Baannamping Riverside Village

This is a moderately priced resort overlooking the Ping River about 1/2 hour outside of Chiang Mai. Our family of four only spent one night but enjoyed the small pool and view from our veranda. The gardens are lovely, room was spacious and well appointed, and the staff very helpful. Breakfast, included in the tariff, was very generous, though dinner service was a bit slow. They have three one-person kayaks and several basic bicycles (all free) if you wish to paddle on the river or pedal a few kilometres through quiet countryside into the village, where there is a nice food market (and a 7-11).

We were hoping to unwind and enjoy quiet and nature along the river. There is definitely river and nature, but unfortunately it was not as "unwinding" as we had hoped. This place could be really great if the restaurant was as advertised, and the guests recognized it is a place for quiet and relaxation. Don't go to this place if you are looking for this. However I must recognized we were there during Chinese New Year. The other guests during our stay were in large groups, with the whole family (grandparents and kids included) and were inconsiderate of the others staying there. If you are a family who loves to run around a make a lot of noise, this may be the place for you. All this aside, I think if you timed the stay right, it has the possibility to be a very peaceful place. The local staff is very accommodating and pleasant. The breakfast is Chinese food as the owner is Chinese. If you don't want Chinese food for dinner, you must request Thai food in the morning. Unfortunately we weren't informed this till our last day, so we scooted into town the other nights for dinner. The scooting is really a great time if you have motorcycle experience. You can always rent a car, but I would highly recommend having one of the two so you can leave when you want.