On our most resent weekend motorbike ride, my friend Ally and myself were lucky enough to come across the local coffee production in the process.

12We were on the back mountain roads going from Doi Saket over to Chae Son National park when we first came across many trays of coffee beans drying in the sun at the roadsides in many of the small villages we passed through.

Then in one of the villages we saw a couple of people blanching and washing more beans for drying.

27One guy was doing it by hand whilst his neighbours opposite had mechanical help.

The locals were very friendly and keen to explain the process. Once the beans are harvested they are blanched and washed and roughened before being laid out in the sun for several days prior to roasting.

31At the house that was using the machine there was also a lovely little coffee shop where we were able to purchase a cup of their fresh coffee, which was just perfect.

I was so impressed that I bought several bags of their fresh ground coffee to take away.

37I found it delightful that rather than one mass producer it seems that there are many small scale coffee farming operations going on throughout these hills.

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Arriving at Doi Fah Hompok National Park at around 2.40pm we were charged 640baht entrance, that was 200 each for the farang adults and 40 baht for Boon, children free.
The beautiful landscaping just about waives my minor objections to the addition of geysers produced by pressure pipes. Indeed, so impressed were we by the pristine beauty of this place we decided to enquire about accommodation.

The results of those enquiries were that you can hire a two person tent for 150 baht a night, bedding 60 baht per person; or there are various sized chalets for rent too. If I go back again, which I am sure I will, I would be happy to camp, the tents looked fine; but this time round we took a two bedroom chalet that had 3 double beds and housed all seven of us, for 700 baht. The chalet was basic but it did have heated shower/toilet room and great views of the Hot Spring area and surrounding forestation.

The park is popular with bird spotters and there are apparently some very rare species to be seen.

Birds are not the only wildlife to be seen. We spotted this cute little guy scittering around outside our chalet.

Close to the Hot Spring geysers there are bathing pools and steam rooms, which will cost you 50 baht a head to use. The bathing pools are segregated, male, female; and you are advised by staff to spend no longer than 20 minutes in the pools because of the high sulphur content in the mineral waters.

This was a completely unplanned stop over and a great decision as far as we were concerned. there is a large dining Pavilion and cafe and drinks/ souvenirs shops, although the opening/ closing times were a bit vague as we were still in the ‘low season’. The staff in the information centre were very friendly and helpful and I will definitely return to further explore the National Park, which appears to be quite vast. For this trip it was just a chance to relax in peaceful green surroundings away from the business.

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