Visit Khao Yai to feel relaxed!

Khao Yai is a very popular destination, especially among Thai people, for a short vacation.

About one and a half hours away from Bangkok is this vacation destination. Already on the way to Khao Yai you clearly notice how you turn your back more and more on the hustle and bustle of the huge Bangkok. Little by little, more and more mountains and nature can be seen. The ideal place to relax and recover from the stressful everyday life.

However, Khao Yai is not only a very popular destination when it comes to a short vacation but also to celebrate a wedding. In addition to numerous resorts, hotels and restaurants, there are also the perfect places, for a romantic photo shoot. In addition, the climate here is very pleasant compared to Bangkok or even the south of Thailand. During the day it is around 30 degrees in Khao Yai and then towards evening it cools down to a pleasant 22–24 degrees.

In fact, we also ended up here because of a friends wedding. I have to be honest, I had never heard of Khao Yai before and I am really surprised. It’s just not the typical destination for tourists and foreign travelers but rather for the locals. And you can tell. The whole place is a vacation area and very quiet. Without your own car or a driver from the accommodation you can not get away here. :-D

Recall Isaan Isan Concept at Khao Yai

In Khao Yai there is really one resort after the other. Usually we book a small apartment via AirBnB but that is not so common here. Therefore, we now spend a few days in the Recall Isaan Isan Concept at Khao Yai Resort. This is a rural, jungle resort, which resembles its own small village.

There are a few cottages with the rooms and a small private balcony, a pool for communal use and also its own restaurant, spa and a really nice outdoor area. The whole resort is very lovingly designed with a lot of detail. There is a small river that meanders through the resort and is perfectly incorporated into the design. A small bridge leads from the rooms to the restaurant, where there is also a sumptuous breakfast buffet every morning.

Unfortunately, the rooms are very dark and the lamps incorporated there also provide only a dim light. This fits perfectly with the decor and style of the resort but for us it is a bit too constricting. The balcony is also very nice but the roof does not let much light in and so the rooms are not suitable for us to spend the whole day there and work. But of course you have to keep in mind that it is actually a vacation resort and as such the rooms are really very good! It’s just that they are not very suitable for everyday life.

Please Don’t Tell Khaoyai Cafe

But there are countless cafes in the area that you can visit to get some work done over a coffee or even a coke. We decided to go to the Please don’t tell KhaoYai Cafe. Actually, we thought we could just book a cab through Grab, but then had to realize that there are no drivers available here. Therefore, we then asked at the reception and they immediately organized a driver for us.

After a nearly 8 minute ride for 300 baht (about 10 €) we also arrived at the cafe. It is located on a small hill and attracts visitors mainly by the large outdoor terrace overlooking the mountains. In addition, the cafe is located directly on a river and water nearby always provides a quiet, relaxing atmosphere in my opinion.

Due to the very pleasant climate here in Khao Yai, you can also sit outside during the day without sweating. We chose a shady spot on the outdoor terrace and it is really pleasantly warm. But if you want, you can of course also sit in the cafe itself in the air-conditioned room. There are a few comfortable sofas and many more seating options at tables or even bar stools.

The food & beverage menu is also very extensive. Even if the food is mainly warm dishes, such as rice, noodles and seafood to choose from, it is still very nice here. As a European you expect in a cafe somehow rather sandwiches, breads and breakfast-like dishes but here in Thailand there is also often already rice, noodles and soup for breakfast. :-D

MidWinter Restaurant

In addition to many, creative and fancy cafes, there are also exceptionally designed and themed restaurants in Khao Yai. The MidWinter is an Italian restaurant, which is somewhat inspired by Game of Thrones. Here you dine in a large, white castle that creates a medieval atmosphere. You can sit both inside the castle and in the courtyard of MidWinter. Here, the arrangement of tables on different levels is particularly impressive.

There is also live music in the evening on the outdoor stage and a pompous light show on the walls of the castle. The MidWinter’s menu is very diverse. In addition to typical Italian dishes such as pizza, pasta and salads, you can also order European food — such as a knuckle of pork (which Marc had to try, of course), various steaks, but also seafood, Thai and Indian dishes.

The food here is also really delicious. My favorite is definitely the spinach gratin! Much to the regret of some present, MidWinter Restaurant does not currently serve alcohol. This is probably due to the current Corona rules that prohibit the sale and consumption of alcohol in restaurants. However, these rules and restrictions probably also vary by region, so this doesn’t have to apply to other places in Thailand.

You need a car!

Khao Yai is a very extensive vacation region where it is best to have your own car. Due to the fact that it is very rural here, it is difficult to reach a destination on foot. In addition, there are still wild tigers here as well as wild elephants and other animals of the jungle, which can get lost on the roads due to the large national park here in Khao Yai. This is very unlikely but still possible, so especially in the evening a car is very advantageous.

The first days we spent here, we were always picked up by friends with the car, so we have not really thought about how we get from A to B. But now that some everyday life has arrived and we want to explore the area, we are very happy to have a rental car. Even though there are only 2 days left here in Khao Yai, it is worth it. So we could already independently head for some cafes — of which also unfortunately one had closed — and then just continue to our next destination.

Contrary to what you might think, you can also drive your own car through the national park here. In Sri Lanka, we have made the experience that the national parks are areas that can only be driven with a guide and an appropriate jeep. So in my mind I thought that a national park is always linked to a guide as well as a jeep. Marc said that the national park here is then probably rather a kind of nature reserve.

The first ride in our rental car was very adventurous though, because Marc was very confused at first where the gas and the brake are located. Since you drive on the left side in Thailand, the driver’s seat is on the right side of the car, unlike in Germany. However, the pedal arrangement is the same as in Germany — so the gas is on the right, the brake in the middle, and the clutch on the left (if there is one).

We have an automatic and thus only two pedals: gas and brake. Marc somehow thought he had to operate the brake with his left foot and was accordingly startled by how little feeling he had in his foot when he braked hard in the parking lot. I then pointed out to him to brake with the right foot and so it went much better :-D With time, you get used to driving on the left and also to the fact that you have to shift gears with your left hand. All a matter of practice.

So now we can explore Khao Yai a little more with our rental car and hopefully discover more cool, interesting and beautiful places! :)