When I started my research for my trip to Thailand I knew I had to stay at The Chai Lai Orchid. I had seen friends and influencers post pictures from their experience there and I couldn’t believe it was a real place. After researching it and reading about their mission, I knew I had to see it for myself! This blog post is dedicated to showing you a bit of the property, information about the activities offered and a bit about my experience staying here for a week.
The Chai Lai Orchid is located about an hour SouthWest of Chiang Mai and you can either hire a driver to get you there or they can set up transportation for you, even if you are just coming for the day. You’ll arrive and have to cross over this bridge to get to the lodge. It’s so beautiful and so fun to enter the lodge this way. I arrived and instantly saw elephants and I felt like I was dreaming.
The Staff at The Chai Lai Orchid
When you arrive please keep in mind that the staff at The Chai Lai Orchid speak varying levels of English. In fact, some of them are learning English as their third or fourth language! I met a girl working here that was working on her fifth and sixth languages! The Chai Lai Orchid is not only a lodge but a place a work for the girls and women participating in the non-profit Daughters Rising Program. (the same owners own the lodge and the non-profit) Daughters Rising is a non-profit that empowers at-risk girls and women through education, employment, and outreach to prevent trafficking and exploitation in their communities.
The Chai Lai Orchid actually provides room, board and a living wage to all of their staff! They rotate through an 8-12 month program so please be patient when speaking with them. They are incredible and have SO much to teach you but you must speak slow so they can understand you! I ended up getting to know a couple of the staff members very well and will cherish their friendship forever.
Accommodation at The Chai Lai Orchid
When I stayed at The Chai Lai Orchid I chose a private bungalow and had a great stay. It was just a minute walk to the cafe, river and the only male elephant, Somchai, AKALucky Man was right outside my window. Unfortunately, he is dangerous and has to stay on a leash all day but he sure is gorgeous and it was so fun to watch him during the day. What I love about The Chai Lai Orchid is that they have so many different kinds of accommodation to offer. They have 22 listings on Airbnb to see and book them click, HERE and they even have homestays you can stay at and you can learn more about them, HERE.
*Keep in mind two things when booking at the Chai Lai Orchid, 1. The older bungalows have very rundown and basic bathrooms and 2. Their communication is a bit slow through Airbnb so don’t expect a quick response. Those are literally my only two “complaints” but I was prepared for it so really I had no issues when I stayed here! Here are some pictures from the accommodation I stayed in. I stayed in Bungalow #8.
Oh and if you thought the elephants, great staff, and gorgeous scenery were enough, there are also dogs running around including SEVEN PUPPIES. A few were always there to welcome me in the morning and one even got lost and ended up on my patio! Just the cutest.
Activities at The Chai Lai Orchid
There are SO many activities to choose from when you stay at The Chai Lai Orchid. I stayed for a week and still didn’t get to try them all. Most people just stay a night or two because they have many other things to see in Thailand, but whether you stay for a night or a month just know you’re going to have some awesome options to choose from. I definitely recommend the 1/2 Day Elephant Caretaker Experience, The Bamboo Rafting, The Secret Temple+Waterfalls Trek Day Experience, and more than anything The Chaing Mai Travel Photoshoot with James de la Cloche of DLC Photo Tours. I also was very interested in the 2 day Karen Village Homestay Experience but I couldn’t part with the elephants for the night! To learn more about the experiences offered click, HERE.
The Chai Lai Orchid Cafe
Keep in mind where you are staying in Mae Win there are very few food options within walking distance. You will eat most of your meals at the cafe and the options range from Thai to American. If you are wanting to try something different you can try some street food just a 10-minute walk down the road or you can try food a few different restaurants in the area. I tried the Jasmine Garden Cafe and I really liked that as well! You can ask the staff and they will gladly help you find some options!
Another awesome thing about the cafe is that breakfast is included if you are staying through Airbnb! They serve hard boiled eggs, rice fruit and usually some sort of jam and bread. It is basic but great. Also, if she isn’t busy that day Seavoy the elephant drops in to say hello at breakfast and dinner times. You’ll be able to feed her elephants from the deck or go down to say hello! The first time I saw this I didn’t know it was a daily thing and I lost my damn mind.
Overall, my week stay at The Chai Lai Orchid was a dream. I can’t thank the staff, Alexa the owner and the elephants for the best week of my life! Seriously it felt like I was dreaming the whole time. I couldn’t recommend this place more for any occasion and I can’t wait to hear about all the adventures you have here someday! To read more about my Thailand adventures, click HERE.
