Of course, it has been explored, but for today’s travellers it can be likened to a castle that has treasure hidden in its vaults, but it will require a diligent search to discover them. But the effort is rewarding. One treasure awaiting discovery is just 15 km from the provincial town.

Rueang Sub-district is located at the foot of Phee Pan Nam mountain range that is the formidable natural barrier between Nan, Phayao and Phrae provinces. Here, the first settlement was established at least 500 years ago and following the traditions of their ancestors, villagers today continue to grow tea on nearby hillsides.

This cottage industry gains the support of government agencies especially the provincial agricultural extension department that is also developing agro-tourism. Visitors can learn the tea process from planting the shrub to packing and branding the tea. There are also short forest treks that endeavour to spot the endangered big headed turtles.

Tourism activities focus on the areas of Sri Na Pan and Ta Wan villages where tea plantations and walking trails are located.

The gravel or dirt trails are 4 km from the community’s tourism service centre. Two routes link to make an entire circle through the forest. Each is about 1.5 km long; one follows the Huay Luang creek and another climbs through the tea plantations.

The walk through fertile forest is quite easy on leg muscles; flat or gentle slopes except when descending to creeks on the way to the tea plantations from a hilltop viewpoint.

On the way, hikers will usually meet villagers who trek into the forest to collect wild plants such as rattan, bamboo shoots and herbs. They are keen to talk to visitors about conservation and living off the land in a sustainable manner.

Before entering the forest, villagers pay respect to ‘Chao Luang Pa Mieng’, the guardian spirit, who was a village chief hundreds of years earlier. We pay respects, too, even though we are city slickers, who have very little idea of forest culture.

Upon entering the forest, we are surrounded by tea trees, which we would not recognise if the guide had not pointed them out. They are tall in the wild and difficult to distinguish from other forest trees growing naturally. On the plantations the tea tree is cut and pruned to keep it short and easy to manage. Villagers show us how to collect wild tea tree leaves that can be used to make various blends such as white, green or black tea and traditional ‘mieng’ candy, a chewy and bitter snack.

The tea, locally called mieng, is a lowland Assam variety. It has been grown organically in the north for generations, but traditionally it was not brewed as a drink, but steamed and fermented to give it a distinctive flavour.

Tea plantations in Sri Na Pan and Ta Wan villages cover 5,000 rai or 1,977 acres. Villagers started to produce tea for commercial use only four years ago as they preferred to chew mieng. But traditions change and slowly the value of modern tea is catching on with the villagers, who can tap a new revenue channel.

Visitors can pop into the community’s tea factory May to December to learn how the tea is processed.

The trails cut through a paddy field refreshingly green during the rainy season. One of the stops is at Huay Luang creek, which has never run dry and the water quality is excellent. If it was not exceptionally clean the endangered big-headed turtles would disappear entirely. They are a small turtle, omnivorous, nocturnal, not able to withdraw into a shell, long tailed and with a mouth that is as strong as a parrot’s.

During dry season, when the water is clear, it is easy to spot the turtles. If you are camping in the forest, villagers can lead you after dark to the creek and you can lure these turtles from their habitat under a rock shelf to feed on titbits.

The campsite is on the banks of Huay Luang Creek, about 700 metres from the trek’s starting point. The villagers have five tents for rent each accommodating up to three people. Nearby there is a simple toilet and shower zone.

Food is cooked on site by the village and is usually salty meat and sticky rice with herbs collected from the wild. Guests can have fun helping local guides cut banana trunks and collect Kood, a plant from the fern family that is excellent for soup.

You dine off plates made of banana leaves and the cooking utensils are all made from bamboo.

Besides camping, the villages offer homestay options, which bring you in closer contact with the community. There are 10 families offering homestay with a capacity for two to four persons per household. Part of the village is located near the small Tad Mork waterfall, 3 km from the tourist centre. From the car park, it is about 700 metres down the small valley to the base of the waterfall. Initial impressions are that this is not a challenging trek and the scenery is not panoramic grandeur that will take your breath away. Facilities are very simple, but definitely worth a day and overnight stay to be close to nature. The best time to visit is during the cool season from late October through March. During the rainy season, the road is difficult and slippery.

FAST FACTS

• Tents: Five tents, up to three person each, priced at Bt100 per tent

• Homestay: 10 houses, up to four persons each, priced at Bt200 including breakfast

• Meals: Bt70 person per meal

• Transfer within the village: Bt100 for motorcycle and Bt300 for a pick-up truck

• Local guides: Bt200 per guide (one guide per two guests)

• Compulsory fee to the village’s tourist service centre: Bt20

• Contact: Tourist Service Centre at 084 739 9083 or 087 985 7637 or Rueang Tambon Administration Oraganization, Tel: 054 701 033 or Na Provincial Agricultural Extension Department, Tel: 054 785 234

But the province is now offering soft adventure that will test a visitor’s outdoor skills.

Up until this year, the most adventurous activities involved climbing steep sandstone steps to Vat Phou Temple or cycling along the river bank on trails and rural roads. But since January this year Tree Top Explorer has changed all that by offering far more demanding soft adventure options.

Tree Top Explorer blends forest activities – trekking, canopy walks, zip-line travel, camping – that help visitors enjoy Champasak better.

Tree Top Explorer is owned and managed by Lao-based Green Discovery Tours, that pioneered ecotourism in the country since 2000. Technical assistance for its latest project involving complicated zip-lines, forest bridges and Vie Ferrata was supplied by a Bangkok-based specialist Proclimber Thailand.

Tree Top Explorer programmes fall comfortably into the soft adventure category. The standard definition says soft adventure travel has less physical risk and can be enjoyed by those who have little or no experience. It comes with creature comforts such as quality sleeping arrangements and cuisine.

But it can also involve a high level of exertion for those who are not physically fit or suffer from acrophobia. The company says Tree Top Explorer is for everyone from 7 to 77 years of age and can be enjoyed by grandmas as long as they are reasonably fit. But such assurances are a slight exaggeration created by an over enthusiastic marketing support team. Not being fit, I came back with stiff muscles and felt that way for a week after the trip.

Our group made up of non-sporty types were uncomfortable with heights and found it a challenging trip. But we all concluded it was worth the effort. It was also reassuring to have experienced staff and guides to lead us through the experience.

It is important to understand, visitor must have valid insurance. Tree Top Explorer says it is not responsible for a lack of proper insurance, or activities that are not under the direct supervision of its guides.

Tree Top Explorer is located in Paksong, a small village at 1,000 metres above sea level on the Bolaven Plateau – the centre of coffee growing in Laos. Visitors are picked up from the hotels in Pakse by 4WD mini-vans for the 50 km transfer on a two-lane asphalted road from Pakse to the assembly station in Nongluang village. It is involves a 12 km drive on a dirt road from Paksong town, where the trek to the site begins.

The standard Tree Top Explorer package covers three days.

The 3D/2N package costs US$241 for four persons or more and up to US$648 for one person. A 2D/1N package starts from US$187 for four people and US$510 for one.

Each group is limited to 16 people due to the accommodation capacity at the forest lodge, but there is a plan to expand units to accommodate up to 20 persons. A group of up to eight persons will be accompanied by an English speaking guide and two local guides, while bigger groups will have two English speaking guides and four local guides.

Local guides are from Nuang Luang Village. About 60 villagers participate in the project and work shifts at the lodge as well. Guides need to be trained in basic skills to operate the zip lines. They can hardly speak English, just enough to communicate during the orientation classes.

At Nong Luang station, staff handout zip line gear similar to a climbing harness linked with rope having two carabiners attached at the end. They also provide helmets and a wooden hook that helps you to brake during descents.

Customers need to pack light and should have alight jacket even in summer as the temperatures drop in the evening. The trick is to travel light as the trek to the camp is not a walk in the park.

The march sets out to a dense forested Dong Hua Sao range, which covers more than 1,100 sq km of territory, half of which is mountainous with very steep slopes rising to the edge of the Bolaven Plateau at an elevation of up to 1000 metres and peaks near the plateau rim reaching 1 300 metres.

There are 12 zip-line stations with the longest one at 420 metres, two canopy bridges, some lowering stations and a Vie Ferrata course. The total length including hiking trails and zip-lines is approximately 15 km.

Visitors cover 5 km before reaching the first station which is a forest bridge. The swinging bridge hangs across a ravine, next to the Tad Suea or Tiger waterfall. Enjoy the view, without worrying about falling as you are hooked up to a cable line.

The trek follows a village dirt trail passing coffee plantations for the first part. Once in the forest, the trees are higher and thicker.

The real adventure begins after a safety orientation on a wide rocky area, the last flat territory on the trek. Beyond this point, the trail drops steeply, all the way to the lodge lying in an ancient volcanic crater. You just keep walking down and fly across ravines and valleys on zip lines. The weather is moderately cool even in the summer possibly 8 degrees Celsius lower than in Pakse.

When I was there, it was a wet day, so the mist covered the area making it even cooler.

However, it is tricky to trek during the rainy season as the trail is slippery.

Our first introduction to zip-line flight starts from a short and not so high deck. It enables us to learn how to brake with the wooden hook to prevent crashing into the platform at the end of the first zip-line sector.

The most striking sector covers just 300 metres passing Tad Khmuad or Monkey Waterfall that plunges 100 m to a basin below. The zip-line is so close to the waterfall that you can feel the spray rising from the roaring torrent.

We tackle the longest zip-lines on the second day – 350 and 420 metres crossing between mountain ravines. There there is another two short hops of 10 and 20 metres.

After the zip-lines the group resumes the trek for about 30 minutes, past the most stunning waterfall of three visited during the trip; Taket waterfall stands high and serene.

The return journey covers 5 km or so on a rough uphill trail until reaching the edge of the plateau and then an easy walk through plantations.

There are no zip-lines on the return trip just Vie Ferrata, that involves a short-cut climb up 20 metres on a rock wall to test your nerves and grit.

Vie Ferrata is similar to rock climbing but without ropes and belays, and generally safer than unprotected scrambling and climbing. The mountain route is covered with iron U-bolts fixed to the rock. Cables are lined along the route to make it safe.

The route crisscrosses upwards and climbers have to watch their step even with the assistance of cable and hooks. To avoid dizzy spells climbers are told not to look down.

The forest lodge provides a comfortable stay considering that it is in the middle of a jungle only accessible by foot. There is 24-hour water powered electricity and hot showers as well. The only way to the bedrooms is by the zip-lines. The tree houses feature beds and mosquito nets and even have toilets, but the shower block is down below near the dining area.

The lodge faces Tad Khmuad and boasts stunning views of the waterfall especially from the balcony of the dining area.

The resident team of guides also offers customised programmes for team building, educational trips for school children as well researchers who want to study the upper strata of the forest.

But adding value to the site is the top priority of the Institute of Mekong-Salween Civilisation Studies director and a lecturer at the Department of Art and Design, Naresuan University, Assoc Prof Dr Jirawat Phirasant.

His research team, with support from the Thailand Research Fund and Area-Based Collaborative Research for Development, Lower North Region are creating added value to ensure that sustainable tourism can grow and exist side-by-side with Sukhothai artifacts and culture.

Dr Jirawat’s Sukhothai Cultural Data Research Project spans 18 months, from September 2010 to February 2012. It was made possible through co-operation with local agencies such as the Sukhothai’s Office of Culture, the Muang Kao Municipality, Sukhothaithanee Municipality and Sukhothai Tourism Association.

“Previously, communities did not deal with tourism directly, as local products were sold through middle-men,” he explained. “The researchers thought that besides visiting the historical park, tourists should be able to interact with the communities that supply the handicrafts and services. So, we surveyed and designed several tourist routes all with the help of local communities.”

No formal tourist activities are organised. Essentially the work focuses on identifying and promoting 12 communities that can welcome tourists and are ready to explain the significance of what they do to visitors. For example at points of interest such as a craftsman’s house, visitors can pop in to see villagers making handicrafts including the famous Sangkalok Celadon. It allows visitors to interact with villagers to learn more about the pottery process.

The researchers produced 2,000 sample copies of a manual and map to help tourists discover the Sukhothai communities.

Packed into the almost 100-page manual is information on the Muang Kao municipality, details of folklore, festivals, local performances, handicrafts, food as well as practical information on where to get a traditional massage, accommodation and maps.

Though it is a very handy guidebook it is limited to Thai language and applicable only to domestic visitors, which means foreign visitors are missing out on a vast amount of information that would add value to their visits.

The Thai and English map helps, but there is limited space and much of the important detail is missing.

The English-Thai Muang Kao Tourist Guide Map features a hand drawn map by Dr Jirawat that marks all households following a six-month survey mostly conducted on foot. All interesting spots such as temples, culture sites, handicraft and souvenir stores, accommodation, toilets, car parks are marked.

Dr Jirawat says the printed manual and the map are just samples, while the data is firm and was given to the Muang Kao Municipality so they can reproduce or add information in cooperation with tourism stakeholders or reprint in other languages.

What are in the communities?

Covering an area of 14 sq km including the Sukhothai Historical Park, the best way to reach each communities is on a cycle tour. The main roads are asphalted, but there are dirt roads when entering villages. Traffic is much lighter compared to the famous cycle routes around Ayutthaya. The roads pass paddy fields where visitors can see farmers at work according to seasons, or they can observe a herd of cows and buffaloes.

However, it is very important to have the map especially for independent foreign tourists because village roads have no names or signs. Otherwise, the only alternative is to ask villagers the way, difficult due to the language barrier. The experience would improve considerably if travellers could follow a GPS route or have a mobile GPS devise with them.

The project comes with volunteer guides who can lead tourists on the walking or cycle tours. Currently, there are 10 certified volunteer guides based out of the Muang Kao Municipality. They need to be booked but the service is free.

Here are some samples of what to expect.

• Khanom Dak Nga – old dessert that is made from steamed sticky rice, pounded in a rice mortar until it turns into dough. It is rolled with black sesame, or stuffed with a sweet coconut mix. This dessert is traditionally made to celebrate new harvested rice. Now Aunty Dam is the only person who sells this sweet at Trapangthong market.

• Rung Ruang Silp- A mechanic turned wood carver in Ram Lek Community sculptures Buddha images from wood. His works is now famous.

• Wooden closet and other furniture in Ram Yai Community: Villagers here work in a cooperative structure. There is an assembling centre for finishing products, but members work on producing parts at home. The leftover wood is sold to members, or nearby villagers to produce other wooden products.

• Ox Cart House in Li Tai Community: Mr Sa-ard makes ox carts as a side income from rice farming. Besides he offers a tour outside of the historical park on an ox-cart at about Bt300 an hour

• Thai Traditional House Model in Li Tai Community: These traditional houses are made from wood in this small community.

• Kratong Bai Lan in Li Tai Community: Women work on the ‘Kratong’ or decorative floating tray after the harvest season. Usually Kratong rafts are made for the Loy Krathong festival on the full night of 12th Lunar month and traditionally made from banana leaves. But this product is made of palm leaves that have a longer life and can become a more permanent decorative piece in a house.

• Decorative wooden birds in Mae Ram Phan Community: Villagers make wooden birds for wall decoration. They also work in a cooperative sharing the work of carving or painting in a production line.

• Khao Tok Phra Ruang in Li Tai Community: This shop sells ornamental objects decorated with Khao Tok Phra Ruang, a sacred stone that can only been found on Phra Bat Yai Hill of Sukhothai. People believe the stone will help protect the wearers from accidents. The stone itself is supposed to offer a medicinal benefit against the venom of scorpions and centipedes by sharpening the stone to release particles over lime juice

• Sangkalok Celadon factories in Mai Tra Phang Thong Communities: Sangkalok Celadon were produced during the Sukhothai Kingdom as verified by archaeological excavations. Now the manufacturers imitate ancient and modern techniques to revive the old heritage and conserve an ancient art.

But tourism developers would like to see that change. They hope a 2,500 seats convention centre, scheduled to open later this year at the natural marsh and lake reserve of Bueng Boraphet, could become a must-see attraction for ecotourists, family and MICE visitors.

The centre is being developed with a 40-room resort, but hotel accommodation is not a problem in Nakhon Sawan where investors have built a variety of projects from city hotels to quarky boutique resorts.

Where the clients come from is anyone’s guess, but one theory is that travelling salesmen often make Nakhon Sawan a pit-stop on their journeys to a network of commercial towns in the central plains and north.

If the convention centre is a risky venture, Nakhon Sawan Provincial Organisation believes otherwise. It has borrowed from the state bank a tidy sum of Bt464 million to build the 40-room resort; the 2,500 seats convention centre; a building for a royal exhibition and there are plans to build a water market and theme park.

Located on 165 rai, outside the town centre and near the famous natural swamp and lake, the project comes with its own man-made beach and a water theme park.

At the time of the 2011 mega flood, the project was 80% complete, waiting only for interior decoration of the 40-room resort in order to meet an opening deadline in early 2012. That deadline is now under review as the province was hit by flooding for three months the worst in 50 years.

Once open, the idea is to attract domestic incentives and meetings hosted by company or government departments. But there is also a long-term plan to develop the site as an ecotourism destination for families and photo club visitors particularly from Russia, the United States and Germany. Bird watching in the nearby swamp and marsh areas is considered the best in the central plans with many migratory birds in the cool season and a local population of birds year-round.

Currently the resort sell rooms at around Bt1,000 per night in the main block and there will be small chalets that sell at Bt800 per night, all excluding breakfast, a condition that might need to be reviewed considering tough competition in the town’s hotel sector.

The question is can a 2,500-seat convention centre compete with similar projects in Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and one in the planning stage in Phuket? Probably not. Nakhon Sawan may have to settle for regional government meetings and some corporate events on budgets that do not stretch to what is needed in up-market locations of Pattaya or Chiang Mai.

It has some advantages. For starters it is close to Bangkok saving on transport costs, but that can also be its undoing. Travelling to Nakhon Sawan for an incentive, leisure trip, or convention, is not as enticing as being invited to board an aircraft to enjoy your company’s hospitality in a tourist destination further afield.

However, enthusiasm at the provincial tourism office level has not been dampened and it is confident that by 2015 the project will flourish with its own water theme park and enough attractions to make visitors want to spend more time in Nakhon Sawan. The office has been working on the project since 2009.

There is also a plan to seek Ministry of Tourism and Sports assistance to add ecotourism and sustainable tourism assets.

One of the first projects was an elaborate aquarium to commemorate His Majesty the King’s 80th birthday 10 March 2008. It is already very popular with day-trip tour buses that stop on the way to Phitsanulok or Sukhothai.

It features fresh water fish in a 35.5-metre by 105-metre aquarium built in the shape of boat, or in Thai ‘Rua Krachaeng’ formerly used on the Chao Phraya River to transport provisions.

The aquarium’s interior on the ground floor consists of a 24-metre long main tank exhibiting more than 100 species of freshwater tropical fishes. Also, there are more than 30 fish tanks exhibiting rare fishes. Visitors, especially children, will be amazed by the archer fish and Siamese tiger fish. Moreover, the aquarium has leopard sharks and sea urchins in the touch pool zone and a 3D cinema room that explains the significance of Bueng Boraphet.

On the second floor, the aquarium has models of domestic and migratory birds that can be seen in the marshes nearby.

The aquarium has restaurants and souvenir shops and is open from 1000 to 1800 on weekdays and 0930 to 1800 on weekends and public holidays. The admission fee is Bt49 for adults and Bt19 for children.

To add amusement to the educational structure of the site, there is a friendly crocodile ‘Jao Keng’ show and monkey ‘Khun Prakit’ to entertain children.

The Jao Keng show times are 1000, 1300, 1400, 1600 on Tuesdays to Fridays and 1000, 1230, 1400, 1600 on weekends and public holidays with the exception of Monday. The fee is Bt10 per seat for both adults and children.

Meanwhile, the monkey show times are 1030 to 1630 on weekdays and 0900 to 1730 on weekends and public holidays. The show costs Bt20 for adults and Bt10 for children.

Bueng Boraphet tourist site is located in Muang district in Nakhon Sawan, 239 km north from Bangkok, 132 km south of Phitsanulok, 186 km south from Sukhothai and 462 south from Chiang Mai.

To get there visitors from Bangkok need to take the main highway Phaholyothin, or Highway 1. Turn right on highway 255 (Nakhon Sawan-Chum Saeng). There is a turning at Kwae Yai District Administration Organisation where signs point to Bueng Boraphet.

For more information visit www.buengboraphet.com.

Of course, it has been explored, but for today’s travellers it can be likened to a castle that has treasure hidden in its vaults, but it will require a diligent search to discover. But the effort is rewarding. One Nan’s treasures awaiting discovery is just 15 km from the provincial town.

Rueang Sub-district is located at the foot of Phee Pan Nam mountain range that is the formidable natural border between Nan, Phayao and Phrae provinces. Here, the first settlement was established at least 500 years ago and following the traditions of their ancestors, villagers today continue to grow tea on nearby hillsides.

This cottage industry gains the support of government agencies especially the provincial agricultural extension department that is also developing agro-tourism. Visitors can learn the tea process from planting the shrub to packing and branding the tea. There are also short forest treks that endeavor to spot the endangered big headed turtles.

Tourism activities focus on the areas of Sri Na Pan and Ta Wan villages where tea plantations an  trekking trails are located.

The gravel or dirt trails are 4 km from the community’s tourism service centre. Two routes link to make an entire circle through the forest area. Each is about 1.5 km long; one follows the Huay Luang creek and another climbs through the tea plantations.

The walk through fertile forest is quite easy on the muscles; flat or gentle slopes except when descending to creeks on the way to the tea plantations from a hilltop viewpoint.

On the way, hikers will usually meet villagers who trek into the forest to collect wild plants such as rattan, bamboo shoots and herbs, which gives visitors a chance to learn more about conservation  and living off the land in a sustainable manner.

Before entering the forest, villagers pay respect to ‘Chao Luang Pa Mieng’, the guardian spirit, who once was considered the village chief hundreds of years earlier. We all pay respects, too, even though we are city slickers who have very little idea of forest ways and culture.

Upon entering the forest, we are surrounded by tea trees, which we would not recognise if the guide had not pointed them out. They are tall in the wild and difficult to distinguish from other forest trees growing naturally. On the plantations the tea tree is cut and pruned to keep it short and easy to manage. Villagers show us how to collect wild tea tree leaves that can be used to make various blends such as white, green or black tea and traditional ‘mieng’ candy, a chewy and bitter snack.

The tea, locally called ‘mieng’ is a lowland Assam tea. It has been grown organically in mountains in the north for generations, but traditionally it was not brewed as a drink, but steamed and fermented to give it that distinctive ‘mieng’ flavour.

Tea plantations in Sri Na Pan and Ta Wan villages cover 5,000 rai or 1,977 acres. Villagers started to produce tea for commercial use only four years ago as they preferred to chew mieng. But traditions change and slowly the value of modern tea is catching on with the villagers, who can tap a new revenue channel.

Visitors can pop into the community’s tea factory May to December to learn how the tea is processed. Mostly the tea is produced by order, while some is sold under its own brand, which is available for visitors to taste. From January to April, there is no tea production.

The trails cut through a paddy field— refreshingly green during the rainy season and yellowish brown during the harvest season with hazy blue hills as a backdrop.

One of the trek stops is at Huay Luang creek which has never run dry and the water quality is excellent. If it was not exceptionally clean the endangered big-headed turtles would disappear entirely. They are a small turtle, omnivorous, nocturnal, not able to withdraw into a shell, long tailed and with a mouth that is as strong as a parrot’s.

During dry season, when the water is clear, it is easy to spot the turtles. If you are camping in the forest, villagers can lead you after dark to the creek and you can lure these turtles from their habitat under a  rock shelf to feed on titbits.

The campsite is on the banks of Huay Luang Creek, about 700 metres from the trek starting point. The villagers have five tents for rent each accommodating up to three people. Nearby there is a simple toilet and shower zone.

Food is cooked on site by the village and is usually salty meat and sticky rice with herbs collected from the wild. Guests can have fun helping local guides cut banana trunks and collect Kood, a plant from the fern family that is excellent for soup.

You dine off plates made of banana leaves and the cooking utensils are all made from bamboo.

Besides camping, the villages offer homestay options which bring you in closer contact with the community. There are 10 families offering homestay with a capacity for two to four persons per household. Part of the village is located near the small Tad Mork waterfall, 3 km from the tourist centre. From the car park, it is about 700 metres down the small valley to the base of the waterfall. There are three tiers; each tier is about 500 metres apart.

Initial impressions are that this is not a challenging trek and the scenery is not panoramic grandeur that will take your breath away. Facilities are very simple, but definitely worth a day and overnight stay to be close to nature.

It is a very short distance from Nan town and that makes the contrast from urban to rural scene even more dramatic. With a little concentration you can learn a great deal about agriculture and forest conservation from the villagers who are kind and eager to exchange their knowledge with visitors.

The best time to visit is during the cool season from late October through March. During the rainy season, the dirt road and trails are very slippery. Also it is difficult to cross the creek and due to the fast flow the water is murky making it almost impossible to see the turtles.

Fast facts

• Tents: 5 tents, up to three person each, priced at Bt100 per tent

• Homestay: 10 houses, up to four persons each, priced at Bt200 including breakfast

• Meals: Bt70 person per meal

• Transfer within the village: Bt100 for motorcycle and Bt300 for a pick-up truck

• Local guides: Bt200 per guide (one guide per two guests)

• Compulsory Fee to the village’s tourist service centre: Bt20

• Contact: Tourist Service Centre at 084 739 9083 or 087 985 7637 or Rueang Tambon Administration Oraganization, Tel: 054 701 033 or Na Provincial Agricultural Extension Department, Tel: 054 785 234

The objective is to revive travel bookings from the region.

The golf courses will organise monthly tournaments through to September. The first teed off 5 May to be followed by similar tournaments every month up to the grand tournament scheduled for the first week in September.

The festival aims to boost tourism during the low season that covers the months of May through to September. Cloudy conditions and rain prevail on the eastern seaboard, but for avid golfers the cloud and strong breezes, blowing off the Gulf of Thailand, keep the temperatures lower than in the dry season making it more comfortable to play.

The event is co-organised by Chonburi province, Tourism Authority of Thailand Pattaya office and East Coast Golf Courses Management Association.

TAT Pattaya office director, Niti Kongkrut, said that the tournament would help to revive interest in established golf courses around the East Coast and introduce relatively new ones to Thai and foreign tourists.

Promoting Thailand as Asia’s top golf destination is part of the TAT marketing plan. It has been noted that of all niche tourism markets the ones related to sports are the most resilient during a political crisis.

Apart from being well travelled, regional golfers are usually so enthusiastic about their sport they are not easily distracted by political concerns.

So far, 15 golf courses have enlisted in the tournaments are: Laemchabang International Country Club; Treasure Hill Golf and Country Club; Siam Country Club (Old Course; Siam Country Club (Plantation); Eastern Star Country Club and Resort; Rayong Green Valley Country Club; Burapa Golf Club; The Emerald; Bangpakong Riverside; Pattana Golf and Sport Resort; Bangpra International Golf Club; Royal Thai Navy Plutaluang Golf Course; Wangjuntr Golf Park; Green Wood Golf Club; and Pleasant Valley Country Club.

The golf tournaments are held on the first Saturday of the month. Following on from the May tournament others are scheduled for 5 June, 3 July, 7 August, and the final round will be played off 4 September. The qualifying competition will be at the same time at 15 courses with places for 24 golfers at each golf course.

Two golfers with the best score from each qualifying round at each venue will compete in the final round for Grand Trophy at Laem Chabang International Country Club. Two golfers at each golf venue, who win the lucky draw, are qualified to compete in the final round for the Entertainment Trophy at Pattaya Golf and Sport Resort.

The tournament applies 36 systems. USGA, R&A and local rules govern play. Enrolment fee is Bt1,750 and Bt1,200 depending on the venues. The fee is exclusive of caddie fees and carts.

Winners from Grand Trophy round and Entertainment Trophy will get trophies from Chonburi province, TAT or Pattaya City.

Contact call centre at 089 833 7094 and 089 833 7095 or email: chonburi.pattayagolf@gmail.com

The Playhouse performs stage shows that are a mix of singing, dancing and lip sync. Performances are based on excerpts from famous Broadway musical dramas such as Chicago. The show lasts one hour with no intermission.

Shows will be refreshed every three to four months and most of the 30 performers are young adults, resident in Chiang Mai. Shows are scheduled two times a day, except Sunday, at 0800 and 2200.

The venue is a renovated theatre that seat up to 350 people. It has a 50 metre long stage. Named the Playhouse, it also has a relaxing area called Stage Bar for guests and non-theatre visitors who want to enjoy a drink and listen to a band playing Thai and English songs. Open from 1800 to 0100.

On Saturday, the theatre features a Thai buffet dinner from 1830 to 1950 with two Thai dance performances on a man-made waterfall. The Kinnaree Park dinner can cater for up to 50 persons. Reservations are required. Eventually the buffet dinner will be a daily feature.

The theatre is located on Chang Pueak Road, close to Mercure Chiang Mai and Chang Pueak Bus Station.

Reservations can be made at 053 410 671-5, through local travel agents or at www.playhouse-chiangmai.com.

It is an unusual niche for a travel company that has been established just for one year, but the owners believe there is potential to bring high-end, big spending tourists to Thailand and eventually Malaysia and Singapore.

“There are 600 polo horses in Thailand, alone, of which 90% are from Argentina, which is the leading polo nation in the world,” said Puro Polo managing director, Franco Forastieri, when asked why make Thailand the starting point for his polo tour business.

“There are also three polo clubs in Thailand and the country has many other attractions to offer when the polo sessions are over.”

They are located in Bangkok, Pattaya and Chiang Mai.

Known as the sport of royalty, Polo Sports intends to woo wealthy Agentinians, who have cash to burn and time to spend on their newly acquired hobby, to buy a package to Thailand.

“We will invite people to learn how to play polo while enjoying a holiday. The only two requirements to enrol are they must know how to ride a horse and they have plenty of cash to pay for the experience.”

According to Mr Forastieri, the programme will last 14 days. The first three days will be spent in Bangkok with one full-day for polo training at VR Polo Club, located near Suvarnabhumi Airport, in Samut Prakarn province, 20 km from Bangkok. The rest of the programme will be dedicated to leisure travel – three nights in Chiang Mai; two nights in Chiang Rai and a week in Phuket.

All the ground handling will be supplied by Pacific Leisure Group, which is the contracted business partner in Asia to promote travel between Asia and South America.

PLG’s Thailand office will coordinate all activities in its 16-country network, while the Hong Kong office plays a key-role in developing business opportunities in China and North Asia.

The price of the programme is Bt60,000 per person for ground handling including city tour and transportation; plus Bt70,000 for fares from Argentina using Malaysian Airlines, Lufthansa or KLM. The company also expects to use Thai Airways International once the airline completes a code- share agreement with South African Airways, at the end of May.

Puro Polo will promote polo tours in Scandinavia, Spain and South America, especially Argentina. Also there are plans to attend trade shows such as FITUR in Spain, ITB in Germany, WTM in England and TUR in Sweden.

Asked about future business expansion in Southeast Asia after Thailand, Mr Franco said the company is already seeking a partner for stage two polo tours to Malaysia and Singapore.

Overland tours, featuring two or three countries, are offered by travel companies, but very few would bother to negotiate a path through red tape to transfer their vehicles across borders.

They prefer to hire local vehicles in each country to avoid legal hassles. There is nothing simple about organising a Mekong region car trip even if you own the vehicle, but the idea of a care free self-drive holiday meandering through two or three Mekong region countries is still largely a myth.

One issue is that Mekong countries, with the exception of Thailand and Lao PDR, do not accept international driving licenses. Elsewhere, you need to apply for a local license or hire a driver.

Also, car rental firms will not allow you to drive over an international border. We discovered just a single company, in Laos, that will allow self-drive car rental to Thailand and back.

Other factors that discourage self-drive travel are road conditions, driving habits and a lack of multiple language signs.

With the exception of Thailand and Vietnam, sealed road networks are limited to main trunk routes. Beyond the main towns, roads in Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar quickly deteriorate into dusty pot-holed lanes and trails.

Drivers especially from developed countries will find it difficult to come to terms with the lack of lane discipline. Driving in any of the region’s capital city is a nightmare due to the erratic behaviour of motor cyclists. The variety of unregistered vehicles of all shapes and sizes poses another headache for visitors while night driving is considered a lethal pastime.

Road signs in Mekong region are mostly written in the local language. English-language signs are present only on major highways making it imperative to travel with a good map and even a GPS device to serve as a backup.

Five of the Mekong countries are also members of ASEAN which has a programme to improve cooperation in land transportation but so far very little progress has been made. Most of the progress has come courtesy of aid programmes led by the Asian Development Bank, and in the case of bridges spanning the Mekong River partnerships with Australia and China.

Some progress has been made developing international road corridors – the R3 network of highways north-south from Yunnan in China, through Laos to Chiang Rai in North Thailand (R3A) is one example. Another is the economic east-west corridor from the Thai border with Myanmar passing across central Thailand and Laos to Vietnam central region seaboard towns.

Under the Framework Agreement on the Facilitation of Goods in Transit, ASEAN member countries have mutually recognised domestic driving licenses. This is in theory, but not in practice, as the case with most ASEAN initiatives.

However, ASEAN is working on ways to standardise technical standards, rules and procedures to facilitate cross-border movement of goods and people. Activities such as a highway numbering system and uniformity in road signs for the ASEAN Highway Network are also in the pipeline. Progress is painfully slow.

Driving in Thailand

Thailand is the country where car rental business is the most robust. Leading international car rental brands have established branches such as Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar, Sixt and Master, while there numerous local firms providing various types of vehicles – cars, SUVs, pick-ups and mini-vans. Rentals do not allow cross border travel.

The country also has the best road network by a long stretch. Main roads linking provinces, or secondary towns, are either four or two-lane highways, sealed with a generous shoulders for cycles and motor bikes.

Some rental firmss, such as Budget and Avis, offer GPS for a fee and bookstores and gas stations sell road maps.

Normally the majors have branches in tourist cities that offer different pick-up and drop-off point options, but at a fee. Some will waive the fee if a car is needed at the drop-off station. This can be checked at the time of booking.

Apart from booking online with the car rental dealer, local airlines offer car rental with pick up at airports.

Avis Rent A Car System general manager, Kittitat Thaiarry, told TTR Weekly that the popularity of self-drive travel is growing rapidly.

Usually, customers are repeat visitors who are familiar with Thailand and feel comfortable exploring the country without having a re-arranged tour. Bangkok remains a big no-no for car rental. Streets are too congested and risky although all the car rentals are headquartered in downtown Bangkok.

The best option is to book at the counters at Suvarnabhumi Airport or directly with companies that have depots close by.

Signs on secondary roads can be a problem as they may only be Thai, but main highways signs are written in Thai and English. Kilometre markers are spaced at 2 km intervals on all roads.

“Competition in the car rental business is tough,” notes Mr Kittitat, “ but to survive in the tourist market we have to provide certain standards. If price is the sales tactic then service standard will be lower.”

Thai car rental cannot go beyond borders due to the insurance cover and the case of accidents repairs and compensation would be a problem.

Driving in Laos

There are only a handful of car rental companies established in Laos and almost all are small family-run enterprises. They provide both chauffeur-drive and self-drive and a few may even claim a car can cross the border to neighbouring countries.

Local companies don’t allow cross border travel, but the representative of Europcar, Asia Vehicle Rental, the only foreign car rental company in the country says it does.

There is very limited information on car rental in Laos on the internet and again only Asia Vehicle Rental has a website with details. Consequently, hotels and travel agencies offices in Vientiane or Luang Prabang are the only places where cars can be booked. It is very unlikely that they can be pre-booked and paid for online with the exception of Asia Vehicle Rental.

Most of its customers are business travellers, aid project workers, development construction consultants who go for long-term rentals.

The company claims tourists can book its cars and then travel to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia or China. In their fleet include pick-up (2WD and 4WD), 4WD station wagons, mini-buses and even motorcycles.

The down to earth facts on Mekong self-drive dreams

The most viable and safe option is to rent a car with a driver. The company provides English, French, Lao and Thai speaking drivers and at no additional cost other than an overtime fee out of the nine to five day, food and accommodation when travelling out of Vientiane. The current daily field allowance is US$15 in Laos or US$20 outside the country. In the capital there are no extra fees.

All vehicles are provided with third party insurance, optional higher level 3, for driver and passengers plus comprehensive insurance for the full value of the vehicle, through AGL Insurance Co, Vientiane.

There is a non refundable excess of up to a maximum of US$ 500 per claim, which AVR accepts responsibility for when the vehicle is operated by an AVR driver.

When driven by the customer, they are responsible for the excess charge. Also, when crossing border to Cambodia or Vietnam, customers have to buy third-party insurance at the check point.

AVR director, Joe Rumble, said 60% of the business is self-drive. However, driving in Laos is not easy due to poor road conditions, the tendency to drive down the middle of the road and alack of road signs.

“There are few serious accident, but foreigners have to careful even though traffic is not heavy. People don’t follow the rules. They drive on the wrong of the road, cars have poor brakes and steering wheels,” he explained. “We rent 4WD vehicles to reduce the risk.”

The company has 80 vehicles, mostly 4WD and pick-up trucks.

Roads outside the capital are two lanes and asphalted, not too busy and there is plenty of beautiful scenery when driving north. The mountain road to Luang Prabang demands driving skills due to the hairpin bends and remote sections with no service support.

Diesel powered pick-up trucks are probably the best option for Laos. Diesel fuel is sold in most villages by the pump or canister. Also getting a make-shift repair done to get you back to base is usually possible for Japanese build pick-ups.

Driving in Vietnam

No car hire companies provide self-drive options. Visitors have to hire a car and the driver. Vietnam demands all drivers have a current Vietnamese driving license. An international driving license is redundant. This basically shuts the door on self-drive tourism. Foreigners could obtain a local driving license, but it is only possible for expatriates, who hold a valid Vietnamese residence permit of at least three month’s validity. That excludes tourism.

Tourists can rent motorbikes according to Vietnam’s ANZ Travel, although legally a driving license is still required. Motor bikes can be rented with a passport and valid visa, but if you are involved in accident or stopped by police the penalties are tough. Motor bikes rent for approximately US$20 a day without fuel.

Vietnam is notorious for its traffic snarls especially in big cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City where hundreds thousands of motorbikes swarm the streets. They move in a stream that from a visitor’s point of view looks like chaos; an accident waiting to happen. In reality there is a sort of order in the chaos as can be tested if you have walk across a street. If you hesitate, or show fear, you are a hospital statistic.

Car rental quotations include the driver petrol and insurance. Some may include toll fees in around the city.

All car rental companies are locally owned. One is the franchisee of Budget and has been in business for just one and a half years.

Budget Car Vietnam, business development director, John Tocco, notes that 60% of his clients are business travellers and the balance tourists.

“The advantages of Budget is that we comply with international standards. The fleet is new and drivers can speak either English or Japanese.”

He adds: “if bookings increase, it will attract more international brands to Vietnam. On hiring car delivered with a driver?

“I have a Vietnamese driver license but I don’t drive. Traffic is dangerous. No one wants to drive here.”

Driving in Myanmar

There are no specialised car rental companies in Myanmar. Technically, it would require an international driving license and registration with the Myanmar Road Transport Authority if a self-drive option existed. It doesn’t, so tourists book a car and driver with a tour company. The driver doubles up as a guide.

Peace House Travel consultant, Hpone Thant, explains the highways are of a poor standard and unsage. Most are narrow and congested with heavy traffic – mainly big 18-wheel logging trucks, passenger buses, private mini-vans, not to mention trishaws, pedestrians, water buffaloes and cattle wandering across roads.

“But the worst hazard are the out-dated cars mostly old models that have been rejected by the Japanese. They are imported to this country and are mainly left-hand drive and we all drive on the right. This is very dangerous even for residents to cope with,” he cautions.

The East-West Economic Corridor and the country’s North South Corridor are myths of the development agencies. It will take years before reforms are in place to allow overland tourism to prosper and with it the use of self-drive car rental. Like other Mekong Region nations with the exception of Thailand the prospects are poor.

That is good news for tour operators who can rent out vehicles with drivers and guides and sell pre-booked tours for families using mini-vans. But by no stretch of the imagination does it fit the self-drive holiday concept.

The self-drive holiday option will not emerge soon. There other more pressing issues that keep this country locked in a dark age of suspicion, abuse and fear instigated by an intransigent military dictatorship. Exploring the counry as free as a bird is not in the junta’s vocabulary.

Khine Tha Zin Travels and Tours director, Khine Mar Lar Myint, adds: “We’d like to offer self-drive car rental and have been trying to establish it, but it is not safe for you and our cars. We know the problems here, but foreigners know very little.

Driving in Cambodia

An international driving permit is not recognised in Cambodia and self-drive car hire does not exist. Visitors can hire a vehicle that comes with a driver. Tour operators are the only reliable source, although motor bikes can be hired to tour the capital or Siem Reap; an acceptable option until you lose the bike or fall off it.

The rental can be anything from dropping off at certain point or one-day trip around the city or multi-days long distance trip. It is strongly advised to set a fare in advance and pay at the end of the journey if you deal with taxis by yourself. Tourists can also find shared taxis for longer trips.

Nowadays road travel in Cambodia has improved significantly as can be measured by reduction in lower back pain when travelling by car or mini-van. Most major roads between cities are asphalted paid for by grants from ADB. They might have a few rough spots, but it is heaven compared with the pot-holed highways of a decade ago. Road accidents are common, mainly at night due to poor street lighting, dangerous driving and the propensity of cattle to flop down on the white line for a kip.

Conclusion: Whatever the guide books and glossy brochures say, self-drive car holidays are not the way to go in the Mekong Region. They are risky and costly with all, but one country, demanding you pay for a driver to chauffer you around.

Only one country, Thailand, gets off the starting block with flying colours on the self-drive subject. The country’s car rental business is a decade ahead of neighbours and likely to stay that way for some time to come.

The joy and freedom of a car holiday?

A remote country road in Laos

Beluga School for Life in Phang Nga province, South Thailand, is using tourism to raise funds to support the school financially. The project is an example of what is called “charity travel”.

Beluga School for Life was started as an aid project by the German shipping company, Beluga Shipping, based in Bremen, shortly after a tsunami devastated the Andaman Sea coastline, 26 December 2004. The actual community school opened in mid-2007.

Tourism was introduced to help the project be self sustaining. The project has 18 guesthouses, a restaurant, swimming pool and spa (closed for renovation). Various in-house tour programmes have been developed as well as programmes offered by partners.

Guest houses are in the same compound as the school but there is a strict code of conduct enforced on contact between students and guests.

Accommodation is air-conditioned. Rooms have a terrace, mini bar, TV and free Wi-Fi, but no telephone. Wi-Fi signal is subject to weather conditions, but the resort provides complimentary internet at the reception building.

A stay costs Bt3,000 per night per person during the peak season and Bt2,000 during the low season months. Accommodation revenue goes direct to the school’s general fund.

Guests are encouraged to visit the school, which is a boarding school that provides education from kindergarten through to grade six. After grade six, students transfer to a local secondary school. The school is planning to offer secondary level in the near future. Children live as a family with a staff member acting as the family head. Usually there are 10 children to a house. Visitors are not allowed to enter the student residence  area. Similar restrictions are in place at the guest houses.

Run as a private school, students attend classes in the morning while in the afternoon, they attend project classes related to cooking, recycling, farming, painting and computer skills.

Activities are developed under six learning centres — organic farming, cultural sensitive tourism, nutrition and health, body and soul, cultural heritage and development and international communications. Children can choose activities according to their liking and age level.

Guests can use the holiday to learn Thai language, clasical of folk dance, boxing, and cooking. They can visit a rubber plantation nearby,  a village temple and experience rural life.

The project is located  about 10 km inland, at Thai Muang district, which means guests who want to swim in the sea will need to pay approximately Bt100 per person, one way, to transfer to the nearest beach. The resort also has a package with seaside resort partners. It allows guests to stay seven days at each location.

Guests who stay in other hotels can visit the project for a day trip on Saturdays.

Visiting BSfL is about feeling good and doing something different. The location is not superb as there no stunning beaches or tourist attractions. Instead you are surrounded by children and are able to share an environment that allows you to learn more about rural life in Thailand.

When you see the children and the devotion of the staff and teachers, who care for them, you feel your money was well-spent. It is a good feeling to  travel and know that your holiday is also helping to give children a better future.