THAILAND – Pai – Local Life and Nature Experience at a Karen Village

Description

During this visit, guests will venture out to a remote Karen village, located in a scenic valley surrounded by forest and rice paddies. The host, a dynamic Karen woman who was born and raised in the village, will welcome them and show them around the village while explaining about daily life and traditions. There will also be time for a nature hike to enjoy the surroundings, have an adventurous picnic lunch in green surroundings, and learn how the Karen people live in harmony with nature. Back in the village, the secrets of traditional Karen weaving and natural dyeing will be revealed, a skill that has been passed on for generations.

Selling points

• A very scenic village, easy to include in any programs staying overnight in Pai.
• While basic fitness is needed, the program is flexible and can be adapted to the travelers’ needs.
• A passionate and dynamic host to show guests around the village.
• The village is not very well known with the general public.
• Good to combine with Tham Lod cave, which is a must-see in the area.

Level Of The Excursion

The Impact Of This Excursion

Social/cultural Impact

Economic Impact

Additional Information

Positive impacts:

This activity is led by women and supports the traditional crafts and lifestyle of the community both directly and indirectly through the activities that guests will partake in.

Negative impacts:

No negatives.

Time And Transportation

Duration

Approximately 5 hours, not including transportation.

Min pax

1

Max pax

8

How to sell it

• As an addition to a classic visit to Tham Lod, which is a must-see in the area.
• As a local experience at a local village, away from the mainstream tourist sites.
• A fun experience that can appeal to a wide audience, including families.
• Offers a combination of culture, nature and local life.

Good to combine with

• A visit to Tham Lod cave.

Do not combine with

• Other Karen village visits during the itinerary (like Mae Klang Luang at Doi Inthanon and especially Nam Hoo Hai Jai in Mae Hong Son. It may be too repetitive and not offer any added value.

Market suggestion

Competitor comparison

Currently there are no other big DMC’s offering this activity, she only receives bookings from 1 small hotel in Chiang Mai.

There is a CBT community organization in the village that organizes overnight homestays, and are used mainly by G Adventures. However, this is not directly linked to this activity and the host.

Pros

• A very scenic village, easy to include in any programs staying overnight in Pai.
• While basic fitness is needed, the program is flexible and can be adapted to the travelers’ needs.
• A passionate and dynamic host to show guests around the village, she also speaks good English.
• Good to combine with Tham Lod cave, which is a must-see in the area.
• Woman-led activity that empowers and supports local ethnic people.

Cons

• There may be some other tourists in the village on overnight treks.
• Not recommended during the hot season, nature will be dry and there is a high chance of air pollution.

Information

Recommended program outline:

Program and timings are approximate and can be changed according to the situation on spot and the client profile

• 08:00: Leave from Pai accommodation
• 09:00: Arrive Pen Cave Homestay, have a short stop for coffee & change to local transportation
• 09:30: Arrive at Mueang Phaem Karen village and meet the host
• 09:45: Start hiking into the jungle/countryside, approximately 1-1,5 hours
• 11:30: Settle in and have a jungle lunch in green surroundings
• 12:30: On the way back to the village feed the fish at the village’s “fish sanctuary”
• 13:30: Intro to weaving and natural dyeing
• 14:30: Finish the program at the village, transfer to Tham Lod cave
• 15:00: visit Tham Lod cave 
• 17:00: Return to Pai accommodation.

Alerts

• Not recommended during the hot season, nature will be dry and there is a high chance of air pollution.
• The village is not easily reached by regular minivan, so the last part (approximately 7km) we organize a transfer by local pickup truck.
• If staying overnight in Pang Mapha (Kanlaya’s Eyrie), it is better to book their activities via them to assure smooth operation and consistency in service. They offer a similar experience on request.

Important information

It is also possible to stay overnight in the village, there are a number of simple guest rooms at the hosts’ house.

Quotation guideline

Pai → Activity → Mook’s Hilltribe Crafts & Tours → 1 Day visit incl. lunch, per person.

Inclusion

• Village visit and nature hike, led by local Karen woman.
• Lunch in the jungle/countryside.
• Drinking water.
• Intro to weaving.

Exclusion

• Easia guide.
• Transportation..
• Any purchases on spot (Karen scarf as gift can be included as an extra)

Possible Extra

• Gift of 1 Karen scarf per person (value is 350THB)
• A scarf or bag can also be an idea as a sustainable client gift. The host can send them by EMS post.

Important notes

• The meeting point for the local truck is Pen Cave Homestay, not related to the excursion. The guide needs to coordinate with the supplier to meet there and change to a local truck.

Special Guide notes

• It is important to reconfirm the pickup place and time in advance.
• There is budget for 1 coffee/tea at the meeting point.

Different Choice

• Paem Bok village (similar name but different area and different ethnic tribe) next to the Bamboo bridge can be an alternative when staying in Pai for people who are looking for local interactions.
• Baan Huai Nam Hoo Hai Jai in Mae Hong Son can offer a similar experience starting from Mae Hong Son town.

Contact

Mook’s Hillltribe Crafts & Tours

Chisnucha Thamdaenphai (Mook)
[email protected]
065 873 5097

For the meeting point:

Sweet & Salty restaurant & café (they don’t know together and are not part of the program, it is just the meeting place)

https://goo.gl/maps/2qBkvBKss2uKoumE7

Tel: 0871754384

English

After breakfast you will follow the winding road into the mountains past incredible landscapes along the way. Then, make a stop at a local cafe to change from your van to a local pickup truck for the last couple of kilometers to a scenic Karen village. At the village, your host, a dynamic Karen woman who was born and raised there, will welcome you and show you around the village while explaining about daily life and traditions. After that, you’ll go on a leisurely hike in the surrounding countryside (or forest, depending on your level of fitness) for an adventurous picnic lunch in a green setting. It is the perfect opportunity to learn how the Karen people live in harmony with nature. Back in the village, you will learn the secrets of traditional Karen weaving and natural dyeing, a skill that has been passed on for generations, before saying farewell to your host.

The below text is for a visit to Tham Lod cave afterward, it is not included in the quotation of this activity and services need to be added separately!

The next stop is Tham Lod Cave where you’ll climb onto a bamboo raft to explore the cave system. The cave is not only a remarkable natural feature due to its size and impressive chambers full of karst formations, it also has historical significance since in the upper caves teak wood coffins were found, thought to be thousands of years old. This place is also a good example of sustainable tourism as all the money is distributed to the neighboring villages whose inhabitants act as guides and who maintain the place.

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