If Im Visiting Hilltribes....

[pigh123]

This might sound silly but I'll ask anyway

If im visiting hill tribes on my own(riding motorbike) and they usually have an entry fee(longneck tribes etc) where do you pay to enter?

Also are most of the tribes use to people showing up and watching there daily lifestyle?

What are some recommendations for visiting around CM?

[orang37]

It's been years since we've seen a "Long Neck" Karen, and that was at a "winter festival" several years ago where they were installed almost as a "zoo exhibit" which left us, frankly, "nauseated." Lovely people, though.

There have been many stories over the last years about groups of "Long Necks" re-located to Thailand to serve as tourist attractions, but we don't know the details (perhaps some of them were happy to have the work, for all we know).

Your mastery of some basic Thai comes into play here : if the village is "set up" to collect money from visitors, you'll probably be approached quickly by someone : and, possibly, but you may be approached by someone who wants money anyway.

Our technique would be to be very respectful, ask in Thai, if we could visit, if told a price or fee, shrug, and say "kortort, Khrup, mai mee satang," then start walking away ... and see what happened.

Might suggest you visit one of the local Lahu or Karen or Akka Christian churches, and do some homework about where to visit.

regards, ~o:37;

p.s. leave the gold chain and the Rolex at home

Edited November 27, 2009 by orang37

[Johpa]

If im visiting hill tribes on my own(riding motorbike) and they usually have an entry fee(longneck tribes etc) where do you pay to enter?

Also are most of the tribes use to people showing up and watching there daily lifestyle?

What are some recommendations for visiting around CM?

There are no indigenous "longneck" villages in Thailand, only tourist spots, thanks to one particular Lahu lady, where the only way in is through the front gate where they, those who operate the place, will collect an entrance fee. Other minority villages are little different than Thai villages in that you are free to drive through and stop at a noodle shop, if available, and look around. Most villages are rather quiet and empty during the day as the kids are in school and the parents are working in the fields.

The Samoeng loop had plenty of Mong and Karen villages. Going on the Pai highway there are also a few Lisu villages. All these villages tend to be a bit off the main roads. Try to find a copy of GT-Rider's Mae Hong Son loop map, not easy to track down, or the more available Samoeng loop map and take your chances. The loop ride around Doi Mong Long is now mostly paved and has both a Karen and a few Mong villages along the route and great views, but watch out for the ATV caravans.

[isanbirder]

If they ask you to pay, don't visit them; they're most probably thoroughly detribalised.

If you are in a fairly remote area where the hilltribe villages are more genuine, ask first if you can look around... or even better, go with a hilltribe friend if you have one. When you're in the village, talk to people (in Thai) by all means; otherwise behave as you hope they would behave if they visited where you live. After all, they have as much right to their privacy as you do.

[kilt]

"if told a price or fee, shrug, and say "kortort, Khrup, mai mee satang," then start walking away ... and see what happened."

Most of the hilltribe villages take Visa now