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©2003, 2004
John House. All rights reserved |
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Mae Kam Pong
Village
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- Introduction
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- How to
get there -
Via Mae Onn Route
1317
- Via Highway No. 118 to Chiang Rai
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- The serendipity adventue
journey
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- Village Produce
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- Village
Homestay scenario
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Forest
Trekking
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Enroute to
Jae Sorn National Park
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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 |
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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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