Ang Khang Guesthouses

[mobile69]

My parents are visiting for the next few weeks & I was thinking of taking them up Doi Ang Khang area.

Anyone know of nice guesthouse up there similar in quality to Cave Lodge, or Karen Lodge where we've stayed before. AK Nature Resort is not what we're after, but attached bathroom a requirement.

Cheers

[sabaijai]

There's nothing of Cave Lodge's quality on Doi Ang Khang, but there are two or three Thai-style guesthouses at the end of the road to the peak. If you continue driving past the Amari you'll come to a row of shophouses and a parking lot, sort of a market area. Two or three guesthouses there, all under 1000B, pretty similar to each other.

Also before you reach the top of the mountain you pass through a Yunnanese village called Ban Luang, and there are two guesthouses there as well. Like the ones mentioned above, these guesthouses cater primarily to a Thai clientele.

Very few foreign tourists up there, even at the Amari.

[mobile69]

There's nothing of Cave Lodge's quality on Doi Ang Khang, but there are two or three Thai-style guesthouses at the end of the road to the peak. If you continue driving past the Amari you'll come to a row of shophouses and a parking lot, sort of a market area. Two or three guesthouses there, all under 1000B, pretty similar to each other.

Also before you reach the top of the mountain you pass through a Yunnanese village called Ban Luang, and there are two guesthouses there as well. Like the ones mentioned above, these guesthouses cater primarily to a Thai clientele.

Very few foreign tourists up there, even at the Amari.

Are these guesthouses bungalow type places or just shophouses? Will be going midweek so it should be quiet. Been to Phu Chi Fah when no one else there, & the places to stay were ok for the one night.

Never been up to Ang Khang, so have no idea what type of accommodation is there.

[sabaijai]

There's nothing of Cave Lodge's quality on Doi Ang Khang, but there are two or three Thai-style guesthouses at the end of the road to the peak. If you continue driving past the Amari you'll come to a row of shophouses and a parking lot, sort of a market area. Two or three guesthouses there, all under 1000B, pretty similar to each other.

Also before you reach the top of the mountain you pass through a Yunnanese village called Ban Luang, and there are two guesthouses there as well. Like the ones mentioned above, these guesthouses cater primarily to a Thai clientele.

Very few foreign tourists up there, even at the Amari.

Are these guesthouses bungalow type places or just shophouses? Will be going midweek so it should be quiet. Been to Phu Chi Fah when no one else there, & the places to stay were ok for the one night.

Never been up to Ang Khang, so have no idea what type of accommodation is there.

As I recall the ones at the top of Doi Ang Khang are all more or less shophouse style, but my memory is actually pretty vague on that point, didn't stay in any of them myself. Maybe more like three-storey hotels fo the kind you see in smaller towns throughout Thailand.

Of the two in Ban Luang, the 2nd one, on the way out of the town en route to DAK, is the nicer one and I think it does have separate bungalows.

Wish I could be more specific but it's been a year since I've been up there, and I didn't spend the night.

[mobile69]

Thanks Sabaijai. Will probably have a look at Ban Luang. If it's not suitable we can always make it a day trip or stop at Malee's at Chiang Dao.

[davidgtr]

Thanks Sabaijai. Will probably have a look at Ban Luang. If it's not suitable we can always make it a day trip or stop at Malee's at Chiang Dao.

That's a long day trip & will make any time up on Ang Khang very rushed.

if you don't stay in Ang Khang, then spend the night in Fang, or Tha Ton even.

Go up the back way on R1340, hit Doi Ang Khang mid arvo, spend your time there & overnight in Fang / Tha Ton if you don’t like the accommodation in DAK.

Check out this report on the Doi Ang Khang loop.

[meadish_sweetball]

Thanks Sabaijai. Will probably have a look at Ban Luang. If it's not suitable we can always make it a day trip or stop at Malee's at Chiang Dao.

Stopping over in Chiang Dao the first night and leaving rather early in the morning for Doi Angkhang is a good idea. That way you do not have as much driving to do the second day and will be left more time up on Doi Angkhang. You can of course make it back to CM that same day quite easily if you like, but for a more comfortable pace maybe stop over somewhere on the way back as well.

[mobile69]

Thanks for the replies folks. Have to admit I'm surprised no one on this forum appears to have stayed up there. Perhaps after a visit I'll understand why.

[jaideeguy]

Thanks for the replies folks. Have to admit I'm surprised no one on this forum appears to have stayed up there. Perhaps after a visit I'll understand why.

Hey Andy,

I stayed up there about 3 yrs ago with my family and had a good time. First impression of the tourist trap shop/guest houses there turned me off and we were almost going to return down the hill, but went into the Royal compound and inquired about acomodation and much to our surprise, they had these nice bungalos with bath attached. clean, quiet and only 800bt. but i heard that the amari took over management, so you might want to call ahead to confirm that they don't have amari prices. good luck and let us know what you find out......

j

[davidgtr]

Thanks for the replies folks. Have to admit I'm surprised no one on this forum appears to have stayed up there. Perhaps after a visit I'll understand why.

Mobile69

I’ve had a night at Doi Ang Khang – a mere 22 years ago.

It December, the popies were out everywhere & it was bloody cold. I slept fully clothed on the floor of some wooden forestry hut, as that’s all there was.

My brother & had hitched a lift there with some Thai friends from Chiang Mai. There were 11 of us "standing up" in the open back of a pick-up. The road R1249 then was all dirt – 100%. We got to Ang Khang about 1.30 pm, all looking like brown dust(snow)men & hardly recognizable. The Thais sat around freezing their <deleted> off, drank a few bottles of Mekong to warm up, when it got dark they decided it was time to drive back to Chiang Mai. I was a bit young & innocent in those days & declined the drive back – no way was I going down R1249 in the dark, standing up in the back of a pick-up, with "drunk" driver on that amazing tight incredibly steep winding road. So that’s how we ended up sleeping on the floor of a wooden forestry hut, with the cold wind gusting through between the timbers & shiver me they did!

I’ve been back to DAK many times since then, it’s one of the best rides / loops you can do in North Thailand, but it’s a bit too quiet for me at night. Fang is the place to go, if that’s what your after.

[meadish_sweetball]

Thanks Sabaijai. Will probably have a look at Ban Luang. If it's not suitable we can always make it a day trip or stop at Malee's at Chiang Dao.

Stopping over in Chiang Dao the first night and leaving rather early in the morning for Doi Angkhang is a good idea. That way you do not have as much driving to do the second day and will be left more time up on Doi Angkhang. You can of course make it back to CM that same day quite easily if you like, but for a more comfortable pace maybe stop over somewhere on the way back as well.

I have stayed there, just not in the guest houses. The Amari Ang Khang Nature Resort is really nice, actually.