Thailand is more than Bangkok and beaches. Consider exploring the national parks, tribal mountain villages, local restaurants, and Thai-style resorts and eco-lodges for a new view of Old Siam.

Thailand today at first seems deceptively comprehensible. We recognize mobile phones, freeways, busy airports and fast food franchises as familiar, globally-standardized attributes of a fast paced and energetic, developing nation. Luxury cars, high fashion and tall buildings in high density dominate initial impressions of life in Bangkok.

If you only spend an overnight here between international flights, it is easy to miss anything you might suspect as traditional, natural or even distinctly Thai. But Thailand beyond Bangkok and the famous resort beaches to the south possibly offers a greater diversity of distinctive natural and cultural delights than any other country of Asia.

I spent two weeks in Thailand in February 2002 seeking to explore and enjoy the lesser-known features of the Land of Smiles. I found wilderness where tigers still roam, cool mountain tops ablaze in sunbirds and rhododendrons, small eco-lodges where you can study meditation, Thai cooking, paper making, Thai massage or paper parasol painting.

I visited a monastery where tigers and leopards are kept as possible reincarnations of departed monks. I met villagers who once grew opium or poached rare animals and now lead nature treks, bird watching trips and biking excursions into little-visited national parks.

I found that for each of the famous, luxury high rise or beach resort hotels competing for the attention and approval of international mass travel group tourists, there are more small scale, elegant, peaceful little eco-lodges and Thai-style resorts where the emphasis is on nature, comfort, fine dining and escaping from the forces and stresses of city life.

Most impressively, I met Thai people who were unfailingly helpful, hospitable, enthusiastic and positive about their country and their culture.  

Bangkok unclogged 

Like most travelers from North America, I arrived in Bangkok late in the evening after a long trans-Pacific flight. I appreciated being met by a representative of our local agency and being driven directly to a modern hotel, the Amari Watergate in the heart of Bangkok. At midnight, the traffic was light and the trip took about 25 minutes. I also learned that since the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the population, and therefore congestion, of Bangkok has actually diminished.  

In addition, the completion of a new airport freeway and an ambitious inner city mass transit sky train has reduced gridlock problems that characterized Bangkok in the early 1990’s.

We drove four hours west to Kanchanaburi and the River Kwai and then north along the river. Generally, a Thai-style resort features extensive gardens with intricate an landscape architecture of creeks, ponds, waterfalls, ornamental trees and cabins or cottages of differing sizes and features. All have modern plumbing, electricity and air conditioning. Most have phones and TV.

Typically, rooms feature tropical hardwood floors and furniture and sometimes Thai antiques. There is usually a private, covered, elevated deck or verandah commanding an attractive view of landscape features. Common facilities include an indoor/outdoor dining area, bar, swimming pool and a recreation center possibly including mountain bikes, canoes, or other sports equipment.

In comparison to the hotels most Western tour groups use, these Thai-style properties tend to be smaller, more variable in individual room architecture and staffed by fewer people speaking English. These facilities tend to be full on weekends and nearly empty during the week. Most local people probably find all they need to enjoy a restful visit on the property. Traveling with a Thai-English speaking guide the language problem is minimal and the opportunities for superb dining, meeting local people and really appreciating the best of life in Thailand is delightfully easy.

Near Erawan National Park we stayed at Pung Wan Resort on the Kwai River. The distinctive features of this resort included an enormous swimming pool, vast mango groves and gigantic naturally-sculpted rock prominences the owner had excavated and transported to the resort from around the country. Birding in the area was excellent. Most cabins overlooked the Kwai River.   

Journey into Erawan 

Our jungle trek began the next morning, for a three-day jungle trek into the wilds of Erawan National Park. Tracing an ever-diminishing dirt road to the hilly edge of deciduous forest, we prepped for the jungle trip. Each of us carried a small backpack that the guide provided. Local villagers, hired as porters, transported group gear and whatever personal gear we requested they carry. The temperature as we started out at 10 a.m. was about 78 degrees F.  

Even though Thailand has an extensive system of large park and nature reserves, almost no international or local tourism focuses on these sanctuaries. Over the next three days of hiking we met no other human beings. Thailand has banned timber harvesting and is taking steps to reduce animal poaching. Neil proudly points out that the people who were acting as our camp staff and porters were former poachers who were turning their knowledge of the forest to greater gain by leading travelers to observe the animals they formerly hunted illegally.  

Our trek followed lightly-used trails. We laid our own footprints on top of those from wild elephants, gaur, porcupine, civets and wild boar. An occasional distant sound reminded us poaching still goes on and animals are wary. We hiked along streams, through gigantic bamboo groves and into dense evergreen forests. At times the trail grew faint and at other times we left the trail entirely and crossed through untracked forest with the help of precise maps and Neil’s command of a GPS. 

As Neil acquired a fix on our location from unseen satellites, I had time to reflect on how remarkable it was to have been in the U.S. three days earlier, the heart of busy Bangkok the day before and now deep in a tropical forest few people even realize exists. We savored the freedom from sounds of traffic, air conditioners, radios and airplanes. Instead, we heard the incessant calling of the green-eared barbet and the chattering of a black crested bulbul. We frequently could isolate the sound of a single leaf falling.  

It was almost quiet enough to hear the wing beats of butterflies that gathered at moist, sun-lit patches of the trail and scattered at our approach. At another point we heard the voluminous whooshing wing beats of the Giant Hornbill, though we could not see the bird through the thick canopy.

Our camp was a four-kilometer hike into the forest. The Thai staff had it all prepared, including individual dome tents, portable hot water shower, pit latrine, screened dining area and camp kitchen. The camp food was exceptional. We savored soups, salads, noodles and rice with delightful sauces and condiments.  

The night here in the forest was dark and quiet. An abundance of stars illuminated the spaces between the canopy leaves. An Asian Barred Owlet called and moved on unanswered. Neil led a night hike at each of our two campsites in the park. We were all delighted to see such creatures as the Palm Civet and Slow Loris. Civets are an Asian mammal family that might be thought of as something between a cat and a rodent. Primarily nocturnal, they feed on fruits, insects, birds, and other smaller animals. The Slow Loris is a small night monkey.  

Our Thai assistant guide, Juumsum, had the sharpest eyes and spotted many of the animals first as the beams of our headlamps caught the reflection of the animals’ eyes. By looking into the tree tops with our binoculars we could easily watch the animals. It seemed as if their eyes were bright, bulging, amber LEDs.  

Near camp, there was a viewing platform in the jungle canopy. From the ridge-top location, the platform commanded a fantastic view across a valley. We climbed a cable ladder, secured by a climbing harness and belaying rope, 35 feet up to the platform before dawn to enjoy the awakening of the forest. 

There was an extraordinary chorus of bird song and we had great views of such beautiful species as the Asian Fairy Bluebird, Racquet-tailed Drongo, leaf birds, Ashy Drongo, Palm Swift, Crested Serpent Eagle, Vernal Hanging Parrot, Black-naped Oriole, Thick-billed Pigeon, Great Barbet, Blue-throated Barbet and Sultan Tits. A pack of gibbons howled in the distance.  

A spine-tingling presence 

We moved the camp deeper into the forest on the second day. As we arrived, the staff excitedly told Neil that they had discovered tiger tracks in the stream bed next to our campsite. This was big news as it was the first time Neil had documented the presence of tiger in this part of the park. He made a plaster cast of one of the tracks. It measured about six inches across to clearly distinguish it from a leopard.  

We felt a bit apprehensive about a large tiger wandering around our camp, but felt moderately assured when Neil told us there have been no known instances of Tigers attacking humans in this part of Thailand. Still, it did make the forest seem more mysterious and more sacred. 

Later that afternoon we were joined at the camp by Neil’s associate, Peter Cutter, a biologist and graduate student doing research on tigers in Thailand. He, too, was impressed by the tiger tracks, noting that there is some hope that this was a dividend of improving wildlife conservation practices in Thailand.  

The next day Peter led us out of the forest, pointing out the evidence of elephants, porcupines, wild boar and other species. We lunched at an oasis of springs and ponds surrounded by blooming trees. Our trek covered about 20 kilometers over three days. Altogether this was a wonderful, natural, spiritual experience. Our modest hiking and willingness to stay in a temporary camp enable us to enjoy some of Thailand’s best natural environments as a very private and personal experience.

As part of his tiger research, Peter had visited Wat Tam Sue, a Buddhist monastery near Erawan where the monks serve as keepers of orphaned and abandoned tigers, leopards and other wild animals grown too large for their former owners. Peter measured the tracks of the tigers of known sex and ages to establish a reference frame work for analyzing tracks of wild animals in the jungle. We decided to visit the temple.  

The temple had a beautiful sala (an open-sided pavilion) resting on a hilltop, surrounded by a random village of small huts, sturdy cages, a dormitory and animal feeding stalls. Goats and water buffalo wandered among peacocks, deer, serow and gibbons. Orange-robed monks also wandered about, some walking tigers on hefty chains. Other tigers were in their cages as well as two large leopards. The head monk greeted Peter. “Peter, you should have been here an hour ago,” he beams. “We had all the tigers out walking around.”  

Indeed, it seemed we had arrived as the animals were being returned to their cages. A few were lying about in the shade, to the delight of a few other visiting tourists who cautiously petted them and grew close enough to be photographed with them. 

There were so many things wrong with this picture! It seemed like some kind of strange dream. Several of the monks, bearing multicolored tattoos and smoking cigarettes, coaxed the tigers into compliant photo positions or swatted if they fidgeted. This was hardly what I had expected in a monastery. The menagerie of wildlife and farm animals scavenged surplus vegetable greens donated by local villagers.  

It was a combination of tigers, Buddhism and commercial opportunism that could have occurred only in Thailand. In some ways it was discouraging, but in other ways it was a fascinating mixture unlike any you could experience anywhere else.  

On to northern Thailand 

The next day we flew to Chiang Mai where Raimund and I were joined by Som, a Chiang Mai guide. We planned a six-day trip around Chiangmai, ChiangRai and Mae Hong Son to inspect eco-lodges and resorts. We stayed at the Tamarind Village, a new hotel in the bustling Old City. Cleverly designed to seal out the noise of the city while projecting an image of monastic serenity, the spacious rooms surround a courtyard and pool. It is an easy walk from here to the night market and other attractions of central Chiang Mai.  

These attractions, here and throughout Thailand, include great restaurants. Eating was a continuously recurring highlight of my trip. Often excellent restaurants have little signage or façade to attract visitors. Thais are very serious about food and they know where the best food is served and it is usually not in the large tourist restaurants.  

I suggest that if you are with your guide you should invite him or her to choose the restaurant and order for you. Often ordering will not include reference to a menu, but rather concerted discussion about what is fresh, what the restaurant is known for and what seasonal ingredients may be available. Soon dishes will begin to appear one or two at a time but in no particular order. (Don’t expect soup or salad first!). 

It is common to order more dishes as the meal develops. Usually rice accompanies each meal and Thais will introduce only one other entrée at a time to their plate to eat with the rice. Note the proper use and positioning of a fork and spoon to affect proper culinary enjoyment.  

The next day we started very early, 5:30 a.m., for the highest point in Thailand, Doi Inthanon, reputed to be one of the best birding places in the country. We were joined on this leg of the trip by Amon Sak, a well-known local birder and multi-lingual guide from Chiangmai. We worked our way to the top of Doi Inthanon birding different habitats along the way. Amon sak felt our best sighting was a Vivid Niltava. I enjoyed the beautiful red and black Short-tailed Minivets and Black-tailed Crakes, which Amon Sak predicted would walk out of a marsh at exactly the moment they appeared.  

At the top we walked a short nature trail and recorded Green-tailed Sunbirds, White-Eyes and Common Rose Finches in the blooming rhododendrons. Doi Inthananon, at 8,514 feet in elevation, is a favorite destination of Thais. It isn’t the mountain’s birds, natural features or  sacred elements that attract them, but rather the opportunity to experience cold. Though the temperature barely reaches freezing here, even in the coldest months, this is a unique experience to Thais.  

It was mid-morning and the non-birding Thai tourists were arriving to delight in a 45-degree chill. For some it was cold enough to wear mittens and wool hats for the first time in their lives. Souvenir thermometers were popular sales items at the gift shop. Coming from northern North America it was a strange thing to see people giddy with delight at being cold.

Another favorite spot, a resort some distance to the north and very near the Burma border on the Mae Kok River, seemed to invite active adventurers to settle in and spend a long time. This was a facility that serves as a training site, traveler lodge, adventure base camp and community service center for sustainable use of northern Thailand’s resources. The Thai-English couple who own the facility have involved local orphans, area farmers, school groups from all over Asia and more casual tourists in programs to support conservation and local communities.

We found the expected swimming pool, Thai-massage and sauna, clean comfortable rooms, scenic dining area and sumptuous buffet, but there was much more. There was a well-equipped Thai cooking school, classrooms and dormitories for student groups, an outdoor climbing wall, an obstacle course, mountain bikes, rafts, and fully outfitted four-wheel-drive vehicles for remote area camping trips. You could casually walk or vigorously pedal or paddle to nearby tribal villages.

The resort felt right for any nature -oriented group or for a family whose members might like different types of activities from each other. The property was large enough so that groups with different interests would not conflict each other.

Classes in Chiang Mai

Returning to Chiang Mai we spent the night at a crafts workshop village. Here, too, we found Thai-style comfort matched to an expert directed teaching program. Visitors could choose half day programs in meditation, Thai cooking, paper parasol painting, ceramic painting, batik, local farming and gardening techniques and Thai massage. Or, they could visit the adjacent Elephant conservation center for a ride and a look at how Thailand is dealing with a surplus of working elephants.

We drove to Mae Hong Son through mountainous, forest country, visiting roadside restaurants, hot spring spas and lodges. If you are in a hurry, you’ll fly to Mae Hong Son, but you should know that if you have lots of time you can move easily from lodge to delightful lodge and savor a unique experience at each one.

At our small resort outside of Mae Hong Son we enjoyed the arrival of evening by candlelight. Clutched in the valley of a large forested area of Namtok Mae Surin National Park, this is the one place to spend extra days if you have them. Owned by our traveling companion, Tavichai, the lodge won the coveted Tourism Authority of Thailand “Best Hotel” award last year. We have been using this facility for our Thailand Hill Tribe Treks for some time now and every one who stays here loves it. I did too

From the lodge there are many possible hikes. We chose to climb the highest hill in the area, Doi Pui, an eight-hour trip from the lodge. The hike offered fantastic views, a chance to visit tribal villages and the opportunity to visit a special rare orchid sanctuary.

Flying back from Mae Hong Son to Chiang Mai revealed how much forest remains in Thailand. From the air there were scattered villages, and minimal tracks, but no real cities visible beneath us. We were reminded that for all the development and urbanization that has occurred in Thailand, huge areas of essentially natural environments invite exploration.

Feeling myself heading home I regretted I could not have birded a few more forests or joined my Thai friends in another meal or two. I enjoyed every minute of my trip through Thailand, but I know I would have enjoyed every minute even more if I had traveled more slowly.

If you choose to visit this area, take your time, take a guide and expect experiences you could have no where else. It is easy to look into the larger trends, dramas and politics of Thai society. There are two widely-circulated, well-written and wide-ranging daily English language newspapers.