Thailand is home to many indigenous tribes and one such tribe is the Lisu. The tribe can be found in the northern part of Thailand and it spread across some hundred and thirty-five villages. The Lisu tribe is originally from China and it relocated to Thailand some time in the early part of the 20th century. The tribe’s main occupation is growing rice and different kinds of vegetables, and also making handicrafts. However, this was not always the case. Earlier, the Lisu were known to cultivate poppy for opium, but the Thai government took an initiative to bring an end to this and introduced the tribe to different kinds of trades and cultivation practices. Today, the Lisu also make numerous handicrafts that they sell in the adjoining villages. You can pick up great souvenirs to take home if you want to take back a piece of local culture to your country.

Visiting a Lisu village will be awe-inspiring. You will be amazed at their home. The houses are very simple and made out of bamboo. Each home has an altar to remember and honor the ancestors. The Lisu are animists and they have strong belief in spirits. They are known to perform numerous rituals to honor their dead ancestors, and spirits that they believe live in the trees, sun, moon and many other objects. In addition, the Lisu believe that each village has its own spirits that protect and guide them. It is a common practice that Lisu women are not allowed to enter into the shrines of guardian spirits.

Today, many of the Lisu villages have electricity and other modern gadgets like televisions, but the people have not forgotten their roots. They still follow their traditions and ensure the future generations also learn them. Another aspect that you will really enjoy in a Lisu village is the attire. The Lisu are known to wear colorful clothes that are mostly in blue or green. The women wear a tunic that comes up to their knees and this tunic is secured with a black belt that is broad in size. Under the tunic the women wear pants that are usually blue or green in color. In addition, the women wear quite a lot of jewelry made from silver and most of the jewelry is handmade.

When mentioning about markets in Bangkok, Chatuchak, weekend market always tops the list. It is the most famous market in Bangkok for cheap shopping, with an endless variety of products in massive scale. In recent years, other markets soon subsequently sprout around the city, attempting to challenge the authority of Chatuchak’s. But Chatuchak still stands firmly as the mother of all markets.Covering 35 acres of land with more than 15,000 stalls and 200,000 visitors every Saturday and Sunday, Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok is without a doubt the largest market to be found in the city and one of the biggest and most famous markets in the world.

The market is divided into different sections, with a different colour depicting each different zone. There’s a section for clothing, a section for handicrafts, and other sections will include items such as jewellery, antiques, ceramics, pets, vintage magazines, stamps and coins, collector’s items, household goods, arts, plants, wholesale items, and food. Some shops do not always adhere to the goods specified in the stated sections, so most of the time it boils down to our exploration skills.For the best time to be there, it is advised to visit the market early, as the place can get really crowded as the day goes on. In addition, the temperature can rise rapidly as the afternoon sun hangs in the sky, and most likely you will get all wet and sticky and uncomfortable in the high heat and humidity conditions. Bargaining is a must in this market, and it is considered the perfect location to put your bargaining skills to the test. Thai people even when bargaining, likes to do it with a smile. With a friendly and humorous attitude, and armed with a big smile, they are your best weapons to secure the best possible deal.

As few stalls or shops accept credit cards, it is recommended to bring enough cash along with you. But do be aware and on the alert for pickpockets, as theft is common in this place, and it’s up to us to proper protect our belongings and valuables. It takes just an instant to lose something valuable like our wallets. There are many novel stalls in the market, as an interesting feature of this market is that many up-and-coming Thai artists and businessman actually started their careers with a stall at this market. So following in their footsteps, there are lots of aspiring talents hoping to emulate previous successes with their innovative crafts. Food and drinks are aplenty all over the market, together with unusual and mind-boggling Thai snacks such as deep-fried insects, scorpions and frogs, mostly heavily spiced.