A day at the pool, half an hour from Chiang Mai
Bring the family, swim all afternoon, eat lunch by the pool and drive home. It is the cheapest holiday in Chiang Mai, and it takes half an hour to get to.
The usual ways to spend it
A swim means booking a hotel room
In town, most pools come with a hotel attached, and the hotel would like you to stay the night.
The children need to run it off
Another afternoon in a café or a shopping mall is not going to do it.
Nobody agrees on lunch
Somebody wants a proper Thai curry, somebody wants a burger, and there is not a restaurant that does both well.
Drive out, and all three are sorted
The pool is open to visitors
There is a small fee if you want to use the pool, and nothing to book. Turn up and stay all afternoon.
Space enough for children
Children are welcome. There are shaded areas and sun loungers for whoever is watching them, and usually nobody else in the water.
One kitchen, both menus
Thai and Western, every day, cooked to order — so the curry and the burger arrive at the same table without anybody compromising.
From a swim to an evening, without moving far
The pool faces the view, so you swim looking at the hills. When you want a drink you do not have to get out: the swim-up bar has stools built into the side of the pool.
The hot tub and both bars are open to day visitors too. As the sun drops behind the mountains the string lights come on over the tiki bar — which is how a lot of afternoons out here turn into evenings.
- Outdoor swimming pool
- Swim-up bar
- Hot tub
- Restaurant, Thai and Western
- Tiki bar for the evening
- Parking
Look at the menu before you set off
Every dish is on the online menu with a photograph and a price, so you know what lunch costs before you drive out. There is a Texas smoker by the pool, which is why ribs, pulled pork and brisket are on it every day.
The honest answers
- Do I need to book?
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No. The bar and the restaurant you just walk up to. If there are a few of you, ring +66 83 9696 555 ahead and we will have a table ready.
- What does it cost?
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There is a small fee if you want to use the pool. Food and drink are as priced on the menu.
- How do I get there?
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We are at 97 Moo 8 T. Ontai, San Kamphaeng, 30–45 minutes from the city depending on traffic, and there is parking. Without a car, Grab and Bolt run out here for about 450–650 THB each way. Getting around, in full.
- What if we want to stay the night after all?
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Plenty of people do. The rooms are a short walk from the pool — send us your dates below.