Hill Tribes in Thailand

There are many groups of ethnic people in Thailand. Each group has different type of culture.

Most of these ethnic groups are hill tribe. That means, they live in villages or communities on mountain and have been living like that since the ages of their ancestors. Regularly, their ancestors evacuated from another land to start new lives.

Hill tribes usually live their lives simply. When you visit their villages, you should see them in their traditional costumes and do stuffs like farming or handicraft. Most of their villages are open for tourists. Tourists can get in to meet them, buy their products, observe their lifestyles, find something to eat, or even spend a few nights.

The most-found hill tribes in Thailand are, for examples, Karen, Hmong, Lahu, Lisu, Akha, and Mien.

A lot of hill tribes are found in northern Thailand, including in Mae Hong Son Province. There are many ethnic communities in Mae Hong Son that are ready to welcome you. Take Ban Ja Boe and Ban La-Oub as examples. Ban Ja Boe is inhabited by Lahu people and Ban La-Oub is inhabited by Lawa people.

Villages and communities of these people aren’t just boring places in a countryside town like what you might think. These villages and communities are quite developed. Although these people live their lives simply, but, mostly, there are facilities for tourists, for examples, toilets, small restaurants, shelters, camping grounds, etc. If you still hesitate to go to any of these villages and communities, don’t hesitate. You can stay for sure.

Becoming a friend of these hill tribes is a cute and good thing to do. When you visit their communities, don’t be shy, just try to talk to them. Smile at them, at least. These people are usually friendly and visiting them should give you something more than you can imagine.