Mae Kampong, Chiang Mai has become a tourism trend in Thailand. Everyone talks about Mae Kampong (แม่กำปอง), whether Thais say that the village atmosphere feels like Japan, the delicious street food that you must try, or the cool and relaxing weather throughout the year, especially at night, accompanied by the sound of flowing water that soothes the soul.
Yes, all I’ve mentioned is genuinely great (except the Japanese part, personally, I think it doesn’t really resemble Japan that much. Mae Kampong is Mae Kampong, it’s already good in its own right). And I honestly admit that, like many others who rave about Mae Kampong, I too came to visit due to its hype. Hahaha. Therefore, let me tell you in advance, Mae Kampong is indeed lovely, but it can get chaotic due to its popularity. I recommend avoiding visiting on weekends and preparing yourself if it’s too crowded.
✨👀 If you’re reading this travel review on my blog for the first time, I just want to say hello! My name is Kot and I’m real 100% Thai. Therefore, you can be confident that this Thai travel review is a genuine local review, not a travel review done by foreigners or Farangs. So, let’s travel like real Thai locals. Yeahh!
Mae Kampong Village
Let me begin by saying that Mae Kampong is a village where locals have lived for over 100 years. It’s located amidst beautiful mountains and even has a stream flowing through it from the Mae Kampong waterfall. With its lovely atmosphere, the village leaders decided to turn Mae Kampong into an eco-tourism destination, where you can experience the locals’ way of life through various activities, including staying in their homestays.
The short street, lined with shops, restaurants, and street food, stretches out throughout the area. It seems to be the center of the village where many tourists come to visit. The atmosphere, food, the signature old wooden houses, and many other things make this place the charm of Mae Kampong. This place attracts many people to come and take pictures, whether in the middle of the street or in front of popular places like the Lung Pud Pa Peng Coffee (บ้านฮิมห้วย ลุงปุ๊ด & ป้าเป็ง). It’s a way of confirming that we have indeed reached Mae Kampong Village. Haha.
In addition to exploring and taking beautiful photos in Mae Kampong, another essential thing to do is hunting for food along the village streets. It’s such a fun part of the experience because there’s an abundance of delicious street food. From Sai Oua (Northern Thai spicy sausage), Khanom Khai Pa (wild egg dessert), grilled pork, sausages, Malas (Taiwanese wheel cake), grilled fermented pork, jelly coke, and many more! Trust me, you’ll be stuffed. One famous place is Mae Nim’s Sai Oua. But from my experience, the Sai Oua from the nearby stall across the street is just as delicious. Haha.
Besides street food, there are also many restaurants scattered throughout Mae Kampong village. If you’re hungry, you can just walk in and order food. Most of the eateries are situated by a small stream, which provides a gentle sound of flowing water. It’s a joy to sit there, enjoy your food, and watch people walking around the village. It’s pretty chill. If you’re looking to buy souvenirs, try visiting the “Cat Hill Gallery (แมวดอย แกลเลอรี่)” shop. They have a variety of cute trinkets for you to enjoy selecting.
All I’ve mentioned is just on the main street of Mae Kampong village. It takes several hours to walk around, take pictures, enjoy the view, and eat. But Mae Kampong has more to offer beyond that. There are many more attractions around. Let’s keep exploring together!
Rabeing View Cafe
For those who are wondering where to capture the stunning aerial view of Mae Kampong village, and whether a drone is needed or not, the answer is no! Everyone can take beautiful aerial photos of Mae Kampong village at Rabeing View Cafe. The cafe is located uphill, a little on the way to Mae Kampong Waterfall. You can drive or take a local minivan, or if you’re energetic like me, you can hike up from the village.
I can confirm that Rabeing View Cafe is a must-visit million-dollar-view cafe where you can sip hot coffee and enjoy the chill weather. It’s highly recommended that you visit in the early morning because this time offers the most beautiful light for viewing and photographing the village. It’s lovely!
Mae Kampong Waterfall
If you’ve been to Rabeing View Cafe, you can walk another 400 meters along the road to reach Mae Kampong Waterfall in a very chill manner. Once you arrive, you can see the waterfall without having to climb any further. But if anyone wants to continue walking, Mae Kampong Waterfall itself has a nature study trail for us to hike up and see more than 7 tiers of the waterfall, with pools for swimming. If you’ve heard the sound of flowing water from the stream in Mae Kampong village, it comes from this Mae Kampong Waterfall. It’s a great feeling!
Personally, I only visited the first tier of the waterfall because I didn’t have much time then. But honestly, even the first tier near the entrance is already very beautiful. Not long after that, I walked back to the village, following the Mae Kampong Waterfall stream flowing down. This path is on the opposite side of the waterfall entrance (across the road). I highly recommend this return route as it offers another perspective of nature in Mae Kampong that many people may not be aware of. It’s truly amazing!
Mae Kampong Temple
Mae Kampong Temple, or Wat Khantha Phueksa, is the only temple in Mae Kampong that is over 70 years old. The temple grounds are lush and serene, featuring one of the only two water-surrounded ordination halls in Chiang Mai province. If you happen to visit Mae Kampong, it’s worth taking a stroll around the temple. It’s not far from the heart of Mae Kampong village and is within walking distance.
For those who plan a day trip to Mae Kampong, you can park at the temple and explore the area. However, it’s recommended to arrive early because the parking space is limited. As we all know, Mae Kampong attracts many visitors. If you can’t find a parking spot here, I’m not sure where else you could park.
Cafe in The Doi
Another cafe around Mae Kampong that I’d like to recommend is Cafe in The Doi. The cafe is filled with various picture-perfect spots against the backdrop of Mae Kampong’s natural scenery. From the popular white staircase that many cafes feature these days, to bird’s nests and many other scenes for us to choose from for our photos. Coming here guarantees you’ll go home with satisfactory shots. It’s really worth it.
Apart from the plentiful photo spots, this place also serves food and drinks, allowing us to sit back, relax, and enjoy the mountain views. Overall, I think the taste of their single-dish meals is quite alright. The prices aren’t too high, and the coffee is acceptable. As for the cake, it’s rather average.
Claai Cafe’ & Eatery
(Formerly known as Utsah Homebrew)
The last cafe I want to recommend for those visiting Mae Kampong is Utsah Homebrew, which has now changed hands and been renamed ‘Claai Cafe’ & Eatery‘. This is a small wooden house cafe located a bit further from Mae Kampong, in ‘Mae Lai’, situated by a stream amidst the mountains. The cafe has a subtle Japanese feel due to its lovely woodwork decor. Personally, I like this cafe the most among all cafes in Mae Kampong. It scores a perfect ten for atmosphere, being nestled within nature. The taste of the drinks and cakes is quite good too. Aside from offering delicious items, it’s also a great place for photography. It’s yet another excellent Instagrammable Cafe.
What I ordered this time includes Utsah Rose (150 baht), a coffee with milk enhanced with a hint of rose syrup that gives it a fragrant taste. This is a good choice for those who like milk in their coffee. As for the cake, I chose the Cheese Cake (80 baht). It’s a homemade cheesecake with a soft and satisfactory texture.
Overall, I think Utsah Homebrew is nearly perfect in every aspect, except the prices, particularly for the drinks which are a bit high. Nevertheless, it’s one of the cafes that impressed me the most and I would like everyone to visit. Personally, I consider it as one of the rare good cafes that aren’t located in Chiang Mai city center.
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