park on a plateau with a trail leading to an abandoned old tin mine. Villagers' cattle are left to roam and graze in this area and they often peep and scuttle away at the sight of strangers. To reach the peak at 1,700 metres, one has to double back another 200 metres and on the left is a steep hiking trail that will bring you to the highest point of this mountain.

If you managed to exhaust yourself and conquer this terrain, you've earned the glorious view of the "seas" of green forest. On a clear day, Lamphun, Lampang, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai Provinces could be distinguished and on a clear night. the twinkle of these 4 provinces is a beholding sight.

The continuation of this journey from the 8 km to the 10 km mark offers scenes of undulating sheer forests with sporadic tea plantations. Streams overrnning the road are common sights until you arrive at the village of Ban Pa Miang at 12 km. Another uphill drive of one kilometre brings you to a hilltop exhibits commemorating the inflorescence of the native "orchid tree flower" locally known as "dok seow" that blankets the hills and valleys of this region from February to March. The flowers are edible and villagers gather the fresh flowers, deep fried them in butter and sell them to visitors. Please take not that during the month of December, the Thai Sakura flowers are in full bloom.

The prevailing forest in this region is home to wild bees and climbers harvest their honeycombs during the months of March and early April. Train yhour eyes to see some tall trees pegged with ladders along the way. Some of the trees in this forest attract wild bees to make their honeycombs yearly.

When your reading clock 16-km, drive with extreme care as the downhill drive turns narrow and tricky for two kilometres. Blare your horn at all blind corners. You are at the Y junction when the metre reads 20 km. Take the left turn for another 3 kilometrs and you would have arrived at the Jae Sorn National Park.

Follow the direction to the waterfall, park your vehicle at the entrance where hilltribe vendors sell their cotton wares and souvenirs. Food stalls are located a few metres away offers a good idea to take a rest and snack before proceeding to the waterfall.

A mere 15 minutes walk brings you to the full impact of the waterfall that gushes down into a deep pool filled with fish. You could buy fish pellets from the vendors and feed the fish.

Double back and follow the flow of the waterfall through and easy trail under the cool canopy of trees where natural jacuzzi offer refreshing experiences and beholding huge vine twining to great heights depict imaginative "serpents" of the forest. It is an amazing trail not to miss.

The hot spring garden is another feature to wander as the scent of sulphur permeates the air. You may boil eggs at specific wells and one could also opt for a 20 minute steamy bath in special rooms.

A careful drive straight from Mae Kampong Village to this national park takes about an hour and ten minutes. However, give extra time to enjoy the attractions along the way.

We hope you have enjoyed the journey as you turn these pages as much as we have had the privilege of guiding you.
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