-Hello-

This is my second visit to Mae Kampong Village. My previous visit was last year, and I stayed at the Royal Project Toin Tok, which is located just before the road to Mae Kampong Village. This time, I wanted to experience a homestay with the villagers and live like a local. However, when I called to inquire about accommodation, almost all the homestays were fully booked. I then searched for accommodation in the vicinity and found a homestay in Mae Lai Village, which is not far from Mae Kampong. Mae Lai Village is located at a left-hand fork on the same road as The Giant coffee shop, which has large trees. The coffee shop was closed for renovations during my previous visit, so I haven't been there yet. After booking accommodation in Mae Lai, we set off on our journey.

For this trip, we drove ourselves from Bangkok because we planned to stay in Chiang Mai for several days. We thought it would be more convenient to drive ourselves. We started our journey from Chiang Mai city center and used Google Maps for navigation. Since we had driven this route once before, we remembered the way (from Chiang Mai city center, take the Sankampaeng route to Mae On district, a distance of approximately 53 kilometers. The journey takes about an hour, depending on your driving skills. Once you enter the inner road, the path becomes winding and uphill, so you may not be able to drive very fast). Let's see how different Mae Kampong is today compared to our previous visit. What's new? We have arrived at The Giant coffee shop.

After driving along the road leading to Mae Kampong village, observe the Royal Project at Tin Tok on the right-hand side. Continue driving a short distance until you reach a fork in the road. The left fork leads to Mae Lai village and The Giant coffee shop, while the right fork leads to Mae Kampong village. Turn left to reach The Giant coffee shop. Along the way, there are several pick-up services offered by villagers.

Transportation fee to The Giant coffee shop

The sign indicates the price per trip.

The round trip fare is 100 baht per person.

The journey from the intersection to the coffee shop is approximately 7 kilometers. The first 3 kilometers are not very steep, and small cars can easily drive there. However, the road becomes steeper after that. You can park your car there and take a local shuttle, which is available at intervals. If the driver is not familiar with the road, it is recommended to park and take the local shuttle. After driving for a while, you will arrive at the coffee shop. There is ample parking space in front of the shop.

Fortunately, we visited on a weekday, so the crowd was manageable. Many reviews mentioned the difficulty of finding a table during peak seasons. The highlight of this establishment is the treetop cafe, offering a serene ambiance. A wooden suspension bridge serves as the pathway to the cafe, with a weight limit of two people at a time due to its swaying nature. Besides coffee, the cafe also offers food options. We sampled an iced latte, which was decent. However, the scenic views and tranquil atmosphere were the true highlights. (It's highly recommended to visit on weekdays for those seeking photo opportunities without large crowds.)

After visiting The Giant coffee shop, we checked in to our accommodation, Baan Rabien Doi Homestay, located in Mae Lai Village. The homestay is approximately 3.5 kilometers from The Giant coffee shop and can be found on the left-hand side of the road.

As you walk upstairs, you will find a counter where a housekeeper will greet you. This location serves as both an accommodation and a coffee shop.

After receiving the room key, let's go and see the room. This is a two-story wooden house with a high foundation.

All rooms are located on the upper floor. There are a total of 5 rooms.

The ground floor features a chill-out area and guest restrooms.

In addition to the rooms on the upper floor, there are also 4 tents available.

After settling our belongings, we continued driving to visit Mae Kampong village. From our accommodation, it was approximately a 6-kilometer drive to the village. Along the way, at the岔路口 where we turned towards Mae Kampong, we noticed a sign for a coffee shop that seemed to be newly opened. During our previous visit a year ago, this shop was not present.

This shop sells coffee and other beverages, but we didn't order coffee because we just had some at Giant earlier. Instead, we ordered a red soda with lime, which was delicious and reasonably priced. The highlight of this shop is the chairs in the middle of the waterfall. Almost everyone who comes here takes pictures at this spot, and we didn't miss out either. This spot is designed for people to take turns taking pictures, so it's not appropriate to sit there for too long. It's important to share it with others, especially on weekends when the owner says it gets so crowded that it's almost like musical chairs.

Leaving here, we then went to Mae Kampong Village.

Nestled amidst verdant mountains, Mae Kampong is a quaint village characterized by its cool climate and rich ecosystem. The village is traversed by a meandering stream, while towering trees and lush vegetation create a tranquil and picturesque landscape.

As we drove into Mae Kampong, we noticed a significant increase in the number of shops and businesses compared to previous years. The area around Baan Him Huai, Lung Pood & Pa Peng, was particularly bustling with activity. Despite being a weekday, the usual photo spot in front of the shops was crowded with people waiting to take pictures. We decided to skip the queue and head to Wat Kantha Phrueksa, the main temple of Mae Kampong, to pay our respects.

The majestic central chapel stands proudly within the temple grounds. The serene and tranquil atmosphere of the temple evokes an indescribable sense of peace and tranquility within us.

After leaving the temple, we returned to Him Huai's house. Uncle Pud and Aunt Pung's shop was not crowded, so we parked our car and took some photos. We were planning to order something to eat, but the shop's sign indicated that it was nearing closing time. Additionally, the best tables inside were occupied. As a result, we could only take photos.

Afterward, we took a stroll to explore other nearby shops, noticing a significant increase in new establishments compared to before. These included stores selling handmade goods and a diverse selection of food vendors, such as "Sai Oua Mae Nim" and the long-standing "Huen Por Ooi Mae Ooi." We decided to try the "Khai Pa Ma," which tasted similar to steamed eggs or omelets. However, after just one bite of the "Khai Pa Ma," I felt a rumbling in my stomach, indicating that the parasites were starting to act up. Therefore, we decided to head back to our accommodation for dinner.

I will continue the review tomorrow. I'm going to sleep now and will continue when I return.

After leaving Mae Kampong, we drove back to our accommodation to wait for dinner. The caretaker had informed us during check-in that dinner would be ready around 6 pm. We arrived a little early, so while waiting for the food, we took some photos to capture the atmosphere of the accommodation.

A stream flows in front of the accommodation, originating from the Mae Lai River. As dusk settles, the area becomes tranquil, allowing the sound of the flowing water to be clearly heard.

While we were taking photos, a person walked past our accommodation with their dog. We thought the dog was adorable, so we asked to take a picture with it. The dog was very playful and mischievous. We asked the owner, who told us that the dog's name was Manoch and that he was not yet 3 months old. After playing with Manoch for a while, the housekeeper came to tell us that the food was ready.

Dinner is a simple set menu, including clear soup, omelet, stir-fried vegetables, northern Thai chili dip, fresh vegetables, and rice. Everything can be refilled if you are not full. The housekeeper will always come to check and ask if you need anything. I think it's okay because most of the homestays I've stayed at are like this, which means breakfast and dinner are included, so you don't have to worry about food.

After a satisfying meal, we sat for a while before preparing for bed, as the air grew increasingly chilly. The cold demanded thick winter coats even for sleep.

The next day, we woke up early to watch the sunrise at Kew Fin. From our accommodation, we followed the same route as the one leading to Mae Kampong. We drove uphill, passing the Chom Nok Chom Mai coffee shop, admiring the birds, trees, and Mae Kampong waterfall. After driving for another 3 kilometers, we reached Kew Fin. We had to park our car and walk another 200 meters uphill. The saying "the higher you climb, the colder it gets" is true. It was freezing, even though we had prepared warm clothes. It was only about 10 degrees Celsius, but the combination of cold and wind made it feel much colder. After watching the sunrise for a while, we quickly descended, hoping to stop by the Chom Nok Chom Mai coffee shop to enjoy a hot cup of coffee and warm up. However, when we arrived, the shop was still closed. So, we decided to go back to our accommodation for breakfast and come back later.

Breakfast consists of rice porridge with pork and mushrooms, along with bread, coffee, Ovaltine, and fruit. Guests are welcome to request additional servings if needed.

Hesitating for a long time, the extreme cold made me reluctant to get up and take a shower.

After checking out of our accommodation, we drove for a short while and were captivated by a bamboo hammock by the riverside. We pulled over to take some photos and soak in the atmosphere. Initially, we thought it was a coffee shop, but it turned out to be a homestay. While we were taking pictures, the owner came out to greet us. He was very hospitable. It was a pity that we had to continue our journey to another destination; otherwise, we would have definitely stayed there for another night. We really liked the Mae Lai village. We felt that there was still a lot of peace and quiet, probably because it is not as developed as Mae Kampong. People mainly use it as a route to pass through to The Giant coffee shop. In the late afternoon and evening, when there are no cars passing by, it is completely silent. Lying on the second floor of the accommodation, we could hear the sound of the stream very clearly.

Continuing on to the coffee shop, "Chom Nok Chom Mai," after driving up yesterday and finding it full, we decided to come back early today to capture the atmosphere. We ordered a variety of items to try, including coffee, cake, and green tea. After tasting everything, we found the coffee and tea to be satisfactory, but the cake was just average and didn't quite meet our expectations. However, taste is subjective, and others may find it delicious.

This is the most popular spot in the shop, where everyone who comes here must take a picture. Especially during the holidays, you have to wait in line to take a picture.

From this angle, it is evident that Mae Kampong village is surrounded by lush, verdant trees. The greenery is so abundant that it is likely even more vibrant during the rainy season.

From the coffee shop, "Chom Nok Chom Mai," we continued driving to Mae Kampong Waterfall. The waterfall flows year-round due to the lush, pristine forest. The water is crystal clear, cool, and refreshing, inviting visitors to take a dip. However, the chilly weather only allowed us to briefly touch the water, which sent a shiver down our spines, similar to dipping our hands in ice.

After returning to the village, we stopped for lunch at the Pua-Mae Uai restaurant, which we had been eyeing since yesterday. However, it was crowded then, so we decided to come back today instead. The Khao Soi was delicious, and the price was reasonable.

After a satisfying meal, we continued our journey to Pha Nam Lod. Located on the left side of the road as you descend from Mae Kampong village, just before the Royal Project at Tin Tok, Pha Nam Lod is marked by a signpost. A short walk of approximately 25 meters leads to a large rock formation with water flowing through it, a result of erosion by the stream. This natural wonder is surrounded by lush greenery and offers numerous spots to enjoy food, coffee, and beverages. Interestingly, during our visit, we observed relatively few visitors, possibly due to it being a weekday or perhaps because the location remains relatively unknown.

The review is now complete. Thank you for following along. If there are any errors in the information, I apologize.

The trip was truly memorable. The weather was perfect, the forest was lush and teeming with life, and the people were incredibly welcoming. We will definitely be back for another visit.

Accommodation details at Baan Rabeang Doi Homestay

- The accommodation is a wooden house with 5 rooms on the upper floor. The price is 1,590 baht per night for 2 guests, including breakfast and dinner. Guests can refill their meals if they are not full.

• Four tents are available, each costing 400 baht and including breakfast and dinner.

Contact us at https://www.facebook.com/banrabiengdoi.chiangmai/?fref=ts

A gentle reminder for those visiting Mae Kampong and Mae Lai villages: please be responsible and respectful tourists. Embrace eco-tourism and help maintain the cleanliness of these beautiful places. Let's preserve their natural resources and forests, preventing further change. We must be mindful that excessive development can erode the tranquility that makes these villages so special.

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