MAE SA RIVER Thailand


Travelers visiting Thailand on a shorter trip wanting to pack in as much paddling as pos- sible will find everything they need in Chiang Mai. Like most kayaking destinations in and around the equator, flow is very dependant on rainfall. Luckily, it comes down in bucket- loads this time of year. Even during dry spells, though, there is still one really good option close by. The commercially rafted Mae Tang River—technical and boulder-strewn in low water and raging big-volume in high water— is just north of the city.


Chiang Mai also has plenty to do during time off the water. We took time to explore some of the city’s 300 Buddhist temples, in- dulging in the amazing cuisine and immersing ourselves in the vibrant Thai culture.


W


e spent much of our time hunting un- paddled whitewater, but when the big


rains came, it was impossible to resist the known quality runs within a couple hours’ drive of Chiang Mai. Our first stop was the Mae Pan waterfall located in Doi Intatnon Na- tional Park.


After hurrying our boats and gear down the short trail to the falls, we quickly roped our kayaks to the top of the drop. I found myself sitting above a gorgeous horizon line, blasted by the mist from the thunderous 100-meter falls in the backdrop. We ran the 15-meter Mae Pan Falls and regrouped for high fives and hugs in the pool below before paddling the


section’s remaining rapids. Energized


from the morning’s session we quickly head- ed to the neighboring, equally spectacular Mae Klang River to round off an awesome day of paddling. The region is teeming with other amazing pool and drop sets that would certainly be classics if anybody really paddled there. We hit the Mae Sa, a river that feels like a wa- terslide amusement park. Its put-in is at the Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens, with boofs and slides past greenhouses, around bam- boo huts and through dangling jungle veg- etation. Elephants trudge along the banks as the river passes through the Mae Sa Elephant Camp, eventually winding its way into the na- tional park ending at the Mae Sa waterfall.


THAI CULTURE


Once known as Siam, Thailand has a population of 64 million. Its monarchy is ruled by King Rama IX, the world’s longest serving head of state, who has been in power since 1946. He is also considered the upholder of the Buddhist religion, practiced by 95 percent of Thais.


Thai cuisine is known for its aromatic spices. A visit isn’t complete without tasting these dishes:


Gaeng Keow Wan Gai: Green curry with chicken


Pad Thai: Thailand’s best known noodle dish


Dtom Yam Goong: Spicy and sour soup with shrimp


Khao Phad Moo: Fried rice with pork


Greetings are generally offered first by the younger of the two people meeting. Sawadee Khrap for male speakers and Sawadee Ka for females.


In affluent areas, there is almost no evidence of damage from the December 2004 tsunami that struck Thailand. Recovery is slower and more noticeable in more rural areas.


Thailand’s waterways have paid a heavy price in the name of progress. Starting high up in the mountains as pristine streams and creeks, high levels of agriculture abuse waterways shortly downstream. By the time rivers reach the lowlands, many large scale textile plants have turned the water into a verified toxic waste.


BRAVING THE MONSOON. PHOTO: TYLER FOX


MAE SA SLIDE. PHOTO: TYLER FOX


“We hit the Mae Sa, a river that feels like a waterslide amusement park, with boofs and slides past greenhouses, around bamboo huts and through dangling jungle vegetation.”


56 RAPID SPRING 2013


ONE OF OVER 40,000 TEMPLES IN THE COUNTRY. PHOTO: TYLER FOX


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