... Every journey brings happiness, contentment and experience of seeing beautiful things surrounding you. Though sometimes the weather is not nice or unexpected condition happens, they are possible situations occurring in each journey .. There are how many places that make a person feel it is the right place. A place that you want and think of it when you go home. Also, make you want to go back repeatedly ...

... I asked a friend who has been to Phu Kra Deung 20-30 times "What makes you want to go again and again" .. The answer is "I don'n know. It feels happier than other places" .. Till one day I found answer to myself when I visit the right place in Thailand comparing to places I have been .. "Baan Wat Chan Pine Forest Royal Project, Amphoe Kallayaniwattana, Chiang Mai"

... In end of 2011, it was my first journey to Wat Baan Chan. After that, I go back for 5 times in total and I still feel wanna return again and again all the time .. Only thing is I still don't have any idea when my 6th would be. However, the sure thing is this "Home" makes me feel it's "The best place of Thailand in my heart" ...

... The journey starts at Amphoe Mae Rim, Chiang Mai, heading towards junction (Mae Malai - Pai). Before reaching Amphoe Mae Tang, turn left to highway no.1095 going to Amphoe Pai, Mae Hong Sorn. Drive along the street passing Huay Nam Dung National Park. Then go straight and observe on your left hand side. You will see a sign of Ban Wat Chan. From this junction, go further for 45 km. You will see Baan Wat Chan Pine Forest Royal Project on your right ...

... It is the same route I have been using for the previous 5 times .. I drive by myself and rent a van .. The road from junction towards Baan Wat Chan is covered with tar. Some part is bumpy. There is no problem if you drive carefully .. The route is steep and curved in some parts but a car is is good enough.Just be careful on those parts. You will arrive safely ...

... Passing the junction for a while, you will face with steep road at the beginning. Then you will reach to viewpoint on your right "Khun Huay Kaew Viewpoint". It is easy to see, observing for wayside shelter your right side. Parking the car to take some break and photograph forest while color is changing. At end of the year, the leaves eventually change color into orange, red and yellow .. This beauty suddenly spells me to feel special in the first sight ...

... Baan Wat Chan Pine Forest was originally located in Amphoe Mae Jam. However, due to landscape, that area is way far from Amphoe Mae Jam making villagers lack of convenience in communicating with government service, transportation and other services. Accordingly, the area is separated to be new district. It is aimed to glorify Her Serene Highness Galyani Vadhana Kromma Luang Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra. Later on 7 July 2009, His Majesty the King has given the name "Amphoe Kallayaniwattana" ...

... On my first visit in 2011, I enjoyed watching scenery view on sideways. The tar road is easy to drive but some years it is damaged .. Anyway, I surprisingly found natural hot spring on my visit in 2013 .. Villagers sell egg to tourists in order to boil it in the spring. It is a lovely activity during the way. If you are going at this time, you may find it ...

... As I mentioned, there are beautiful views along the way. We stop many times. The sight of large mountain surrounding the area looks familiar for the whole route ...

... We park every time we see nice view .. Distance from main street to Baan Wat Chan is 40 km. which normally takes around half an hour to arrive. With curved and steep road plus stopping to take photos .. It takes at least an hour for sure ...

... The road heading to Baan Wat Chan Pine Forest Royal Project is highway no.1265. This road also goes straight to Amphoe Mae Jam too .. However, the road further is not convenient and requires four-wheel-drive to wade through .. Therefore, the route I use every time is easier to drive ...

... The charm of traveling is to appreciate beauty along sideways which everyone should be familiar with, apart from arriving destination safely .. I always tell my friends and companions that I'm ready to stop anywhere they see attractiven and want to take photos .. Because sometimes I don't see. However, when we stop and pay attention, the beauty is not far from us ...

... Due to long distance, we hardly see a car drive in opposite directions but we can still feel there is companion in this journey ...

... Sometimes it's not a car, either a person .. Canal beside the road with little birds walking around. The bird in photo is from my third trip .. Slowly and softly steps. There is nothing to be hurried during relaxed vacation like this ...

... Finally we arrive at "Baan Wat Chan Pine Forest Royal Project" .. If you drive further, you will find Wat Chan Hospital. Then follows by restaurant, famous Wat Chan and viharn with windows look-alike sunglasses. And the site before "Wat Chan Royal Project Development Center" is local community ...

... Upon arriving, driving to the office will pass beautiful residences welcoming us at the beginning. There are various accommodation areas inside FIO (Forest Industry Organization) including lawn for tents and residences next to dyke ...

... Lovely triangle-shape residence is where I choose to stay every time .. If you are interested, please visit organization's website at http://www.fio.co.th/travel/watchan/index.htm ..

... According to the photos, besides residences, there are souvenir shop and restaurant where we often have a meal ... I always order set menu by informing the staff in advance, so they can prepare correctly and add food expense into accommodation costs ... You can also find something to eat outside but I think we should have at least one meal here in order to help royal project ...

... Relaxing ambiance with cool breeze and peacefulness ... I am impressed every time I come here. It feels like purifying and restoring pureness to my body after daily usage ...

... I feel pleased every time I come back ...

... May I show photo from last September, during rainy season .. In this season, Baan Wat Chan looks delighted, bright and joyful. Everything is in green .. What we can do when it rain is sitting still. My last visit on September 2013 was the fifth time. It has another kind of beauty ...

... Weave color ♫ Slowly ♪ When the sky is parched from rain ♫ Look like avenue of sky ...

... When it stops raining, we find a huge rainbow that we have never thought to see it here. Sometimes we don't expect to see but nature always shows us wonderful things .. A pine forest line reflecting on water at small dyke is obviously a signature of this place including rainy day, like today ...

...From rainy season, swap back to December...

...♫ Wish the time pass slowly ♪ Give me some time ♫

...Clear sky and shadow of the cloud reflecting on water is ordinary view of this place .. Don't have to ask for calmness. We can notice the peace all time .. It seems like everything pass slowly even though the clock works as usual .. It's rather our feeling that make the time pass slower than usual ...

...Beauty as rumor ♫ This is natural dance ♪ Sunlight shines brightly ♫ Store in the dream for a long time ...

...Every time I come, I like to gently walk around the dam accessing through every area as much as possible .. My companions or other people prefer to rent a bike instead of walking ... Depend on each person's preference...

...♫ Wish to see the sky like those days ♪ Wish everything is the same ♫

...Pine forest in Wat Baan Chan Royal Projec is the largest one in Thailand .. Which includes both Merkus pine and Kesiya pine .. The richness with great value to ecosystem requires hundreds of years to grow ...

...To stand in the middle of plentiful nature is such a great happiness to be surrounded with perfect nature...

...♪ Can you stay longer ♪ We hardly see each other ♫ Help me to forget lonely days ♪ Please fill up my heart with love ♫

...When the wind blows, all trees conjoin in spreading their green branches and giving refreshment in rainy season .. But when it comes to winter breeze, the green leaves tend to dry in yellow and orange color. The amazing charm of this place is not only plentiful pine forest...

... "Wild Himalayan Cherry" I prefer to hear this name, rather than Sakura of Thailand ... At the right time, these little flowers are desirable by people who wish to see them once it life time. They grow in many provinces of northern part or even in northeast area like Phu Lom Lo, famous attraction in present...

...Including this place .. Image of Wild Himalayan Cherry. Though the trees are not as big as other places, there are plenty of them lining along. Allow us to find corners for photographing as good memory. Pink flowers in front with green pine trees as background and clear blue sky ... Nature has offered another appropriate combination to this place...

... ♫ Find everything I have dreamed of ♪ Find everything better than other places ♫ Because everything is in Thailand. Travel around our hometown♪

...Atmosphere in late afternoon reaching to evening is the moment I walk leisurely to get cool breeze. Enough sunlight for taking photos. It still fulfills happiness and provides joyful warmness to us. The birds sign occasionally but we can always notice silent sound at this place...

... ♪ Let's take some rest here ♫ Stop and relax ♪ Wind blows slowly ♫ Relieve from exhaustion and gain back energy...

...Image of pine forest line on the coast in 180 degree view. Choose nice spot. Select right moment. Wait for afternoon light to shine easily making photos look more beautiful .. Happiness is not only depended on good photos but to watch nature slowly changing. Watch as long as we wish to .. Vacation with no rush. Give yourself slow time and appreciate the moment .. Allow me to collect this moment...

...Area inside Baan Wat Chan Pine Forest Royal Project is accessible. Pavement and motor-cycle of staff are navigator bringing us to many sites for photographing...

...Walk cross small mount and flat way. Starring at the sky finds pine trees. Looking on the left and right also find only pine trees ... Gathering happiness enough. During the night, we don't need to turn on air condition due to landscape and the height of 960 m. above sea level. I guarantee the coldness...

...Comparing to my daily life, around 5.00-6.00AM, I would be sleeping on bed .. However, every time I come here, I always wake up early to to walk on dyke in the morning. I can feel most coldness on the third visit, at dawn beside the dam. Temperature on that day, in mid of January, was 3 degree...

...Besides the weather, the blowing wind makes my hands feel numb .. With the height of this place, moment of starts shining on the sky can easily be seen. Although during the day, you still can see this image depending on time period and weather...

... ♪ Sunlight is a sign of new day ♫ We are as joyful as birds in the morning..

...I feel cheerful every time I come back. I feel fresh every time I stare at the sun shining in the morning through pine forest line at the front ... Sunlight of new day starts to shine even though it's different from previous times. Since the first visit, this is the most brilliant view of sunlight spreading through forest line...

... ♪ Gather fog in the morning ♫ On beautiful mountain ♪ Make it even more charming when the sun shines...

...Sunlight provides warmness while coldness produces fog .. Image of softly white fog floating over water is unexplainedly spectacular when it flows with the wind nonstop ...

...The sun eventually rises and shines over water at the bottom. The thick fog even allows us to see clear beam of light shining through forest line in front...

... ♪ Cool breeze that you feel ♫ Is not different from mine ♫ Morning warmth seems to be the same ♪

...Starring above. Watching the water is also pleasing ... Duckweed might be meaningless to someone but I choose to see its meaning in my view. Arrange it as main object in the photo with golden sunlight turning water surface into gold too...

...Morning light slowly shines according to the time and clam world like today. It's another day of life that I feel extremely peasant. Since this home is so far away from my home in reality, this is not enough .. After taking each photo, I watch around to observe changes by nature...

...Not only the image we see but also our nerve can sense birds singing in the morning .. We don't see the birds but we can hear them...

... ♫ Something we don't see by eyes ♪ But sense by heart ♫

...The way I walked pass yesterday evening is the route I take photos...

...Time changes, everything around us also changes .. Dusk and dawn provide different feelings in photos .. If you ask which one is better, I have to say both are perfectly beautiful...

...The sun has passed forest line but coldness continuously creates fog flowing with the wind. Though it is not as thick as in dawn, the bright sunshine well describe how freezing it is...

...Orange sky turns to clear blue at beginning of the day ... White cloud decorating the sky gives energy at beginning of the day .. Considered as good sign to see beautiful thing like this...

... ♪ Clear sky ♪ Faraway sunlight ♫ Morning weather is so nice and fresh ♫

...According to the song, white shape may be the same but to be exact, from things around us .. I think we can separate since every time I come, this place still welcome me as usual. Nature has created fog beautifully and purely without any pollution or disorder to disturb this land...

...The more I travel, the less I take photo .. Because I like to spend all time standing and walking .. Photos definitely help recover good memory but to recall requires only closing your eyes ... Missing point is we don't really at that place..

...Wild Himalayan Cherry trees lining up. If you come at the right time, little pink flowers will bloom all over the tree giving splendid view .. These 2 photos are from my first visit in January in 2011 which there were some of them left to see...

...And this is the main reason of soonest second trip in following year...

...I returned again in mid of January 2012. That time I was strongly intended to see it .. And my wish finally came true...

...It's not only image of pink flowers but also seeing group of tiny birds. They are very fast .. I don't have any knowledge about these birds but I guess they immigrate to this place in order to seek for warmness and nest. Then they will return back to normal life cycle...

...If you have more information, please help .. I'm also curious...

...At Wat Baan Chan, if you come during end of winter rain, you will see maple trees turning color from green to orange-red .. I have never visit at that time exactly as every trip was in winter when maple leaves start to fall down...

...Maple leaves are in orange-red color .. It's like special gift for every visit in December and January...

...There are many attractions in Thailand where you can travel at every season. For this place, I feel we can choose to see what we want .. If we come during rainy season, we will meet with plentifully greenish pine forest .. If we come at end of winter rain, we will see maple trees with red leaves gathering to welcome us .. In winter, we will face with leaves turning color, start from entrance. We will also see fog above dam .. And if we wait for winter to pass little, we will meet with pinky Wild Himalayan Cherry ...

...Everything is a concrete reason that we can experience as soon as we arrive .. However, there is abstract reason that we can't see, but can feel. We have to discover beauty of real nature ...

...Human is happy to be with nature but human doesn't take good care of nature .. Many ignore, many overlook. There are some people who still pay attention on it and try to preserve ...

...In each journey, objective of each person is different. At least I wish everyone to go back and tell your experiences to people you love. The people who you want them to see the same beauty ...

... Five times within three years, I come back this "home" again and again in 2011-2013 .. Every time I go back, I always ask my friends or family to come with me again .. I'm selfish. I wanna come but I don't to come alone. I have to be with someone .. Most impressive thing, apart from bringing people you love, is to hear them say they liked it and wanted to come again ...

...You can either stay in residence or tent .. Toilet and restaurant are provided for tourists .. Coming to Baan Wat Chan to walk on dam, take photos of flowers, stay in silence. Or drive to viewpoint at community inside where offers view of the whole Baan Wat Chan area .. If you come during FIO feast, you will meet with lots of Karens ... Visit Wat Chan where host viharn with windows look-alike sunglasses. Stay at the royal project for 2 nights. What else is up to you...

...I have traveled to many places in Thailand although not as many as others. But I can answer to myself that this is another "home" to me. The home with purity, calmness and happiness every time I come back .. I hope I will have a chance to come back again and again. In my opinion, this place is the best in Thailand .."Baan Wat Chan Pine Forest Royal Project, Amphoe Kallayaniwattana"...

...One day I will come back...

...Story/Photo : Forzanu (Thank you for reading.)

...Here's my fanpage in case you would like to follow other trips or have a conversation https://www.facebook.com/ForzanuFoto