Fitness Level

You don’t have to be in great shape to do this job, however a reasonable amount of fitness is desirable. The terrain of the town is hilly - the school is built onto a hill - you will be climbing steep stairs and paths on a regular basis. The main mode of transport in Mae Salong is by motorcycle - if you are not already driving a motorbike yourself, it’s common to catch a ride on the back of a bike with a student (or two). The town is small, very safe and is easily walkable. From the hotel to the school is a 20-minute walk. The whole town can be walked across one way in about 60 minutes.

Accommodations

The accommodations for this project are in a local hotel. It is basic accommodation, but clean and functional with a western style toilet and bathroom. The funding we have raised from the Bangkok South Rotary Club covers the cost of your accommodations, based on two people sharing a room (double or separate beds available).

Food

The food in Mae Salong is very good, and there is quite a bit of variety available, from American style breakfast to noodle stands and Thai or Chinese cuisine in the evening, with lots of places to eat around town.

Transportation

As mentioned earlier, the town is walkable and the surrounding countryside is beautiful. Our recommendation in getting the most out of the town and the province of Chiang Rai is to rent a motor scooter for the duration of your stay. If you’ve never driven a motor scooter before, we can give you a quick primer in the city of Chiang Rai before heading out to Mae Salong. Alternatively the local transport consists of Songthaews (small covered pick-up trucks with bench seating installed in the box) or doubling on the back of a motor scooter.

Activities

The surrounding area has a wealth of things to do during your stay. The hiking and motorcycling trails boast excellent scenery and vistas of jungle, rivers, farms, villages and wild life – there is easily enough within an hour’s ride to keep you occupied for many days. Within town, there is a durable goods market, a morning produce market, a weekend market, various karaoke nightspots, 3 internet access points, many tea shops and different stores. The temples and mosque are open for those interested. A variety of events occur at various times during the week and year. SA will provide you with a detailed map for your stay.