Mae Kampong

Mae Kampong is a small village in Mae On District, Chiang Mai Province, Just 50 km east of Chiang Mai, driving along a small road between forests and mountains, we reached Mae Kampong town. It is a small village of just over 130 houses and 370 inhabitants, Largely traditional agriculture, teas, coffees, rice. It is also a site of a Thai Royal Projects where high value plants are grown for market. Mae Kampong which has become a model for community tourism in Thailand. In Mae Kampong, its own inhabitants are in charge of managing the tourism offer, and they directly pocket its benefits. There are no big hotel chains here, and amazingly not even a single 7 Eleven!

Mae Kampong was established about 100 years ago, when several peasants living in Doi Saket area moved to present-day Mae Kampong, attracted by the prospect of growing tea. At an altitude of 1,300 meters, Mae Kampong is ideal for growing tea, a plant that has yielded many benefits in northern Thailand. Later, they also incorporated coffee cultivation, and today there are many cafes in the village, where they serve locally grown coffee to tourists.

Most visitors go to Mae Kampong simply to hang out and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, without doing much other than having an occasional coffee, strolling through the shops and eating in the local restaurants. That’s exactly what we did on our last visit, and it was great. You have to know that if you go on a weekend it will be crowded, as it is a very popular getaway among northern Thais. On the other hand, everything will be open, while during the week many shops may be closed. In the early 2000s, some residents of Mae Kampong began offering visitors the chance to stay in their homes. Homestays are private local family houses that have adapted to accommodate some temporary guests. Host families provide the traveler with the opportunity to experience the local lifestyle by sharing time and space. One can come to town, find a homestay and stay the night.