Today we will take you to Doi Pui in Chiang Mai province, only a couple of kilometres from Doi Suthep, which is considered landmark of Chiang Mai. Doi Pui might not be as famous as Doi Suthep, but their beauty and wonder are hidden in this village, waiting for you to discover.
In this small village, there are a lot of wonderful things to do, such as sightseeing the beautiful pristine scenery, impressed with the hill tribe’s culture or listen to interesting stories from old people of the village. Since Doi Pui is located in the northern part of Thailand, where the weather is always cool, the agricultural products are their main income. In the past, most of the area was used to grow opium, but by the royal support of King Rama IX (- the present king -), the villagers were educated on how to earn a living according to the theory of sufficient economy (- a theory introduced by HRM King Rama IX, saying that a family should produce products at a certain amount that is sufficient to earn a living of his/her family and leave only a small amount to sell. By this way, people will be able to stand on their legs and depend less on the outsiders. -) by doing agriculture or making handicrafts to replace opium growing.
Despite being a key tourist attraction in Chiang Mai, Doi Pui offers an insight into how the hill tribes live in Thailand. The villagers wear traditional Hmong clothes, sell traditional Hmong handicrafts, and live in traditional Hmong-style homes. With the unique tradition of the hill tribe villagers and the preserved way of life, the tourists who visit Doi Suthep often visit Doi Pui as well. It’s only 10 kilometers far from Doi Suthep. Upon our arrival at Doi Pui, one of the very first impressive things that catch our eyes is “The Little Guides of Doi Pui”
As we enter the Hmong village, we see these little guides running to greet us and two of them offer to be our guides. We ask about the price, and they say “Up to you, sir” That’s how we meet our tour guides.
The little guides are children in the local village; they volunteered to be members of “Doi Pui Little Guide Club”. As the number of tourists has been increasing recently, the local school created this club for their students to earn extra money. Their job is leading the tourists in a sightseeing trip throughout the village, to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and their charming culture.
Our journey starts at a shopping area. Many shops sell local products or hill crafts, such as tea, silver accessories, crossbow, etc. Suddenly catch our eyes is a shoe shop, selling colourful handmade shoes in Chinese style, only at 350 baht. Now I’ve got a souvenir for my girl. After that, we have a chance to chat with a hundred-year-old man, the oldest man in the village. Another must-see in this village is the garden that exhibits models of the hill tribe’s daily life in the old time, including the collection of wooden tools and the opium.
I’m sure you don’t want to miss this. We rent a native costume to wear as our tour guide’s recommendation. There are many type of costumes for you to choose including ornaments that match the costumes. Here, the silver ornaments infer to status of the wearer. We choose their formal costume to try on. Since the climate in Doi Pui is quite cool, all the native costumes are made from thick material to protect the cold breeze and to keep them warm.
As we experience the beauty of this village, we find some children interrupt the charming atmosphere by keep asking money from the tourists. However, it’s only a small detect comparing to the spectacular mountain views and breathtaking scenery as well as being able to experience the fascinating lifestyles of the Hmong hill tribe.
Finally, we hope that you have fun reading our story. Don’t forget to visit our website, to see where our next trip will be. See you soon!!
