Introducing the MAE-SA VALLEY CRAFT VILLAGE Chiang Mai New Products for 2002 Village Life Theme Accommodation Lanna Wedding Ceremony The Craft Village - Activities The Mae Sa Thai Cookery School Health Centre Traditional Northern Khantoke Dinner The Mae Sa Valley Craft Village is situated in the charming setting of the Mae Sa Valley and is surrounded by one of Thailand's most magnificent botanical gardens, complete with a small stream and waterfall.

Within half an hour's travel time from Chiang Mai, the Mae Sa Craft Village offers a day-out featuring a whole range of out-of-the ordinary activities. The Craft Village, is home to a group of highly-skilled artisans, potters, painters, batik artists and wood-carvers.

Visitors to the village can enjoy watching the artisans at work or opt for hands-on
sessions, acquiring some of the skills that have made northern Thai crafts famous.

Full-day and half-day sessions as well as morning, afternoon, or evening sessions are offered by the Thai cookery school, the health centre and the craft village itself.

The sessions are conducted by an English-speaking instructor and each lasts 2 and half hours. No prior experience is needed.

THE CRAFT VILLAGE
Menu of Activities On Offer

• Parasol and Fan Painting
  
  This is one of the classic crafts of Northern Thailand. Classes offer tips on how
  to create stunning effects, ranging from flower designs to realistic scenes of village life with a simple stroke of a brush. All of the materials needed are provided. At the end of the session, the artistic creations are for participants
  to have, to hold and enjoy. A charming momento of an extraordinary day of
  creativity.
  
  
• Ceramic Painting
  
  In these sessions, participants are shown how to hand-paint a simple traditional design on a plain piece of ceramic provided, such as a pot. This will be fired in a kiln overnight. The work of art is then delivered to the participant at any hotel location in the Chiang Mai area within 48 hours. Those who wish to have the article delivered by mail, simply provide their mailing addresses. A selection of plain ceramic pieces is available for those who wish to create their own unique designs.
  
  
• Batik Dyeing
  
  The Craft Village provides a plain piece of material for the first attempt at wax painting and colour dyeing. After that first stage, participants are given a chance
  to try their hand at making something special. The Craft Village provides a
  choice of materials from which to choose, including shirts and blouses.
  
  
• "Saa" Paper-Making
  
  Handmade or "saa" paper-making is another traditional northern craft.
  Beautiful effects are achieved when flowers and leaves are pressed into
  the liquid paper. It is easy to achieve remarkable results. All materials are provided and participants are encouraged to be as adventurous as possible in creating their own designs. The paper sheets are dried overnight and delivered to the participant at any hotel location in the Chiang Mai area within 48 hours.
  
  
• Fragrant Candle-Making
  
  In this 2 1/2 hour course, master a few candle-making techniques such as
  basic candle production, and the art of making decorative candles and
  flowered candles.
  
  Participants are given a variety of scented oils, such as lemon grass and jasmine, coloured wax and moulds. Following the elementary stages, the goal is to be as
  creative and original as possible. At the end of the session, the hand-made
  candles are taken home.

MAE-SA VALLEY CRAFT VILLAGE SCHEDULE

MORNING SESSIONS
Transfer from the hotel to the Mae Sa Craft Village: 07:15 - 08:40
Activity : 09:30 - 12:00
Lunch : 12:30 - 13:30
Transfer back to the hotel : 13:45 - 14:15

AFTERNOON SESSIONS
Transfer from the hotel to the Mae Sa Craft Village: 10:50 - 12:15
Activity : 12:45 - 13:45
Lunch : 14:00 - 14:30
Transfer back to the hotel : 14:45 - 18:00

 
THE MAE-SA THAI COOKERY SCHOOL

The Mae-Sa Thai kitchen school was set up by Vatcharin Bumichitr, one of the
United Kingdom's most celebrated Thai chefs, publisher of a series of best-selling cookery books on Thai cuisine. Select recipes from Chef Vatcharin's cook-books are featured in the sessions. The publications are also available for purchase from the school.

Many lovers of Thai food still feel overwhelmed by the great diversity of ingredients
used in Thai cuisine and are wary about experimenting with even the simplest
of Thai dishes. At the Mae-Sa Thai Cookery School, the Chef-Instructors will demonstrate just how easy preparing Thai dishes can be. A selection of four different
sessions offer the chance to learn a range of starters and main dishes.

Each session begins with a visit to the Mae Saa farm to study and gather the ingredients required for each recipe such as lemon grass, pea, aubergines, holy basil and kaffir lime leaves.

Then in the specially equipped kitchen-school, participants are given a brief introduction to Thai food, the equipment to be used and particular dishes to be learned that day - usually a starter, 2 main dishes and a dessert.

The Chef-Instructor demonstrates each dish then guides participants as they
make it themselves. At the end of the session, the participants enjoy the results
of their culinary expedition.

All ingredients and equipment, including aprons and head covers are provided.

THE HEALTH CENTRE

The steam room at the Mae Sa Health Centre offers a selection of specially chosen natural aromas guaranteed to ease away the aches and pains of modern life. The hour long traditional Thai massage gently kneads away knotted pressure points and leaves the body relaxed, and the mind calm. Loose-fitting garments are provided.

THE TRADITIONAL THAI KHANTOKE DINNER

Enjoy a traditional northern meal beside a roaring log fire in a lantern-lit glade.
After a traditional welcome ceremony, dinner is served to the music of a Thai orchestra followed by a display of local folk dancing.

Participants are transferred from and to respective hotels in the Chiang Mai area.

Morning sessions end and afternoon sessions begin with lunch. Those joining only one session spend the rest of the day taking advantage of all of the other facilities provided by the resort such as the swimming pool, games room and reading room, at no extra cost. Where numbers permit, a brief trek into the nearby mountain forest can also be organized.

Shower and changing facilities are offered to those wishing to stay on to enjoy the evening khantoke dinner, held three times a week.

Village Life Theme Accommodation
A Different Holiday Experience

In 2002, Mae Sa Valley Craft Village offers a new range of deluxe rooms,
each with a different "Village Life" theme.

The 6 village styles are:

The Farmers Cottage The Fisherman's Cottage The Villager's Cottage The Gardener's Cottage and The Honeymoon Cottage

Each cottage has a distinctive motif reflecting a particular aspect of Thai traditional country life which subtly blends in with the best of contemporary design.

THE LANNA WEDDING CEREMONY

Traditionally in Lanna, a wedding in a well-to-do family was a day-long event
involving a beautiful ceremony.

The day begins in the early morning with merit-making - offering food to monks
and receiving their blessings. This is followed by the engagement procession
and ceremony followed by prayers for ancestors. In the late afternoon, the
marriage registration is completed followed by a party in which the bride and
groom take part in a "Khantoke" procession after which they are escorted to
the Honeymoon Cottage by members of both families who join in offering
blessings to the couple for a long and happy marriage.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
MAE-SA VALLEY CRAFT VILLAGE
Activity Reservation Office
E-mail : maesa@1ksc.th.com
Web site : http://www.thailandhotels.net/chaingmai.htm
Phone : (66 53) 290-052
Fax : (66 53) 290-017
Address : P.O.Box 5, Mae Rim, Chiang Mai 50180

Bangkok Reservation Office
Phone : (66 2) 251-1704, 656-9175-7
Fax : (66 2) 254-8865, 251-1702
42 Sukhumvit Soi 4,
Bangkok 10110, Thailand