footloose

Surreal
Surprise

A visit to a Kayan village on

the Thai-Burma border to
meet the fabled long-neck
women is an out-of-the-world
experience. By Murli Menon

18 | BTW | 22 January 2007

T
The mystery of travelling to
an unknown destination is like
learning a new language. You
read numerous dictionaries,
books and even ‘Learning Languages for
Dummies’. After mastering a few short
sentences, you locate a native speaker to
practice speaking and start parroting
your rehearsed lines.
As your sparring partner stares
blankly at your monologue, you do not
know how your accents have turned out
to be and if what you said was what was
understood or whether you made a com-
plete fool of yourself by mispronounc-
ing niceties as insults.
I am writing this from a thatched
roof-hut on stilts inside Huai Suea Thao
village on the outskirts of Mae Hong
Song district on the Thailand-Burma
border. This village is nestled on the
edge of a steep cliff overlooking several
mountain streams that rush down to
meet the Pai river flowing through Mae
Hong Son.
The village is surrounded on all sides
by mist-covered evergreen coniferous
pine forests at an altitude of 5000 feet
above sea level. The natural beauty of
the surroundings is breathtaking. Every
bit of the landscape is covered with
teaks, pines, conifers, oaks and birches
stretching their arms as far as the eye
can see.
The buzzing sound of the flowing
mountain streams and waterfalls are soft
music to the ears throughout the night.
You wake up at dawn, awakened by the
natural alarm calls of wild roosters living
on the edge of the jungle. Even in the
twilight hours in early November, you
can see the mist hanging heavily on the
mountain tops. You also come across a
few scattered clouds that have descended
on your hut made entirely of palm
leaves, coir and bamboo.
There is no electricity in this village
populated by the Kayan tribe who have
lived in these forests for centuries. The
most unique aspect about the tribe living
in this village are the elongated necks of
the females. After a girl child is born, she
is made to wear a brass neck-ring. Every
IN THE ABSENCE OF ELECTRICITY,
the villagers gather under a tree at dusk
for an evening of SINGING AND DANCING
year two more rings are added to her
neck till she is five. As she grows into an
adult her neck gets naturally elongated as
the rings are never removed.
The Kayan tribe call themselves
‘Ka Kaung’, which loosely translates to
“people who live on top of the hill”.
They are sometimes called longneck
Karens or giraffe women because of the
custom of encasing their neck in brass
coils. When a girl is aged between five
and nine, her neck is rubbed with tradi-
tional herbs dipped in coconut milk and
the first brass ring is fitted. After two
years, the next set of rings is added and
every year thereafter she gains a new set
till she is married.
Below the chin, the women wear a
square cotton pad decorated with beads.
These brass rings are said to be centuries
old and handed down over generations,
passing from mother to daughter to
grand-daughters. Kayan women also
have two set of leg rings, one above the
knee and one below, but this does not
seem to hamper their daily work in any
way. A complete set of neck coils worn
by a grown-up woman - including the
neck, knees and ankles - weighs about
10 kilos!
Kayan women are said to have
descended from the Goddess Mother
Dragon (‘Ka Kwe Bu Pe’) and women
wear these rings to give respect and trib-
ute to the deity and to resemble a real
dragon. As Kayan myth goes, when the
granddaughters Mu Don and Mu Dan
visited Ka Kwe Bu Pe, they were pre-
sented with winding gold coils which
they wrapped around their hands, legs
and neck.
Kayan people celebrate the ‘Kan
Khwan’ ceremony when all Kayans
gather in celebration with lots of folk
dances and traditional music and singing.
These community gatherings often get
Kayans from all far-flung villages to
come together in a mood of festivity
and happiness.
The other villages on the Thai-
Burmese border where one can find
long-necked Kayans, include Hwa Phu
Keng, Kayan Tha Yar aHsu Htaut and
Noi Soi. All these villages are located
inside thick coniferous forests and are
accessible either by boat or after trekking
on foot for long hours.
The long neck decorated with golden
coloured brass rings make the Kayan
women look incredibly attractive and
they strut about like graceful peacocks.
They also wear their hair in a topknot
with a pointed silver pin in it and a
necklace of a chain of silver coins.
The decision whether to wear the
rings or not is left entirely to the girl
after she attains maturity. However, this
tradition has survived in this era of
globalisation only due to the fact that
Kayan women have the greatest rever-
ence for their mother goddess. The
Kayan women do not travel outside their
villages and have spent their entire life in
their small communities.
22 January 2007 | BTW | 19

Fact Files
Getting There

The nearest international airport to
reach Chiang Mai is the Suvarnabhoomi
International Airport at Bangkok. Several
airlines operate direct flights from
Bangkok to Chiang Mai. But the cheapest
option for budget conscious Indian
tourists is to take the 12:50 p.m. Air Asia
flight. The flight duration is approximately
60 minutes

The easiest and most popular way to
get to Chiang Mai from Bangkok is by
bus. This 600 km trip takes 12 hours. The
bus fare for ordinary buses is 350 Baht
and 550 Baht (one baht = Rs. 1.20) for
super-deluxe buses
Hotels

Anantara Golden Triangle Resort at
Golden Triangle junction of Thailand,
Burma and Laos is a favourite of all visi-
tors to long-neck tribe villages around
Thai-Burmese border. During the low sea-
son (July to October) a standard double
room costs approximately 3500 Baht

River View Lodge at Mae Hong Son is a
family run guest house. It offers clean
rooms with small bathrooms and cold
showers for 150 baht is located on the
banks of the Mae Hong Son river

At Huai Suea Thao, a few local vil-
lagers offer home-stays with basic
accommodation and food at 100 Baht
per day. One gets to experience their hos-
pitality and local cuisine
The longneck Kayan village of Huai
Suea Thao is nestled in the middle of a
hill overlooking a multitude of uninhab-
ited hills. Several small mountain streams
crisscross through these hills, providing a
constant water supply for their needs.
The Kayan shun contact with the outside
world and are happy in
their isolated existence.
Language is a barrier as
their native dialect is
different from Thai or
even Burmese.
The Kayan hand
cultivate rice in their tiny
fields. Vegetables like carrots,
cabbage and cauliflowers are also
grown. One of the unique aspects of
20 | BTW | 22 January 2007
Kayan culture is their food habit. Due to earth were linked by a spider’s web.
their elongated and delicate necks, they
have to be very particular about what
Thus the earth is braced to the sun,
moon and stars by an invisible spider’s
they eat. Lots of wild tea is drunk, with- web. At creation the earth lacked density
out sugar or milk, to keep the effects of and the land and the water were fluid, so
the cold away. Crushed ginger is added God Phu Kabukathin planted a small
to the tea. post in the ground. As the post grew, the
The Kayans are extremely hard work- earth also grew into seven inner and
ing and do not rear cows or bullocks. outer layers and it became firm. The
Ploughing the rice-fields is done by dig- post was named ‘Kan Htein Bo’ in
ging with hand. The mountainous ter- Kayan which translates to ‘The Means
rain, the fast flowing mountain streams of Formation of Earth’. btw
and ancient Kayan myths have combined
to ensure the absence of cattle. This
means milk and milk products are cut
off from their diet which consequently
is rich in cereals and vegetables.
Music and dance is a way of life for
the Kayans. As there is no electricity, all
the villagers gather under a tree at dusk
followed by lots of singing and danc-
ing. Their food habits are frugal and
dinner is no more than rice soup
washed down with a few glasses of
home made rice beer.
The creation myth of the Kayan
says that the world was created by the
eternal creator God Phu Kabukathin
MURLI MENON
assisted by two creator deities Phikahao
and Kabukabhan and their three
goddesses namely La Maan, La
Taon and La Nan. The god-
dess La Maan created heav-
en and fire, La Taon cre-
ated trees and plants
and earth and La
Nan created
man, animals
and water.
The pri-
mordial ele-
ments fire,
water and
 WEDNESDAY, SEP 30 TO OCT 06, 2015 TRAVEL 24

Bukit Tinggi – quaint castle in the hills the dame time. One takes rest water is one’s music for Lots of small restaurants serving
in some secluded caves near a meditation. The value of patience Indian and Chinese cuisine dot
quiet cove, quenching one’s becomes apparent as the Kuala Lumpur. You get good
thirst at the rapid. Its darkness hostess moves almost in slow vegetarian South Indian food at
at noon here as a thick canopy motion, to dip the bamboo Brickfields near Kuala Lumpur
of tress, filter the sunlight from container into the kettle and pour Central Station. A few Chinese
creeping into the forest. This small helpings of green tea into vegetarian stalls at Petaling
secret place is one’s island of one’s cup. One seeks street serve delicious and
peace to communicate in forgiveness from one’s neighbour nutritious vegetarian dishes. The
solitude with nature. Meditating before proceeding to sip the tea food at the high profile hotels is
at this hidden cove is a calm, in three sips. One wipes the cup only for the gastronomically
serene, quiet and tranquil after sipping and graciously adventurous who like greasy
experience. The trek back is thanks one’s host before food. Fresh fruits including water-
equally eventful. One stops departing. melons, papayas, tender
briefly at the Japanese Tea How to get there? coconuts, durians, mangosteens
House inside the rainforest for a Colmar Tropicale is a two hour and pineapples are available at
refreshing cup of Japanese green drive from Kuala Lumpur the local market. Colmar
tea, before returning to the International Airport depending on Tropicale serves a selection of
comfort of your hotel room. The the traffic. The other option is to fresh tropical fruits, freshly
Colmar Tropicale Resort at Bukit Tinggi Highlands traditional Japanese Zen tea take the Putra LRT from KL squeezed fruit juices, Vegans
One is writing this from macaques, make every step of ceremony which one attends at Central to Putra Station and drive who don’t consume dairy, bakery
the cool confines of one’s cosy this nature walk an exciting down from Putra Station which and who avoid all products of
abode, overlooking the Bukit adventure. One gets to enjoy the animal origin and who don’t
Tinggi Highlands on the outskirts sounds and sights of nature, as consume proceesed foods or
of Kuala Lumpur, surrounded one ventures deeper into the alcohol can go for green tea,
by 16000 acres of greenery. forest. As one inches uphill, one Chinese tea, rice porridge,
The view from one’s perch is gets to view impressive mashed potatoes and leafy
picturesque. Clouds kissing panoramic views of lush green lettuce salad at the buffet
treetops from one end of the hills and misty mountain peaks. breakfast served at Colemar
h o r i z o n t o a n o t h e r, t h i c k Trekking through the forests that Tr o p i c a l e . St r i c t v e g a n s
tropical rainforest trees line surround Colmar tropical is like should also keep away from
the hills in various shades of exploring nature’s own botanical toxic additives like mono-
green. Colmar Tropicale, one’s garden. sodium glutamate present in
tree-house, stands at 2600 There is a small open air generous amounts in soya
feet above sea level, inside 80 wildlife reserve inside the forest, sauce, chilly sauce tomato
acres of tropical rainforests, in where one can observe deer and sauce. Refrain from consuming
t h e s t a t e o f P a h a n g i n rabbits at close quarters in a near these poisons at all costs by
peninsular Malaysia. Pahang is natural ambience. Over 200 sticking to fresh fruits raw
an ideal place to experience the rabbits of 4 different species A colourful Japanese tea-pot at the Japanese vegetables throughout the day.
bounties of nature. The tropical and several white spotted deer Avoid solids after sunset and
tea garden at the resort
rainforest teeming with a wealth and Timorese deer can be drink several cups of lukewarm
of flora and fauna. seen lazily grazing under the the tea house is an extremely takes all of 45 minutes. Kuala ginger water before retiring to
The walk through the shade of the giant trees. The spiritual experience. Lumpur International Airport is bed.Colemar Tropicale Resort
forest is nothing short of rabbits feed on bamboo leaves One sits on the floor on the tatami connected by air to most in Bukit Tinggi Highlands in
enchanting. The fresh, pine while the deer prefer grass mat in the simple tea house, international airports. It takes 28 Malaysia
scented breeze, the towering a n d g r a z e a w a y l a z i l y, which transports one to Kyoto. minutes to get to Kuala Lumpur Murli Menon is the
trees, the perennial mountain unmindful of human presence. One patiently watches ones Central Station from Kuala author of “ZeNLP-the power
streams and the ancient rock The pleasures of walking hostess prepare a cup of tea. Lumpur International Airport by to succeed” and “ZeNLP-the
formations coupled with the barefooted through the forest floor The silence pervading the KLIA Express. This journey costs power to relax” and
chirping birds, the whispering at noon, while it drizzles, is an ceremony is all encompassing. 35 RM. (One RM is equivalent to conducts two-day stress
willows and the squeaks, unmatched experience. One can The sound of the kettle pervades Rs.12/- at current exchange management workshops
squeals and barks of the feel the primordial elements, fire the room. The gurgling, boiling rates) based on ZeNLP
water and earth; caress one at Where to stay? (Neurolinguistic
Colmar Tropicale at Bukit Tinggi Programming with a touch
Resort offers comfortable rooms of zen meditation). He is
at affordable tariffs by Indian based at Ahmedabad and
standards. can be contacted by email
Where to eat? at ceo@tips4ceos.com

Pine trees as seen from one’s hotel room

; jade travel

deep Murli Menon gives a

first-hand experience of

sea
how it feels to go deep
sea diving in Koh Noi at
Phuket

drama

e are in
Koh Noi or
Coral Island
in Phuket.
The dream
destination
of every diver.
Learning to dive
is like travelling to
an unknown destination. You watch
hundreds of swimmers effortlessly
diving into the pool with the smallest
of splashes. You work up the courage
to climb up the steps and as you are
perched on your toes at the outer
edge of the diving platform, you do not
know how the dive will turn out to be.
A perfect Greg Louganis type of dive,
pic: murli menon
an awkward tumble into the water, or
will you land upside down or fall like a
lifeless stone into the water, your mind
numb and body paralysed with fear!
The boat ride from Phuket to Koh
Noi Island for diving is dramatic.
Several small uninhabited islands
emerge out of the blue waters as we
pick up speed. The green cover and
limestone caves impart a wild beauty
to all these islands. The waters become
clearer as we near Koh Noi.
The ocean resembles a blue
looking-glass as I don the diving mask,
flippers and jump into the middle of
the ocean a hundred metres from this
enchanting isle. I see yellow coloured
fishes swimming beneath the surface
without having to dip underwater. As
I get adjusted to the vacuum around
my nose and face and get used to
breathing through the mouth, I start
to enjoy the beauty of the ocean floor
through my magnifying goggles. It is
like watching a three-dimensional film
on a giant screen. Rainbow coloured
coral and undersea gardens appear as
the water becomes more transparent!
THE DIVER’S DREAM
DESTINATION
At Koh Noi the varieties of corals and
the rich biodiversity of marine life
coupled with clear warm waters and
powdery white sandy beaches make
it an irresistible magnet that draws
amateur snorkelers, divers learning
the ropes as well as dive instructors
and professional divers. The aquatic
world at the bottom of the ocean
is not only incredibly beautiful, but
observing the various genera of coral
and hundreds of varieties of fishes
swimming alongside, is in itself a treat
to one’s eyes.
In this area is a gentle slope with
hard coral gardens, sandy bottom and
unbroken coral blocks that stretch
for several hundred feet. Colourful
varieties of cloudfish and parrotfish
.can be seen swimming in circles
through the innumerable crevices
within the coral gardens. As one swims
towards the white sandy beach, one
DECEMBER 2010 I 135
 ; jade travel
pic: murli menon
encounters partially submerged corals
too! A fish that leaves an impact on
you is the Panda clownfish, which is as
unusual as its name. The larger holes
among the corals are home to moray
eels surrounded by green fishes which
resemble symmetrically arranged green
corals. However, as I dive to observe
them closely, these green eels disperse
in the fraction of a second. I have just
experienced the magic of camouflage
used by green eels to avoid predators!
Floored
Diving in the afternoon helps one to
explore the underwater coral gardens.
One can observe the colonies of corals
and the marine life which shelter
under these corals. At times one sees
lots of colourful fishes swimming in
synchronicity across the transparent
deep blue waters. The symmetry,
harmony and telepathic communication
between these tiny fishes, which move
as one seamless whole has to be seen
to be believed.
As I dive deeper and start examining
the ocean floor, I am amazed at the
variety of the coral genera. Giant corals
resembling dining tables lie undisturbed
on the ocean beds. Aptly named table
corals, they stretch for kilometres
136 I DECEMBER 2010
How to get there?
The nearest international
airport to reach Koh Noi is the
Suvarnabhoomi International
Airport at Bangkok. There are
several options for Indian tourists to
get to Koh Noi from Bangkok. From
Bangkok, one must fly to Phuket.
From Phuket airport, one has to
transfer to Phuket bus station.
Where to stay?
Mangosteen Resort and Spa
at Phuket is a value for money
proposition which offers five star
comforts at three star rates during
the low season (July to October).
A standard double room costs
approximately .3000/- inclusive
of American breakfast. Budget
conscious, middle-class Europeans
frequent this eco-friendly property
at this time of the year.
Where to eat?
Many small restaurants serving
Thai cuisine dot Koh Noi. Freshly
steamed banana in palm jaggery
sweetened coconut milk is a
nutritious meal in itself, which
vegans will relish. The food at
the high profile hotels is for the
gastronomically adventurous who
like greasy food. Fresh tropical fruits
including durians, mangosteens,
pineapples, tender coconuts and
jack-fruits are available at the l
ocal market.
pic: murli menon
around this island and one can spend
a day getting lost in this endless colony
of corals. As I float yet deeper into the
sea, the colours and shapes of the
corals change at a rapid pace. I sight
corals with tiny spine like projections
lying on the bed of the ocean like fallen
jackfruits. There are also the green
coloured traditional corals. A majority
of the coral gardens are either deep
brown or rust in colour, but at times
one can see splashes of green, orange
or red and these contrasting colours
illuminated by the molten gold of the
reflected sunlight and the clear blue
waters project a picture of unparalleled
natural beauty painted by nature’s
delicate paintbrush, dipped in the
colours of the rainbow.
colourful voyage
It is a pleasure to watch schools of tiny
fishes finding their way through the
corals like shooting stars. One explores
the hidden treasures of nature, tucked
away under calm seas, in the folds of
limestone formations, millions of years
old. Some of the fishes one encounters
while diving include flying fish and
silverfish. Yellow coloured heart shaped
fishes painted with black stripes are
everywhere.
 Observing the underwater flora
and fauna at Koi Noi, is a voyage in
discovery. New colours, shapes and
forms spring out of the water at every
moment. Innumerable microscopic
fishes emerge out of the coral belts
swimming in synchronicity. Sea
anemones sway gently in the waves.
Starfishes are scattered in disarray all
over. Sea urchins rest peacefully on
the corals. Once in a while one sights a
giant sea-turtle or several starfishes.
Some of the transparent fishes
sparkle like twinkling stars in the
shimmering afternoon sunlight and
appear to vanish for a few seconds
before being visible again. This is indeed
an incredible miracle of nature. Fishes
sparkling like stars under the sea! As
one explores the reefs further one
realises that the diversity of the corals
are no less than that of the hundreds
of species of colourful fishes that swim
through them. The corals that can be
seen adorning the ocean floor include
giant barrel sponges sandwiched
between colonies of mushroom corals.
light and LIFE
The soft corals are full of life as they
increase their length twice as much
under the influence of strong currents.
It’s like watching an ant under a
magnifying lens! Christmas tree worms
carpet the surface of banana leaves
shaped corals. Starfishes and sea
clams rest on rocks and enjoy the faint
traces of sunlight that illuminate their
undersea homes. A few sea turtles
move at snail’s pace, almost swimming
in slow motion. The most amazing
thing about diving is the ability to be
able to observe the almost humanlike
emotions that play across the faces of
these undersea miracles of nature. One
can almost see the smug look on the
face of the rainbow coloured parrotfish.
Or the elegant poise of the light purple
coloured and delicate cloudfish. One
can never forget the sinister look in the
eyes of the scorpionfish as it awaits its
next victim. The bubbly laughter on the
faces of the clown fish is apparent for
all to see!
DECEMBER 2010 I 137

Just and hour and half boat
ride from the bustling city
of Bangkok, Koh Kret charms
you, thanks to its idyll
potter island
I
n the year 1722, when a canal was
constructed as a shortcut to bypass
a bend in the Om Kret branch of
the Chao Phraya River a section was cut
off eventually becoming a separate
island. And Koh Kret was born.
Known for its beautiful clay pottery
and considered one of Bangkok’s
hidden treasures it can be reached from
Sathorn pier in approximately 90
minutes by a long-tailed boat. Here,
MARCH 2014
lives a community of craftsmen famous
for their distinctive style of pottery
which dates back to several centuries!
16

Descendants of the Mon people of
Koh Kret have managed to retain the
skills of their forefathers. The island, a
centre for “kwan arman” style of Mon
pottery is fundamentally just baked
unglazed red clay carved with intricate
patterns. Prices for the simplest and
smallest pots start from as low as 5 baht
a piece, but can go up to hundreds or
even thousands of baht for large ornate
pieces. Particularly popular among
visitors are candle and incense holders
with ornate patterns of holes to let the
smoke or light out, averaging around
 FOOTLOOSE murli menon
200 baht. There are some 20 pottery
workshops on the island and one can
see many kilns as one walk’s around.
Mon potters also make pottery which
can be used in daily life, like soup bowls,
night lamps and aromatherapy lamps.
The other attraction at Koh Kret is
the Wat Poramaiyikawat temple,
constructed in Mon style and which
was built about 200 years ago. In 1873,
King Rama V visited the temple and
ordered the renovation and later on
reconstruction of the main temple.
One starts one’s boat cruise at
How to get there?
Bangkok is connected by direct
flights from New Delhi, Mumbai,
Kolkata, Chennai and
Bengaluru. The easiest way to
reach Koh Kret is to take the
once-weekly Chao Phraya
Express Koh Kret tour, which
leaves the Central Pier (BTS
Saphan Taksin) every Sunday at
09am and visits a number of
attractions before returning at
3:30pm. The cost of the cruise
and guided tour is 300 baht
(no lunch).
Where to stay?
Siam City Hotel, located
adjacent to the Phaya Thai BTS
sky-train station, is a convenient
location to stay, as almost all
tourist attractions including
Grand Palace, Wat Arun and
Sathorn pier are easy to reach.
Also the hotel is itself located
opposite Suan Pakkad Palace,
which is a tourist attraction in
Sathorn pier which is adjacent to tribesmen who came settled here and
itself owing to the treasures
Saphan Takshin BTS Station and continue to make pots like their
of art housed in this palace. makes one’s way to Nonthaburi pier, forefathers. Several attractive pots and
There are no hotels or an hour-long ride on the fast flowing vases from this village are displayed
guesthouses on Koh Kret. waters of the Chao Praya river taking and look gorgeous with dim lighting il-
Most visitors visit Koh Kret you through the rural outskirts of luminating the exhibits in the museum.
as a day trip from Bangkok. Bangkok. Alight at Nonthaburi pier to Fresh tropical fruits including
hire a long tailed boat which will take durians, mangosteens, pineapples,
you to Koh Kret and return after an tender coconuts and jack-fruits are
hour’s halt. Here both sides of the available plenty at the local market
streets are filled with shops selling here. Do savour the island specialty
pottery of various kinds. Aroma rice preparation, called “Khao Cher”
therapy candle holders, night lamps which is similar to Orissa’s “pakhalo”
and large pots in a distinctive style are in Kerala’s “kanji”. A Mon specialty
arranged one on top of the other in and favourite during the summer
endless rows. Street vendors selling months, this rice dish is served with
everything from fried potatoes to chilled fragrant water and needs to be
papaya salads are found along the way. is eaten with green papaya salad and
As you walk about 2km you come roasted peanuts.
across several Buddhist temples whose Before you head back to your boat
spires can be seen from a distance. do check out the souvenirs at roadside
The entrance to the temple is small stalls like Thai herbal compress
but one can sight a golden coloured bags for steam massage, Thai herbs
statue of Quan Yin from the opening. and of course, pieces of pottery
MARCH 2014

Behind the temple is a pottery which can endure the journey back
museum, which details the history of home lasting the airport conveyor belts
Koh Kret village and the Mon and luggage handlers. 
17