Small Humble Forest Monastery in Mae Hong Son, Thailand

There is a very small forest monastery located near Tham Lod. Tham Nam Lod is actually a cave where one can go to see bats and crystals. If you taken the van from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son, you will need to tell the driver to stop you at Tham Lod, then you will need to find your transport to go to Tham Lod. We actually stop at one of the shops by the main road and paid someone to drive us into the Tham Lod.






If you ask the locals there about the forest monastery, they will be able to point to you a forest route leading on to there. This forest monastery is very basic:

• it does not have any tar road leading to it. It's a jungle trail. The monks go for their morning almsround via pindapat
• there is no electricity. Water supply source is via rain water
• currently there are no nuns staying there- only about 5 monks. If you cannot speak Thai, ensure you bring along a Thai translator
  
  Above: Path leading to the forest monastery

Above: Name of the forest monastery is on the board above. Sorry, I can't read Thai. But if you mention "Wat Tham Lod" when you are at the area, perhaps the locals will know

Above: Monks kuti- it is located away from the sala hall (can't be seen from the entrance). Notice that there is only cloth covering the kuti. This is how a typical forest monk's kuti is.

If you happen to be in the area, it will be good to drop by this monastery for a visit and help the monastery- we arrived about 3pm which incidentally, is the time where the monks are out sweeping the area. If you arrive at any other time, you may find the monastery being appearently deserted- reason being is that every monk is practicing quietly in his kuti. And the kutis are located away from the main monastery.