09-12.10.2560: 3 Nights and 4 Days at Suan Ya Luang, Ban San Charoen

This trip report details a 3-night, 4-day journey to Suan Ya Luang, a botanical garden in Ban San Charoen. The author, who had previously visited the garden with a group of 9, was unable to reach the summit due to a vehicle getting stuck. This time, they returned to experience the beauty of the peak and the simple life of the local villagers.

The author highlights the allure of escaping the city and immersing oneself in the tranquility of nature. The journey was challenging, with a difficult motorbike ride up the mountain, but the rewards were plentiful. The author encountered diverse weather conditions, stunning views, and the warmth of the local community.

Special thanks are extended to:

• The "Nong Fai" group: Four individuals who brought laughter and joy to the trip, especially "Ko," whose humor was particularly infectious.
• The Krits family: For their warm hospitality.
• Mr. Krits: The caretaker of Suan Ya Luang, who facilitated the author's stay at a house on a coffee plantation.
• "B": The young man who served as guide, caretaker, cook, and even model for the trip. His dedication and companionship were invaluable.

Despite encountering rain and mud, the author's love for Suan Ya Luang grew stronger with each passing day. The experience was a testament to the power of simple pleasures and the beauty of human connection.

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A Traveler's Diary: The Royal Garden, October 9-12, 2017.

Let's begin our journey, as we have already covered the introduction.

The Royal Medicinal Plant Garden is located in Ban San Charoen, Pa Tong Subdistrict, Tha Wang Pha District, Nan Province.

According to the elders, opium was widely cultivated here in the past. The name "Royal Medicinal Garden" comes from the vast area where opium was grown, something like that.

However, the landscape has changed. Today, this area is a source of high-quality Arabica coffee, cultivated in harmony with nature through the Royal Project's Doi Suan Ya Luang initiative.

Thank you for this cup of coffee from Lapien Coffee, a coffee shop passed down from grandfather to grandson.

How to visit the Royal Botanical Garden: Do I need to contact anyone?

Please contact Mr. Kris at 0969522223 or send a message to this page.

Page name: Doi Suan Ya Luang Tourist Attractions, Ban San Charoen

What you will receive is:

1. 4WD vehicles can take you up the mountain, depending on the road conditions at the time. Sometimes, when it rains and the road is muddy, even vehicles with chained wheels cannot make it, and you have to walk.

The 4WD can reach the top of the mountain even when it doesn't rain, but it's a gamble (the pick-up point is at Ban San Charoen).

2. Accommodation is in a hut on a coffee farm. The food is delicious, with fresh vegetables picked straight from the garden and prepared for us.

Alternatively, you could go camping and stargaze.

3. Local guides are simply drivers who take us around.

4. A sea of mist, if the weather permits.

5. Dense white fog obscures everything, even the mountain peaks.

6. A faint mist + clearing skies

It might rain.

Let's leave it to fate. It's hard to predict these things.

8. Regardless of the challenges you face, the weather conditions, or the breathtaking scenery, you are guaranteed to return with lasting friendships and cherished memories.

Journey to Ban San Charoen

All types of vehicles can reach the village. If you don't have your own transportation, you can travel by plane or bus and then rent a motorbike from Nan city or the airport. You can ride directly to Ban San Charoen. Alternatively, you can take a bus to Thung Chang, which will pass Tha Wang Pha. Get off at the police station and arrange for Mr. Kritsada to pick you up for 800 baht per trip.

The journey is not too difficult. This trip lasted several days. The initial intention was to simply relax, as I had several days free. I wanted to give my body and mind a break. However, we ended up climbing to the top of the mountain every day.

Therefore, I decided to write a review and share my experiences at Suan Ya Luang. After finishing the Doi Nok Phayao trip, I arrived in Bangkok at 2 am. I quickly packed my bags again, managed to sleep for an hour, and woke up at 5 am to shower and get dressed for my early flight.

For this trip, Jack flew with Nok Air to Nan Airport (thanks to my handsome younger brother, Fok, for booking the cheap tickets). Upon arrival at the airport, we rented a motorbike for 300 baht per day and rode to the village. The clock tower was our meeting point, but there was no clock to be seen.

Before going up the mountain, I met with the group of students led by N'Fai, who had just come down from the mountain. So we went to Nam Ok Ru together with the students.

Do you know him? I'm going with him, haha. We just met, and we haven't even talked yet. B invited me, so I went.

The water is clear and cool, and it would be refreshing to swim in it. Swimming is allowed, but Jack didn't go in because he was too lazy to change his clothes.

A "nam tok ru" or "nam tok hoo" is a large spring that produces water year-round.

This place in San Jerónimo is like a small waterfall.

The tree is very large.

After returning home and having dinner together, we felt that all four of the children were lovely. Even though it was a short time, a beautiful friendship was formed.

It's time to say goodbye to the children and we're heading up the mountain.

By the time we moved, it was already evening. We didn't capture the beautiful light this evening, but on the first night, the stars filled the sky, welcoming us.

The Milky Way is visible to the naked eye.

Dinner

Grilled pork with a delicious dipping sauce, made by my younger sibling.

On the second morning, we set out to climb to the top of the mountain. Of course, we didn't make it in time to see the sunrise at the summit. We woke up late!

The provided text is in Thai and translates to:

"The picture is tilted because we took it with our legs down. Hehe. It was still dark when we walked up."

I just noticed there's a sign.

The following is a translation of the provided text from Thai to English:

Motorcycles are a common mode of transportation for local residents. As you can see, they are quite adept at navigating muddy terrain.

The locals here typically reside in villages and utilize motorbikes for transportation when tending to their farms and gardens.

They stayed overnight at the hut until the work was finished, then they descended the mountain and returned home. This is roughly the situation.

After evaluating the situation, it is certain that we will not reach the mountaintop in time for the sunset.

We were able to watch the sunrise on the way. There are also houses to stay in here. The view is great. I really like this place.

We can enjoy the scenery without reaching the top of the mountain, but we couldn't see the sun because of the clouds.

A light mist hangs in the air, revealing a coffee plantation in the distance.

After capturing the scene, we continued our trek to reach the summit.

Capture moments along the way.

The translation of the Thai sentence "ลมพัดเย็น อากาศตอนเช้าดี๊ดี" is:

The cool breeze and the fresh morning air are delightful.

What are you doing there?

The child said they were sitting and enjoying the breeze, suggesting they might be hungry.

As we continue walking, we will reach the Buddha statue, another beautiful spot for taking pictures.

This is the translated text. It is simply an empty paragraph with a line break.

This view is also beautiful.

Let's continue walking.

We will reach another point. There is a pavilion here.

From the pavilion, we can see the peak of the mountain. Do you see the national flag in the distance?

Let's take a short break and then go up to enjoy the view from above.

I'm currently in Phayao, and in a bit, I'll be in Nan. Hehe, two provinces in one quick trip!

The signs on either side of the road display different information due to the location being on the border between Nan and Phayao provinces.

Ascend to the summit, where strong winds prevail and panoramic views extend in all directions. Today, fortune favors us with the occasional appearance of mist.

We captured a significant number of photographs today, resulting in a diverse collection as shown below.

The mist is far away, refusing to come to us.

I wish I could warp to the mountain ahead, to be closer to the fog.

In the late morning, the fog began to approach us.

It's time to come down from the mountain because I'm so hungry. 55555

The plan is to carry the tent up to the mountain tonight to sleep, capture the sunset, photograph the stars, and then capture the fog in the morning.

The plan is always good.

Upon returning home, my sibling prepared a meal for me. While I did assist, it was primarily their effort.

Stir-fried Fiddlehead Fern Shoots are very delicious. They were freshly picked from the plant.

In the late afternoon, we will ascend the mountain again. We have prepared everything and are ready to go when the time comes.

The unexpected and dreaded has happened: it's raining heavily.

That's it, you can't go.

What's the plan? Will we be able to go up the mountain today?

The plan was to climb to the top of the mountain as soon as the rain stopped.

In conclusion, the rain has not stopped and will continue until nightfall. Therefore, it is not advisable to ascend the mountain this evening.

I'd love to try the fiddlehead fern shoots with chili dip. It's delicious! I'm telling you, if you ever go up north, you should learn how to make chili dip from the locals.

Go to bed early tonight so you can wake up early tomorrow and catch the sunrise.

The third morning, it rained in the early hours.

Around 6 am, observe the fog situation from the backyard.

In reality, just sitting and watching the mist behind the house is blissful.

The backyard is shrouded in mist.

It seems like today is the best day to climb the mountain. Hehe.

Boil water, brew coffee, I really like this kettle, I want to steal it home.

We brought a camping stove, and the gas canisters were donated by Nong Gor. Thank you very much.

Early morning, there was some rain. After the rain stopped, we went up to the top of the mountain.

Stopping at the same spot. From here, the mountain peak is shrouded in mist, the sky is overcast. So I took some pictures along the way.

Adorable fog

The view here is also good (where ???? It's where we stopped to wait for the sun on the second morning).

Envy the coffee here, getting to see beautiful views every day. ;)

Be a model for me quickly.

Having captured the perfect shot, we continued our ascent to the summit.

Upon reaching the Buddha statue, the view was completely white, making it impossible to see anything.

Proceed to the pavilion, same location as yesterday.

Looking at the mountain peak, oh my god, the mountain peak is gone! Who stole the mountain peak?

In the pavilion, the wind was strong, accompanied by fog, until after a while, it seemed like it would rain.

We have been waiting at the pavilion for a long time, hoping that the sky will clear for us.

Stuck here, unable to do anything. It's raining, so I can't go back or climb the mountain.

All I could do was eat the instant noodles that Bee had lovingly prepared for me.

However, it is bland and tasteless, and I am forced to eat it. This is not fair.

We finally descended from the pavilion, finding the sky more open below. However, the rain soon returned.

Seeking shelter from the rain in a villager's hut.

In addition to eating at their house, thank you very much. The people here are so kind.

Sitting here waiting for the rain to stop, the floating stars arrived, and the herbal honey wine also arrived. It seems a bit overwhelming, I'm feeling dizzy.

The rain began to ease, and we continued our journey, observing the conditions of the road.

Seeking shelter from the rain once again, in a hut I don't recognize.

After descending from the mountain peak to the hut to collect his belongings, Jack realized he needed to leave the mountain today to catch his flight tomorrow.

Jack flew at 10:35 because he had to take a van to Tak at 8 pm to climb Doi Pawi. He secretly regretted it, thinking it would be more relaxing if he didn't have another trip planned.

A dizzying descent.

The Boastful Tailor

Go to the coffee shop before going to bed at Kris's house tonight.

Do you have anything sour and refreshing to eat? Like a lemon tea.

Only green tea available.

Jack: I'll have a green tea with lime, please.

What kind of person drinks green tea with lemon? asked Mr. Kris.

The rain kept falling, and the power went out tonight. We ate dinner by candlelight. We wanted to take pictures of the stars, but there were only floating stars.

This evening, I had the pleasure of spending time with the family of Mr. Kris. We engaged in conversation, listening to the elders share their wealth of stories and experiences.

Tell Krit that coming here makes me feel lazy. I came here to rest, but looking back, I see myself thinking, "Wow, why have I done so much?" I should be tired, haha, but I'm so used to it that I don't rest. So I think it's normal.

This place is truly captivating.

It's time to call it a night and head to bed.

A morning view from a window in Ban San Charoen. The air is fresh and crisp, with a light mist hanging in the air.

It was time to say goodbye to the homeowner. We will see you again soon. Thank you for your warm hospitality.

Wait, there's more! The scenery along the way is just as beautiful as the mountaintop. Jack stopped to take pictures so much that he almost missed his flight.

This concludes Jack's review of the Royal Botanical Garden.

Jack has many more stories to tell, and he will gradually write them down. Thank you to everyone who has read this far.

Jack hopes this review will be beneficial or inspire many people to travel.

It's okay to feel uncomfortable walking in a mall with someone next to you, as if you were sick.

Little traveler

Jack Small Traveler

Stay tuned for our next adventure, where we'll be exploring a stunning mountain peak. We can't wait to share the experience with you!