Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 0 5332 6648;
www.namochiangmai.com
; 109/1 Th Moon Muang; classes 220B; 10am & 6pm Mon-Sat)
Tucked away down a quiet lane near Tha Pae Gate, Namo has drop-in yoga classes as
well as workshops in chanting, qigong and massage.
TREKKING IN CHIANG MAI
Thousands of visitors trek into the hills of northern Thailand each year hoping to see fantastic mountain scenery,
interact with primitive cultures and ride elephants. Most come with an Indiana Jones sense of adventure but leave
with disappointment: the actual walk through the jungle lasted less than an hour, the hill-tribe villagers were unin-
terested in the lowlanders, and the other trekkers were boring.
Chiang Mai is not the only base for hill-tribe treks but it is the most accessible and one of the cheapest. Most
companies operating out of Chiang Mai offer the same type of tour: a one-hour minibus ride to Mae Taeng or
Mae Wang (depending on the duration of the trip), a brief hike to an elephant camp, a one-hour elephant ride to a
waterfall, another hour rafting down a river and, for multiday tours, an overnight stay in or near a hill-tribe vil-
lage. The day goes by pretty quickly and is perfectly suited for travellers who want a little bit of everything at an
affordable price; day tours typically start at 1000B, which is shockingly cheap and is only sustainable if the trips
are sold in great quantities and a lot of corners are cut. Most guesthouses in Chiang Mai act as booking agents in
exchange for a commission, which in turn subsidises the cheap room rates.
For those looking for something different, Chiang Dao and Tha Ton are two scenic towns north of Chiang Mai
that have fewer tourists and a variety of small-scale trekking options. The drawback is that less well-known
places have higher lodging and tour prices. These are the economic trade-offs.
Courses
Buddhist Meditation
The following temples offer
vipassana
meditation courses and retreats to English-lan-
guage speakers. Participants should dress in modest white clothes, which can typically be
purchased from the temple. Following Buddhist precepts, there is no set fee but donations
are appreciated. Peruse the various websites for course descriptions and daily routines.
International Buddhism Center
(IBC; 0 5329 5012;
www.fivethousandyears.org
;
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep)
Headquartered within the
temple grounds on Doi Suthep, this centre offers beginner to advanced meditation retreats,
lasting from three to 21 days.
MEDITATION
Northern Insight Meditation Centre
( 0 5327 8620 ext 13;
www.watrampoeng.net
; Wat Ram Poeng)
This intensive 26-day or longer course
is best suited for serious meditation students. Days start at 4am and meals are taken in si-
MEDITATION
