On the Way
Several places in Chiang Mai are worth visiting on the way to Lisu Lodge. Take a bracing drive through mountainous terrain to Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, one of Chiang Mai's most famous landmarks, and marvel at the golden pagoda that houses Buddha relics. Driving further north, visitors can stop to stroll through the gardens of Phuping Palace, HM the King's winter holiday home.
Hill Tribes and Jungle Safaris
Then it's on to the Hmong hill tribe village of Chiang Khien for a cup of steaming mountain tea in the company of a village family, or lunch at the Orchid Farm down by the Mae Sa Valley. On display are a wide variety of plants and blooming orchids. If this is too sedate for your tastes, try a jungle safari by elephant, oxcart rides, and a river trip on bamboo rafts, amidst the natural beauty of the northern jungle.
Conservation Project
Built seven years ago, the Lisu Lodge is part of a project to conserve the natural heritage of hill tribes of northern Thailand. Maintained as a lodge at the edge of Lisu Village, it is a perfect base from which to explore the natural beauties of the north and the cultural diversity of its people. This unique project has won awards and international acclaim.
Mingling with the Lisu
Originating in eastern Tibet, the Lisu crossed the mountains in Burma to settle in the northwestern regions of Thailand in the provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son and Phayao. Arriving around the beginning of the 20th century, they are closely related to the Chinese.
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Asama, Lodge manager’s youngest daughter, with the 1998 Best Lodge Award from TravelAsia |
Conservation International's Ecotourism Excellence Award 2000 |
PATA's 2000 Gold Award of Ecotourism & Cultural Diversity |
British Airways' Tourism For Tomorrow Award:200 Highly Recommended Accommodation. |
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Both the men and women wear gaily-colored costumes: the women wear vivid tunics, with side vents, worn over blouses and trousers and strapped with a wide, black belt. Men wear green, blue, pink or yellow baggy pants with blue jackets.
There are twelve different groups of Lisu and inter-marriage among the clans is commonplace. Villagers believe in spirits and an altar stands in every home to worship the spirits of ancestors.
Once known for growing opium poppies, a major source of income for villagers, the Lisu today concentrate on cash crops. Production is on the increase as villagers become educated about the social and environmental ills associated with opium.
During the tour, a family elder will guide you around the Lisu Village to sample a portion of Lisu customs and culture. You will view the local shrine, admire the work of skilled silversmiths and marvel at fine embroidery work, and may be invited into someone's home for a cup of local tea. As evening falls, the sounds of dancing and traditional music, strummed on banjos by Lisu villagers, echo around the village.
Hot Springs and Cave
The next day you trek down the mountains to be greeted by the Karen hill tribe, and take a dip in the hot springs of Pong Duied. Among the many hill tribes living in Chiang Mai, the Karen group's Padaung tribe are the most recognizable due to the women's elongated necks, caused by wearing brass neck rings from an early age.
The next stop is the exotic Palong village, set atop a hill, overlooking a valley and the Kok River. The village is one of the most beautiful in Chiang Mai. Finally, drive to Chiang Dao Cave to explore the many Buddha images and beautifully formed stalactites and stalagmites bedecking the roofs and floors of the caves.
