Ride on motorbike to travel at Baan Mae Kampong

If you have your own countryside (Rustics who live in Bangkok), you may already get used to clam rural atmosphere. Every household goes to bed since 8.30PM. They don't go to bed together with Khun Kitti (famous reporter at late night) and wake up with Sorayut (famous morning news reporter), like Bangkokien do.

In case you don't have hometown to go back during festive season, try traveling at Baan Mae Kampong where you will be surprised with everything you see.

There are total of 5 people for this trip. We are not friends at the beginning but rather friend of friend. So, apart from experiencing new things, we also get to know new friends from spending time traveling, eating and sleeping together for 3 days 2 nights.

Which is good though. We don't have to know each other much otherwise we might hate one another, haha.

PS. This journey was taken on April 2015 but I just post photos to public. After one year, things may change but I still believe you will see same thing like us. Or even better. Please don't be lessen. We must help each other to take care of tourist attractions.

Now.........Please scroll down // This way.

We travel in late April which is beginning of rainy season. So, the sky is not very clear and cloudy.

After landing at Chiang Mai, we inform motorbike rental service to pick up and send us at their shop. We book 3 motorcycles including;

1. Suzuki Raider THB150

2. Honda PCX THB150

3. Yamaha Grand Filano THB125

This one is very chic. If we use it, I guess we wouldn't pass first curve safely. We may overturn right here (best award for posture). Motorbike is ready. Helmet is ready. Rider is ready. Let's start the journey.

Now we are on the way to suburb. Our fist destination is searching for nice coffee at the shop on big tree.

It is such a long distance that we think we get lost. Why we haven't arrived yet?

There is a very famous coffee shop in social network which is called The Giat. It was built on huge tree surrounding with treetop. It allows you to see endless mountain view.

Long wooden bridge. Better to walk one by one. Don't rush. I have heard that they are planing to expand the shop in order to welcome large number of tourists. So, everyone will get table without waiting in long queue.

Here's ambiance inside. The price is moderately high but try to imagine how difficult to carry the ice crossing all mountains to here. You will feel better. I mean it is so faraway that we think we get lost. So far that make we re-think of what we are doing here. The price is therefore reasonable. The taste is also nice.

Drink coffee and appreciate the forest for a while. It's time to move on to Baan Mae Kampong. During the way we stop by Teentok Royal Project Development Center.

Baan Mae Kampong ... Amphoe Mae Oon, Chinag Mai. This is the entrance to village which is a nice spot. You can see split level of houses over mountain slop like inviting us to learn livelihood of villagers.

Go little further, entering into Mae Kampong Village.

Our residence is home stay providing 2 meals, around THB500 per person. The hosts take good care like we are their own children. They will arrange on which house you will be staying. This home stay village has systematic management. The hosts receive partial cash where the rest will be kept at cooperative as revolving money for community.

House owners sleep on first floor which they allow us to own entire upstairs. It is consisted of 2 bedrooms and large living room. And of course, in other place like this ……... We sleep together at common area. The weather gets cold in the evening. However, it's still in beginning of rainy season, so it's not that cold. Sleep tight like turning air condition at 18°C.

On the day, there are many groups of tourists in the village. They stay at different houses based on arrangement. Everyone intends to perceive livelihood of this community; how they eat or what they do. According to conversation with the hosts, while they are cooking, I get lots of information.

Every dish is delicious; green chili dip, crispy chicken skin, fried egg and stir fried vegetables. Somehow it depends on your luck whether or not the hosts are good at cooking. We are very lucky that they cook well. We are replete with 2 meals which I eat 3 plates of rice. For another meal, we have spicy soup, Northern style chili dip, stir fried vegetables and fried egg. Everyone is happily full.

The hosts' motorbike. I guess it has been used for long time and will be using until there is no spare parts.

Say hi to the dog (poodle) on hill. All dogs welcome tourists and very friendly.

Survey around village to see how they live, what they do, what they sell including temple, waterfall, trees and flowers. Relaxedly walk.

Hipster style.

Mae Kampong

There is a way to waterfall behind our house. It is a small waterfall flowing through the village. So, some houses is right next to waterfall, like passing beside the house. Very nice ambiance.

Weather is cool, feeling cold at my nose. Crystal clear canal flowing through.

Datura is a flower that you will see everywhere. It grows at every house and every road with multiple colors. It is a local flower similar to Bougaville or Verdolaga in Bangkok.

Wat Khantha Phreksa (Wat Mae Kampong) is the only temple in the village which was built in the same period of settlement. The temple was designed in northern style architecture with hall of a temple in the middle of water. The whole Buddha image hall was built in wood with engraved wooden gable on roof. The pattern is Lanna style. (This informative part is searched from Google.)

The entire temple roof is covered with this kind of tree. It could be because of cold and humid weather all year. Plus the temple is located near waterfall as well. Not only the roof, the tree grows over sculpture, fence, rail and even on the floor.

Let's take a group shot.

Wake up, have breakfast, pack our bags, refill gasoline and continue our journey.

A small coffee shop with enormous view. Chom Nok Chom Mai is another well known coffee house in social network where tourists must visit this view point. Otherwise, you haven't really arrived Mae Kampong yet. Fresh coffee is roasted by the shop. Come and try.

Next place is Nam Tok Mae Kampong. This waterfall has various levels. This floor is at low level. It is gorgeous. You can go up further. We don't go to the end since we don't have enough time. Otherwise we will get to Chae Son Hot Spring too late.

Kew Fin, Lampang, is on the top of mountain where allows you to see 180-degree-view. Looking down will see overlapping mountains which are stunningly beautiful. Photo can't compare to real place. According to a proverb says 10 mouths describing doesn't equal to seeing with your eyes. If come across, please visit. It's extremely gorgeous.

Then we continue to Jae Sorn National Park in order to dip in Onsen. Follow me.

If you want to see photos, know what we find on following day or where we go, please follow next review.