Why we recommend ‘Huay Pu Keng’ Community Based Tourism Village, Mae Hong Son

Tucked into a bend of the Pai River, about half an hour by boat from Mae Hong Son town, the Kayan village of Huay Pu Keng tells a story about displacement and dignity. Set in the deep forests of Mae Hong Son bordering Myanmar, this community has rebuilt tourism on its own terms. For travelers who want a real insight into northern Thailand’s minority communities and the Kayan in particular, we recommend visiting Huay Pu Keng village in Mae Hong Son.

Background to Huay Pu Keng

The Kayan (often called “Padaung”) are a subgroup of the Karenni peoples from today’s Kayah State in eastern Myanmar. Decades of conflict, forced labor, and persecution drove many to flee to Thailand, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. The province of Mae Hong Son, bordering Myanmar, became a refuge for them. Over time, tourists came to know about these settlements of Kayan refugees. There was great interest and curiosity in this tribe, especially over the brass neck coils that the Kayan women wear, such that this refugee settlement simultaneously evolved into a tourist attraction.

The “human zoo” debate

The early years of tourism in Kayan villages were mostly transactional. Tour operators brought travelers to snap photos, buy souvenirs, and then left the village. Most decisions and management over the village were held in the hands of third parties and business people. The community itself had limited input and little control over narratives or benefits. There were concerns that villagers were being exploited, and this led to such villages being called “human zoos” and even calls for tourists to boycott such villages. Consequently, many travelers felt uneasy about visiting Kayan ‘Long Neck’ villages, for fear of contributing to the exploitation of this tribe. However, abandoning this group of peoples through boycotts did not improve their situation and if anything, marginalised them further.

Weaving workshop at Huay Pu Keng Village, Mae Hong Son. (Photo by www.FairTourism.nl)

Community Based Tourism in Huay Pu Keng

Through the support and mentoring from Fair Tourism (a Dutch non-profit organisation), who have worked with Huay Pu Keng since 2013 to develop community-based-tourism (CBT) in the village, today, Huay Pu Keng is a far cry from any notion of a “Human Zoo”. Visitors are invited to take part in a variety of CBT activities where they can interact with and learn from the Kayan, through handicrafts workshops, homestays, and guided walks designed and led by villagers themselves. This not only enables them to earn some income but, fosters tourism that encourages dialogue between tourists and villagers. This means tourists do not simply have to take pictures and walk on, but are invited to talk to the villagers and engage with them instead.

Cultural Immersion

Here is a sample of the various cultural immersion and CBT activities on offer in Huay Pu Keng:
– Handicraft workshops: Try your hand at weaving on traditional looms, carve wooden dolls, or learn to make brass bracelets, these are just a sample of workshops available – all guided by the expertise of artisans in the village.
– Guided walks : Explore the surrounding forests on a guided walk with a villager, learn directly from them about the local ecology and how the Kayan live with nature.
– Homestays : For those who stay overnight, the experience deepens: enjoy delicious local and Kayan dishes, take part in informal cultural exchange, and soak in the calm beauty of the village in this beautiful locale.

At the time of writing, these workshops range from 300-500THB per person. The homestay is 400THB per person (not including meals which are 100THB/meal).

Huay Pu Keng Village in Mae Hong Son – Community Based Tourism Workshop. (Photo by www.FairTourism.nl )

Reasons to visit

If you are still unsure whether to visit Huay Pu Keng, here are 5 reasons why you should !

1) Your spending supports individuals directly. When you participate in any of the workshops or activities held by the villagers, or stay overnight at a homestay, you’re paying and supporting the villagers directly.
2) You help sustain traditions. When you engage in any of the workshops, such as wood carving or weaving, you are helping to preserve age-old traditions and skills of the Kayan tribe. It encourages the younger generation to learn from elders, preserving ancient techniques and wisdom.
3) You help replace extractive tourism with reciprocal exchange. Participating in the CBT activities offered by villagers, guided walks and conversations—rather than a quick “photo stop”—shows a deeper interest into the Kayan people’s stories.
4) You forge the path for ethical tourism and CBT. Successful CBT projects serve as a model for how minority communities can host visitors ethically. When you visit HPK and support CBT in the village, you help to further the growth of such tourism, and encourage other communities to follow suit.
5) You deepen your own understanding of northern Thailand. Mae Hong Son’s beauty isn’t only in its mountains, but in its mosaic of peoples. Meeting Kayan hosts, hearing about life before and after displacement, and tasting dishes cooked from forest ingredients will undoubtedly give you a deeper appreciation for the cultulral landscape of northern Thailand.

Boat to Huay Pu Keng Village, Mae Hong Son

Planning your Trip to Huay Pu Keng

We highly recommend making time in your northern Thailand schedule for visting Mae Hong Song and Huay Pu Keng. If you are starting from Chiang Mai, we suggest setting aside five to six days to travel the Mae Hong Son Loop, which will give you enough time to visit Huay Pu Keng and spend an overnight there if you wish. For a sample itinerary please visit 5-6 Days Mae Hong Son loop Tour. Alternatively, if you are already in Mae Hong Son and wish to travel there as a day trip or overnight, please contact us and we will try to assist in travel arrangements.

Conclusion: Why Huay Pu Keng belongs on your northern Thailand itinerary

If you’re traveling the Mae Hong Son Loop or venturing beyond Chiang Mai, then a visit to Huay Pu Keng village should definitely be on your bucket list.  It’s a chance to engage meaningfully with one of the region’s most unique minority communities. Let the villagers of Huay Pu Keng share their stories with you, let them show you how a bamboo cup is shaped, what makes Kayan weaving distinctive, or which wild herbs can be foraged for dinner. You will witness and be part of helping traditions survive displacement. For anyone traveling the Mae Hong Son Loop or seeking insight into northern Thailand’s cultural mosaic, Huay Pu Keng offers both an authentic connection and the chance to support tourism that empowers rather than exploits.