Popular Post WinnieTheKhwai Posted February 8, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted February 8, 2015 Just about every weekend we visit one of the many restaurant / coffee & cake shop set in the hills around Hang Dong. There are so many now that it's probably worth penning down a list, along with the highlights of the specific place. All of these are easily accessible from town, yet located in the hills for a more remote and restful feel. A trip to some of these places would actually make for a nice half-day drive or ride by car, motorcycle or bicycle. The below is by no means complete, but a good start I suppose. Let's start our write-up at the Royal Flora area in Mae Hia. At the roundabout you have the Night Safari on the left, Royal Flora ahead, and the road to Doi Kham at temple three-quarters of the roundabout. Go towards Doi Kham. Not that you pass the Royal Project Wholesale shop on the right, which can be good to stock up on affordable veggies. Then at the turn-off to Doi Kham, keep going straight. (Or, if this is your half-day trip, visit any of these places; Wat Doi Kham for example has a nice view of the valley.) Cup Fine Day First up after passing Doi Kham is Cup Fine Day. It's next to a resort hotel. Cup Fine Day is nice because it has both a garden area and aircon area, but mostly because of the kids playground. There are two big trampolines that kids enjoy, a sandbox play area and some climbing frames. Coffee and cakes are okay but the food is nothing to write home about. So the place works best if you have kids. Ban Suan Cafe This is now a very big place, on the road into the hills after passing Doi Kham Temple, Cup Find Day and then taking a left at the T junction at the end. This is the road that hugs the foothills of Doi Suthep, going pretty much from Suthep Road downtown, past Wat Umong and then all the way through to Ban Pong on the Samoeng Road. This actually is a good way to get to the general area from town, if you feel like doing something different from just taking the Canal Road down. Any wrong turn though means you end up at the Canal Road, so keep hugging those hills! Anyway Ban Suan Kafae we haven't visited in years, it's just too busy for our tastes. Almost always the parking lot is completely full, with cars parking on the road as well. So we cede this to visiting Bangkokians and keep on driving. (If anyone does visit, thoughts on food, coffee and cakes are welcome) Praw and Plean Greenhouse Past Ban Suan Kafae the road splits in two. Praew and Plean is indicated to the left, then a right turn connecting back to Mae Hia Nai village. This is a lovely place, rustic 'shabby chic' pavilions in a small garden setting, with a koi fish pond. There is no or limited cell phone coverage in the hills there, but the place does have good WiFi. Nice coffee and cakes and they serve food too. My wife thinks the food is pretty average at best, though I think it works for a simple lunch or having some snacks. http://www.wongnai.com/reviews/9053dd175fca4b1a80b6cc2ab10398db Ban Suan Doi Kham and Valley Coffee These places are right next to each other, on a mountain track that continues on to a waterfall. (Waterfall works in the green season only). You get here either continuing on past Praw and Plean, or by sticking ot the right at the fork in the road past Ban Suan Kafae. Valley Coffee's main attraction is a large lawn where you can laze on mats. Usual coffee and basic food. Also good for kids to run around, play frisbee, etc. Ban Suan Doi Kham across the dirt road has more interesting food options. It used to be a full restaurant with a big range of Northern Thai food that was quite excellent. I say 'was' because the lady chef has to be taking it easier these days so the menu is currently a bit more limited, sticking to Northern Thai favorites like Hang Lay Curry, Sai Ua, Khao Soi and so on. So it still fits the bill as Northern enough in appearance, and it's well done, however I'm a little sad to not have the more hard core Lanna food for the time being. Next.. Samoeng Road That's about it for that area near Mae Hia Nai / Suan Prik. If you don't feel like backtracking to Doi Kham Temple and the Night Safari area then you can continue on the road that was left at the fork past Ban Suan Cafe. This road is paved all the way to Ban Pong on the Samoeng Road and it's not actually all that far. Which brings us to the Samoeng Road area in Hang Dong. Let's assume though we get there the usual way, down the Canal Road, then a right turn on to the Samoeng Road past Ban Fhon. There are some resort/restaurants right on the road past Ban Fhon, with WAY too many cars parked in front usually which usually means we skip past. I like space, nature and peace and quiet. (Well, on family weekends I do) Tor Fan Tawan Suay Quite a mouthful to pronounce, but it's a magnificent place, well worth driving out to on the largely dirt road that starts in the sharp right bend in the Samoeng Road in between Ban Fhon and Ban Pong. So past Ban Fhon and the string of parked cars at the road-side coffee places, turn left and then basically keep sticking to the right. There are signs. This is probably our favorite place now, mostly because it has it all: very nice mountain views (it's on a hill), enough for the kids to run around and play, nice seating especially if you can get the main wooden sala to yourself which is nothing short of a princely setting, and they have a full restaurant menu with very good Thai food. It's all very fresh and very well done, including the fish and things with seafood. There is a big vegetable garden, strawberry garden and I noticed yesterday they added some exercise equipment.. interesting: working out on a strawberry hill. http://goo.gl/tA7IGS Ban Khwan Khiang Dao Bamboo House Even more of a mouthful (what is it with naming these places) you can get here taking the same left turn off the Samoeng Road as above, however sticking more to the left. This is also a large place, less high up though but they also have a strawberry field, and they serve food. Prices are perhaps a little higher than at all other places above, but not completely crazy either. Also has a large garden to hang out, and some interesting circular hanging platforms to sit/lie in and swing around. http://goo.gl/vL8L9g And.. many many more places.. Tips and ideas are welcome. I'm mentioning some of these also to make sure enough people visit so they stick around. They're all wonderful additions to things to do and places to eat on the weekend. Rural Chiang Mai *Just* outside the suburbs is getting more and more awesome! 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post WinnieTheKhwai Posted February 8, 2015 Author Popular Post Share Posted February 8, 2015 (edited) Some pics Praw & Plean Greenhouse: Tor Fan Tawan Suay: Ban Khwan Khiang Dao: Valley Cafe Ban Suan Doi Kham It's good to live in Hang Dong. Edited February 8, 2015 by WinnieTheKhwai 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post sappersrest Posted February 8, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted February 8, 2015 Perhaps this could be a pinned topic, great post , TV at it's best. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billd766 Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 Hopefully I will be up that way next month with my mate from Germany and a pair of motorbikes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuurman Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 Great post Winnie, thanks a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfokevin Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 (edited) I got lost and found this backroad a while back... So today after reading your post my partner and I set out on motorbike to re explore... Our goal was to have lunch at Tor Fan Tawan Suay... We took the back road you mentioned... Great scenery and casual motor biking with only the occasional bike cyclist... And the Samoeng junction We saw a beautiful chedi on the hill top... See pick below... Nice road all paved but steep at times... The place under construction... They are building a huge chedi over the old one... The place is deserted accept a few workers... Now we set out for the lunch spot... With their Facebook/Google map we ended up on a dirt road to nowhere... Next was to return to your instruction above but immediately realized that your landmark of a sharp turn in the road was like telling us to turn after the 7-11... Never fear back the Facebook (the whole area has 3G! ;-))...called the resturant... My Thai partner talks the owner circling the terrain... Again we set off and after about 20 minutes on the road I remember that Thais as a race have NO ability to give or receive directions... Rather than trying another call and have anyone lose face we headed back and had delicious lunch at the Royal Project resturant.... Thanks for the tip - we had a great day in paradise... Edited February 8, 2015 by sfokevin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinnieTheKhwai Posted February 8, 2015 Author Share Posted February 8, 2015 ^ Google maps directions I guess work better: https://goo.gl/maps/YUVFN And that's this turn-off on the Samoeng Road: https://goo.gl/maps/Utlu5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balance Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Thanks! May I make one suggestion; a good simple line map would be a great service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maderaroja Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Thank you for the info. I will attempt to find these. I am notoriously easy to confuse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masuk Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Perhaps this could be a pinned topic, great post , TV at it's best. Yes, pinning would be a great idea. Even nicer would be a Google earth map, highlighting those places, and attaching it to the article. Easier once you've been there, but first time, a map is a big help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostFarang Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Nice pics mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkles Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 We have been taking advantage of these coffee/restaurant options for some time as it not far from our home in Hang Dong.Its amazing how popular they have become in a short time.I guess its been mostly word of mouth as we mostly see younger Thais in the majority and many motor bike riders. Previously we made some half hearted appraisals of available land out that way, its tripled in value in 5 years. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidgtr Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 You might want to check out the GT Rider Mae Sa - Samoeng Loop map as it has quite a few of the places on the map, & give you a bit of an idea where everything is out that way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redandyellow Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Good Post. I drove my truck from Phuket to Pai last year.. still have some dried strawberries Lots of corners and bends, in the road I took anyway Signed, understatement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maderaroja Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 You might want to check out the GT Rider Mae Sa - Samoeng Loop map as it has quite a few of the places on the map, & give you a bit of an idea where everything is out that way. Anyone know where to get one of these maps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidgtr Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 You might want to check out the GT Rider Mae Sa - Samoeng Loop map as it has quite a few of the places on the map, & give you a bit of an idea where everything is out that way. Anyone know where to get one of these maps? Most bookshops in Chiang Mai should have it. Suriwong Backstreet Gecko Bookzone Lost Bookstore On The ROad Books + a few of the motorbike rental shops. Its probably the best map for the immediate Chiang Mai environs, not just the Mae Sa Valley Samoeng Loop. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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