Neil Aronson Here are some of the most amazing and unusual Cafes to visit, relax, enjoy and beverage and lunch, outside of Chiang Mai’s city center. Since I love unusual coffee shops, I am in the process of visiting every coffee shop in Chiang Mia Province. And in the process, you come across great ones that are also cafes with great food and incredible atmospheres.
Unlike the many countries I have visited around the world, Chiang Mai it the capital of creativity when it comes to cafe designs. Especially when the natural elements of its beautiful mountains, rivers, and local people are part of the experience.
Everyone has their own opinions, and there are many lists online of the ones they like. This lists of our Cafes that are more than just coffee, but great food, atmosphere, and bring nature to the experience. Most of these are in the hill or mountains around Chiang Mai, so it takes some effort of get there, but worth it. Some are in Mae Rim, one of my favorite areas.
THE LIST
The Ironwood
Seems like we always find new Cafes in and around Chiang Mai. Some through recommendations, and some just by luck. This one, called The Ironwood, and is located in Mae Rim 30 minutes north of Chiang Mai. We were staying at Cool Downs resort, visiting the area, and outside the hotel was a sign for the place down a dirt road. Never would have gone otherwise.
The Ironwood is a family generational property. The idea by the owner was to have a botanical-inspired F&B and hospitality destination. The name comes from the owners great-grandmother’s family name, Bunnag. The English translation of Bunnag is Ironwood (The Tree).
The property is huge and beautiful. It is like a garden and museum, with great coffee shop and a Michelin rated restaurant. And even though it is awarded, the prices are not bad at all. We had lunch there and I had the Grilled Duck. Sit inside in the beautifully decorated interior or out on one of the several patios in the gardens.
This place is the ultimate convergence of creativity, fine dining and local experience. Every single dish is delicately crafted from local ingredients picked from the gardens in the neighborhood which help generate income for the local people.
Rim Nara Cafe & Bistro
Rim Nara Cafe and Bistro near Mae Sa Waterfall. I was just looking for a cappuccino before heading back to Chiang Mai, and found this gem. About a km from Mae Sa waterfall, on the south side of the 1096. You have to turn on a small road, which I missed even with GPS, so go slow.
There is plenty of parking. The cafe, bakery, and coffee house are on a large lot with multiple places to sit. Best of all it is on a nice creek that runs along the property. Very shady and peaceful setting.
The Cafe restaurant has a variety of local dishes, organic eats, and excellent smoothies. The serve a variety of options, specials, and Thai of course. Excellent coffee. Last year they were hit hard by the floods so the patios are changed and look great.
No.39 Cafe
I recently met up with a friend of mine over the weekend and we did some fun things up in Suthep area. This included visiting Wat Umong, which I highly recommend. Right by Wat Umong is a Cafe in the hills called No.39 Cafe. It is a great place to relax with a drink. A popular selfie spot with the younger teens and university students.
We had originally taken a Red Bus to Wat Umong for a visit. The cost from the Old City was 120 baht. From the temple it was a short walk to No.39 Cafe, although it is a narrow road with no sidewalk. For a side tip, next to the cafe is a dirt road that leads to another spot we visited, the Suthep Wildlife Education Center. This is a great place to bring the kids. Part of the university, it is an open area with some wild animals like deer and bulls. There is an ancient archeological site and hiking trails there as well.
The cafe, as you can see, is most known for its small lake with lots of seating areas around. Very shady, with different types of areas to sit. There is often life music as well. The Wi-Fi is excellent so its a great place to work.
You do need to order something before you enter the main area, as you have to pass through the cashier area first. The food options are good with many western items for the kids like burgers and quesadillas. There are dozens and dozens of drinks to choose from.
The Hill
The Hill Restaurant and Cafe in the Hang Dong area of Chiang Mai is a great place to visit if you are looking for beautiful grounds, views, and maybe a romantic spot. As you would imagine, its up on the hill, with nice views. There is a coffee house and separate restaurant. We had lunch, which is pricey, but was very good.
This is an excellent spot for a date or special family or friends get together. The location is pretty easy to drive to if you have a car, and Google Maps will take you there. It is located in the Hang Dong area, up the mountain from route 119 (main ‘canal’ road). If you don’t have a car a grab driver or scooter will get you here. The surrounding neighborhood is a beautiful drive as well. Either get there from 119 or route 1269.
Once you reach to the parking lot, which is huge, you walk up a beautifully designed rock stairs to go up to the restaurant area. Keep in mind, the entire grounds were designed and created on the site. Besides the views most of the elements were not naturally there, however they did a great job. At the top of the stairs to the right is the coffee shop, left is the restaurant with indoor or outdoor seating, and straight ahead are the gardens to relax around and take photos.
The restaurant often has special dinners like Valentines day, and the selections are very nice. The menu can be described as Thai-Western fusion. We had one of the best Caesar salads and steaks that were excellent. There Facebook page will keep you posted on what events and specials they have. Prices were not cheap but not too expensive either, and worth it for a special occasion. Or you can just relax with a cappuccino.
Valley Coffee Lanna Resort
So beautiful and peaceful. That is how I would describe Valley Coffee. Actually located not far from The Hill, off of Route 1269, along the Samoeng Loop. Like most great places we find, this one we discovered by accident. Not by accident, buy luck, looking for coffee shop. As we were driving the area looking around, this one came up on the map, and I had not idea it was a resort until we got there.
This amazing place we found is Valley Coffee By Lanna Resort. Besides the cafe, the grounds are huge and features a beautiful hotel. Quickly realizing we found a bit of paradise in the middle of nowhere.
You can to pass a security guard, just tell them your going to the coffee shop. When you pull in to the resort, it opens up in this jungle valley with a large creek running through the property, and next to the restaurant and coffee shop.
The cafe along the creek has several different patios to choose from, and a variety of local dishes and western food. They are also known for doing special holiday dinners. There are beautiful patios, and you can walk through the creek and relax on the rope swing.
While we did not stay at the hotel, it looks amazing. This is a view of one of the suites. And it is a beautiful place for a wedding. There are also large studio rooms that can accommodate 12 people.
We have gone back several times just to relax. Oh and there are butterflies everywhere, especially in November-January.
Kaomai Lanna Resort
Speaking of Lanna Resort, here is another one, but called Kaomai Lanna Resort. Like Valley Coffee, this resort has a beautiful Cafe that many people go just to visit. And here you also need to go through a guard house, just tell them your going to the cafe.
The cafe, called Cafe Rong Bom, and resort are located in Sanpatong town, off route 108, just south of Chiang Mai city center. Kaomai Lanna Resort is an amazing and unique place to visit or stay, located about 40 minutes south of Chiang Mai center, and on the way to Doi Inthanon National Park.
Our Auntie took us there for coffee, on a day trip to Lamphun. Built in 1955 it was originally a tobacco plantation, family owned As you can see above with the Silos. 30 years later the industry died out. So 18 old barns were converted into 36 beautiful rooms, set in an amazing garden.
CAFÉ RONG BOM, “tobacco drying barn”, is renovated from Thung Siew Farm’s unique twin tobacco drying barn, built by combining two former barns in 1978, after one of the barns was burned down in 1968. Artisans labored carefully over our buildings to restore and highlight the long history of the site.
Kaomai Lanna Hotel and Resort is a unique boutique accommodation on the route from Chiang Mai to Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Thailand. The rooms are renovated from the former tobacco curing barns, decorated in contemporary Lanna style with colonial style teak wood antique furniture.
The property is family friendly, and has a surprising amount to things to do, including yoga, spas, 2 restaurants, museum, classes for kids, a pond, trails, and an amazing pool. Anyone can go, which they do, and visit the grounds, check out the history, and hang out at the peaceful cafe.
Resources
Agoda is the best place to book cheap affordable hotels in Thailand, especially near national parks. They also book flights as well.
Expedia is my favorite place to book flights, hotels, cars, and more. Their group includes Hotels.com and Vrbo for vacation rentals.
Viator is the top choice for activities. Book everything from a temple tour to scuba diving, jungle trekking to cooking classes.
12Go is the top transportation source for Asia. From busses to trains to regional flights.
Air Asia is the top regional discount airlines for Thailand and all Southeast Asia. Book from Chiang Mai to just about everywhere.
