Description  Explore Hang Dong handicraft areas with a return along the banks of the Ping river.

H. 108. Return via River Ping 40 kms.

The road to Hang Dong has numerous outlets mostly specialising in woodcarving. Take this route if you want to look at two handicrafts  one traditional, and the other highly commercialised  and a fine 19^th century temple showing the spiritual origins of modern woodcarving. Return to Chiang Mai by following the banks of the River Ping. You may visit Wiang Kum Kam on the return leg. (see tour route 5)

Many households in this village specialise in making traditional earthenware jugs for serving water. Villagers turn pots on simple hand-driven wheels with an ease that tells of years of practice. Go through the village and left to R 1269. Turn right (wes ) to reach the canal bridge and Wat Inthrawat.

Built around 1858, the temple served as a resting place for the Phra Boromathat Chom Thong relic when it was brought from Chom Thong to Chiang Mai. This temple is a wonderful example of Lanna wooden architecture of the last century. Note the decoration in the viharn and the detail in the cross shaped hall in the temple courtyard.

After leaving Wat Inthrawat, go to Hang Dong and then to Ban Tawai. If you go via small lanes, you may pass Wat Hang Dong. The viharn was probably built around the same time as that of Wat Ton Khwen. However, the wooden building is in a sad statue (the barge boards and other parts are falling away at the time of writing).

Whether the viharn will survive the pressure from lack of funds and local desires for a completely new building remains to be seen.

The River Khan flows through a small gorge and into a large natural pool which becomes very popular at weekends. Follow the path (take water and a picnic if you have children) past the gorge and along the rocky river bed to a better, less visited pool below On Hai about 450 metres upstream.

This village is the centre of Thailand’s woodcarving industry. Woodcarving outlets are very numerous on the road near Hang Dong. Chiang Mai Golden Export (153 Mu Ban Wen Tel 441437 Hrs. 08.00  17.00), a few hundred metres from the Hang Dong junction on the north side, has a small collection of old cars in addition to woodcarvings.

To enter Ban Tawai itself, turn right at Rattanapon Art (3 kms from the T Junction with H 108). Outlet selling carvings extend for over a kilometre. After approximately 700 metres a small turn to the east leads to Wat Tawai. The east-facing entrance to the temple consists of woodcarvings contributed by different local craftsmen. The main road through the village continues until it reaches the river after three kilometres. The direct road from Ban Tawai to Pa Dua is shorter.

Wealthy looking villages amidst longan orchards surround this small cross roads market. Cross the bridge over the Ping to visit  the market and for the easy road to Saraphi. To return to Chiang Mai, follow the road along the west bank of the Ping north. You may visit Wiang Kum Kam by crossing on the first bridge and then by following the east bank north until you reach the Mckean Institute at KM. 4

Free Wheeler Route 5