Some people wonder what are the best things to do in Chiang Mai Thailand.
I can tell you first hand, this experience was one for me.
(to see a video version of this on YouTube go here)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMoWxIkjUPs&t=36s
I decided to take a ride on my motorbike up to the mountains in North Thailand.
When you go about 30 minutes north of Chiang Mai you come upon a village called Mae Rim.
Outside of Mae Rim in the mountains live people called The Hill Tribes.
The ones in particular I went to see where the ones that wear all these brass rings on their necks.
The reason I went to see them, they are the sweetest, nicest people on the planet.
I interviewed one lady in her 50’s and another in her 30’s and I’d like for you to meet them
The first lady I interviewed was in her 50’s and named Matec.
She migrated to north Thailand about 6 years ago.
The lowest piece of the rings on her neck was loose and would lift up.
But the rings above it were solid brass wrapped around her neck.
They start wearing them when they’re around 6 years old and she was around my age, so she had been wearing them for at least 45 years!
Every few years they extend the rings which lengthens their necks over time.
Her neck was about twice as long as mine.
She came from Burma (now Myanmar) and lives there in their village where they sell items they make to tourists.
The next woman I interviewed was named Maopet and was around 35 years old.
She had a sample of the brass before it was wrapped around someone’s neck. It was unpolished and much bigger than the final outcome on someone’s neck.
They wind it around their necks and it is solid and polished, wrapped completely around their necks.
It weighs about 12 pounds and it’s amazing to me they wear these things.
I asked her if it was heavy, and she said “yes, a little bit heavy”.
They have rings that have been cut in half so that tourists can come and put them on their necks and take photos with them.
But I personally checked and hers was solid wrapped completely around her neck.
So from when they’re children they begin and then extend them all through the years of their lives.
Their tribe believes it’s a sign of beauty, and I thought it was totally amazing.
It certainly made for a most interesting afternoon for sure!
So whenever anyone asks me what’s the best things to do in Chiang Mai Thailand, I always tell make sure to visit the Hill Tribes outside of Mae Rim.
You’ll be glad you did…
Ps. Grab a copy of my FREE eBook “How to Practically Steal 1st Class Airfare” here.
