Worth the wait
Trekking to Menora Falls
Manora is a remote Karen village of just 47 traditional homes, reached by a spectacular mountain track and rarely visited by tourists. The village has no phone coverage and limited power, with traditional wooden-shingle houses, weaving looms and livestock. Kanlaya’s family has close connections here, and the community is developing carefully managed ecotourism to support local livelihoods.
From the village, trek through pristine forest alongside clear mountain streams, crossing and re-crossing the water before reaching a spectacular waterfall. Along the way, local guides forage for ingredients and cut bamboo to prepare a traditional lunch of pork, vegetables, herbs and spices, steamed in bamboo tubes over an open fire. Swim beneath the falls before enjoying your meal with mountain rice and a cold beer — a memorable taste of Karen life in the wilderness.
A hidden destination
The secret waterfall
One of Mae Hong Son’s most extraordinary and rarely visited destinations, this spectacular waterfall lies deep in the jungle near the Burmese border. The journey follows the Khong River into remote, military-controlled country, eventually leaving the road behind for a challenging track through dense forest.
The final approach is on foot, descending steeply through lush jungle as the sound of falling water grows louder. Then the forest opens onto an extraordinary series of more than twenty limestone cascades, each surrounded by moss, orchids, creepers and abundant wildlife. The falls create their own cool, misty microclimate, making the setting wonderfully secluded and otherworldly.
After exploring and swimming beneath the falls, enjoy a traditional lunch cooked in freshly cut bamboo tubes — a fitting end to an unforgettable adventure far from the tourist trail.