Through a new youth hostel here, travelers can join treks that are designed to have a positive impact on the environment.
The ancient city of Chiang Mai, more than 435 miles northwest of Bangkok, is reached by overnight train from the capital. It has a population of 156,000 and more than 300 temples, and the old section of the city is still bounded by moats. It’s known as a center for crafts, has a popular night market and is a gateway for travelers who want to visit the hill tribes.
The new Chiang Mai Youth Hostel, Chnag Puak, is at 4 Rajchaphakinai Rd. (telephone 011-66-53-272169). A second youth hostel, Chang Klan, is at 21/8 Chang Klan Rd. (011-66-53-276737). Both are affiliated with Hostelling International.
Both also have joined with the Ministry of Education to create a program offering foreign visitors the opportunity to volunteer to help the hill tribes. Three-day treks are offered three times a week. Participants help the residents by bringing educational materials, building schools or cutting children’s hair. Three-hour river-rafting excursions and elephant rides are part of the packages. The cost of the three-day, two-night trek is $58. Six to 10 travelers are accompanied by a guide who speaks the tribal languages, local dialects and English. The youth hostels also provide necessary equipment such as backpacks, blankets and bedding.
The treks start at Chiang Mai and travel up to the Thailand/Burma border. The trip through beautiful rain forest is a fascinating, exotic experience. Travel in this area is not without problems or risk, though. Anyone planning on trekking in Thailand should see an expert in tropical medicine and arrange to take anti-malaria medication. It’s important to remember that sometimes the medications don’t work, so if you develop fever and chills and symptoms of severe flu (even months after you return) you should seek help immediately at a hospital that treats tropical diseases.
Another option for inexpensive lodging in Chiang Mai is the new YMCA International Hotel at 11 Sermsuk Rd., Mengrairasmi (011-66-53-221819; fax 011-66-53-215523). Most rooms are air-conditioned with private bath and telephone. A single standard room is $10; a double standard room is $12. If you want to shave costs, a room with a shared bathroom is $4.80 single and $7.20 double. Beds are available in a dormitory for $2.80. Income from the International Hotel supports the YMCA rural development program.
There also are YMCAs offering lodging in Bangkok and Chiang Rai in the far north.
An excellent source of information for independent travelers is the 626-page, fifth edition of “Thailand-A Travel Survival Kit,” by Joe Cummings (Lonely Planet, $17.95).
It’s packed with good advice. For example: “Upon arrival in Chaing Mai-whether by bus, plan or train-you’ll quite likely be crowded by touts trying to get you to a particular hotel or guest house. As elsewhere in Thailand the touts get a commission for every prospective guest they bring to a guest house/hotel. Even the airport touts get commissions from the large tourist hotels: The commission is often added to your room rate (meaning walk-ins get a lower rate than those guests brought by touts).”
