15 July 2024

Overview — Baan Sammi Nature Retreat

Dillenia Home
one of four houses offered for rent
Contents:
  1. Availability of Rentals, 
  2. Special Offers, News, 
  3. House Rental Offers, 
  4. Property Area and Facilities, 
  5. Vicinity of Baan Sammi. 




If you would like to read each chapter, please scroll down.
Scrollen Sie nach unten, um jedes Kapitel zu lesen. 





1 — Availability of Rentals 





— This tabular overview is always kept up to date 


(1) — PLUMERIA HOME
Long-term only:
RENTED – NOT AVAILABLE IN 2024,
MIGHT BE AVAILABLE IN 2025 or 2026.


(2) — DILLENIA HOME
Long-term only:
  RENTED – CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE,
MIGHT BE AVAILABLE IN LATE 2024
.


(3) — TAI SAENG CHAN PAVILION (MOONLIGHT PAVILION)
Long-term / Short-term:
RENTED – NOT AVAILABLE IN 2024,
MIGHT BE AVAILABLE IN 2025 OR 2026.


(4) — LYCHEE LODGE
Long-term / Short-term:
RENTED – NOT AVAILABLE IN 2024.







(1) – Plumeria Home (top left)  •  (2) – Dillenia Home (top right)
(3) – Tai Saeng Chan Pavilion (bottom left)  •  (4) – Lychee Lodge (bottom right)


Availability dates of the houses for rent will be instantly updated as soon as there are any future changes or expectations of changes. Such dates may be approximate or exact. To track updates, please use a website monitoring tool or extension, e.g., Distill. Unfortunately, we cannot fulfill a request from people interested in renting to be notified of updates individually. However, if you have visited Baan Sammi, and have seen the environment and, at least, the exterior of the houses, and declared interest in renting, preferably within a precise time frame and for a particular house, we would be happy to put you on our list of prospective tenants and inform you about relevant updates.



Please note: Mr. Samran Apaipong does NOT run a hotel business. Mr. Samran Apaipong offers "accommodation [4 houses, all located on a single private property] for the purpose of providing accommodation service for a monthly paid service charge or upward only". This service is excluded from the Hotel Act, B.E. 2547 (C.E. 2004), Section 4 (2).

โปรดทราบ: นาย สำราญ อภัยพงศ์ ไม่ได้ดำเนินกิจการโรงแรม — นาย สำราญ อภัยพงศ์ มี "สถานที่พักที่จัดตั้งขึ้นโดยมวีัตถุประสงค์เพื่อให้บรการที่พักอาศัยโดยคิดค่าบริการเป็นรายเดือนขึ้นไปเท่านั้น" — บริการนี้ได้รับการยกเว้นจาก พระราชบัญญัติโรงแรม พ.ศ. ๒๕๔๗ มาตรา ๔ (๒)





2 — Special Offers, News



For renting with Baan Sammi, there are offers that can be viewed in a separate blog and in posts on Facebook:

► SPECIAL RENTAL OFFERS ◄

  + 

► FACEBOOK ◄





3 — House Rental Offers


Baan Sammi houses are designed as a retreat for people who prefer a quiet life in natural surroundings. There is no tourist hustle and bustle here, as Khun Sam does not run a hotel, hostel, guest house, or typical Thai resort. Also, Baan Sammi is not equipped with a restaurant, bar, or pub.

At Baan Sammi, 4 houses are offered for long-term rental (3 months – 3 years, but usually for 1 year or more). Most often, the tenants are foreigners or Thai-foreign couples. There are several reasons why people want to stay here:
• they find a perfect home for their retirement, or
• they want to escape the long cold season during the autumn and winter of the northern hemisphere, or
• they are artists, writers, or Internet nerds and require an inspiring, peaceful environment and some workspace, or
• they are businessmen and need a retreat in Southeast Asia with good flight and Internet connections, or
• they are global travelers and need a base camp to stay for a long period of time to explore northern Thailand.

(1) Plumeria Home, comprising Plumeria Bungalow, left, and Khilek Pavilion, right
บ้านพลุเมเรีย และ ศาลาขี้เหล็ก ๗๙/๑ ม. ๖ ตำบลป่าลาน — บ้านหลังแรกให้เช่า
Album,    → Description,    → Rental Rates

(2) Dillenia Home, comprising Dillenia Bungalow, left, and Chom Doi Pavilion, right
บ้านดิเลเนีย และ สาลาชมดอย ๗๙/๒ ม. ๖ ตำบลป่าลาน — บ้านหลังที่สองให้เช่า
Album,    → Description,    → Rental Rates

(3) Tai Saeng Chan Pavilion (Moonlight Pavilion)
บ้านไต้แสงจันทร์ ๗๙/๓ ม. ๖ ตำบลป่าลาน — บ้านหลังที่สามให้เช่า
Album,    → Description,    → Rental Rates

(4) Lychee Lodge
บ้านลิ้นจี่ ๗๙/๔ ม. ๖ ตำบลป่าลาน — บ้านหลังที่สี่ให้เช่า
Album,    → Description,    → Rental Rates

All houses are in an unpretentious architectural style, each with a unique design and character, inspired by the traditional Lanna style from northern Thailand. All houses are surrounded by a decorative private garden and separated by lush tropical vegetation to secure privacy and quiet. The entire property is fenced and gated, whereas private spaces around houses are delimited mainly by plants and potted plants, low masonry, and backyard retaining walls (ha-ha walls). There is a large natural garden with tall trees and bamboo for the Baan Sammi community, which also includes a large and deep natural swimming pond. All houses are furnished and equipped with their own kitchen or kitchenette for self-catering.

Destinations can be reached by bicycle, motorbike, scooter, car, GrabCar, GrabBike, or public transportation from the street adjacent to the main gate. The nearest villages are within walking distance and have small grocery shops and food stalls. Within a short bicycle ride, many shops, markets, and restaurants can be reached. The district center, Doi Saket, is 4 mi (7 km) distant, and the city limit of Chiang Mai is 9 mi (15 km).

The rental rates vary depending on the type of house, length of stay, and number of people. The rental rates and utility costs are listed in the blog, Special Rental Offers.


PROPERTY MAP OF BAAN SAMMI
(private garden areas next to the houses are marked pea green)
THERE ARE 4 HOMES FOR RENT:
Plumeria Home = PB+KP
Dillenia Home = DB+CDP
Tai Saeng Chan Pavilion (Moonlight Pavilion) = TSCP
Lychee Lodge = LL




4 — Property Area and Facilities


Dragon's Paddling Pool, the large natural pond for swimming and boating

PROPERTY AREA:

The property is approximately 4 rai (nearly 7,000 square meters, or 1.7 acres), almost rectangular and flat, with some parts slightly elevated and sloped. This area was designed to the utmost possible extent as a sanctuary for nature and has become the habitat for numerous native animals. There is a large pond, four small ponds, canals, gazebos, pathways, a driveway, and lush vegetation, both wild and planted. The driveway, paths, and gazebos invite you to stroll and relax. Several places are suitable for barbecues.

Wildlife and Pets — ► ALBUM ◄

Only the large pond (Dragon's Paddling Pool) is suitable for swimming, boating, and fishing. This pond is ninety meters (300 ft) long, twenty meters (65 ft) wide, and seven meters (23 ft) deep, with steep banks and a connection with groundwater. There is no inflow of surface water from public canals. During the long period of the dry season, the water level will not decrease as groundwater from our over 100 meters (330 ft) deep well will be pumped into the ponds. The entire banks of all ponds are covered in natural vegetation and should not be entered. There are plenty of fish of different species in the pond. The natural self-cleaning of the water is expected to be balanced with the natural input of leaf litter and not silt up or become overgrown for several decades to come. The trees around the pond are tall; some are over 20 meters (65 ft), so much of the bank and parts of the water surface are shaded. The pond has no algae. As the soil consists of loam and clay, there are tiny particles that can float in the water and do not sink easily, which causes the pond to look turbid with a view not deeper than half a meter (2 ft) from the water level. There is no leech either on land or in water, and there have never been any waterborne diseases. Access to the pond for swimming and boating is by staircase docks only.

Plants and Flowers — ► ALBUM ◄

Mosquitoes are everywhere, in the city of Chiang Mai as well as in rural areas around Chiang Mai dominated by rice fields. We don't have more mosquitoes than in the area around Baan Sammi. Although Baan Sammi is not a mosquito paradise, simple pre­cautionary measures are recommended, especially in the evening. There is no need for a mosquito net to cover the bed frame at night, as the inside of all houses is completely protected by mosquito screens on doors, windows, and other openings.

Garden — ► ALBUM ◄

Baan Sammi is a pet-friendly property. There are outdoor pets on the property: One male outdoor dog and currently four outdoor cats. However, our dog does not allow other dogs in its territory, no matter whether male or female, large or small, and moreover, another new cat might not be welcomed by our dog and some of the cats. Therefore, unfortunately, guests with their own dogs cannot be accommodated, and guests with their own cats should be cautious.


PROPERTY FACILITIES:

Available to all houses at Baan Sammi are electricity, Inter­net (Wi-Fi), mobile phone signal, drink­able tap water, and groundwater for irriga­tion. A few houses also have gas (for cooking and/or showering) and LAN Internet.

A small row­boat for 1-2 people is avail­able. Several places in the garden are suitable for barbecues, and barbecue equipment is available.

A community sitting area, both a roofed and non-roofed living space, is available next to the chalets and is for general use, like socializing.

Each house has its own washing machine. An iron and ironing board may be available upon request. Furthermore, an external laundry service can be offered.

A food delivery service from FoodPanda, GrabFood, and MealsOnWheels4U is available online 7 days a week.

A grocery delivery service from Lotus's (former TescoLotus), BigC, Tops, Makro, etc. is available online and daily.

Every afternoon, a female cyclist passes the village road and offers a grocery delivery service. Let her stop, and you can shop.

Khun Sam can guide you on how and where to rent a car, motorbike, scooter, or bicycle.

For trips to the city using public transportation, Khun Sam can arrange to get you a shuttle service by saleng from the entrance gate of Baan Sammi to the village Ban Nam Phrae at Highway #118 (Chiang Mai – Doi Saket Road), from where you can switch to the fixed-route yellow song-thaeo that services the route from Doi Saket to the city of Chiang Mai and back.

A very convenient app-based car-sharing and motorbike-sharing service is available from Grab and Bolt that can reach any destination in the city of Chiang Mai and its surroundings at low fares (significantly lower than the fares of taxis, song-thaeos, and tuk-tuks). Khun Sam can help you get a trip booked from Baan Sammi to any destination in Chiang Mai.





5 — Vicinity of Baan Sammi


Eastern mountain range at sunset
LOCATION:

Baan Sammi is located only about 15 kilo­meters (or 10 miles) north­-east of Chiang Mai, within the district of Doi Saket. Chiang Mai is the second largest city in Thai­land, located in the north.

Roughly locating Baan Sammi on online maps is easiest on the Map of Chiang Mai and Vicinity: You will find Baan Sammi situated within grid square E8. On Google Maps, you will find Baan Sammi, by just searching for "Baan Sammi". Further, you can view the area of Baan Sammi on Google's satellite aerial photo­graphy. On this map, the locations of shops in five nearby villages are displayed.


VICINITY:

The property of Baan Sammi and the immediate surroundings
Baan Sammi is situated bet­ween two rural villages, บ้านป่ายางปอย, Ban Pa Yang Poi, and บ้านป่าติ๋ว, Ban Pa Tio. Huge rice fields, numerous irrigation ditches, canals, and some streams hemmed by natural vegetation, scattered small rural villages with wooden houses, and farm gardens are characteristic features of this not-much-developed landscape.

Northern hills 
This area is part of the Chiang Mai inter­mountain plain, a wide valley through which the Ping River flows (see Google satellite aerial photo), with a little more than 300 meters (985 ft) above sea level in the northern part. The plain is about 25 kilometers (16 mi) wide and delimited by the western mountain range (foothills of Doi Suthep bordering the City of Chiang Mai), the eastern mountain range (foothills bordering the district village of Doi Saket), and the northern hills (beyond San Sai and Doi Saket with the Mae Kuang Dam). The hills and mountains can be seen from the resort on clear days nearly every day except on hazy days during the hot season.

Baan Sammi, and the access roads to Chiang Mai and Doi Saket, are passable year-round and located in an area that is not prone to flooding.


ROUTES FOR TRANSPORTATION:

Baan Sammi has direct access to a small, sealed village street with little traffic. This village street connects to a country road (with little to moderate traffic), running at the 3.8 km distant village of Nam Phrae into the busy Chiang Mai – Doi Saket High­way (#118), which is the main road to connect with Chiang Mai by car, motorbike, and public transportation (→ map).

Detailed information on routes, nearby destinations, and destinations in the Doi Saket and Chiang Mai areas is in the blog, Public and Private Transportation, and in 4 route map albums (links on the main website). For information on the main route connecting Chiang Mai with Baan Sammi, there is a map and illustrated route description in the blog, How to Find Baan Sammi.


TRANSPORTATION:

Cars and motorbikes are the most suitable and independent means of private transportation. Bicycles are good for short distances, usually within 10 kilometers, e.g., for shopping in Doi Saket.

A hot air balloon, a rare and unusual means of transportation, suitable for fun tours

If a vehicle of your own is not available, using public transportation from the road adjacent to our property is an easy and cheap alternative, although it may be complicated at first. A ride with Grab or Bolt, both are app-based online car-sharing services, is convenient and not expensive. There is also a fixed route for song-thaeos between Chiang Mai and Doi Saket on the Highway (#118). The best point at which a song-thaeo can pick you up or drop you off is near the village of Nam Phrae (street view of the exit point). You can choose a saleng or bicycle to connect between Ban Nam Phrae and Baan Sammi.

Bicyclists: Due to the subtropical climate rather than distance, hiking and biking are not the favorite modes of transportation for most foreigners as well as Thais. Furthermore, there is a total lack of bicycle-friendly city infrastructure and drivers' awareness of cyclists (and pedestrians). However, there is a close-meshed net of small sealed country roads with very little traffic that can well be used by cyclists, are flat through­out the Chiang Mai inter­mountain plain, and have no steep gradients in the nearby foothills. Bicycles are available in the city for rent.

For bicyclists and motorcyclists, however, Baan Sammi offers some maps based on Google Maps, which are primarily intended to help find the best routes around Baan Sammi to avoid driving on major roads, including ring roads and highways (Links to the maps: → Main website, Chapter 1). The maps favor small country roads to Doi Saket and Chiang Mai, and back, and treat the points where it is best to cross the major roads.


FACILITIES IN THE VICINITY:

Small shops can be found in all villages around. Local markets, open daily or on certain days of the week, can be found in Ban Pa Pong, Ban Bo Hin, Doi Saket, and many other villages.

There are small food stalls and restaurants in many villages, mostly open at certain hours every day. Thai restaurants can be found in and between villages, most often located on country roads or higher-ranking roads. Also, several restaurants with Western food can be found in the district of Doi Saket.

In Ban Choeng Doi, the district village of Doi Saket, there are numerous shops, including Lotus's, 7-Eleven, restaurants, food stalls, four banks, a daily market, a post office, and a hospital. 


VACATION FACILITIES IN THE VICINITY:

A network of small, paved country roads that stretches over a huge area invites you to go on motorbike and bicycle trips. Destinations: Mae Kuang Dam and other dams, San Kam­phaeng Hot Springs, Muang On Cave, national parks (e.g., Mae Takhrai), Buddhist temples (e.g., Wat Doi Saket and several isolated monasteries on hills), resorts with restaurants and swimm­ing pools (e.g., Wang Than Resort), specialty restaurants (e.g., German Restaurant), Tao Garden and Spa, Thawichon Botanical Garden, horse riding, fitness center, handi­craft villages (e.g., Bo Sang, for Sa paper, umbrellas, teak furniture, silver, Thai silk), Celadon manu­factories, air excursions (hot air balloon, para­gliding, and others), Chiang Mai – Lamphun Golf Club. 


CHIANG MAI AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL FACILITIES:

Chiang Mai, the largest city in the north of Thai­land, offers all establish­ments and public utilities. For detailed tourist inform­ation about Chiang Mai, One Stop in Chiang Mai might be a good choice for a first general survey.

The Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) is centrally located, southwest of the old city, only a few minutes' ride by car. There are many daily flights between Bang­kok and Chiang Mai, many national destinations can be reached from Chiang Mai, and there are flights to neigh­boring countries, too.

The train station is located a few kilo­meters east of the old city. The State Rail­ways of Thai­land connect Chiang Mai with Bangkok. There are several trains daily, both day and overnight trains. Seats can be booked online.

There are many department stores and supermarkets with both Western and Thai goods. Easy to reach are BigC Extra, Rim Ping, and Lotus's.

There are many hospitals, physicians, and dentists in Chiang Mai, much more than shown on Google Maps.

There are several international schools (and one German school).

Several consulates are present in Chiang Mai, e.g., the US, British, Australian, German, Swiss, and Austrian.

There are plenty of car rental services in Chiang Mai (Chapter 5 → https://baansammi-transport.blogspot.com/). Many inter­national car rental companies offer services at or near the Inter­national Airport.


VACATION FACILITIES IN CHIANG MAI AND ITS VICINITY:

The old city of Chiang Mai, surrounded by a city wall and moat, is worth seeing. It is famous for its numerous old Buddhist temples. The Night Bazaar and the Sunday Street Market should not be missed, but there are numerous other sightseeing destinations. Chiang Mai offers all amenities, from nightlife, bungee jumping, and hot balloon flights to visits to museums, the zoo, and the night safari park.

Impressions from the annual Flower Festival

Trips by motorbike and car: Destinations are, e.g., reservoirs, hot springs, caves, natural parks, temples, ruins of ancient Chiang Mai, elephant camps, orchid farms, botanical gardens, hill-tribe villages, handicraft villages and markets, and manufactories. Jungle and mountain trips can be done with a 4-wheel-drive pickup, by yourself or with a driver and guide, or as an organized trip by a tour company. There are numerous sightseeing tours on offer, and the programs described and illustrated on the Internet do a good job of showing the beauty and places of interest in and around Chiang Mai.

The Ho Kham Royal Pavilion in the 
Royal Flora Ratchaphruek
a spacious park in Chiang Mai