hi there i tried a quick search for this so as not to annoy everyone by asking the same question as a million other people but no luck..


has anybody managed to stay or visit any of the hill top tribes in thailand without being on a designated tour, id quite like to discover the on my own kind of, this being one of the main things id like to do i would like to know peoples experiences troubles whatever really??

if there already is a thread feel free just to link me it

thanks in adv.

I stayed with a Karen tribe for a while in 1980, it was up in the hills outside of Chiang Rai, I suppose it's all changed much since then but I had a nice stay with them, there were a couple of other western travelers there at the same time, we paid a small amount to sleep in basic huts and as there weren't any shops around we ate with the Karen and again paid a small amount for food. They were very friendly and seemed to enjoy having us with them, the only drawback was I got into too much opium smoking with them and ended up in hospital in Chiang Mai at the end of it all, but it was an interesting experience.

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The Truly Wise Man Never Plays Leapfrog With A Unicorn

From my experiences over the last few visits the hill tribes are really switched on about the opportunities from tourists. I don't think you will find anything that doesn't reflect this.

Sad, but true!

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Alison

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It's Better to Burn Out than just to Fade Away!

True Allison, my experiences took place long ago, I'm sure if I went back there today all would be different, I doubt if that Karen village is still there, probably a golf course or hotel built on the site now.

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The Truly Wise Man Never Plays Leapfrog With A Unicorn

In 1985 I spent some time in a hilltribe above Fang a few hours bus ride from Chiang Mai. I went with a local boy from Chiang Mai. We went back on the Mekok River, on a longboat. I am so sad to hear that these experiences ae not possible anymore. But maybe they are?