Original Thailand Backpackit - Bangkok - Chiang Mai - Mae Sot
This exciting Backpackit tour takes you through lush National Parks to the towns of Mae Sariang & Mae Hong Son. These small towns, are nestled alongside mountains and situated near the Myanmar border, this is where the real adventure begins. You will also visit the outskirts of the Salawin Wildlife Sanctuary which is filled with a wide variety of animal species and endless stretches of spectacular nature. On this 6-day trip along the Burmese border you will experience some of the most beautiful and untouched natural areas in Thailand. We travel with local transportation and gets out where only a few tourists has been before.
Details
Description
- Trip Length:
- 7 days / 6 nights
- Highlights:
- Discover some of the most beautiful nature in Thailand, walk around remote hill tribes, travel through dense jungles, view the Switzerland of Thailand, be dazzled at the Karen longneck village, walk up Doi Suthep, the highest mountain in Chiang Mai, visit elephants camps where their intelligence will amaze you, Backpackit exploration.
- Locations Visited:
- Mae Sot, Mae Sariang, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai
- Start City:
- Bangkok
- End City:
- Mae Sot
- Physical rating:
- Culture rating:
- Transportation:
- Local transportation such as soengtaew and 2nd class busses
- Departure days:
- Saturday
- Included in the price:
- 5 nights accommodation in local guest houses, 1 night in bus or train if starting from Bangkok, Salawin boat ride, visit to Karen village, elephant ride, long neck village, Doi Suthep, Maesa Elephant camp, local transportation and English speaking guide.
- Group size:
- Min 2 / Max 10
This is not included:
- It is good manner to tip the guide / driver (see recommendations)
- Pre and post tour accommodation
- Travel insurance (compulsory)
- Please note on this tour there will be time for optional excursions / activities, if you choose to do so, please note that it is not covered in the tour cost
- Food and drinks
- Fee for mud spa
- Transportation to starting point of the trip
Day 1: Bangkok - Chiang Mai
If you are starting the trip from Bangkok then we have arranged the train ticket to Chiang Mai for you. You have to come and pick up the ticket at the Visit Beyond service office located at New Road Guesthouse. The train will be 2nd class with fan and normally it departs at around 19:30 (please ask the service guide about the exact time the day before) from the main train station in Bangkok, Hua Lamphong. It is your own responsibility to get to Hua Lamphong in time to reach the overnight train. Upon arrival in Chiang Mai your guide will wait for you at the train station.
Day 2: Chiang Mai
Upon arrival in Chiang Mai your guide will pick you up at the train station and take you to the guest house where you have to stay overnight. After a short rest and some breakfast we drive to Doi Suthep, which is the highest and most beautiful temple situated on a mountain in the city. At Doi Suthep we will get the original Chiang Mai feeling. Back in the outskirts of the town, we will visit a place called Tiger Kingdom, where it is possible to eat lunch from a nice buffet. Later in the early afternoon we will visit Maesa Elephant Camp, one of the largest assemblies of elephants in northern Thailand. After visiting the elephants we return to the center of town where we will have dinner. After dinner we recommend you to visit the well known night bazaar in Chiang Mai.
Day 3: Chiang Mai - Mae Hong Son
We have an early breakfast before heading to Mae Hong Son. We will reach Pai for lunch and continue to Mae Hong Son after we have taken a rest. (Please be aware that the road from Chiang Mai to Pai is notoriously curvy. If you are prone to motion sickness then please bring along medicine to settle your stomach.) Upon arrival in Mae Hong Son we will check in to a local guest house in the city. From there we do a walking trip to the beautiful lake that is located in downtown Mae Hong Son. Tonight’s dinner place is up to you, the guide will have several suggestions to good dinner places in the city.
Day 4: Mae Hong Son
Today's program is sightseeing around the beautiful postcard-like town, Mae Hong Son. We visit Baan Ruam Thai which is located on a mountain top near the Burmese border. Old Chinese freedom fighters live here. Next stop is a Coffee plantation and after a short walk you will reach a huge lake. This is the area called ‘Switzerland of Thailand’ where you can enjoy the tranquil area with green mountains. On the way back we stop at a mud spa situated at a natural hot spring. Here you can have a mud facial mask treat and take a swim in the hot springs.
Day 5: Mae Hong Son - Mae Sariang
Before we head off towards Mae Sariang with the local bus we go to the elephant camp for some elephant riding in the area near the river Pai and we will also make a stop at the local longneck village. Today’s drive will take you through some of the most beautiful nature in Thailand, and the landscape changes drastically along the way. On the way the bus will stop in the mountain village Khun Yuam where we have time to eat lunch with the locals. After arriving at our guest house in Mae Sariang we finish our day with a small cycling trip in Mae Sariang where you can experience the local life and visit some of the local highlights. Before we get back to Mae Sariang city where the guide will have suggestions for good dinner places.
Day 6: Mae Sariang
The adventure today begins with a journey by local songthaew truck to the banks of the Salawin River. Where we go sailing in a longtail boat on the river; this river is located in between Thailand and Burma. You will experience green jungle on both sides or the river and steep cliffs rises in the horizon. Make your way through the jungle to a Karen village where local families for sure will be a highlight of today’s trip. We will eat lunch in the village; we recommend bringing a lunch box before leaving Mae Sariang in the morning. After lunch we visit local temples and a Christian church before we go back to the guest house to relax and enjoy dinner.
Day 7: Mae Sariang - Mae Sot
After breakfast we will catch one of the local soengtaews running between Mae Sariang and Mae Sot. The duration of today’s transfer is around 6 hours. The scenery along the way is stunning with beautiful landscape and green trees and vegetation almost covering the road. Half way we will do a lunch stop. You will hardly ever see any tourist in this part of the country hence the food and villages will be very local and remote. You can now start to soak up the adventure you have been through and will start to get the understanding of the Original Thailand. Upon arrival in Mae Sot we go to Mr Lar’s residence. From here you can either go back to Bangkok with the night bus or continue on the Umphang trekking tour or just hang around this sleeping village and explore yourself.
Note: Your guide might change the itinerary according to customer wishes along the way. We ensure that any replacement in itinerary will be an experience as well.
Index of notes:
Emergency Contact - Emergency Funds - Additional Expenditures - Tipping - Weather and Unpredictables - Meals - Group Leaders and Guides - Arrival - What to bring - Checklist - Visas - Laundry - Share Your Trip - Respectful Dress - Money, Dough, Loot & Booty - Departure Tax - Communications - Expect the Unexpected - Health & Fitness - Travel Insurance - Your Travel Buddies - Responsible Travel - The law and "the man"
Emergency Contact
In the event of a genuine crisis or emergency, Visit Beyond’s China Office can be reached on Tel: +86 13911218252 or 0086 13401006553. For further contact details please use the following page: http://www.visitbeyond.com/top-menu/contact-us
Emergency Funds
We advise that you keep 1500CNY per person for unforeseen incidents and circumstances beyond our control (e.g. a natural disaster, civil unrest, etc.).
Additional Expenditures
Take into account your personal spending habits when deciding how much money to bring. How much will you drink and party? How many souvenirs you intend to bring home? How many gifts? Remember to include tips in your calculations. (See below.)
Tipping
Visit Beyond employs local guides who greatly appreciate recognition of services rendered. Index
Weather and Unpredictables
Visit Beyond operates trips in China throughout the year—including the rainy season—and changes may result from inclement weather and other unforeseen circumstances. We reserve the right to change the itinerary according to such circumstances as we see fit to ensure the best experience for our customers.
Meals
Visit Beyond gives you the opportunity to try authentic Tibetan food. When meals are not already provided, your guide will be able to suggest restaurants and the best dishes during your trip. Notify your Guide of allergies or dietary restrictions.
Group Leaders and Guides
Visit Beyond will often provide experienced, local, English-speaking guides who know the destination and region well. Kindly note that it is sometimes necessary to change the guide at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances. Your guide is there for you. He/she will offer recommendations, history, useful phrases and more. We encourage you to ask questions. At Visit Beyond we aim to support local guides who have specialized knowledge of the regions we visit. Index
Arrival
If you have booked an arrival package then you can expect a Visit Beyond representative waiting for you at the airport. If you cannot locate your Driver at the airport, please contact Visit Beyond at china@visitbeyond.com or +86 13911218252 or 0086 13401006553. Visit Beyond does not offer refunds for missed transfers due to a change in flight or delays. Index
What to bring
Pack according to the tour you have chosen. If you’re going trekking, bring appropriate shoes; Visit Beyond encourages you to pack only necessities. Although there are some tours and trips in which you can leave your luggage behind for a day’s excursion, we generally require you to carry your own gear. For this reason, we strongly encourage you to pack in a backpack with straps and back support and a smaller daypack. We strongly discourage traditional luggage!
Responsible travel (see below) dictates that we respect local cultures. Bring a camera and take pictures and video, but never intrude on people’s lives.
See our checklist below for more specifics. Index
Checklist
This checklist is intended as a reference guide; it is not a complete packing list. Always keep in mind weight restrictions according to your airline of choice.
Travel documents: Passport and visas, travel insurance documents, tickets, Visit Beyond vouchers (if any).
Money: Cash, credit card, money pouch.
Day pack: First-aid kit, medication/prescriptions (consider carrying a doctor’s letter if you require a large amount of medication), sunscreen, refillable water bottle and purification tablets, flashlight, insect repellent, hat and sunglasses, traveler’s diarrhea tablets, prescription glasses, contact lenses and solution, phrasebook, earplugs, comfortable shoes & playing cards. Index
Large pack: Alarm clock, international outlet adapter, swimsuit, lightweight towel, eye mask, raincoat, umbrella, waterproof jacket, outdoor sandals with good grip, waterproof bags for the rainy season, appropriate clothes for temples and religious sites.
And, of course, your camera, film or memory cards and spare batteries!
Visas
You are responsible for obtaining visas. Consult your embassy’s website in China or China’s embassy website in your country for the latest visa requirements. Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your return date. We endeavor to keep visa information updated, but rules can change suddenly.
Citizens of Every country need a visa to visit China
Laundry
Some hotels offer laundry services for an additional charge. You can find additional laundry services in all major cities. If you choose to do your own laundry, kindly use non-polluting and biodegradable soap.
Share Your Trip
Go on, show off a little! Share your pictures on our Facebook page. We occasionally hold contests for those who provide the best shots, so stay on the look-out and you could win a free trip! Index
Respectful Dress
Remember that styles of dress are generally conservative throughout Asia. This is especially true outside major cities. Visit Beyond therefore strongly recommends modest clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. Loose, lightweight, long clothing is both respectful and cool in the predominantly hot Asian climate. Avoid tank tops on the beach and never sunbathe topless. Men and women alike are often required to wear pants the cover the legs in temples and religious sites.
Money, Dough, Loot & Booty
We recommend withdrawing money from ATMs, which are widely available throughout China. This has the advantage of keeping your money safe in the bank; not vulnerable in your back pocket. Remember to bring your bank’s emergency contact details in the event that your card is stolen. In addition, notify your bank of your travels before you depart, as banks often place a temporary hold on cards due to transactions in foreign countries or other suspicious activities. Index
Visit Beyond does not recommend traveler’s cheques. Exchanging them can be a lengthy process and can pose difficulties due to banking hours and holidays. In addition to a commission, unfavorable exchange rates often apply to traveler’s cheques. If you insist on bringing traveler’s cheques then purchase them with a major brand and strong currency. Old cheques are rarely, if ever, accepted.
Departure Tax
There is no departure tax at Chinese Airports at the present time. This is subject to change without notice and Visit Beyond is not liable for unexpected charges levied on departing tourists.
Communications
The most reliable method of communication during your travels will be email. Although internet access is widely available in China, we do visit areas of the country for several days at a time in which internet access is limited or unavailable. Please take this into account when planning your trip.
It is a good idea to leave your booking agent’s contact details or Visit Beyond’s contact information with friends or family in your home country in case of emergencies. We do not recommend that you leave friends and family with your hotel details because there is no guarantee that hotel staff speak English. Facebook , Youtube, Google video and many other news websites are blocked in China. Index
Expect the Unexpected
Visit Beyond, as the name implies, brings you to places that are beyond the well-worn tourist path. Out here, things sometimes go wrong and if they do, it is imperative that you tell your guide or tour leader immediately. They are best suited to help however they can. If this does not suffice, your guide will contact our manager.
Health & Fitness
There are no health requirements for this trip. However, to get the most out of your trip, all travelers should be in good physical health. You should consult your doctor or physician before leaving your home country and you should honestly assess your ability to complete your vacation based on the detailed Visit Beyond trip itinerary. In general, the more you physically prepare for the trip, the more you will enjoy it. We do not walk at altitude nor set distance records, but some treks can still be demanding. Expect hilly terrain and high temperatures. Visit Beyond and its guides reserve the right to exclude a participant without refund if said traveler is unable to complete the itinerary without undue risk to him/her or to the group. Index
Small and very handy first aid kits should be readily available in your home country. We recommend you purchase a kit before departure along with any personal medication you may require. Read the trip itinerary closely and bring medicine accordingly, as many trips entail travel on long, windy roads and require that you eat authentic Chinese food. Do not rely on trip leaders or guides, as they are legally prohibited from administering any type of drug including headache medicine and antibiotics.
Visit Beyond is well aware of the health risks of bird flu and SARS. Therefore, Visit Beyond reserves the right to make unannounced changes to all itineraries in the very unlikely occurrence of an outbreak of bird flu, SARS or other disease. Please contact us at china@visitbeyond.com should you require any clarification. Index
Travel Insurance
Although travel insurance is not obligatory to join a Visit Beyond trip, we strongly recommend you purchase insurance before departing your home country. Traveling without insurance is done entirely at your own risk. Visit Beyond is not liable for the uninsured. We recommend Gouda Travel Insurance for our European customers.
Your Travel Buddies
Traveling in a group can be a very positive experience. You are likely to find that your travel buddies hail from all over the world. Therefore, you will get the double pleasure of experiencing a new part of the world and new friends to enjoy it with. In order to get the most out of your trip, each traveler must respect every member of the group, arrive on time according to the trip itinerary, and practice patience with one another. These are your responsibilities as a member of a group and we expect each member to follow them. For reasons of privacy, Visit Beyond will not provide personal information or contact details of your fellow travelers prior to departure.
Responsible Travel
Traveling responsibly is a pillar of the Visit Beyond philosophy. To us, it means two things: respect for the environment and respect for local cultures. We practice low-impact tourism and make every effort to preserve the environment. We refuse to treat local people as mere photo-ops and insist that you engage with locals as human beings. You will have a better trip for it. Please refer to our Responsible Travel page for further details and suggestions for responsible travel. Index
The law and "the man"
Visit Beyond does not tolerate illegal drugs nor do we tolerate visiting prostitutes. Both of these may be common among certain communities we visit but they are illegal nonetheless. Engaging in such activities puts you and your group at serious risk. Possession of illegal drugs is a crime punishable by death in China. Visit Beyond and group leaders reserve the right to immediately expel from the group anyone engaging in these activities.
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