Published on Dec, 2024
Fabulous tour, superb guide. We spent 8 hrs. learning about the culture and customs of Thailand on our tour. Our guide, Puma (nickname), started out the tour as we drove past the canal, explaining the history of the city, the canal, and remnants of what was once the wall surrounding the city. This was just an introduction to the breadth and depth of her knowledge. We spent the day talking about the educational system, political (past and present) events, social and welfare issues, and so on. It was obvious that she really understands her country and its issues, and was happy to share with us.
Our first stop was Doi Suthep Temple. She gave us the option to climb 306 steps, or take the funicular-we selected the funicular. She dropped us at the base and said to wait for her while she parked. She was back in 10 min. and we continued up the mountainside via funicular. Once at the top, she told us the story that explains why the temple was built on this site, pointed out a lot of the artwork that is in the temple (in addition to the chedi and Buddhas), acted as our personal photographer, and made sure we had ample time to see everything.
After the temple, we drove to one of the Karen Villages. We had done some research on the Karen people prior to the tour, but Puma was able to add to what we learned and her familiarity with and knowledge of the tribe gave us a much more in-depth idea of who these people are, why they are living in Thailand, and what the future holds for them. It was obvious that Puma has a relationship with many of the village residents and we were able to ask questions and converse with them through her.
Our next stop was a very enjoyable buffet lunch highlighted by a butterfly garden and orchard garden. It is a facility that caters to large tour groups, but the food was good, and the two gardens were lovely. Our last stop was a tea plantation where we were given the opportunity to pick tea leaves, then observe the roasting process of the tea leaves we just picked. We learned the differences between white, green and black teas, and viewed the "factory" where the tea leaves are processed. Following the demonstration, we sampled a variety of black teas before returning to the restaurant area to enjoy a cup of the roasted green tea and some delicious locally-made rice crackers. Our drive back into Chaing Mai was filled with more conversation. Puma was an excellent guide, driver, photographer, and storyteller. She kept us engaged and entertained for the entire tour. We learned a lot, laughed a bit, and loved every minute of this tour!
