This trip was inspired by seeing a Japanese photographer taking profile pictures here. I was curious about what attracts Japanese photographers who invest in bringing film cameras and film rolls from Japan. Another reason was to experience the community from a tourist's perspective. I wanted to experience the way of life of the Christian Pga K'nyaw people in Ban Huay Hee. Ban Huay Hee has a community tourism group. Accommodation is a true homestay experience, meaning you stay in the same house as the villagers. You cannot choose your own house; the community rotates among the participating houses and assigns them according to the number of tourists staying. Another reason I wanted to come here was Doi Pui. You can contact the community tourism and climb Doi Pui Ban Huay Hee directly through the community's page: https://www.facebook.com/cbt.huayhee/

After confirming the appointment, I waited at the Coffee Morning cafe for someone from the community to pick me up. Since I was alone, I used a motorbike to go up to the Ban Huai Hee community. The road was good at first, but not wide enough for cars to pass comfortably. We had to dodge each other occasionally. After a while, as we started to climb, the road became a dirt track with several muddy patches of red clay. To be honest, I was too scared to take my phone out to take pictures on the way up (I had a previous experience of falling off a motorbike on a mountain in Mae Hong Son, so I was still a bit apprehensive). It took about 1.5 hours to ride the motorbike up. The driver was very skilled. When we arrived at the house where we were staying, we put our things away and sat on the balcony sipping warm water.

The communal bedroom, designed to accommodate ten people, was occupied solely by me.

After a while, we went out to explore the area around the house where we were staying. We found out that we were staying at the house of Mr. Chimu, the leader of the Ban Huai Hee community tourism group.

After a while, a young guide took us on a tour, walking around the village and popping into various houses. Both the young guide and we had a lot of fun.

The little guide plucked a generous amount of guava for us to enjoy, and there were also coffee plants.

A tree root has entered the area where your younger sibling is raising fish.

The climb to the village church was rewarded with a stunning view of Doi Pui and Ban Huay Hee, where we would spend the night the following day.

After a short walk around the Huay Hee village, the young guide took a nap. Before parting ways, they took a selfie together.

He then went for a walk around the large central road of the village, which leads from the town to the village of Huai Tong Ko.

From the roadside, looking down at the house.

Continuing on the Doi Pui ascent route, this path is approximately 4 kilometers long and is a beautiful nature study trail, but we did not go there due to time constraints.

It's time to take a shower. I have to hurry before the sun sets. The natural water is very cold, and the air is so cold that it's chilly. The homestay dinner was huge, and they even gave me a papaya, but I couldn't eat it anymore. All the food was delicious and organic because they grow it themselves. The eggs come from their chickens, and the rice is also homegrown.

As the sun sets, the temperature drops significantly. Electricity here is generated by solar panels, allowing for television viewing when the sun is shining. However, if the sun is weak, the power will be cut off before 8 pm. There is no mobile phone signal in the village, but the village headman has installed his own antenna to enable communication.

The next day, I woke up to the cold air. Today, I will be going to Doi Pui in Ban Huai Hee. Chimu told me to go up in the afternoon so that I can watch the sunset. In the morning until noon, I just lay down on the balcony of the house until noon. For lunch, I was served too much food for one person.

We packed our bags with only cold-weather gear and headed up. We didn't bring any tents, so the community provided them for us. When it was time, we hopped on motorbikes and rode to the starting point, which was about 1 kilometer from the village. From there, it was a short walk of about 2 kilometers. Even though it wasn't a long distance, the steep uphill climb was tiring. We took several breaks along the way, and the trail continued like this for the rest of the journey.

Two community guides will be responsible for escorting you to the summit of Doi Pui, guiding you around Doi Pui, preparing meals, fetching water and firewood, and acting as porters.

We have reached the resting point. There is a pavilion built here with a bathroom and two designated fire points. Chimu informed us that someone had previously snuck in and started a fire at the pavilion, which burned the wooden base. Please refrain from lighting fires at the pavilion, as it could potentially spread to the forest. It is recommended that we contact the community and have a local guide oversee and provide us with the necessary resources.

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While waiting for the sky to clear so we could watch the sunset, we walked back the way we came to find a spot to take some photos.

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And then the sky was not on our side, it was completely closed. It was very cloudy. While waiting for a simple dinner that the young men had prepared, I continued to walk around looking for a place to take pictures.

The weather has turned so cold that we are now huddled around a bonfire, sipping tea.

Simple yet delicious dinner served on biodegradable banana leaves.

After a hearty meal and brushing their teeth, the group immediately retreated to their tents for the night. The cold was truly biting, and even their sleeping bags offered little protection. The local guide, however, opted to sleep around the campfire, claiming it was warmer than the cramped storage hut.

The next day, we woke up at 5:30 AM with the intention of climbing Doi Pui to watch the sunrise. We started our ascent around 6:00 AM, with a strong cold wind blowing throughout the journey. Upon reaching the summit, Chimu informed us that we might not be able to see the sunrise due to the overcast sky and heavy fog. He added that if there were strong winds, we might have a chance. However, the cold was already unbearable, and any additional wind would make it difficult to endure. Even without a clear sky, the atmosphere amidst the fog was beautiful in its own way.

The sky seemed to be clearing before we descended, but it didn't. No worries, we can come back later.

Upon arrival, I received another large, tightly packed lunch that would keep me full until the afternoon.

Young men cook together, showing great skill. Soon, they enjoy breakfast in the cold air, warmed by a fire.

The day we went up to sleep, there was a group of older siblings who had come up from the south. We didn't talk much. I'm not very good at talking. I listened to them and felt envious. They had been driving around together, sleeping wherever they ended up, sometimes according to a plan, sometimes not. As for me, I continued my journey alone. When I walked down to the bottom, I bought another hand-woven shirt in a natural color. The fabric was soft, comfortable, and breathable. (I wore this one back to Bangkok. As usual, I traveled until I ran out of clothes.)

The three-day, two-night homestay and community tourism trip to Ban Huai Hee was a memorable experience. Immersed in nature, we savored local cuisine, engaged in conversations with villagers, and enjoyed a digital detox. For three days, we were disconnected from mobile signals, and to access our phones, we had to climb to the top of Doi Pui Ban Huai Hee.

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