We went to Doi Suthep for the afternoon and out first port of call was the Hmong Village in the Doi Pui National Park. Entrance to the park is free, as it is for the village, but a museum about Hmong life was asking for a donation and the gardens were 10B each (both Thai & foreigners).
The village was basically just a load of stalls selling stuff that can easily be bought in any tourist sopt in the Kingdom, but the gardens were very nice, so that's where the piccies are from.
It was really peaceful here (except when I was shooting fruit with Hmong crossbows) and the cooling breeze made us happy to stay and relax for too long according to our driver.
The Hmong people were known for their cultivation of poppies for opium. They had some opium poppies growing here (just for educational purposes of course) and they looked rather nice actually.
Even though I spent a few years as a landscape gardener and usually know the names of most plants I see, this one had me stumped. Any ideas?
