This trip started unintentionally. There was a promotion that came out, and we weren't planning on going, but we decided to check it out. It turned out that the promotion was valid on weekends (usually good promotions are during the week), so we decided to invite some friends. We ended up with 3 people, and we decided to go on a whim. We booked our tickets right away, and that's when things started to get serious. We decided that our first stop would be Rai Saeng Arun, and we didn't know where we would go after that. But we wanted to go to Rai Saeng Arun first, as we had been wanting to go there for a long time. The other places would come later. Here's a summary of our trip.

Estimated expenses for 3 people

1. Travel expenses (flight tickets, car rental + fuel, tram) 8,100 baht

2. Accommodation fee (2 nights) 7,400 baht

3. Food expenses 4,700 baht

Total 20,200 (6,700 baht per person)

Accommodation

1. Sunrise Farm

2. A Star Phulare Valley

Where to eat

1. Phu Phraram Restaurant

2. Saeng Arun Farm

3. Choui Fong Tea Plantation

4. Ordinary Life Shop

5. Melt in Your Mouth Restaurant

Tourist attractions

There are none!!! There are some places to eat and sleep, such as Boon Rawd Farm and Wat Huai Plakang.

Departing from Bangkok on the earliest flight at 7:35 AM. I was afraid that the trip wouldn't be worth it, but the atmosphere was gloomy and it wasn't raining yet. It seemed like the sky wouldn't be beautiful all day. I guess I have to accept it a little since I'm traveling during the rainy season. I picked up the rental car at the airport. Lately, this rental company's cars have been a bit old. The car I got had a very heavy door. Did they fix it? (The shrimp porridge was delicious, though. It didn't look good, but the taste was great.)

First stop, Boon Rawd Farm (GPS: 19.852950, 99.743917). Last time I came in the evening, I was a little disappointed because

1. The light has faded away.

2. It's also crowded, and

3. The farm is currently under renovation and is not open to the public.

This time I came for repairs. I wanted to arrive early in the morning when there were fewer people (it wasn't early and there weren't many people, but it was better than the first time).

The tram ticket for the 10.30 am trip costs 50 baht per person. The tour of the farm takes about 1 hour and there are 3 stops for taking photos. The ticket can be exchanged for a drink and a snack (the drink is from Singha, of course, they wouldn't use any other brand).

Or if you don't want to take the tram to enjoy the view, there are bicycles for rent.

The tram has one guide who narrates the various points that the tram passes through. This round was better than the previous one because we got to see the farm. However, it was the rainy season when we went, which is the time when the soil is being prepared for planting cosmos flowers (our local starburst flowers). What we saw were fields full of soil-improving plants, which were all green. The first stop was the tea farm, where we took photos for 5-10 minutes. (At this point, you can exchange water and snacks. Apart from the first point where you board the tram, there are no other places to exchange. You have to come back to the boarding point to exchange.)

The second stop, where we could see giraffes, zebras, and cows, was our favorite. We came specifically to see the giraffes. At this point, we stopped to feed them and take pictures for longer than at the first stop. The food provided was bananas, 4-5 per basket (20 baht).

The third zone is the zipline zone (300 baht). Asked if I wanted to play (No !!!!)

During the visit (July 1-3, 2016), there was a special opening of the fourth point, which is a greenhouse where melons are grown. During the visit, the melons were just starting to bear fruit and were available for sale. Visitors were also able to sample the melons and shop for them at their convenience. (We were in the sampling and viewing section.)

Finished the tour around the farm (but still want to go during the winter, want to see the flower fields and strawberries too. I'll have a chance to go back and fix it later.)

Continuing on to the food, this meal was at the restaurant Phubhirom, located within the Boon Rawd Farm.

The food looks delicious, but with a limited capacity of 3 stomachs, I had to order a little less than I would have liked.

Crispy fresh tea leaves salad (strong dressing, crispy tea leaves with a slightly bitter aftertaste)

Pad Mee Pho Phi Ram (Rich flavor, large, firm shrimp)

Appetizers (Northern Thai chili dip with mild spices and springy fermented pork sausage)

Grilled chicken from Phu Phraram (When I ordered, I thought it was a small one, but when the food arrived, it was a mother hen. The taste was better than expected. The meat was tender and the dipping sauce was sour.)

Watermelon smoothie and passion fruit mojito (the mint scent is a bit faint)

Next to the restaurant's parking lot, there is a photo spot with a tea plantation as the backdrop. This is recommended as it offers a slightly elevated view, with a glimpse of the tea plantation below.

After a trip to see giraffes, eat chicken, and nibble on tea leaves, we continued our journey to Chiang Khong. Our final destination was Rai Saeng Arun.

On our way, we stopped by Phra That Chom Kitti. The belief in worshipping Phra That Doi Chom Kitti is that if you get to worship it, you will be abundant in rank, title, honor, fortune, and praise. You will be a leader of people. We didn't hope for anything at all. After reading the belief from the internet, we immediately set our sights on it.

You can walk up or drive up to the parking lot (we chose the latter for the safety of our knees).

For Rai Saeng Arun, we have already reviewed it in detail from the thread

https://en.readme.me/p/4388

After checking out of Rai Saeng Arun, our next destination is Choui Fong Tea Plantation (GPS: 20.199773, 99.817629).

I heard there's a new cake shop that just opened, I have to try it! They say the highlight is the crepe cake.

Order a self-service cake. Order at the counter and you will get a round cake (to nibble on...no). Then you can wait anywhere in the shop (sounds like you're being chased away). If the order is ready, this round cake will send a signal to come and pick it up.

I would like to order a green tea crepe, a Thai tea crepe, a hot tea, and a blended Thai tea.

Overall, the taste is not quite there yet. The green tea crepe is not as green as I had hoped (I had high expectations). The iced tea leans more towards milk than tea, but the hot tea is excellent. I recommend trying it during the rainy season. During the hot season, just order it. Hot tea has a certain feeling.

Before heading back, we stopped by a souvenir shop. There were so many products made from tea that I was spoilt for choice. When it came time to pay, my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

Our shopping isn't over yet. The members said they wanted all kinds of beans. I remember buying them from a tea plantation last time, but I don't know which one. But I know it wasn't Choui Fong. It might be the tea plantation at Mae Salong, because we stopped by both plantations last time. We continued our journey to the 101 Tea Plantation in Mae Salong.

We climbed up, climbed up, to find emptiness. The seller said there were no beans during the rainy season. (It's over, we drove more than 30 kilometers and had to drive back again.) In conclusion, we climbed up to use the bathroom and took pictures of the machine-picked tea.

After a long day of exploring Doi Mae Salong, we were famished and decided to have a hearty dinner at "Ruan Cheewit Thammada" (GPS: 19.921872, 99.845392). The entrance to the restaurant is a bit hidden, resembling a village entrance with a sign indicating the restaurant. There is ample parking available for about 10 cars, and if it's full, you can park along the road with the assistance of the staff.

During the rainy season, the water in the Loei River is not as clear as it is during other times of the year.

The recommended menu is Khao Pad Num Sao, which is rice with Num Prik Num, served with boiled eggs, crispy pork rinds, and shredded pork.

(Very delicious, really delicious, I want you to try it, really, I'm not getting paid to advertise.)

Rice wrapped in egg with northern Thai chili dip (I don't remember the actual name of the dish, but it was delicious. The chili dip was rich and flavorful.)

Stir-fried glass noodles with soft-shell crab in a sweet and sour sauce (I can't remember the exact name of the dish, but the sauce was perfectly balanced).

Stuffed northern Thai sausage (a lot of this)

Now that we've finished eating, let's talk about sleeping. Our accommodation for tonight is A Star Phulare Valley (GPS: 20.064041, 99.865703), which is about 20 km from Chiang Rai city center. It's on the same road as Doi Tung, so just follow the main Phahonyothin Road. When you reach the PTT gas station on the left, get ready to stay on the left lane. The hotel entrance has a large, dark brown sign, so you shouldn't get lost (but you might miss it). The hotel itself is quite far inside, but there are clear signs inside. There aren't many岔路, so you shouldn't get lost.

At the front, there is a guard post. When you pass through, you will find a building for meetings. Next to it is a parking lot. You can park your car here and the hotel will pick you up. You can walk if you are not tired, but if you have luggage, it is better to wait for the car.

From the photo taken from the hotel lobby building, you can see the parking lot in the distance.

The lobby is not very spacious, with a small seating area.

There are 4 types of houses available.

1. Chalet

2. Premier Chalet

3. Pool Villa

4. 4 Bedroom Pool Villa

We chose the second type of accommodation, which offers mountain views. As the hotel is quite large, we asked for a car to take us around on our first visit. After that, we walked. In fact, you can always call for a car to pick you up, but when there are a lot of guests, it can be a bit slow. I wouldn't recommend waiting, it's better to take your time and walk around and see things.

The name of the accommodation has the letters T and K in front. Some zones have T and some have K. I'm not sure if this means anything in terms of the type of accommodation (and why didn't you ask?).

Booked a room with 2 single beds and added an extra bed. The room is spacious even with the extra bed (meaning if you don't bump into the corners of the bed, it's spacious enough for me).

Everything in the refrigerator is edible. At first, I accidentally opened the lid of the Fero and turned it. I was shocked. Is it 130 baht? I asked the staff and they said that everything is edible. I'm relieved.

The bedroom is spacious, and the bathroom is even bigger. The rain shower works perfectly. For those who are afraid of the cold, the water heater (let's call it a hot water boiler) is really hot. I guarantee you'll be cooked.

The back balcony is long and offers a partial view of the mountains and a glimpse of the pool. The other side of the room has a view of the larger mountains, but no pool. I planned to capture the evening atmosphere around the hotel, but it started raining again, so I only got a view from the back of the room.

The rain was still falling in the morning, but with the good spirit of a reviewer, an umbrella, a camera (a cold, it doesn't matter, a broken camera, it can be repaired), let's go. Let's take a look at the view of the other side of the house, which is said to have a view of the big mountains. The fog is just starting to descend from the top of the mountain. It's great.

I walked around until my clothes were soaked with raindrops, then I called a car to take me to the breakfast restaurant. There were a lot of guests, so I waited for a long time. I could have walked, but I thought I would get lost, so I took a car.

The breakfast room is located in the same area as the lobby. If you walk straight from the lobby, past the check-in counter, you will find the dining room. There are tables set up both outside and inside. Choose a seat that suits you. Inside is closer to the food, outside is closer to the view. Guess what, did we choose closer to the food or closer to the view?

The food selection is quite extensive and varied. The food is beautifully presented, and the taste varies from less delicious (lotus seed balls and pumpkin custard) to very delicious (steamed dumplings and chicken noodles). I have taken a few photos of the food selection.

Adjacent to the restaurant is a swimming pool with a breathtaking mountain view as its backdrop. However, if you're worried about making a splash in the morning and entertaining breakfast guests, fret not. The pool opens at 10:00 AM, while the breakfast service ends at 10:30 AM, ensuring a comfortable buffer for a private swim.

The view from the pool is amazing. You can soak in the water while looking at the mountains. The pool has a gradual slope, with the deepest point being 1.50 meters. I tried jumping in, and the water came up to my nose. In the picture, I'm standing on my tiptoes and holding onto the edge of the pool (I'm exhausted!).

On our way back from the restaurant, we walked back to our accommodation, taking in the views around the hotel. We also walked to digest our food. There is a large open space here for outdoor activities (according to the hotel's website). Next to the open space is the animal feeding zone. There are sheep here, both small and large, bleating away. At the very back of the hotel is the adventure activity zone. I saw ATVs in passing, but I didn't check the prices.

We left the hotel around 1:30 PM (after enjoying a leisurely walk in the water). We stopped by Wat Huay Pla Kang to pay our respects (GPS: 19.949710, 99.807068). We had originally planned to visit the temple in the evening to take photos, as we had heard that the lights were beautiful. However, it was raining, so we had to cancel all outdoor activities. We went inside to pay our respects to the Goddess of Mercy in the Dharma Chedi, which has a total of 9 floors.

The first floor houses a sandalwood carving of the Guanyin Bodhisattva in the posture of bestowing blessings.

Floor 2: Standing Guan Yin statue (partial view)

Floor 3: Statue of Guan Yin in a seated posture (partial view)

4th floor, replica of Luang Pho Phra Phuttha Sothon

Floor 5: Thousand-Armed Guanyin

Floor 6 Luang Pu To Phrommarangsi and Luang Pu Thuad

Floor 7, Buddha statue in the posture of a naga (Oops, I just realized I didn't take a picture of it)

Floor 8 Phra Sangkachai or Phra Sri Ariya Maitreya

Floor 9, Phra Isuan (We only went up to the 8th floor. On the 9th floor, the stairs are a spiral staircase that goes up and down the same way. People going down will bump their heads, so we decided to go down instead.)

Information above from the website http://www.paiduaykan.com/province/north/chiangrai/wathyuaplakang.html

After leaving the temple, we stopped for a bite to eat. A friend recommended this restaurant, Melt in Your Mouth (GPS: 19.917269, 99.836011). There is parking for about 6-7 cars inside, but if that's not enough, there is an outside parking lot with staff to help you park. The entrance is decorated as a lush green garden, giving the atmosphere of a fresh start after the rain. It's very refreshing.

A menu that offers both savory and sweet dishes, but with a greater emphasis on sweet options (although we prioritize savory dishes, filling up first).

The first menu is Grandma's grilled pork. The pork is marinated with spices and is very fragrant. The meat is quite tender. There are 2 types of dipping sauce: one is similar to seafood dipping sauce and the other is like jaew dipping sauce. Dip it in whichever one you like, or it's delicious without dipping at all.

The second menu, salmon salad (I can't remember the menu name again), the dressing is the same as the seafood dipping sauce in the grandma's grilled pork menu.

The last menu for the main course is pizza. I don't remember what kind of pizza it was, but I remember ordering it with two toppings. Both toppings were delicious. If anyone comes here, I recommend ordering the pizza. It's really delicious.

Let's move on to dessert. We ordered light, 3 drinks and 2 desserts. We didn't order anything that was the best or most popular in the shop. And without any prior agreement, it turned out that the drinks we ordered were all the same color, but with different flavors. The leftmost beautiful glass was some kind of apple, the taste was as expected. The front smoothie tasted like a less sour lemon smoothie than the apple. As for the rightmost glass, it was the most delicious, I can't remember the name, but it was a bit bitter and sour, refreshing and smooth (with a little alcohol).

For dessert, we had panna cotta, which was a bit too milky for my taste. I didn't like it. The charcoal ice cream tasted like cold, gritty charcoal. It was strange.

Our second trip to Chiang Rai has come to an end. There are still many places we haven't been to. Next time, we'll plan a good program to visit again. (The chicken fried with curry paste in the picture is also delicious.)