Tribal Nations - Living the High Life

Along the borders of Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and China, there are dozens of mountain-dwelling semi-nomadic people collectively known as ‘hilltribes’. Although they do share an elevated lifestyle, these colorful communities actually represent a diverse myriad of languages, cultures and belief systems.

The Akha, one complex hilltribe group in the region, are closely related to the Hani of China’s Yunnan province but speak their own distinct language which comes from a branch of the Tibeto-Burman language group. The Akha are traditionally subsistence farmers, and Akha Zang (The Akha Way) combines animism, ancestor worship and their deep relationship with the land.

Also originally hailing from Yunnan, the Lisu have primarily earned their name as a tribe alive with color, and are considered to use the greatest variety of colors of all the hill tribes. Their confident decision-making and independence is reflected in the way the Lisu use powerful combinations of colors to decorate their costumes.

The Karen are one of the largest hilltribes in Southeast Asia with a total population of about three million spread throughout Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. Famed for the ‘long necks’ of their women, the Karen now live at relatively low elevations in permanent villages, and have developed environmentally sustainable terraced rice fields.

The Lahu are a strongly independent and very diverse ethnic group. In Thailand alone there are no fewer than six different Lahu tribes, some of whose languages are not mutually intelligible. Although primarily subsistence farmers, the Lahu are also proud of their hunter-warrior heritage and are strongly committed to principles of unity and working together for survival.

This brief look at just a few of these fascinating groups illustrates the complex diversity of Southeast Asian hilltribe communities.

Experience these remarkable ethnic groups for yourself on our Shan Homestay in Tham Lod.

Visit Exotissimo at ITB & IMEX

From 7th March to 11th March in Berlin, Exotissimo will attend ITB 2007 in Berlin. Mr Richard Craik, Director of Marketing of the Exotissimo Group, George Ehrlich-Adam, General Manager of the Exotissimo Travel Myanmar office, and Pantanida Jantsakool, Manager of our German Operations department. You can find us at Hall 26B, Booth 214.

Mr Erik Meriot, Director of EXO Travel Paris and Ms Carine Battajon, MICE Manager, will attend IMEX from 17th April to 19th April in Frankfurt. Please feel free to stop by and visit with them.

For more information or to make an appointment in advance, please contact marketing@exotissimo.com.

The Beach with the Golden Sun!

The availability of elephants, exotic jungle, relatively low production costs and a mature film industry, all make Thailand an attractive location for cinematographers. But it is the kingdom’s astonishing coastal scenery, with its pristine beaches, swaying palms and rugged capes that is the real movie magnet.

Calm, inviting waters, colorful marine life and lush forests of wild coconut palms and mangroves are just some of the natural charms of the southern Thai islands that have played backdrop to famous blockbusters. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) directed by Guy Hamilton and starring Roger Moore, was shot on location in Thailand, and famously features the stunning sands of Phang Nga Bay in Phuket.

Scaramanga, (“He's not like other men... he has three...”) the film’s triple-nippled ace hitman, has his island hideout on a tiny jungle-covered limestone pillar called Koh-Ping-Kan in the remote and picturesque bay. More recently, The Beach (2000) based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Alex Garland and starring Leonardo Di Caprio, also featured the tropical shores of the Andaman Coast for its island escape.

The film-makers of The Beach scouted locations in Australia, Malaysia and the Philippines before finally settling on Phi Phi Le island in Krabi. Surrounded by stunning limestone karsts, the tropical paradise of Maya Bay provided the perfect setting for the film’s fictional hidden Utopia.

Today, long after the film crews have gone home, both locations are still a major draw for tourists who flock to see the magical natural beauty that inspired their favorite flicks.

Finding the perfect beach isn't a mission impossible...