Nice places out of town

[stament]

I am feeling a bit adventurous and am interested in visiting some places not too far from CM, say up to 30 to 40km away to explore. Criteria:

 

Nice place to visit, eg scenery, something there of interest 

particilarly interested in the following either at the recommended place or en-route:

 

nice coffee place

good restaurants (cheap eats are fine as are normal restaurants)

romantic places

romantic restaurants serving very good food

markets, fruit, etc

 

 

Want to do a few days out hence the post. Ideally places recommended to visit with food/coffee options either on the way or at the final destination.

 

I have young kids so anything for them would be a bonus but also planning to go separately with just my wife

 

 

Thanks in advance.  

 

[trevoromgh]

San Kamphaeng hot springs would be worth a visit it's good family destination for a picnic or has cafes there too if you prefer but I've not tried them.  Plenty of shady trees for if it gets hot and well recommended on TripAdvisor site. 

[elektrified]

Chang Dao. Probably a little more than 30-40 Km but not much.

[lordblackader]

Mae Kompong - 1 hour drive, really nice village in the mountains,  a small number of restaurants and bars along some nice little B&Bs as well. 

[MaeJoMTB]

Huay Tung Tao lake 7km, not too bad, I was there this morning. Good place for the kids to splash in the water while you eat. Bring your own food and drink for a picnic, or eat in the 20+ restaurants (not expensive) surrounding the lake.

Edited December 12, 2017 by MaeJoMTB

[MaeJoMTB]

Ob Khan National Park, just out in the mountains past Hang Dong (about 25Km)

Lovely river, shallow swimming area, rubber rings for rent, best to take your own food and drink as it's a bit expensive (and restricted) locally.

[MaeJoMTB]

Mon Jairn (aka Mon Cham) in the mountains above Mae Rim about 25Km from town.

Mountain views, flower gardens, fairly expensive restaurant, very popular with the 'posh' local Thais and their girlfriends.

 

Edited December 12, 2017 by MaeJoMTB

[MaeJoMTB]

How about Sticky Waterfall (one of only 2 in the world) about 40Km from town, out past MaeJo.

The kids will love running up the 'non-slip' waterfalls (very exciting). Local food and drink at reasonable prices and you can use the boardwalk to see the 7 colour pool (not all that exciting).

Edited December 12, 2017 by MaeJoMTB

[Koratjohn77]

You said you're in Chiangmai?  Oh I know of at least a dozen places to see outside the city, but one of the coolest places to visit would be the Hilltribes Villages up in the mountains!  It's up at a very highly altitude.  We've been there before trust me it's worth seeing.  In fact when I first visited here before we retired here the Hilltribes Villages in the mountains of Chiangmai are still my favorite site to see in all of Thailand.  I can't remember where it's at but there's also a REALLY COOL park somewhere around there where you can hike up a mountain and go down inside this absolutely huge cave.  At that same park you can also rent a canoe and paddle down the river and there's also a rope bridge that crosses the river.  I literally had the most fun in my life there!  Our first trip here actually was the most fun I've ever had in my life that included with the extremely low cost of living is what made me decide to retire here.  I was just like I want to live here forever.  And now I'm retired and we are living that dream, it's truly a blessing living here on my pension and not having to work ever again!  You just reminded me of some really great memories thanks.  

[Koratjohn77]

Here are some pictures of the Hilltribes Villages up in the mountains of Chiangmai from 2010 before I retired.  Back then I was working in Tokyo, I'm retired military I did 22 years most of that in Special Operations.  I'll see if I can find some pictures of the park I was talking about as well:. 

 

There I found a few of my pictures from where I was talking about.  The Hilltribes Villages are at an extremely high altitude up a very steep mountain.  The truck that takes people up there actually has trouble driving up the mountain.  It's totally safe though the road is a wide asphalt road.  There are 2 different places in my pictures the Hilltribes Villages outside of Chiangmai up in the mountains and the park I was talking about in my previous post with the caves.  I have pictures from inside the cave.  When you get down inside there the temperature is really cooled down inside that cave.  Back then I was still in the best shape of my life that was before I got all shot up in Afghanistan and Iraq on my last combat tours.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 2017 by Ron19
Removing images of military weapons and Opium Poppies.

[maybefitz]

A nice scenic circuit is up to Chiang Dao, then the mountain road to Phrao. Phrao a neat little town with a great little market, worth visiting. Then on another mountain road to Wiang Pa Po, (on the Chiang Rai Road) and back to CM. You go past Doi Saket temple, which is well worth a visit with modern art painting. 

[Koratjohn77]

Anyway I highly recommend seeing those 2 places outside the city of Chiangmai it's not that far away from the city from what I remember from the last time I was up that way.  Just from reading your post I think these 2 places are exactly what you're looking for.  I can't wait to go back up there and see that place again!  We're going back up there the first chance we get!  It's a very long drive from where we live in Korat.  

[Audragon]

Hi there,

It's so nice not to have to battle the adblocker adblocker to be able to say I also thoroughly recommend Mon Cham (Jam) and the Temple nearby. I took my partner's Thai family there recently and they loved it, especially the avocados 3kg for 100baht which they seemed to like more than the Four Seasons afternoon tea. A wonderful day!

[simoh1490]

Mae Tang, Samoen and Chiang Dao.

[sawadee1947]

Have been just here today: Wiang Kam Kum.....ancient city at the Ping, not far from the City, about 5km

[Koratjohn77]

Also I remember stopping by a hot springs somewhere up there as well I'm sorry I don't recall exactly where that was.  My first visit here was from December 20th 2009 through January 10th 2010 and I literally had the most fun of my life on that trip.  It was also the first time in 30 years that my wife got to visit her family again.  Additionally when I saw how cheap the cost of living is here and how cheap everything else is here I decided then that I wanted to live here for the rest of my life because I also really enjoy it here.  So then retiring in Thailand became my dream in life, and now we are currently living that dream.  I'm retired, I'm getting my pension, and we are living our dream here in Thailand.  I feel truly blessed because in Iraq and Afghanistan I almost lost it all multiple times.  Now it's like I no longer have to worry about anything in life anymore except for maybe renewing my extension every year which is actually pretty easy now that we've been living here for so long.  I'm truly happy.  

[pgrahmm]

^^^ Fang Hot Springs maybe?

[ianwheldale]

4 hours ago, MaeJoMTB said:

Mon Jairn (aka Mon Cham) in the mountains above Mae Rim about 25Km from town.

Mountain views, flower gardens, fairly expensive restaurant, very popular with the 'posh' local Thais and their girlfriends.

 

I was up there last weekend. Rammed full with mainly Thais and a fair sprinkling of Chinese. Lovely spot, but a weekday probably quieter. Easy to squeeze my bike through the traffic, but in a car be prepared to queue.

[Lacessit]

6 hours ago, trevoromgh said:

San Kamphaeng hot springs would be worth a visit it's good family destination for a picnic or has cafes there too if you prefer but I've not tried them.  Plenty of shady trees for if it gets hot and well recommended on TripAdvisor site. 

Do not go to San Kamphaeng Hot Springs on a weekend. Thousands of people, and the waters are filthy. Wednesday or Thursday, possibly.

[Lacessit]

Try Chiang Mai Erotic Garden and Teahouse, website www.chiangmaieroticgarden.com. Closed Monday. It's an absolute hoot which would bring a smile to the face of almost anyone. 300 baht entry, sounds expensive but well worth it. No, I don't get a commission.

[chingmai331]

Plz mods, moderate this thread.  The many pointless photos of military weapons, opium poppies and filthy infested swimming waters are an absolute waste of internet space.

[Lacessit]

3 hours ago, maybefitz said:

A nice scenic circuit is up to Chiang Dao, then the mountain road to Phrao. Phrao a neat little town with a great little market, worth visiting. Then on another mountain road to Wiang Pa Po, (on the Chiang Rai Road) and back to CM. You go past Doi Saket temple, which is well worth a visit with modern art painting. 

Phrao? Blink and you'll miss it. Agree Doi Saket temple has some very interesting billboards with Thai proverbs.

[MaeJoMTB]

20 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Agree Doi Saket temple has some very interesting billboards with Thai proverbs.

And here is a photo of one of their billboards I took a few years back ..........

Don't forget to view their statues of the the different incarnations of Buddha (Kali, Ganesh, etc.)

Edited December 12, 2017 by MaeJoMTB

[Antonymous]

The route that someone mentioned Chiang Dao to Phrao to Wiang Pa Pao and back through Doi Saket is a very, very long drive. Beautiful in parts but probably not what the OP wants.

 

Chiang Dao itself is lovely, but 70-80kms from Chiang Mai, depending where you are starting from.

 

Ob Khan National Park well worth a visit.

 

My own favourite, having lived in CM for almost 30 years is to take the Route 1010 from Maejo to Phrao. This is one of the most popular roads on the GT Rider circuit and great on a motorbike. It is equally lovely in a car with the family. It is a good road that wends through the national forest. Wind down the windows and enjoy the views and the fresh air.

 

For an easy half day out you don't need to go all the way to Phrao (that's about 85kms). At about 50kms you reach Namtok Bua Tong, right in the heart of the forest. This is what MaeJoMTB called 'Sticky Waterfall' I think. This is a beautiful, peaceful setting with a waterfall that you can walk up (if you want) and other short walks all around. Good car parking and a few small restaurants. Best of all, it is currently FREE. Not sure how long that'll last.

 

And if you are in the mood for more splendid views, continue on the Route 1010 through the forest for another 12kms until you reach the Lost Valley of Phrao. This is a gorgeous valley surrounded 360 degrees by hills and forest. There are a dozen small villages. The centre village is Long Khot. Just drive around this area, through the picturesque villages and rice fields.

 

And Phrao itself is another 25kms from Long Khot. Nothing to do in Phrao, except to visit the fresh market as someone else mentioned. After touring Long Khot and the valley, perhaps best to head back to CM. All in all a great trip out from Chiang Mai and very easy to get to.

 

And I was there today! Photos follow.

[Antonymous]

Oooops!

 

Not the 1010. I meant Route 1001 from Maejo to Phrao. One road all the way.

 

 

[stament]

thanks all some good suggestions,

 

 

[stament]

any restaurant or coffee place recommendations either enroute to places or at the places?

[stament]

On 12 December 2017 at 4:11 PM, ianwheldale said:

I was up there last weekend. Rammed full with mainly Thais and a fair sprinkling of Chinese. Lovely spot, but a weekday probably quieter. Easy to squeeze my bike through the traffic, but in a car be prepared to queue.

is this on the samoen loop?