Thailand: Off The Grid At Chiang Rai’s Bamboo Nest

Think of the most special place you’ve ever stayed at while traveling. For some people it’s a five star hotel. Others prefer a tiny cabin in the woods, a cute beach cottage or a house in the countryside. For me, it’s the Bamboo Nest guesthouse amidst the mountains of Chiang Rai. Completely off the grid with their own water supply filtered in the jungle, land to grow food on and a bit of solar power during the night. The environment is stunning with remote Akha and Lahu villages, green rice terraces and layered waterfalls. A magical place and not-to-miss stay during your trip to Thailand.

Getting to Chiang Rai

First things first. Before even making your way up the mountaneous area surrounding Chiang Rai, you first need to get to Chiang Rai town. Check out Bookaway for all transportation options to the city and book your seat!

Bamboo Nest guesthouse

Bamboo Nest has a few cottages, meaning there are always some people around. You’ll see most of the other guests at breakfast and dinner, as there are no other restaurants nearby. A great way to meet your fellow travelers. Or join them at the campfire at night while gazing at the stars.

The guesthouse is somewhat basic, but has plenty of comfort. There’s delicious Thai food, a nice cottage to sleep in, decent bathrooms, no wifi and no mobile phone signal. I consider the latter as a good thing, though. Time to relax and take it easy.

The owners speak very good English as they used to be tour guides, and offer some tours as well. However, it’s not obligatory whatsoever and you can easily explore the area on your own. Make sure to stay at least two days to have some time for relaxation and to visit the sights. But longer is possible as well, of course.

The cottages

The cottages are made entirely out of bamboo by the locals from the nearby Lahu village. From the woven bamboo hammock on the balcony there’s a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains and rice terraces. And what I personally consider as a huge plus, there are hot showers and Western style toilets in the cottages. A bit of comfort is not bad at all, right?  

What to do

The owners can tell you everything about the area, so before you go out make sure to ask them. On most of my hikes their lovely dogs joined me and made sure I would not get lost. I absolutely loved that.

I walked to the nearby rice terraces, the Lahu and Akha villages and went to the Huay Keaw waterfall. Enough to keep me busy for two days. There’s more to do than just that, though. The activities they list on their website are:

• Treks to Lahu and Akha villages
• Bird watching
• Hot springs
• Mae Kok river
• Tea plantation
• Huay Keaw Waterfall
• Join the daily life of a hill tribe

Rice terraces and Lahu village

I walked around in the surrounding rice terraces to enjoy the beautiful nature in the area. Walk back to the guesthouse via the self-sufficient and off the grid Lahu village. Many of the locals built the guesthouse or are still working there. The resemblance between the traditional houses in the village and the cottages from the guesthouse is easily spotted. It’s an interesting place to see, to get a feel for how these people live their lives away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Hike to Huay Keaw Waterfall

This hike takes up about half your day. Decent shoes are nice to have, especially around the waterfall. You’ll cross an Akha village, but don’t expect “authentic” hill tribes and a traditional way of life. The kids here play games on the mobile phones of their parents. However, the surrounding nature and the layered Huay Keaw waterfall are very impressive and well worth the hike.

Practical information

Bamboo Nest is an one hour drive with a 4WD car from Chiang Rai, as the roads are in very bad shape. You can join the free pick up service from the guesthouse, leaving around 4 PM from the terminal 1 bus station in Chiang Rai. They also bring you back from the guesthouse to the bus station for free, departing at 10.30 AM on the day you leave.

I decided to go to the guesthouse in the morning, so I contacted them in advance for a private transfer. A private transfer costs 700 baht per trip. They picked me up in the morning from my guesthouse in Chiang Rai and brought me to the Bamboo Nest. Very easy if you want to go at a different time than the free pick up.

A  cottage for two people is 1400 baht (40 euros). This includes breakfast, dinner, tea and coffee. Personally, I don’t think it’s expensive at all for what you get. Please see their website if you want to know more.

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What is the most special place you’ve ever stayed at? And would you consider staying at Bamboo Nest? Make sure to read my guide on how to find cheap flights before you go!