October 8, 2017

As the rainy season wanes and the cool breeze of winter approaches, I find myself drawn to the "destinations" on my list, few but exceptional. As always, I prioritize green spaces, places that can recharge my small (but growing) life with positive energy.

After battling with numbers, performance evaluations, and toxic documents, I inevitably experience a touch of office syndrome. One day, while searching for green spaces online, I stumbled upon a hut at the end of a rice field near Kong Muang, Chiang Dao. I messaged the owner, made arrangements, and was about to transfer the money when I realized the road leading to the hut was "too steep" for my driving skills. The plan was scrapped in a matter of seconds.

I then invited a group of friends to join me, but many were swamped with work. In the end, two of us decided to venture out to an undetermined location. After discussing our options, we settled on a place similar to the first, except without the steep road but with mountains and rice fields. This time, both the "mountain team" and the "green team" were thrilled with our choice: "Jeang Dara."

"Chiang Dara"

Derived from the word "Chiang Dao".

"Chiang" (Northern dialect) means "Chiang".

"Dara" means "star". The owner, Khun Ji, has a good understanding of word choice.

In fact, the person who gave the name to this place was a monk. This is because, from what I discussed with Khun Ji, he had been ordained before... On the day I visited, "Chiang Dara" had only been in full operation for a little over 2 months. However, the buzz on Facebook and social media was extraordinary. Why? In my personal opinion, it's the "identity" of the Lanna countryside that beckons visitors to come here, without fail.

But for me, I brought my misunderstanding to him... I admit that... At first, when I went, I carried a lot of questions to ask the owner because of my own "confusion" (I apologize for mentioning this). This conversation took place during Khun Ji's dinner with his family, where I was warmly welcomed.

Q: Why is it called "Jeang Dara"?

Ms. Ji: Because everything comes from Chiang Dao and what they have

Q: What is the concept behind this place? Where did it come from? The name sounds very similar to Vieng Tara in Vang Vieng.

Ms. Ji: Chiang Dara is Chiang Dao, which was named by the monk. As for the decoration and ideas, they come from Ms. Ji herself. Because she was ordained and studied at the Lanna Wisdom Continuation School (behind the office of the owner), she brought the original Lanna style to decorate the place.

OP: Clear and concise. End of questioning. ^^

Map credit: https://www.facebook.com/JiangdaraCoffeeAndTea/

There are three houses: Chiang Chan, Chiang Ngam, and Chiang Kran (Chiang Kran wants to change the name to Chiang Tawan to pair with Chiang Chan).

We stopped at several places before checking in. We had so much fun that we forgot about the appointment we had before noon. We checked in at 3 pm, but we thought it was okay because we had transferred half of the deposit before coming. It shouldn't be a problem. (Grumpy)

We followed the map to a road we had never been on before, even though we had been to Chiang Dao many times. But this time, we were off the main road in the small town of Chiang Dao. We followed the map to the shop until we reached a beautiful green rice field with Doi Luang flanking us the whole time.

We saw this alley and the sign for "Chiang Dara" shop, so we turned in.

A two-lane road with a drainage ditch in the middle presented a thrilling challenge. We opted for the paved path leading into the shop.

Park in front of the shop. The shop is very crowded, and so is the parking lot, which stretches far away.

Roll down the car window... The first picture shows the front of the coffee shop, Chiang Dara, with a view worth seven hundred billion baht.

Think about it, coffee with a view like this, it must be "amazing", right? What are you waiting for?

We walked into the shop and followed the bamboo walkway to the (coffee) counter. We couldn't find the check-in counter, so we told them, "We're here to check in." We sounded a bit awkward, and the other customers who were there to sip coffee looked at us... Um ^^

At that moment, the author tried to look for the owner, but couldn't find him because the place was packed with both customers and staff. Everything seemed hectic at that time...

After a while, the man who was in charge of the counter said, "Hey, Ji, take the customer to their room."

The author looked at the young man's face, but didn't think anything of it (he had eyes but no sparkle). He told us to wait a moment, he would go sweep the room and make the bed first. So we waited... and took some random photos.

Fine... I'll wait, but after a while, my attention span started to dwindle. I grabbed my things and went to his house to find him.

Let's just wait in front of the house, okay? The restaurant is too crowded...

A short while later, a man named Ji brought water, glasses, and tissues.

We checked into our accommodation to rest after a challenging half-day trek in Chiang Dao.

The room is sparsely furnished, with only a fan for cooling. However, it does have an en-suite bathroom.

Free Wi-Fi is available, and there are two power outlets. There are four lights, which is sufficient for a small hut at the end of a rice field. ^^

A mosquito net is provided, but we don't use it because there are no mosquitoes. It's strange, isn't it? Even though the rice field is full of water, there are no mosquitoes. It feels like sleeping in the middle of the forest, but there are no mosquitoes.

After a long break (a very long one), my stomach started to growl. It was almost five o'clock, so we decided to go out for something to eat at our favorite restaurant, Sen Luang Doi. The view from there is what makes the restaurant so famous.

Let's go grab some dinner, shall we?

However, as soon as we drove out of the alley, we saw Lotus and realized that we should buy some offerings for the end of Buddhist Lent.

Forgot… the charm of Doi Luang Tandai. Parked the car and saw a 20 baht noodle shop still open. Went in hungry and then stopped by Lotus. Forgot the name of the restaurant… 555 Got a lot of heavy stuff. Drove to meet a friend who sent me their location saying "This is it, I'm staying at …. in Chiang Dao too." I could have gone, but they didn't answer their phone… so we didn't meet. Went back to my accommodation.

As darkness fell, we arrived at our accommodation, where we were warmly welcomed by a family who treated us like relatives. It had been a long time since anyone had invited us to share a meal together. For a long time, the author had been away from home and had not heard such a sincere and familiar voice inviting them to dinner.

Our conversation took place here, at the family's dining table. After some questioning, we ended up ordering papaya salad.

And dragged back to the accommodation
After a long while, the papaya salad arrived.

The conversation between the owner and the younger friend began.

The house next door also started to get loud and more spicy than ever.

We had a lot of fun.

I feel more at ease now... Because at first I was worried that

We would be the ones to break the silence here.

On the contrary, even though there is no sound system

There is only the sound of crickets chirping.

The sound of the lute and the flute played by the owner and his friends.

It makes this place charming.

Cold wind, sky blanket, rice field, stars and moon as companions... The author feels happy deep inside.

Not drunk... but the camera is not working.

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The house next door must be having a hard time.

No one is awake. We wake up because something calls us to follow it. We go out in our pajamas because we are sure that "no one is awake with us." Except for this thing that "waits" for us to wake up and find it.

In this corner, the petite female fighter stands ready.

The moment when Vang Vieng, Palmerstone North, and Yamanashi converge perfectly.

"Jeang Dara," a rural village, embodies the serene beauty of universal nature.

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(Morning) white mist (night) stars aligned (filling the sky) Doi Luang stands tall in front of you Heaven of the rice fields "Jeang Dara" Chiang Dao - Maria Bamboo

The beauty of the scenery is breathtaking, inspiring a desire to explore further. After returning to the cabin, a refreshing shower and change of clothes would be most welcome.

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Bathed, dressed, and put on makeup until I thought to myself, "I'm beautiful now."

Grabbing the camera, switching to a fixed lens, my younger friend is still not finished. As a devotee of scenic views, I, the author, excuse myself to chase after the scenery.

Khao Kiew was not hungry at that time, or was it still full from the night before?

At this moment, all we know is that... the later it gets, the more beautiful it becomes, because the mist has arrived, flowing and floating.

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I like it here… The bamboo walkway allows you to walk around the accommodation, giving you access to the area to weave in and out and take pictures everywhere.

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Step outside the fence sometimes.

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Villagers are starting to wake up, commute, and resume their daily routines.

For the original poster, missing out on staying at Vieng Tara Vang Vieng on the previous trip was well compensated by Chiang Dao. Although not identical, they are quite similar. Don't believe me? Ask the mist.

Chiang Dao, My First Winter

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Doi Luang Chiang Dao, no matter how you look at it, you never get bored.

I was thinking about it... Another thought came to me that... One day I will visit the top of Doi Luang.

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The owner imagined that...

350 per person for accommodation probably doesn't include breakfast.. But that morning we saw you Ji wake up early to clean up the coffee shop and prepare a tea and coffee corner for the guests. Nearby there was a tray of bananas that Bak asked, "Can I eat this?" Are you preparing it for the guests? He replied, "Yes." There is also rice porridge. Good, very cute.

That's even better than "worth it."

During our conversation with Mr. Ji, he revealed the story behind "Jeang Dara." The 25-year-old entrepreneur, who had recently completed his monkhood studies, never anticipated embarking on such a significant project. Inspired by his friends' encouragement, his passion for Lanna culture, and the availability of his father's rice field, he began working on the project in early February. Starting from scratch in the middle of the field, he gradually transformed his vision into reality, creating the now-famous "Jeang Dara," a popular tourist destination in Chiang Mai.

A young mother and her daughter, both skilled in the kitchen.

The mother's cooking is delicious.

The first and only cat that has been close to the author is Ploy.

Affectionate and playful, they stick together like toffee. Or perhaps they are like this with everyone? Maybe I'm just imagining things.

Simple coffee and home-cooked rice porridge enjoyed with a million-dollar view.

I envy the people here.

Thorny trees that I desperately want to separate and plant.

Breakfast is ready. We took some photos around before leaving.

We brought back the freshness and positive energy to go home and continue working.

Next frame...

Let's do some portrait work.

(Please don't puke, don't roll your eyes, don't pout 555)

Long time no see...
It's been a while since I've held it in my hands.
Let's take a trip down memory lane with a couple of photos each. "Evidence."

Wildflowers are "beautiful" in their own place.

Everyone has value when they are in the right place.

I'm leaving now.

I have plans to visit many more scenic spots today.

I'm full from the simple meal with a million-dollar view.

We said goodbye to Chiang Dara,

the old man who greeted us and sent us off with blessings.

And last but not least, Peuy,

who impressed me by following us to the car. So cute.

The people here are kind, and the cats here are kind too.

Thank you for visiting "Chiang Dara" in Chiang Dao together.