Mae Kampong Day Trip From Chiang Mai: Minivan, Costs, Hours
The cheapest way up is a THB 200 minivan from Warorot Market, four departures a day, with the last one home at 4:00 PM. A Grab costs about THB 700-1,200. Plan 3-4 hours for the village, waterfall and a café.
The number that shapes your day is 4:00 PM: the last minivan back to Chiang Mai leaves Mae Kampong then. Everything else is easy.
The main lane through Mae Kampong.
Mae Kampong entry fee, costs and opening hours
Opening times are set by the businesses. The walking street runs roughly 07:00-20:00. Most cafés close between 4 and 6 p.m., and the waterfall and the temple are open until roughly 5 p.m..
What things cost
Minivan from Warorot Market: THB 200 one way.
Grab or taxi from Chiang Mai: about THB 700-1,200.
Villager-run songthaew to the waterfall: about THB 30.
Khao soi at Khao Soi Kloy Jai: THB 90 with slow-braised beef, THB 80 with chicken.
Local shuttle from the village back to Chiang Mai or the airport: about THB 1,200-1,500.
What to see in Mae Kampong
Mae Kampong waterfall
The waterfall has seven tiers and is open daily, with year-round water flow. You can walk all the way up to the top tier. From the village, walk or take a villager-run songthaew.
One tier of the waterfall with a staircase beside it.A lower cascade on the stream.
The waterfall is in Huai Kaeo, Mae On District, Chiang Mai 50130.
The walking street is a small lane where villagers sell food and goods from their doorsteps every day. The street is known for khao soi (northern curry noodles), sai ua (northern sausage), kai pam (eggs grilled in banana leaf) and khao pluk nga (rice with sesame). Monks come through on their alms round around 7 a.m..
A shrine beside the stream.
Wat Kandha Phrueksa
Wat Kandha Phrueksa is open daily 07:00-17:00. The standout feature is the ubosot in the middle of the stream, an old ordination hall built right inside the streambed.
A shrine shelter at Wat Kandha Phrueksa.
The temple is in Huai Kaeo, Mae On District, Chiang Mai 50130.
Kiew Fin Viewpoint is about 8 kilometres from the village, at an elevation of 1,517 meters. Arrive between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m. for sunrise and the sea of clouds. The viewpoint has no entry fee and no checkpoint.
The concrete road up is narrow, steep and winding. A local shuttle costs about THB 100 per person for a group of five and takes 15 minutes.
The mountain view from Kiew Fin.The signboard at the Kiew Fin viewpoint.
The viewpoint is in Chae Son, Mueang Pan District, Chiang Mai 52240.
Most day-trippers walk the main street, take photos at Rabiang View, and leave.
Who Mae Kampong suits (and who should skip it)
Good for anyone who wants cool air: evenings get cool at 1,300 meters.
Good for people without a car: a minivan runs from Warorot Market.
Skip if you want a Saturday or Sunday afternoon to yourself: the village gets very crowded after midday.
Skip if you are not a confident scooter rider: the final climb is steep and winding.
How to get to Mae Kampong
Mae Kampong is at Huai Kaeo, Mae On District, 50 km east of the city.
Option
Cost
Time
Minivan from Warorot Market
THB 200 one way
4 departures a day
Grab or taxi
About THB 700-1,200
Roughly 1.5 hours
Car or scooter
Your own vehicle
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Minivan from Warorot Market
Vans pick up at Warorot Market (Kad Luang) in Chiang Mai, opposite the flower market near the Ping River, and run up to Mae Kampong directly. Minivans leave Warorot Market at 7:40 AM, 9:30 AM, 11:40 AM and 2:30 PM. They leave Mae Kampong at 9:20 AM, 11:20 AM, 1:20 PM and 4:00 PM.
The vans are run by the Sankamphaeng Van Cooperative. Seats fill fast, so book by phone the day before on 052-005-410, 082-280-7838, 084-222-3478 or 083-325-4965. The schedule can change, especially in low season or on long weekends, so confirm when you call.
Allow at least the 1.5 hours a Grab takes.
The 4:00 PM return leaves before the waterfall and temple close at roughly 5 p.m., so see the waterfall first and be at the pick-up point by 4:00 PM.
When you book the outbound seat, ask for the return seat in the same call. The later 6:30 PM minivan from Warorot only goes as far as San Kamphaeng Hot Springs, not up to Mae Kampong. The Warorot Market guide has the market’s own hours and how to reach it.
Grab, taxi and self-drive
Grab and taxis from Chiang Mai run about THB 700-1,200, and the drive takes roughly 1.5 hours. For the return trip, local shuttles cost about THB 1,200-1,500. See Grab vs Bolt in Chiang Mai for app basics.
Two routes lead up. Leave Chiang Mai on the Chiang Mai-Mae On road, pass through San Kamphaeng straight to Mae On, then turn right onto ChM.3005 and 5080. Or leave on the Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai road and turn right at the Pong Kum junction, passing the Tin Tok Royal Project; that takes about 1.5 hours.
The last petrol station before the village is the PT station, about 10 km below it. Fill up before the climb. Use low gear both ways, and take extra care after rain because the road gets slippery.
Parking
There is a community parking lot at the village entrance, with songthaews running into the village. The streets inside are too narrow for cars. The village temple, Wat Khantha Phueksa, has approximately 20 spaces.
Arrive before 10 a.m. to park easily while the air is still cool. From October to February nights are 10-18 degrees C with fog and clear skies, and it is peak season, so book ahead.
The village walk, the walking street, the temple, the waterfall and one café come to about 3-4 hours, plus another hour to climb to the top tier of the waterfall. The village is small enough to cover on foot in 2-3 hours.
A day trip works with the minivan: the 4:00 PM return from the village is the last one. For the Kiew Fin sunrise you need a night in the village.
Nearby and how to combine it
A Chiang Mai to San Kamphaeng hot springs shuttle bus runs four times a day and costs THB 150 per person. It does not go up to the village.
1Reach Mae KampongTake the minivan from Warorot Market, a Grab, or drive about 50 km.
2Park at the village entranceUse the community parking lot; the streets inside are too narrow for cars.
3Walk the villageThe village is small enough to cover on foot in 2-3 hours.
4See the waterfallWalk up or take a villager-run songthaew for about THB 30.
5Leave before the last minivanThe last minivan back to Chiang Mai leaves at 4:00 PM.
Not confirmed: Minivan: the timetable comes from a guesthouse guide, so call the van cooperative to confirm. Ask whether the return ticket is paid on board and where the van waits in the village. Journey time: no operator figure; a Grab takes about 1.5 hours.
General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
