Thaton ท่าตอน, the mountains, the Mae Kok River and the hilltribes

See the locations on Thaton Google Map
See the Thai Meteorological Weather forecast for Chiang Rai



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The little town of Thaton and the Kok river. The river come from Burma and flows to Chiang Rai.

Boat from Thaton to Chiang Rai:
The Mae Kok Boat Service Company departs at Thaton every day at 12.30 pm (350 Bath). The trip takes around three hours. The Mae Kok River runs through dense jungle. You will see hilltribe villages on the banks - for example the Karen village of Ruammit, where the Karen keep elephants and use them for tourist rides or transport to other villages. In the late afternoon the elephants bath in the river. Read blackntan210's adventure on the river. Around 20 minutes up from Ruammit you reach Phasoet hot springs บ่อน้ำพุร้อนผาเสริฐ.
Boat from Chiang Rai to Thaton: Departure 10.30 am
Charter a boat: You can visit Shan or Lahu villages along the river.
Bamboo House Rafting on Mae Kok River:

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Mae Kok River

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Bamboo Boat

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Elephants bathing in Mae Kok River


Info about Thaton: Read thaton.info

Map of the Valley: With small villages: iGuideTRavel.



Stay in Thaton

Garden Home Nature Resort: From 200 Bath. Bungalows right on the river. Very good reviews on tripadvisor.com

Ban Suan Riverside Resort: 134 Moo 4. Wooden bungalows with terraces on the river and more rooms in a building and bungalows away from the river.

Thaton River View Resort: Along the banks on Nam Kok River. Basic, as described by Chiang Mai To Thaton

Thaton Chalet: From 1400 Bath.

Old Tree's House: From 1200 Bath. 323. Ban Rumthai
M. 14. Guesthouse with five bungalows and little pool run by Paulo and Nid, a French/Thai couple, who engage with a school project for Chan people, refugess from Burma living nearby. Excellent guesthouse according to reviews on tripadvisor.com

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View from Old Tree's House

Apple Guest House:

Khun Mai Baan Suan Resort: On the banks of Mae Kok River. See video by openchiangmai.com

Mae Kok River Village Resort: From 3250 Bath. On the banks of Mae Kok River. A good place for birdwatching from the resort. With Maekok River Village Outdoor Education Centre

Huai Khum Resort: From 1600 Bath. In the forest, surrounded by Mae Kok River and the mountains, near a traditional village. Bamboo bungalows with straw roof. With swimming pool.


Wat Thaton

Wat Tha Ton (วัดท่าตอน):

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View from Wat Thaton


Hilltribe people around Thaton

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Akha village Ban Lor Cha

Picture All Points East (The South East Asia Specialists
Akha woman weaving in Ban Lor Cha.


Ban Lor Cha Also: Lorcha. Here you find a community-based Tourism Development project in an Akha village. You pay a fee. The income goes into a village development fund. See map of village tour. Read more about the Akha people and this project here. See pictures of Akha women and man and child. See videos of Ban Lorcha. Read a study by Deena Rubuliak about Ecotourism in Northern Thailand.


How to go to Thaton

Bus vom Chiang Mai to Fang and Thaton: 7 am and 3.30 pm. (From Chang Pheuak Bus Terminal)



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Your Guide to Mae Hong Son

You discover Mae Hong Son through the eyes of people, who have been there. This blog collects their voices from blogs and travel-related forums like tripadvisor.com or travelfish.org and their pictures from flickr.com and other sources. Google Maps help you to create your own tour. Links give you background. Welcome to Mae Hong Son!

See the Thai Meteorological Weather forecast for Mae Hong Son



Guesthouses and Hotels: Like Princes Guesthouse.on the lake in the centre of Mae Hong Son Click



Charming Mae Hong Son: Old houses and a lake in the city of the three mists Click




Temples in Mae Hong Son: Wat Chong Khlang contains a Vihara housing a replica of the Phra Phuttha Sihing image brought from Burma in 1857. Click



The nightmarket: Art and handcrafts from hilltribe people, for example Lisu and Hmong. Click




The Kuomintang Chinese: Mae Aw near the Burmese Border is a village founded by Kuomintang soldiers and famous for tea cultivation. Click



By boat to a Karen Village: Karen refugees from Burma live in Huay Pukaen on Pai River, making their money with tourism by showing their longneck women. Click



Mud for clean skin: At Phu klon the mud comes out of the earth between between 60-140 C hot. It's good for your skin and blood circulation. Click


The Mae Hong Son Loop: From Mae Hong Son through the rainforest and the mountains to Pai and Chiang Mai Click



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