Lampang: Dream Destination. Ban Luk, or Ban Luk Tai, is a small village in Mae Tha district, about 25km or 30 minutes’ drive from Muang Lampang. It was named after luk, a local type of turbines for taking water from the Chaeng stream to the villagers on higher grounds. For five decades, the village has been known for woodcarving, especially sculptures of elephants and other kinds of animals, as well as kitchen tools like mortars. The first batch of craftsmen was taught by Moon Chandee, who was from Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district andmarried a local woman. The commonly used wood for crafts there is Acacia, or chamcha, which is grown in the village. A new occupation there is gift-basket-making from a kind of local plant. In the morning, visitors can take a boat ride on the Chaeng stream to seelotus flowers and water birds. A 30-minute boat ride costs 250 baht per trip per boat and can accommodate up to eight people. Tourists can stay overnight at homestay houses;try local food such as kaeng khae, sa yuak kluay (banana flesh salad) and nam chang curry; and watch local dances. Call Kamnan Narong Wongkantha at 092-789-5294.