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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

A DAY TRIP TO DOI INTHANON
– Finding it’s not just the highest mountain in Thailand.

From the 14th – 18th of July, you may partake of a day-trip to the Royal Agricultural Station, Inthanon, as part the Chiang Mai International Food Festival (CIFF) located at the Chiang Mai Hall, Central Airport Plaza.

In the morning, you will be ushered out of the city along the Chiang Mai-Hod Road to the Royal Agricultural Station Inthanon in Chom Tong District. After an hour or so, you will make a pit stop at the Baan Nong Lom village and hear about the coffee bushes planted by H.M. the King during a prior visit.

Local guides will explain how Baan Nong Lom’s highland location is ideal for cultivating coffee. At this point you’ll hear about how to plant coffee bushes and of the Karen people’s way of life. All of this will take around an hour, before you move further up to the Inthanon station.

The Royal Agricultural Station Inthanon was founded in February 1979 by His Majesty the King to assist the hill-people change from the old destructive slash-and-burn farming techniques and opium-poppy cultivation to growing cash crops such as flowers, fruits and vegetables.

On arrival at the Royal Agricultural Station, you will learn more about the Royal Project, including its aim and approaches. Then comes a walk round the gardens, with the chance to take some vivid photos and enjoy the flower perfumes, as well as look into the greenhouses constructed under the King’s advice and supervision. You’ll have noticed that at 1,380 meters above sea level, it’s a lot cooler than down in the lowlands you’ve come from, and this enables the foundation to take the lead and provide an example in cultivating organic products, some of which you’ll be able to purchase in situ.

But not only organic - also hydroponic products are grown up here, and you’ll be able to select some for the lunch that follows. And what a lunch! On the menu are redclaw crayfish, rainbow trout, Siberian sturgeon, mushrooms, mangoes, and broccoli. After this splendid repast, you’ll hear more details of how such items are obtained.

Though this is a highland location, fisheries are also part of the Project. The Rainbow Trout for example was brought from Canada. At first, many obstacles and failures relating to its establishment at the project had to be overcome, but thanks to the efforts of H.S.H. Prince Bhisatej Rajani, the trout initiative became successful. In 2005, Siberian sturgeons’ roes were brought from Germany and the fish with its precious freight also became one of the Inthanon successes. These and the other fish now help reduce the number of fish imported, thus helping hill people reduce their living costs and improving their diet. Something more to learn about the project too - that the redclaw crayfish can now live in and become part of the produce of rice paddies.

And what is this fascinating trip going to cost you? One thousand five hundred baht for one of the only 25 seats on the transport available.

Returning to Chiang Mai, moreover, you’ll also know that Doi Inthanon isn’t just the highest peak in Thailand.

For further information, please call 086-193 1479.

Text : Note
Image : Thanatouch & S.P.