Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai is another district in Chiang Mai that I adore. Mae Taeng is brimming with excellent attractions like tea plantations, waterfalls, cafes, temples, and gorgeous accommodations that are quite abundant in this area. Moreover, each of these places is picture-perfect and has an Instagrammable vibe. Besides, Mae Taeng is also famous for its adventurous activities like river rafting, and it also boasts a renowned elephant camp. I must say, Mae Taeng is one of the districts in Chiang Mai and I recommend everyone to visit.
✨👀 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!
Places to Visit in Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai:
| Attractions and Things to Do | 1. Wat Ban Den 2. Mae Taeng Pine Garden 3. Lung Dech Teahouse 4. Mok Fa Waterfall |
| Accommodation | 5. Stay Wild & Cafe |
| OTAs Discount |  ส่วนลด Klook  ส่วนลด Agoda  ส่วนลด Booking  ส่วนลด Expedia  ส่วนลด Hotels |
Wat Ban Den (วัดบ้านเด่น)
Wat Ban Den, or fully known as Wat Ban Den Sa Lee Sri Muang Gaen, is one of my favorite temples in Chiang Mai. The grandeur and vibrancy of the temple’s construction are truly mesmerizing. The intricate details of the ordination hall and various statues are captivating. The temple has a mysterious black stupa that contrasts with a golden tip, which is super cool. I’d say it’s one of the most spectacular stupas I’ve ever seen.
Wat Ban Den is located in Inthakhin sub-district, Mae Taeng district. Originally, the temple was simply named Wat Ban Den. But when Master Teacher Jao Tueang came to reside at this temple, it underwent a significant transformation. From not having a single Bodhi tree, the temple grounds saw the flourishing of numerous Bodhi trees. Northern locals refer to Bodhi trees as ‘Sa Lee’ trees, which are considered auspicious. Hence, the temple was renamed incorporating ‘Sa Lee’ for good fortune. Moreover, the temple is located in the ancient city called Muang Gaen. Therefore, locals fully refer to this temple as Wat Den Sa Lee Sri Muang Gaen.
Besides the enchanting black stupa, the temple has numerous ordination halls lined up, along with various animal statues. Everything seems abundant and grand. Each ordination hall, statue, and stupa is incredibly detailed. Upon close examination, it’s exquisite and highly artistic. It’s genuinely beautiful. This temple is a dream for photography enthusiasts as every corner is aesthetically pleasing.
Mae Taeng Pine Garden (สวนสนแม่แตง)
For those who want to feel as if they’re standing amidst towering pine trees, the Mae Taeng Pine Garden is your answer. The garden is filled with Caribbean pine trees planted by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation. The department has been researching and experimenting with planting these species of pine trees since 1977 on over 27 acres of land.
More than 40 years later, the Mae Taeng Pine Garden has flourished into a beautiful location providing shade for passersby to rest and relax. Moreover, it has become an excellent spot for photography and a trending Instagrammable location among Thais. Foreigners may wonder why Thais love to take photos here. Well, pine trees aren’t commonly found throughout Thailand. So, when a place is densely populated with pines, Thais naturally flock to capture the unique landscape. Visiting here is quite easy as the garden is conveniently located by the main road that you can pin this location directly on Google Maps by searching for its Thai name, “สวนสนแม่แตง”.
Lung Dech Teahouse (ไร่ชาลุงเดช)
Lung Dech Teahouse is another popular tea plantation among Thai tourists in Chiang Mai. Although the tea plantation is not that large, it offers plenty of photo opportunities, with tea-picking baskets and various outfits for those who want to cosplay as a cute tea picker. It’s recommended to visit in the morning or early afternoon as you might encounter mist, and even if you don’t, the scenery is still beautiful with softer sunlight.
The highlight of Lung Dech Teahouse’s cafe is certainly their tea. They sell it by the pot, offering choices between white tea (90 THB), green tea (50 THB), and oolong tea (70 THB). They also serve a variety of food made with tea leaves, as well as green tea cake and green tea roll cake (60-70 THB).
The tea is guaranteed to be delicious and sipping hot tea amidst the cold weather is indeed a delightful experience. As for the cake, it’s considered to be average tasting. The tea flavor isn’t very strong, but it’s compensated by the sweetness of the cream.
For those who wish to stay overnight at the tea farm, Lung Dech Teahouse provides homestay accommodations for 500-800 THB per night, with shared bathrooms.
For foreigners who want to visit this place, you can pin its Thai name “ไร่ชาลุงเดช” on Google Maps because the location does not have an English name.
Mok Fa Waterfall
Mok Fa Waterfall is a place that I didn’t expect much at first, but it surprised me with its stunning beauty when I saw it in person. With a height of over 30 meters, the waterfall flows out in two streams from the cliff face above, cascading down to a sandy pool below. The falling water scatters and turns into a curtain of mist, making this waterfall incredibly beautiful. This feature is what gave the waterfall its name. I must say, Mok Fa Waterfall is another Instagramable Place that’s incredibly beautiful in Chiang Mai.
Stay Wild & Cafe
Stay Wild & Cafe is both a hotel and a riverside cafe located along the Kaeng Kued in Mae Taeng district. This trip to Chiang Mai, I chose to stay here. Initially, I did not have high expectations, but after visiting and relaxing, I must say it exceeded my expectations. It is quite impressive because apart from the beautiful accommodations, the view is fantastic and there are free adventure activities such as river rafting available for guests.
The room I booked was a small house that can accommodate two people. The bed is very comfortable, and the bathroom is as large as the bedroom. What I like is that when you step out of the house, you can see the view of the river right in front. Also, there’s a long dining table outside where we can have a barbecue. The atmosphere is simply great!
For the river rafting activity provided by the hotel, we can join for free. They offer two slots a day for us to choose to join with other guests. The activity takes about 1.5-2 hours, going through Kaeng Kued. Although it may not be extremely thrilling, it is still fun. The view along the river is beautiful, and you get to make new friends from the activity. It’s a great experience and the highlight of my stay here.
Another great thing about Stay Wild & Cafe is that we can bring our own raw food to barbecue. But if you don’t want to buy from outside, the hotel also offers a set of raw food for you to grill yourself. The dining area is ample, and we chose to eat in front of our house by the river. The atmosphere was amazing. If you’re looking for a place to stay, Stay Wild & Cafe is another option I would recommend.
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