Built into a gigantic banyan tree is The Giant Chiangmai, a treehouse that serves Thai coffee and sweets with a side of adventure. The journey to get there isn’t easy (an hour and a half drive up a winding dirt road), but upon reaching it you’ll note the experience is more than worth it.
How to Get There
The adventure begins when you face a rope bridge that hangs 20 feet in the air. You need to cross this in order to make it to the café. Once it’s your turn to cross, walk slowly and steadily from one side to the other. Make sure to take your time, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Upon reaching the other side you’ll be hit with another task: finding the perfect spot.
The view from the treehouse café is spectacular. With trees and sunshine in every direction it will be hard to enjoy coffee anywhere else in the world. The Giant Chiangmai also has rooms for rent if you really don’t feel like leaving.
The Giant Chiangmai sells Chiangmai-grown coffee alongside Thai iced tea and matcha lattes. While they do offer pastas and pizzas, a large part of its menu is focused on desserts — in particular, layered crepe cakes.
But the adventure doesn’t stop there. For 100 Baht (about $3 US) you can zipline off of a platform in the café, and into the middle of a rain forest. It’s a beginners level zipline, great for those looking for an interesting way to channel their energy after sipping on coffee.