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Understanding the cultures

Northern Thailand is very conservative (small 'c'), very traditional, and the locals love a gossip. We recommend certain types of clothing for practical purposes when you book a tour with us, but we also advise dressing in a manner that is respectful of the local cultures, religions, and sites being visited. Continue reading to discover why clothing is an important part of preparation for our tours.

Cultureshock can be felt by those who have never experienced conditions found in the local villages. Please be aware that you will be staying in a family home - our homestays are based with a family with children, or a married couple. Please respect their home, their beliefs, and their culture.

We have set standards for our homestays, covering cleanliness, accommodation, and food... but, these are real homes in traditional communities - not model homes, guesthouses or hotels. Facilities are basic: squat toilets, cold showers, rudimentary electric power (no power at all in some villages), thin mattresses.

Food, language, and lifestyle, as well as etiquette can all be sources of cultureshock. We do our best to prepare our guests with information and photographs, and our guides are very helpful too. However, guests should research independently to understand what the experience is likely to entail.

Cultural dress code

Although we now only offer trekking tours, to focus on the local communities, it is still good to know about the wider Thai culture and how not to offend in terms of what you wear. Below covers the general dress code and why it is more conservative than in western society.

Modesty and respect

Life in the north of Thailand is largely traditional, conservative, and rural. Our dress code is designed to cause minimal offence to locals, and also so that our guests don't feel self-conscious or embarrassed during the day. Thais and hilltribe villagers are unlikely to mention anything directly, but there can be plenty of discussion if a guest is dressed in a manner which goes against the social convention.

Some programmes include visiting local temples, and it is important not to offend the Buddhist religion or culture. Dressing politely is as important as behaving respectfully. Some temples enforce these standards - the White Temple employs staff to hand out shawls and sarongs to wear if they consider a visitor inappropriately dressed, but many temples do not have the capacity to do this. Self-awareness and respect for the culture is very important here, much more so than in western countries.

Cultural clothing checklist

• Trousers: long, down to the ankles preferably
  • No leggings or yoga pants
• Footwear: Covered shoes
  • Flip flops are considered impolite at temples
• Skirts/shorts: We strongly recommend against wearing skirts or shorts
• Shirts/Tops
  • Shoulders need to be covered (no strap tops)
  • No cleavage should be seen
  • A bra should be worn at all times

Practicality

There are a number of practical reasons too. Nature and the elements can make the trip awkward, and sometimes painful, if inappropriate attire is worn. Along the trails, at certain times of the year, grass with tiny thorns can irritate your legs and feet; the sun can beat down and burn the skin in a very short space of time; it can also cause dehydration and sunstroke if a hat is not worn.

Summary

We recommend certain clothing because we have years of experience running tours, and native knowledge of the cultures and taboos in this region.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask us.

Although our trekking routes are quite moderate, you should be relatively fit. It is very difficult to assess a trek's degree of difficulty, because we don't know your level of fitness.

We had a 73-year old grandad trek one of our 2 night programmes, without incident. We have had a number of groups with pre-teen children do the same. But we have also had 20-somethings go no further than the first hill, before they turned back. 

So, for us, it is hard to be sure in advance whether a programme is suitable for the group. It's also difficult for you to know how tough or easy a trek will be - conditions play an important part, and the humidity or heat can be a surprise to some guests.

Our guides are trained to assess the group's capabilities, and change the route if necessary. The guide will also change the route if the weather demands it, or if the group ask for an easier/harder/shorter/longer route. We are flexible, understanding, and resourceful.

Aside from individual fitness, the weather is an important factor - hot season (March-April) can reach temperatures from 30C+, up to mid-40s. Humidity can be an issue for some. Rainy season officially runs from July-October, although there are occasional electrical storms and high winds in April, and the rains don't generally completely finish before November. Winter (November-February) is considered to be the most suitable for trekking, with cooler weather and no rain. It also has the clearest sky, which affords the best views when climbing high into the hills.

Please note, once the trek begins, we do not offer refunds, as we still have to pay the guide and (if an overnight programme) the homestay families.

For overnight treks, we are legally bound to send the passport information of all guests to the Thai Immigration Department. Therefore, an overnight programme cannot begin until we have received this information from all group members.

We require the full name and passport number of each member of the tour. These details are entered when you book the programme.

Our accident insurance coverage requires that we send the company the passport number and full name of everyone in the group.

We don't need any photocopies, or even to see the original passport - just the number and full name of each participant.

It is helpful if the details can be ahead of time, but if this is not possible, then they must be given to us before the trip begins - it is very important, as you will not be covered in the event of an accident during the programme.

Chiang Rai

We pick you up, and drop you off, anywhere inside Chiang Rai city, for free. This includes the new bus station (#2) and the airport, which are both located slightly outside town.

However, for other locations outside the city, we may charge an extra fee to cover costs. Please enter your accommodation name when booking and we can let you know if any extra fees will be charged.

Accommodation located outside town can also impact on the pickup and drop off times, or reduce the amount of time on the trek.

Chiang Mai

We no longer arrange pickups from Chiang Mai

To avoid extra charges, and early pickups, we strongly recommend staying in Chiang Rai city the night before your programme begins.

You can book a room at Baan Pordeedin Guesthouse - our social enterprise project - in town.

Our guides were trained by us, and each holds a TAT guide licence (Tourism Authority of Thailand). We also taught them English (one speaks Japanese too), which helps them to converse with the guests during the trip. But please understand that the standard of language varies - English will be at least their 3rd language, after their tribal and Thai language.

The guides were born and raised in the villages in our programmes, so you can be sure that the information you receive from them about local culture and tradition is authentic - many travel agencies and tour operators use Thai guides who have no firsthand knowledge of the hilltribe communities. Our guides are encouraged, once they have experience and self-confidence, to work for themselves or other agencies, whilst still freelancing for us.

Trekking groups

We generally use our foundation's vehicles for picking groups up, as well as transfers within the programmes, and dropping off at the end. These are either pickup trucks (with roofing and seats in the back), or SUVs when available.

Car tours

In an effort to reduce environmental impact, and focus on trekking in the local area, we no longer offer car tours or other sightseeing tours

Cultureshock can be felt by those who have never experienced conditions found in the local villages. Please be aware that you will be staying in a family home - our homestays are based with a family with children, or a married couple. Please respect their home, their beliefs, and their culture.

We have set standards for our homestays, covering cleanliness, accommodation, and food... but, these are real homes in traditional communities - not model homes, guesthouses or hotels. Facilities are basic: squat toilets, cold showers, rudimentary electric power (no power at all in some villages), thin mattresses.

Food, language, and lifestyle, as well as etiquette can all be sources of cultureshock. We do our best to prepare our guests with information and photographs, and our guides are very helpful too. However, guests should research independently to understand what the experience is likely to entail.

If you are western, and this is your first trip for a hilltribe homestay (or even just to Thailand), you may experience cultureshock - there are many cultural differences to adapt to - food, dress code, manners and respect, are just a few topics which foreigners can trip up on.

Generally, if a visitor is trying to do the right thing, then the locals appreciate it - so, don't worry too much if you get something wrong.

Heads up - what to expect at your homestay

• Please be aware that you will be staying in someone's home - our homestays are based with a family, or a married couple, depending on who is next on the house rotation.
• We have set standards for our homestays, covering cleanliness, accommodation, and food... but, these are real homes in traditional communities - not model homes, guesthouses or hotels.
• Facilities are basic: squat toilets, cold showers, rudimentary electric power (no power at all in some villages), thin mattresses. Remember to check where the bathroom is before dark.
• Food at the homestay is freshly cooked, and dishes are typically hilltribe fare, not Thai cuisine. Lots of vegetables are used, and the meat is usually pork. Dairy products are not used at all, although eggs are a staple part of the diet.
• The family will probably not sit with you for meals - this is not rudeness, but culture. The family waits until the guests have eaten their fill, before they sit down to eat.
• Chickens, specifically roosters, will likely wake you occasionally through the night. This is rural life, after all.

What is expected of guests

• As mentioned above, you will be staying in a family home. Even though the family is being paid to host you, normal standards of etiquette remain:
  • Please go to bed when the hosts do - usually around 21:00 (9pm), as the adults in the household usually get up about 05:00 (5am) to begin preparing breakfast (Don't worry, you're not expected to rise this early).
  • Once in bed, please don't talk loudly or for too long, so that the rest of the household can sleep.
  • Please do not play cards during your homestay programme. Gambling is illegal in Thailand, and cards are viewed as a form of gambling - this is especially important for families which are stateless (without citizenship) as they are vulnerable to arrest and large fines.
  • Please do not get angry, complain, or treat anyone with disrespect - it is completely against the cultures here, and will be viewed with shock no matter how justified you may feel it is. If something occurs which upsets you, ask the guide to contact us so that we can solve the issue tactfully.
  • It is the culture, and polite, to roll your mattress up in the morning. The house is generally one large room, and so bedding is packed away during the day.

There are a few more points which will help your trip run more smoothly.

• Please ensure that shoulders and cleavage are covered, and the length of trousers/shorts come down to, at least, your knees. Skirts are not advised, but if worn, should be calf length or longer. Read about the dress code here
• Please understand that you carry your own bags, so don't pack too much - you are welcome to store your main luggage at our foundation while the programme is in progress, and we will bring it when we collect you.
• Suitcases, and bags which use wheels, are extremly impractical for the trip - please use daypack/backpack only, and leave large luggage at your guesthouse or at our foundation.
• There are no ATMs once we leave Chiang Rai town, so please have cash prepared in advance. This money can be used to buy souvenirs, snacks and drinks, which aren't included in the tour price. Please don't forget that we also need the balance of the fee paid in cash (Thai Baht) when we pick you up.
• Electricity is limited in most villages, and non-existent in some, so please don't rely on being able to charge batteries during the programme. Make sure your phone and camera batteries are fully charged before beginning the tour.
• We do not provide toiletries (soap, toothpaste, towel, etc), so please check the 'what to bring' section carefully, to ensure you have what you need.