Illustrated Route Description: From Chiang Mai on Highway #118 to Baan Sammi — English Detailed Version, with Brief Notes in Thai.
■ The following section numbering (1–22) matches the landmark numbering in the Generalized Offline Map.
■ The Generalized Offline Map, together with the route described and illustrated here, can help you find your way, especially if you are driving to Baan Sammi by car or motorbike yourself or if you are the passenger and the driver needs your help.
■ If you do not drive yourself, but use public transportation (song-thaeo and saleng), it is advisable to read the blog Public and Private Transportation in Chiang Mai.
■ If you use a ride-hailing service (Grab, inDrive, Bolt), rest assured that the driver will be able to find the way on their own.
1. Starting point: Start at the Intersection San Dek (สี่แยกศาลเด็ก), where Super Highway #11 underpasses Highway #118 (the latter also called Chiang Mai – Doi Saket – Chiang Rai Road, ถ. เชียงใหม่ – ดอยสะเก็ด – เชียงราย), → Google Street View.
► Location on Google Maps — สถานที่ตั้งบน Google Maps.
2. Take Highway #118 towards Doi Saket or Chiang Rai (ถ. เชียงใหม่ – ดอยสะเก็ด – เชียงราย). Keep on this highway for several kilometers. — ไปทางดอยสะเก็ด — You will cross two intersections with traffic lights and overpass a third, an interchange without traffic lights:
The first intersection is after 1.1 km (0.7 mi) (→ Google Street View) where the Middle Ring Road #3029 underpasses.
The second intersection, where Road #1367 meets Highway #118, is only a further 0.2 km (0.1 mi) away.
The third intersection, an interchange without traffic lights, is a further 2.5 km (1.6 mi) away, where Highway #118 overpasses Highway #121 (Outer Ring Road).
3. After 4.2 km (2.6 mi) from the interchange, you will reach Ban Bo Hin, a village that is easily recognized by its pedestrian bridge over the highway.
4. After you pass the gasoline stations, you will see Horizon Village on your left. This village is surrounded by a low wall and has the Horizon Tower, which is difficult to see because it is hidden by trees. The tower has an advertising panel in Thai and Roman script; the main text on the panel reads "ทวีชล" (Thawichon) and "Horizon Village & Resort".
5. After 100 meters (300 ft), you will see the entrance of HORIZON VILLAGE & RESORT (โรงแรม ฮอไรซัน วิลเลจ แอนด์ รีสอร์ท).
6. Keep going on Highway #118. After 200 meters (0.1 mi), you will pass twin road signs for "บ. น้ำแพร่" (Ban Nam Phrae) and "บ. ป่าดู่" (Ban Pa Du) (in black Thai script on a white background, the signs pointing to the right). Then, immediately after that, you will cross a bridge over a small canal, คลองน้ำแพร่ (Klong Nam Phrae).
Ban Nam Phrae is a village close to Highway #118 on the right (east) side, next to that bridge. There is the Intersection Ban Nam Phrae where the country road underpasses the highway. If you don't know about this complicated and confusing intersection with its two rather narrow underpasses parallel to Klong Nam Phrae, in no way should you take these underpasses when driving a car! It is strongly recommended to take the next U-turn on the highway when driving a car. But if you are an experienced motorcyclist, you may take the underpass instead of the U-turn. And above all, if you are a bicyclist or pedestrian, taking the underpass carefully would be your best option.
7. You'll find a U-turn on Highway #118 just 500 meters (0.3 mi) from the bridge at Ban Nam Phrae. This is the first U-turn after Horizon. Take this U-turn. — ที่กลับรถแรก
8. Then, after the U-turn, you are on the highway in the opposite direction (towards Chiang Mai), but you need to exit the highway after only 500 meters (0.3 mi). Along these 500 meters, you will pass two road signs (the signs point to the left). The first road sign, "บ. น้ำแพร่" (Ban Nam Phrae), was recently removed and may be reinstalled later. The second traffic sign, "บ. ป่าดู่" (Ban Pa Du), is still present.
9. You have reached EXIT 'BAN NAM PHRAE' on Highway #118. This exit on the left leads into a country road, just before the bridge. Leave the highway here (turn left) and follow the country road.
10. On this country road, you pass through the village of Nam Phrae. Just 400 meters (0.3 mi) from the exit Ban Nam Phrae, you will see a monastery, Wat Nam Phrae (วัดน้ำแพร่), on your right. Follow the road as it goes towards the next village, Ban Pa Du. — ทางออกถนนไหญ่ที่ บ. น้ำแพร่ไป บ. ป่าดู่
11. Exactly 1.5 km (0.9 mi) from the Ban Nam Phrae exit, or 350 meters (0.2 mi) before the village center of Ban Pa Du, the country road bends sharply to the left at a T-junction with a subordinate road. Don't continue straight onto the subordinate road! Follow the country road to the left!
12. You will pass through the village center of Ban Pa Du. Just 180 meters (0.1 mi) after the village center, there is a junction. Here, the difficult-to-see main route turns right towards the village of Pa Lan, while the subordinate road goes straight towards the village of Pa Tio, and the new subordinate road on the left leads to a dead-end street.
13. If you have followed the (main) country road by turning right, just 150 meters (500 ft) from the junction, you will see the monastery of Ban Pa Du on your right: WAT SI PRA DU.
14. A few hundred meters from this monastery, you reach the next village, Ban Pa Lan (บ. ป่าลาน), marked by a village sign in black Thai script on a white background (the sign is currently defunct). The village consists of loosely scattered houses. After passing the first group of houses, you will see a tall, white concrete water tower to your left, beyond a rice field.
15. Further ahead, only 850 meters (0.5 mi) from the monastery of Ban Pa Du, you will see a small cremation area with a tall cremation tower on the left. The view of the tower may be obstructed by trees while driving, so you might miss the tower and the cremation area. Slow down: T-junction ahead, just at the end of the cremation area!
16. An almost invisible T-junction at the end of the cremation area! There, a narrow, subordinate road divides to the left from the country road. Turn left. — เลี้ยวซ้ายสามแยกทางไปวัดป่าลาน
17. Only 140 meters (460 ft) from the junction, you will pass the monastery of Ban Pa Lan (วัดป่าลาน), which is on your right. A tall Bodhi tree hides the monastery, WAT PA LAN.
18. Just a few meters after the monastery, you will reach a junction. Here, the main route branches off to the left.
19. Halfway to the village, Ban Pa Yang Poi, you will see a large, light grey building (a vehicle body repair and paint shop) on the left.
20. Follow the country road for a few hundred meters, and then you will reach the village, Ban Pa Yang Poi, previously hidden by trees (as shown in the photo), but most trees were cut in 2025.
Just where the trees previously obscured the view, the country road bends sharply to the right, with a side road joining from the left. Drive slowly at this T-junction, as it is dangerous, and turn left onto the minor road!
21. Then go straight and after a few meters, you will see a second T-junction. Pass this by going straight ahead, but drive more slowly! — เลี้ยวซ้ายสามแยก บ. ป่ายางปอย หนึ่ง้อยเมตรถึง บ้านแซมมี อยู่ข้างขวา
22. On the right side, along the road and ditch, you will see the typical wooden fence of the Baan Sammi property with the main entrance gate (Gate 1). You have arrived at BAAN SAMMI. The second gate (Gate 2) further on looks somewhat different (not shown in the photo below) and should not be confused with the main gate.
To the right of the main entrance gate (Gate 1), is the nameplate above the entrance door; to the left of that door are the house number plate and the doorbell. Please park your car or motorbike off the street directly in the driveway in front of the entrance gate, ring the doorbell, open the door, and enter. The office is located in the building in front of you; the path to the office entrance leads along the left side of the building.
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| Interchange ahead: #118 × Outer Ring Road #121 → Google Street View |
3. After 4.2 km (2.6 mi) from the interchange, you will reach Ban Bo Hin, a village that is easily recognized by its pedestrian bridge over the highway.
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| The village sign of Ban Bo Hin and, in the background, the pedestrian bridge |
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| The pedestrian bridge at Ban Bo Hin → Google Street View |
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| Caltex and PT gasoline stations on the left |
4. After you pass the gasoline stations, you will see Horizon Village on your left. This village is surrounded by a low wall and has the Horizon Tower, which is difficult to see because it is hidden by trees. The tower has an advertising panel in Thai and Roman script; the main text on the panel reads "ทวีชล" (Thawichon) and "Horizon Village & Resort".
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| Horizon Tower |
5. After 100 meters (300 ft), you will see the entrance of HORIZON VILLAGE & RESORT (โรงแรม ฮอไรซัน วิลเลจ แอนด์ รีสอร์ท).
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| Horizon Village & Resort; its entrance is shown on the left in the photo → Google Street View |
Just a few meters after the entrance, adjacent to the highway, there is a car parking area in front of Coffee House (บ้านกาแฟ) (photo below).
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| Coffee House → Google Street View |
6. Keep going on Highway #118. After 200 meters (0.1 mi), you will pass twin road signs for "บ. น้ำแพร่" (Ban Nam Phrae) and "บ. ป่าดู่" (Ban Pa Du) (in black Thai script on a white background, the signs pointing to the right). Then, immediately after that, you will cross a bridge over a small canal, คลองน้ำแพร่ (Klong Nam Phrae).
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| Twin road signs (Ban Nam Phrae, Ban Pa Du) on the left; the bridge further ahead → Google Street View |
The bridge itself isn't easy to spot, but it is always decorated with a large, colorful plaque honoring the royal family on the highway median strip.
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| The bridge is over a canal and has two underpasses parallel to the canal; the bridge is always decorated with a colorful plaque honoring the royal family → Google Street View |
Ban Nam Phrae is a village close to Highway #118 on the right (east) side, next to that bridge. There is the Intersection Ban Nam Phrae where the country road underpasses the highway. If you don't know about this complicated and confusing intersection with its two rather narrow underpasses parallel to Klong Nam Phrae, in no way should you take these underpasses when driving a car! It is strongly recommended to take the next U-turn on the highway when driving a car. But if you are an experienced motorcyclist, you may take the underpass instead of the U-turn. And above all, if you are a bicyclist or pedestrian, taking the underpass carefully would be your best option.
7. You'll find a U-turn on Highway #118 just 500 meters (0.3 mi) from the bridge at Ban Nam Phrae. This is the first U-turn after Horizon. Take this U-turn. — ที่กลับรถแรก
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| U-turn ahead, indicated by the yellow traffic sign at the median strip of the highway → Google Street View |
8. Then, after the U-turn, you are on the highway in the opposite direction (towards Chiang Mai), but you need to exit the highway after only 500 meters (0.3 mi). Along these 500 meters, you will pass two road signs (the signs point to the left). The first road sign, "บ. น้ำแพร่" (Ban Nam Phrae), was recently removed and may be reinstalled later. The second traffic sign, "บ. ป่าดู่" (Ban Pa Du), is still present.
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| "Ban Nam Phrae" road sign (currently defunct) → Google Street View |
9. You have reached EXIT 'BAN NAM PHRAE' on Highway #118. This exit on the left leads into a country road, just before the bridge. Leave the highway here (turn left) and follow the country road.
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| Exit "Ban Nam Phrae", just before the bridge → Google Street View |
10. On this country road, you pass through the village of Nam Phrae. Just 400 meters (0.3 mi) from the exit Ban Nam Phrae, you will see a monastery, Wat Nam Phrae (วัดน้ำแพร่), on your right. Follow the road as it goes towards the next village, Ban Pa Du. — ทางออกถนนไหญ่ที่ บ. น้ำแพร่ไป บ. ป่าดู่
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| A monastery, Wat Nam Phrae → Google Street View |
11. Exactly 1.5 km (0.9 mi) from the Ban Nam Phrae exit, or 350 meters (0.2 mi) before the village center of Ban Pa Du, the country road bends sharply to the left at a T-junction with a subordinate road. Don't continue straight onto the subordinate road! Follow the country road to the left!
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| A sharp left bend on the country road, with a T-junction of a minor road → Google Street View |
12. You will pass through the village center of Ban Pa Du. Just 180 meters (0.1 mi) after the village center, there is a junction. Here, the difficult-to-see main route turns right towards the village of Pa Lan, while the subordinate road goes straight towards the village of Pa Tio, and the new subordinate road on the left leads to a dead-end street.
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| A junction with a sharp right curve of the (main) country road, and a smaller (subordinate) road going straight → Google Street View |
Both routes, straight ahead (subordinate road) and right (main country road), lead to Baan Sammi. Google Maps may offer you both routes via its navigation app. However, if you drive a car, it is better to follow the direction to the right at this junction because this road is wider and less winding. — ผ่าน บ. ป่าดู่ ไปทาง บ. ป่าลาน — In case you choose the straight route, you will reach the next village, Ban Pa Tio (บ้านป่าติ้ว), after 1 km (0.6 mi), but before entering that village (one hundred meters before the monastery of Ban Pa Tio, Wat Pitayaram), you have to turn right into a narrow, winding village street, pass the village (which is a part of Ban Pa Tio), and after the village, you will see Baan Sammi on your left.
13. If you have followed the (main) country road by turning right, just 150 meters (500 ft) from the junction, you will see the monastery of Ban Pa Du on your right: WAT SI PRA DU.
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| A monastery, Wat Si Pra Du → Google Street View |
14. A few hundred meters from this monastery, you reach the next village, Ban Pa Lan (บ. ป่าลาน), marked by a village sign in black Thai script on a white background (the sign is currently defunct). The village consists of loosely scattered houses. After passing the first group of houses, you will see a tall, white concrete water tower to your left, beyond a rice field.
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| To your left, beyond a rice field, is a tall, white concrete water tower → Google Street View |
15. Further ahead, only 850 meters (0.5 mi) from the monastery of Ban Pa Du, you will see a small cremation area with a tall cremation tower on the left. The view of the tower may be obstructed by trees while driving, so you might miss the tower and the cremation area. Slow down: T-junction ahead, just at the end of the cremation area!
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| Cremation area, with a tall cremation tower → Google Street View |
16. An almost invisible T-junction at the end of the cremation area! There, a narrow, subordinate road divides to the left from the country road. Turn left. — เลี้ยวซ้ายสามแยกทางไปวัดป่าลาน
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| T-junction, just after the cremation area → Google Street View |
17. Only 140 meters (460 ft) from the junction, you will pass the monastery of Ban Pa Lan (วัดป่าลาน), which is on your right. A tall Bodhi tree hides the monastery, WAT PA LAN.
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| A monastery, Wat Pa Lan → Google Street View |
18. Just a few meters after the monastery, you will reach a junction. Here, the main route branches off to the left.
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| Junction ahead, turn left! → Google Street View |
Turn left, and a few meters after this junction there is another junction (a T-junction) where the main road turns right (→ Google Street View). Then, the country road heads on more or less a straight line towards the next village, Ban Pa Yang Poi (บ. ป่ายางปอย).
19. Halfway to the village, Ban Pa Yang Poi, you will see a large, light grey building (a vehicle body repair and paint shop) on the left.
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| A vehicle body repair and paint shop → Google Street View |
After the building, the road makes a slight right-left bend. There, on the left, you will see a wooden village sign for Ban Pa Yang Poi, unless it is not overgrown with plants.
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| Wooden village sign for Ban Pa Yang Poi |
20. Follow the country road for a few hundred meters, and then you will reach the village, Ban Pa Yang Poi, previously hidden by trees (as shown in the photo), but most trees were cut in 2025.
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| Approaching the village Ban Pa Yang Poi hidden behind trees → Google Street View |
Just where the trees previously obscured the view, the country road bends sharply to the right, with a side road joining from the left. Drive slowly at this T-junction, as it is dangerous, and turn left onto the minor road!
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| The T-junction when entering Ban Pa Yang Poi → Google Street View |
21. Then go straight and after a few meters, you will see a second T-junction. Pass this by going straight ahead, but drive more slowly! — เลี้ยวซ้ายสามแยก บ. ป่ายางปอย หนึ่ง้อยเมตรถึง บ้านแซมมี อยู่ข้างขวา
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| At this T-junction, go straight ahead. Baan Sammi is hidden behind a wall and a wooden fence, with trees and bamboo behind this boundary. → Google Street View |
22. On the right side, along the road and ditch, you will see the typical wooden fence of the Baan Sammi property with the main entrance gate (Gate 1). You have arrived at BAAN SAMMI. The second gate (Gate 2) further on looks somewhat different (not shown in the photo below) and should not be confused with the main gate.
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| The main entrance gate (gate 1) leads to the private driveway of Baan Sammi → Google Street View |
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| The main entrance gate (Gate 1) of Baan Sammi with its left and right sides (top left and right) The property of Baan Sammi Nature Retreat and Bambusetum: aerial view (bottom) |
To the right of the main entrance gate (Gate 1), is the nameplate above the entrance door; to the left of that door are the house number plate and the doorbell. Please park your car or motorbike off the street directly in the driveway in front of the entrance gate, ring the doorbell, open the door, and enter. The office is located in the building in front of you; the path to the office entrance leads along the left side of the building.
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| The entrance door of Baan Sammi, on the right side of the main entrance gate (Gate 1) |
For more details, see Chapter 9, Street View of Baan Sammi.
