Lanjia Lodge - great hideaway in Northern Thailand
"Over the hills and faraway.."
Travelling in northern Thailand in the rainy season has some advantages. Less people, lower prices and greener nature. Last weekend me and my family went on tour yearly roadtrip up to Chiang Rai province. This time we followed a recommendation from a friend of mine to stay at Lanjia Lodge, not far from Chiang Khong and a great place to overnight if you are to continue to Luang Prabang by boat.
We started off from Chiang Mai as usual, and the journey up to Chiang Rai city was a pleasant one with our usual stop for coffee at Cabbage&Condoms. After arriving Chiang Rai, then we started the adventure. Were we to find Lanjia Lodge from the Google instructions we had? We also got a bit concerned since the road just got bumpier and bumpier. Almost a slight feel of Sri Lankan roads. But we assumed that this was the price we had to pay to get somewhere very special.
And special it was, when talking about less people I didn't quite expect that we would have a huge balcony just for ourselves overlooking a valley, the Mekong river and Laos. Actually we were the only guests at the lodge this weekend. The staff had been expecting us for some time and showed the best hospitality one can imagine. On the balcony we had our own very attentive hosts. Two persons from the Hmong hill tribe making sure everything was ok. My son was busy trying to catch up with the Hmong village kids playing, climbing trees and hiding in the bush. Not an easy task considering the strength and stamina that these children developed running up and down the hills to get to school.But he certainly tried his best following them here and there up and down the slopes of the fruit yard.
On arrival we mostly sat and enjoyed the view though, listening to the sounds of the valley. A distant truck, motorbike and nothing much more than that to be heard. In the evening we were served a tasty dinner with different curries and we were entertained at the balcony. A very short music and dance performance but with a lot of genuine feel to it. (Compared to the exhausted tourist shows in Chiang Mai anyway)
The next day we were guided around both the Lahu village and through the Hmong village. The hmong shaman explained some of the local beliefs or practices, or what we should call them. There is a mix of shamanism(animistic beliefs) Buddhism and Christianity in these villages. My son and wife also tried to make some Hmong batik and we took part in a tree planting project to help reforest this area. We also tasted the local organic tea. There is a actually a lot of activities one can participate in at the lodge. Of course they have trekking as well. Our guide told us that the normally do a one and a half hour trek to a waterfall. Well, we skipped that travelling with a four year old but I am sure it is a nice walk considering the nature in the area.
The best part was probably how evening turned to night. Suddenly the curtain was pulled down and we were left to the sounds of chic chac lizards, and cicadas. In the morning we could see how the sunrise over the Mekong lifted the misty veil covering the valley.
Read more about the Lanjia lodge and the support of local hill tribes on the Asian Oasis website.
Text and photos: Per Sundberg
