A Slow Morning in Chiang Mai : Khun Chang Khian Village

Sometimes, I don’t need a big plan to go on a trip.

This trip started from a simple feeling, I just wanted to walk in nature early in the morning.

Chiang Mai is lucky to have many places close to the city.

That morning, I thought about the trail from Doi Pui to Khun Chang Khian Village.

I have visited this area many times, but I had never really gone hiking there before.

This time, I didn’t plan much.

I just woke up early and hoped to arrive in time to see the sunrise.

I stopped at a viewpoint where you can see Doi Pui.

Unfortunately, I didn’t see the sunrise that day. But it was still beautiful.

I could see the village quietly resting below the mountains.

The weather was cold, and suddenly I changed my mind.

Instead of hiking, I wanted something warm… a cup of hot coffee. ☕️

Many tourists visit Doi Pui Village, and it can be quite busy.

I prefer quiet places, so I decided to go further to Khun Chang Khian Village instead.

If you don’t know this place, it’s on the same road as Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, just higher up.

Khun Chang Khian is a Hmong village, peaceful and simple.

When I arrived at Khun Chang Khian Village, I first went to a viewpoint inside the village.

The view of the village from there was beautiful.

Near the viewpoint, an elderly couple was selling grilled corn and strawberries.

The uncle grilled it for me, and I loved his gentle smile without the teeth.

While waiting, I watched the aunt preparing strawberries. Looking at their hands, I thought about life: One day, my hands will look like theirs.

When I think about getting old, I don’t even wonder if I’ll live that long.

All I think about is being here today.

So I want to make today as good as it can be, and do everything I want to do.

I live the way I want, right now.

I wanted to go out and enjoy the morning air, and in this village, I got to do exactly that.

I don’t like waiting. If I want to go, I just go.

If one day I don’t live long enough to grow old, I think I’d be okay with that because I’ve already done everything I wanted to do.

I tried to talk with them, but I didn’t understand everything.

I bought the corn because I wanted to support them.

I shared some corn with the chickens and dogs nearby.

It made me happy to give to both people and animals.

After spending some time at the viewpoint, I kept walking and found a small coffee stall.

There were no seats, so I just bought the coffee in a bag to take home.

Almost every house in this village grows coffee, so if you visit and don’t try it, you’re really missing out.

I continued walking to another coffee shop that I always go to.

On the way, I found a small stall selling sticky rice and grilled pork.

Since moving to Chiang Mai, I’ve eaten out every day.

Sometimes I eat at home, but I buy the food from outside.

It might seem like I don’t enjoy cooking, but that’s not true at all. I actually love it.

I just choose to support the people around me whenever I can.

I usually skip breakfast when I’m at home.

Yet when I travel, I feel it matters.

If local sellers have no buyers, how can their way of life continue?

What touched me most was the way of life there.

The woman selling food carried her baby on her back while working.

She was taking care of her child and earning a living at the same time.

I still can’t imagine what it would be like if I had a child, haha.

I bought some to eat at the coffee shop.

The shop looked like a regular grocery store, and you might not even realize they sell coffee if you don’t see the sign.

Chong Wa Coffee Shop

The seating area is at the back, with a beautiful view of the village.

Every time I come to this village, I always like sitting there.

Always, I’m the only one in the shop.

I ordered my usual hot latte. I sat there and drank my coffee slowly, listening to the morning breeze and soft music around me. I ate sticky rice and grilled pork that I bought before.

It was not a big moment, but it made me happy. Everything felt quiet and peaceful.

This is the kind of slow life I want to have, every morning when I wake up.

These two cats are so cool.

In front of the coffee shop, there are wooden wheeled cars, called Formula Mhong.

You can try to play it. You put the car on a high place and let it go down.

It is fun, but also a bit dangerous.

In the past, people used this car for daily life, not just for fun.

They used it to carry things like corn back home.

Their farms were usually up in the mountains, while their houses were down below, so this car helped them move things more easily and save energy.

Nowadays, not many people use it like this anymore.

But some villages, you can still see some houses that keep one.

It has become more like a toy for children now.

There are also still racing events for this car.

They usually take place during Hmong New Year or annual festivals, mainly for fun and to keep the tradition.

I know that people here follow both Buddhism and Christianity because I saw a temple and a church. Since I am Buddhist, I decided to go to the temple. There, I saw a very big tree.

I think it must be more than 100 years old. It was very beautiful.

This village is small, so you can walk to most places easily. I met children from the daycare. They were so cute wearing traditional Hmong clothes. I wanted to give them ice cream, but the teacher was taking them to get snacks. I just watched them, and it made me happy to see them enjoying their treats. Seeing their joy reminded me why I like giving snacks to children when I travel.

Sometimes I feel that I am not so different from those children.

Even though my body is bigger, inside I still feel like a small child, soft and sensitive.

Just a few words can make me feel sad and I cry easily, like a kid.

But no one really knows this side of me.

I continued walking around the village, looking at the houses.

People seemed to live simple lives. Some kitchens still used charcoal stoves.

I also noticed that people probably believe in spirits because I saw some kind of leaves placed in front of a house. They believe it can protect against ghosts or bad things.

From what I saw, most people here make a living by farming or making coffee.

Only a few sell things like strawberries they grow themselves or corn and oranges.

Some also make clothes by hand. I saw an elderly woman making fabric by hand. I thought she must be introverted because she was facing the wall, but actually she was just turning away from the sun, haha.

I didn’t want to bother her, so I only spoke a few words with her.

I really like talking to children and older people.

I don’t know why, but when I talk to children, I feel like I can share my energy and brightness.

When I talk to adults, I like listening to their stories because they have lived through so much.

I saw a group of older women doing something with fabric.

I’m not sure if it was weaving, but it looked interesting.

I love seeing their real life, not just performances for tourists.

Here, the background is the mountains, not a shop for selling things.

This is the simplicity and real life I love to see.

I walked all the way to the school, which I think is an elementary school.

Inside, there was a hidden viewpoint and a small coffee shop with no one working there.

 I saw some paintings on the walls that reminded me of my childhood.

I think I was a good kid.

I remember my school gave free lunch, and my house was about 200 meters away.

Every lunch break, I brought my lunch home so I could share it with my grandma.

My Thai dance teacher really loved me. Every time there was a school event like Children’s Day, Mother’s Day, or Teacher’s Day, I would perform with my friends, but I was always the most noticeable one. I got to stand in the middle and wear a different color from everyone else. I guess not only was I talented, but I was also pretty, haha!

Even in class, I felt really smart because I knew all the answers when the teacher asked, but I didn’t say anything. I just kept them in my mind. I only spoke when it was necessary.

I was talented and confident, but I didn’t like to show off.

I have been like this since I was a child, and I think I still am.

It’s strange how I forget some things easily but remember others so clearly.

I think I’m talking way too much about myself in this blog, not the places. But hey, if you’re reading it, you made your choice!

Before going home at lunchtime I stopped to eat noodles. I have been here before because my friend in Chiang Mai brought me and said it was good. Last time I ate stir-fried basil. This time I tried noodles. Honestly I did not find it very tasty. I guess everyone likes different flavors haha.

There is a teaching I like: eat to live, not live to eat.

It made me understand that sometimes food does not have to be delicious.

It is enough if it keeps us alive and gives us energy.

There are not many restaurants and I didn't see any guesthouse here. I would say it’s better to stay in the city and just visit this village for a half-day trip.

If you want to see the beautiful Thai cherry blossoms, come around February. The flowers bloom in pink and it is very pretty.

What I learned from this slow morning is not just the view or the fresh air.

Real life is not always exciting or perfect. Sometimes it is simple, slow, and quiet.

And in these quiet moments we see what is important – people, kindness, and memories that stay with us. So don’t wait for big plans. Live your life slowly and fully, now.

See you on the next trip. I don’t know where it will be, but just follow along. Bye!

Here is the link to watch my video about this village : https://youtu.be/9TyIW5bsyeE?si=-QW__bkMAR814Huz