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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 RETREAT TO... Kwan Yin
Bodhisattva Hall
Chok Chai 4,
Chiang Mai Palace

During the Vegetarian Festival we recommend the dhamma retreat, a peaceful meat-free place at Kwan Yin Bodhisattva Hall Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai is home to a large number of Kwan Yin shrines, but this ONE, located in Padad Sub-district, is among the most popular.

Tamnak Phra Mae Kwan-Im or Kwan Yin Bodhisattva Hall Chok Chai 4 Chiang Mai Palace has been open for more than 20 years. The hall was once located in a Thai-style temple. After the Thai abbot passed away Chinese monks came to stay at the temple for meditation. Now the hall features many of the gods worshipped according to Chinese beliefs. People come to offer prayers to Lord Shiva on the second and fourth Saturday of the month. Monks belonging to the Mahayana tradition cannot eat any kind of meat. Their first meal of the day is at 10am, after morning chanting. Once Mahayana monks become ordained, they do not leave the Buddhist monkhood.

Those who are wondering why people who respect Kwan Yin are vegetarian may be interested to know that Kwan Yin’s role is as the compassionate assistant to all who find themselves in distress. Her goal is to free all sentient beings from suffering, and to help all beings on earth to attain enlightenment before entering the bliss of nirvana. Those who eat any kind of animal are warned that they might be consuming their relatives from a previous life. All practicing Bodhisattvas are thus necessarily vegetarians. In the Buddhist worldview, to eat or otherwise harm animals is not compassionate, and is not consistent with Buddhist morality.

Getting there:

Everybody is welcome to the Kwan Yin Bodhisattva Hall for meditation practice. They celebrate the Vegetarian Food Festival throughout October and make 10 rooms available for guests. Mahayana monks, unlike their Hinayana brethren who eat their one meal in the morning, can eat at any time of the day. The meditation is preceeded by an offering of incense sticks and candles, a big or small set, for 120 baht.

Transport: From Chiang Mai Airport intersection, take Mahidol Road and head for ‘Chiang Mai Land’. Turn right at the ‘Win Place’ signpost. The Kwan Yin Bodhisattva shrine is about 100 meters down this street.

Text & Images: Mario