Frans Betgem writes all the Green Trails blogs. He tries to write a blog per month but in the last couple of years, this has been quite difficult. Sometimes the blogs are stories about travel experiences or about certain trails. The blog Frans particularly likes is the story about the Opium Trail in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. This is a fantastic trail that starts at the Hmong village Doi Pui. After leaving the village you will soon find yourself in an evergreen forest with pine trees and lush vegetation.
The trail is not too difficult until you arrive at a more open space. Here the trail becomes steep but not too steep to keep walking. At the top of the trail, you will reach an area with rocks and boulders. There is a Buddha footprint here. If the skies are clear you have a fantastic view over the surrounding mountains and plains. From there you descend to the Hmong village Ban Mae Sa Mai. Enjoy our Green Trails blogs.
Two other favorite Green Trails blogs are those about the two great trails in the Doi Inthanon National Park. The Pha Dok Siew Trail is open the whole year and takes you along a beautiful waterfall to the Karen village Ban Mae Klang Luang. The other trail is the famous Kew Mae Pan Trail, which can become very busy during the cool season.
The elephants of Mae Wang The Junior Elephant Sanctuary is an elephant camp near Ban Mae Sapok (Huai Ya Khai), in Mae Win subdistrict, Mae Wang district, approximately 67 km southwest of Chiang Mai. It was formerly known as the Elephant Paradise Camp and later as the Yuthasak Elephant Camp. Mae Wang district reportedly has […]
Table of Contents The Best Time for Trekking in Chiang Mai Choosing the best time for trekking in Chiang Mai isn’t straightforward: weather, trail conditions, crowds, and your expectations from your Chiang Mai trekking adventure all matter. In this guide, we break down Northern Thailand’s trekking seasons, their pros and cons, and how they impact […]
Table of Contents Elephant Parade – introduction Elephant Parade is a social enterprise that organizes worldwide open-air art exhibitions. These feature life-size, hand-painted baby elephant statues to raise awareness and money for the conservation of the Asian elephant. Each elephant statue is a unique creation by artists or celebrities. They are displayed in host cities […]
Table of Contents Baan Muang Kung – introduction Baan Muang Kung is a historic pottery village located about 10 km southwest of Chiang Mai’s Old City. The village is home to a community of artisans who continue a pottery tradition that stretches back centuries. Most villagers are descendants of migrants from Shan State, Myanmar’s largest […]
Table of Contents Introduction to the Akha Living Legacy Project Recreate and Reclaim Intangible Ancestral Heritage of the Akha people In July 2023, the Cultural Crossroads Foundation’s Living Legacy Project launched the Akha Oral Tradition School, located in the Akha village of Ban Saen Suk, nestled in the mountains north of Chiang Rai. Currently, twenty-two […]
Table of Contents 1. Is trekking in Chiang Mai safe for families with children? Yes, trekking in Chiang Mai is generally safe for families. We recommend short, low-altitude two-day treks or maximum three-day treks. Our guides have a lot of experience trekking and interacting with children. Moreover we customize our family treks with safety, comfort, […]
Table of Contents Introduction to the Mae Klang Luang Trail We designed the Mae Klang Luang Trail for guests who spend the night in the Karen village of Ban Mae Klang Luang in Doi Inthanon National Park. The Trail is a substitute for the Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail which is closed in the Green […]
Ban Jabo on the Mae Hong Son Loop Ban Jabo is a Black Lahu village on the Mae Hong Son Loop, just off the road no 1095 from Pai to the town of Mae Hong Son. The location is spectacular and the views of the mountains of Thailand and Myanmar are magnificent. This village used […]
Pha Chor, the Roman Pillars of Chiang Mai Pha Chor is an interesting, eroded landscape in the Mae Wang National Park. The Roman Pillars of Chiang Mai are about 55 km from the city of Chiang Mai. Over millions of years water and wind created this mesmerizing landscape of sandstone cliffs and pillars or columns, […]
Update Chiang Mai rainy season aka Green Season on July 20, 2025 There is no flooding in Chiang Mai and there has not been since the start of the monsoon season. The flood situation in early October in 2024 has given food for unnecessary alarm on social media. In Southeast Asia flooding of streets up […]