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	---> MORE Destinations: _________________________________ New Perspective of Chiang Rai at Latitude 19 VISITING A BORDER TOWN: Mae Sot – then and now The Poy Sang Long Festival in Mae Hong Son The Samoeng Strawberry Festival Far Out and Cool in Fang District PICTURE PERFECT Mon Jaem Chiang Mai Reflections and a Night Safari Adventure Wat Palad: The Temple below the Temple The Bua Tong Waterfall Park The Cave and Hot Springs of the Mae On Area A DAY TRIP TO DOI INTHANON Two wheels good four wheels…er… The Sino-Thai Dragon Temple of Wat Tha Ton Doi Inthanon - Thailand’s Highest Mountain Kad Mua - an all-you-need market Chiang Dao High! Chiang Mai’s Red Cross and Winter Fair Loy Krathong at Tak A RETREAT TO... Kwan Yin Bodhisattva Hall Living with nature: Galyani Vadhana District Treasures of Myanmar A Journey to Shangri-La Pha Wing Choo – A Lover's Cliff Wiangtakan – The Past Remains Rural Life and Natural Mystery in Chaiprakarn Taking Aim at Chiang Mai's Shooting Gallery Chiang Mai - Maerim - Samoeng Route Hot Springs (and eggs) Ratchaphruek Festival 2009 The 5th Lanna - Japan Festival 2009 Make a Day of it at the New Look Night Safari Mae Sa Snake Farm Marine Lives in a Mountainous Zoo X-Centre Mae Hong Son, Pang Oong and much more along the way... Mae Kampong Village Tiger Kingdom Pai: The Hub of Joy Flower Festival Annual Bo Sang Umbrella Festival at Bo Sang Village Wiang Kum Kam: The Underground Ancient City Loy Kratong: The Town's Joyful Festival Monkey Centre Maerim, Chiang Mai Baankwai Thai Maerim Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden THE ROYAL PALACE ON DOI SUTHEP The Night Safari Ban Saonak Chae Son National Park Lamphun's Wat Chamathevi Doi Tao Lake Mae Sai Bai the Beautiful Wieng Kum Kam Mae Klang Luang Village Doi Pui - Hmong Tribal Village Nan Province Wat Suan Dok Chiang Saen: a city in myth and reality One Night in Chiang Rai and a day across the border A trip full of tour guides Two Days and a Night in the Country The Sumptuous Angkhang Gourmet Tour AWAY FROM IT ALL IN NEARBY MAE WANG Children's Day at the Westernmost Point of Thailand To Lamphun Along the Road of Histories ESCAPING TO PAI A WINTER TRIP ON THE PING RIVER To the Back of Beyond, right on your doorstep Visiting the Shrine of the Elephant-Headed God Visiting Samui Back to Nature at Opkhan National Park Lost in the Chiang Mai Zoo Three Days through the Northern Countryside DOING A NINE-TEMPLE KARMA TRIP - Right Here in Chiang Mai An Early Summer Trip to the Thi Lo Su Falls Nan: Forest, Temples and the Salt of the Earth TREKKING AND TUCKING IN: Wawee Coffee Plantation Mai Long Yee - Lovely Whatever Else You Call It Magnificent Creatures at Wat Changkham Off to See Some Mural Paintings in Lampang The Salawin and the People of Tha Tafang A Hike in the Forest A Journey back in time A Long Night of Luxury in the Chiang Dao Valley Ice-cold in Omkoy A Quick Visit to a Karen Wedding Strawberry Fields Forever A quick ride to Jaesorn National Park A Journey to Wawee A Birding Trip for Newbies Nam Bor Phi Cave A Breath of Sea Air Shopping With a Difference: Kad Luang Airport ELEPHANTS AND ORCHIDS AND THE SNACKS IN BETWEEN Monsoon Miscellany MAE RIM LAGOON AN IMPRESSIVE TRIP - to the Sukantara Resort Visiting Luang Prabang, the Pearl on the Mekong River Phrae: refreshing trip, auspicious visits Up on the Mountain (again) at Khun Wang UP THE MOUNTAIN TO THUNG LUANG SINGAPORE - City of Parks A Short Sight-Seeing Trip to the Monkey Centre GIVE PAI A TRY! You won’t regret it A BUSY DAY’S VISIT TO SANKAMPAENG A Rainy Day Outing to Phrao Monsoon Miscellany TRIPPING AND TASTING ALONG THE HANDICRAFT HIGHWAYS

DESTINATION:
Doi Tao Lake

All the news is that we're in for a very hot summer this year, so we'd better head either for the beach in March/April, or find somewhere cool and convenient - and wet - in Chiang Mai. And one place you might find not bad in this respect is Doi Tao Lake, just a couple of hours' drive out of this city.

Since it was constructed some 35 years ago, the Bhumibol Dam in Tak province has been getting its water supply from Chiang Mai's renowned Ping River and Doi Tao, 'turtle mountain' in English. When the dam was built, the hill peoples underwent a lot of relocation, many of them migrating into the Doi Tao highland area. But then in 1999, most of the world got record falls of rain, Southeast Asia one of the areas where it was heaviest. As a result, the Phumipol Dam's water level rose, causing flooding higher up the valley, plantations and historical sites and villages under the Doi Tao area suffering devastation from floods. In effect, much of the formerly populated area became a lake, and this in turn meant that the people of the area had to change their life-style. Fishing became one of the important commercial activities of the area, but also - every cloud having a silver lining, and perhaps two in this case - Doi Tao and its valley has become a major tourist destination, with flourishing resthouses and restaurants catering for the visitors.

Today, Doi Tao Lake has become a great place to visit any time of the year, but particularly in the hot season, and the families and bigger groups of visitors have helped the promotion of all sorts of week-end activities - boating, fishing, swimming in the clear natural water and 'camping' on rafts among them. With the green of the forested hills around you, and no shortage of things to do in, on, or next to the water, it's difficult to imagine a better place for hot-season picnics.

Getting There? Doi Tao district is located 125 kilometers from Chiang Mai city, on highway 108, aka the Chiang Mai-Hod Rd., and by State Highway1103 aka the Hod-Mae Tuen highway. Chiang Mai-Doi Tao bus is available daily at Chang Puak Bus Station. However, car is the easiest way of getting there, since the road is well-maintained and not one of the snaky sort that goes over the mountains. There are plenty of places to stop along the way too, to have a snack and enjoy view of the North at its best all round you.

Text : Mario & Jiratorn S.
Images: Mario