We absolutely loved Northern Thailand and if we had to choose a city in South East Asia to live in it would be Chiang Mai. You can go on a meditation retreat, learn to cook Thai, take up muay thai training, volunteer with elephants or wake up at dawn to give alms to monks. We spent our first couple of nights staying in a local B&B. The iyou Bed and Breakfast happened to be one of the most tranquil and relaxing stays we’ve ever experienced.
There is a secret garden that feels like you’re walking into a rainforest and the owner is a lovely Burmese woman who was eager to learn where we came from.
To enter, you need to hop the rectangle stones like frogs on lily pads. Cute!
She and her husband designed the B&B and all the details themselves. Each room has it’s own character – our own room had a rustic feel with lots of bamboo touches, and surprisingly good (free) Wi-Fi access which is a huge plus if you work remote.
I do have to mention Thai beds are not the most comfortable in Thailand. Actually they’re hard as a rock. Our local guides Pai Boon and On say it’s because Thais believe a bedroom is only necessary to sleep in and most of the time you live outside of it anyway.
The location is also very central – just an 8-minute walk to Chiang Mai Gate and the market. The night bizarre, yoga studios, and lots of good local restaurants are all within a 15-minute walk or so. They don’t have a website which means we stumbled on it by accident. We were so glad we did.
Each morning we were treated to the most delicious traditional Thai breakfast.
You can book iYou Bed & Breakfast on Booking.com. Don’t forget to be like Thais and leave your shoes at the door!
Who should stay here: Couples, solo travellers
Where to find it: 29/3 Soi 2 Kor Ratchiangsaen Rd., Chiang Mai
Budget: about $50/night
Leave a Reply