Cr Farm Stay

The staff were wonderfully warm and helpful. They carried our luggage without hesitation and brought mosquito coils and insecticide before we asked. Breakfast portions were generous, the porridge and American breakfast were really good, and the lychee drink was delicious. But this was a late May visit, and I wasn’t ready for what mountain living during Thailand’s rainy season would be like. I love mountains and mountain stays, but those are different from being there in the rain. Flying cockroaches and beetles were extremely active around the balcony and inside the room. These weren’t little bugs you can ignore. The large flying cockroaches landed on us and our heads, and were genuinely hard to kill because of their size and because they fly. We also saw squirrels on the balcony. We were too distressed to enjoy meals outside and rushed through them to get back indoors. We were so traumatised that we gave up our last two nights and booked a hotel in the city. A local driver told us that another mountain opposite has lots of resorts and activities and apparently doesn’t have this insect problem. I don’t know why the difference exists, but if you’re set on a highland stay, it may be worth researching which mountain area to book in. The tap water was yellow and murky. Don’t expect clean filtered water from the tap. Bring your own or buy bottled water for everything. For transport, apps at Chiang Mai Airport may quote about 400 THB, but drivers repeatedly refused the trips or asked for 1,000 to 1,800 THB when picking us up. Be realistic about fares. From the accommodation, a short trip to a nearby restaurant, less than 30 minutes away, cost 800 to 1,000 THB or more each way, depending on the driver. Budget for that. The road up was scenic, and the drive felt safe, although drivers did mention landslide risks during rainy season. If you love nature and visit in the cool, dry season, this may be a truly lovely stay. City lovers who enjoy mountains but aren’t used to insects, especially large flying ones in rainy season, should do some research first. I wish someone had told me, and hope this helps you make a more informed choice.