Tourists visiting Chiang Rai, Thailand usually also venture further north to Mae Sai, Thailand. If you will visit Thailand’s northern most region soon, we recommend that you spend a few hours at the Mae Sai Fish Caves where the monkeys, not the fish, steal the show.

Wat Tham Pla and the fish caves are easily accessible and well marked on the highway running north out of Chiang Rai. You will find the Mae Sai fish caves half way in between, or about 12 km south of Mae Sai, Thailand. Wat Tham Pla is situated at the base of a small mountain. Monkeys are free to roam within a large gated area, and climb over the temple, signs, and surrounding trees. Though you should always be cautious around wild animals, the well mannered monkeys will gently pick a peanut out of the hands of tourists.

The Fish Cave is filled by a lake that ends at the base of the mountain. The lake is filled with Koi carp and catfish that you can feed while standing on a small bridge. Buddhist shrines and monks are found throughout the area, along with additional caves of various sizes.

The main attraction for us on this day trip in northern Thailand was the larger cave Tam Pleaw Plongfha.
According to the signs posted at the base of the stone stairway, Tam Pleaw Plongfha is 200M up the steps. One Thai villager at Wat Tham Pla told us there are about 300 steps in total. We forgot to count, distracted by the view and the monkeys swinging in the trees.

Before sending you off to our Tham Pum Tham Pla Mae Sai Thailand picture gallery, here’s a bit about Wat Tham Pla from the sign posted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand:

Tham Pum Tham Pla - Tham Pla, Thai words for Fish Cave, is the home of various species of large fish. A Burmese monk named Ut Suai Lao arrived here and built a temple and a Burmese style bejewelled Buddha image know as Phra Song Khrueang inside Tham Pla. Tham Pum is another cave on top of the hill.

On this day tour we spent the morning at Tham Pum Tham Pla, then headed further north for lunch and shopping in Mae Sai, Thailand. We’ll post the Mae Sai shopping photographs for all to see next.

How many good luck charms dangling from your rear view mirror? When a car is purchased new, used or passed onto the next owner in Thailand, it’s common for a Monk to bless the car and the new owners. King and I visited Wat Hoy Poo in northern Chiang Rai, Thailand to bless our used 2002 Honda CRV.

Head Monk at Wat Hoy Poo in Chiang Rai, Thailand greeted our family with prayer and spinkled water over our heads in the picture below.

Then the Monk said prayers inside our Honda CRV. He marked the roof of the car with 3 dots in a triangle, then sprinkled water throughout the interior of the car. Breaking a string from the bunch shown in the picture, the Head Monk of Wat Hoy Poo tied a string around the steering column. Often a sting is tied around the rear view mirror, but our car already had a blessing and string placed there from the previous owner.

Inside the Wat Hoy Poo temple in Chiang Rai, Thailand the head Monk continues prayers and blessings. Each driver is blessed and given a string to wear around their left wrist. Car and driver may now venture out onto the busy freeway with super powered lucky charms. King’s brother Eg and sister Kung sit beside her inside Wat Hoy Poo in the picture below.

Songkran is a traditional new year festival held throughout Thailand. Songkran is celebrated on April 13-15 of each year. April 13 is Maha Songkran day or the day to mark the end of the old year. April 15 is Wan Thaloeng Sok which is the day the new years begins. To celebrate the Songkran festival, people from rural areas working in Thailand cities travel to celebrate Songkran with their family. Most foreigners remember Songkran for the throwing of water, however, visiting a temple to make merits is equally important.

During Songkran, Thai people and monks clean Buddha images in the temples with water and Thai perfume. Thai people believe cleaning the Buddha statues and images will bring good luck in the new year. Songkran Festival is also a time when Thai people offer food to the monks who care for the temples. Another religious ceremony during Songkran is the release of caged birds and fish. This is done in memory of beloved ancestors and also as a way to make merit.

Young people pour lustral water onto the palms of their elders as a gesture of respect and give them some gifts. In return, the elders give blessings to the youngsters. The young boys and girls below in Chiang Mai, Thailand, are sprinkling water onto the palms of their elders - notice the gentle delivery method used here - squirt guns! Songkran in the cities is brutal and often unforgiving to first timers. However, if you attend, you will notice all ages and walks of life, Thai and foreigners, joining in on the fun. Songkran is both a country wide water fight and a time for Thailand traditions.

Akha Hill Tribe guest house in Chiang Rai, Thailand brings you back to nature. After a day of walking and trekking through the mountain villages of Chiang Rai, Thailand, there is plenty of time to sit back and reflect. The Akha Hill Tribe village guest house overlooks a lush valley surrounded by tea plantations, rice fields, waterfalls and native jungle. Sit back and enjoy the view as King does is the picture below.

When it’s time to head back to the Chiang Rai city, the Akha Hill Tribe tour truck is ready to go. Below the truck is filled with foreigners heading back into Chiang Rai, Thailand. Observing the day to day lives of the Akha Hill Tribe village people will be in there thoughts as they return to their own day to day routines. The valley views, waterfalls, hot springs, Thai massage, and campfires at night in the mountains of Chiang Rai, Thailand are memorable.

Akha Hill Tribe guest house in Chiang Rai, Thailand has a beautiful sunrise. No alarm clock is necessary up here in the mountains of Chiang Rai, Thailand. The sunrise and maybe a nearby rooster will start you off on your day. The Akha Hill Tribe village is 1500 miles above sea level and overlooks a majestic valley surrounded by tea plantations, rice fields, waterfalls and native jungle. You will want to take a walk, trek through the mountains, and get to know the Akha Hill Tribe people. Below is a picture of the sunrise from the Akha Hill Tribe guest house village in Chiang Rai, Thailand.

Once you’re up and ready to go, Huay Keaw a three tiered waterfall with bathing pools is just a 10 minute walk through nature. The green tea plantation is just a fifteen minute walk. Hot springs deep in the jungle are just one hour away, and you get to visit additional Akha and Lahu village tribes on the trek. Jungle trekking and sightseeing tours can be done by walking, elephant, and dirt bike.

Thai food is good anywhere, but even more delicious when eaten atop a mountain in Thailand. At the Akha Hill Tribe guest house in Chiang Rai, Thailand, food is prepared for guests as in the picture below. King spent time with the Akha Hill Tribe guests and is in the picture below serving lunch. Living high in the mountains of Thailand, the Akha Hill Tribe can’t serve a full spread like you might get in Chiang Rai city. They do their best given that the Akha Hill Tribe guest house is situated in the mountains 1500 miles above sea level. Overlooking a beautiful valley surrounded by tea plantations, rice fields, waterfalls and native jungle, these Akha Hill Tribe guests enjoy sweet and sour fish served with steamed rice.

Akha Hill Tribe hosts a guest house in the province of Chiang Rai, Thailand. The Akha Hill Tribe guest house is situated in the mountains 23 kms north of downtown Chiang Rai, Thailand. The Akha Hill Tribe village is 1500 miles above sea level and overlooks a majestic valley surrounded by tea plantations, rice fields, waterfalls and native jungle.

The Akha Hill House as it’s called, is the only locally owned and managed hill tribe retreat in the Chiang Rai province. The majority of the profits from the Akha Hill Tribe guest house are invested into the community education project. The comfortable rooms and bamboo bungalows are a base for breathtaking guided tours or independent walks for various levels of fitness. Apae, the Village Chief, is a certified Guide with a lifetime of experience. Apae can arrange treks to suit your taste, including elephant rides and visits to other friendly Thailand hill tribes: Akha, Mien, Lisu, Karen, and Lahu.

King spent a week at the Akha Hill Tribe guest house and took some beautiful pictures to share with you on our web site. Anyone who has additional pictures of the Akha Hill Tribe and The Akha Hill Guest House can email them to us or reply below to post on this web site. To contact the Akha Hill Tribe guest house please visit their website www.akhahill.com for updated room rates and tour infomation.