VISIT TO THE WONDERFUL WAT CHALOEM PRAKIAT

Day 1

• - Departure from your hotel at 7:00 a.m.
• - Drive (about 40 minutes) to one of the largest and most spectacular caves in Thailand, transformed into a Buddhist site by the faithful (many hermits lived there in the past). The cave is reached by a staircase of 167 steps flanked by 2 Nagas. The panorama is superb! Around the cave lies a forest inhabited by a colony of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), which we can observe.
• Drive from the cave to Mae Kam Pong (30 minutes) and stop at an incredibly beautiful café by a small river in the forest (tasting of the famous coffee harvested from the droppings of an Asian civet). Mae Kam Pong is one of the most beautiful and authentic villages in Thailand. This small locality, nestled in a valley surrounded by jungle, has preserved its traditional wooden houses. Walk through the village, visit its teak temple, and its beautiful tiered waterfalls.
• - Thai lunch in the village of Mae Kam Pong.
• - Drive from Mae Kam Pong to Wat Chaloem Prakiat temple (about one hour). We take a magnificent small road through the mountains and jungle, with views of many plantations (coffee, rice, etc.) and incredible panoramas of the forest.
• Wat Chaloem Prakiat, built by monks and villagers in 2004 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the great Siamese king Rama IV, is probably one of the most extraordinary temples in Thailand. Its Sala and white Chedis (stupas) are set atop a spectacular limestone cliff, reached by climbing a staircase in the midst of nature that invites meditation (about 30 minutes). In the main Viharn sits the statue of Phra Nirantarai, an important Buddha of the region. The Kuti (the monks’ living quarters) is located at the foot of the cliff.
• Return drive to Chiang Mai (2 hours) with a stop at the Lan Na market of Mae Tha. This remarkable market remains one of the most authentic in the region and is frequented only by Khon Muang (northern Thais) who know it. Here you can find all sorts of astonishing products, from various insects to live toads, incubated eggs (eaten with the chick inside), buffalo skin, pork intestines, cow stomach, wild honey, bamboo shoots, regional fruits and vegetables, orchids, and more. This visit is a total immersion in the culinary world of deep northern Thailand.
• - Return to your hotel between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. (depending on traffic). End of the tour.