Tama Field · Food · Stay · Ban Tam Phra Lae, Phayao

A house in a garden,amid rice fields near Doi Luang.

Around the house, working rice fields. Further out they run in every direction, with Doi Luang for a backdrop. Clear air all day — booked whole, no other guests, nothing shared.

From ฿2,000 a night

A house in a garden,Placeholder · The house in evening light
bedrooms
2bedrooms
guests
4guests
night minimum
1night minimum
all around · Doi Luang beyond
Fieldsall around · Doi Luang beyond

Where this is

Most people drive past Phayao.We would like you to stop.

Phayao is the province people pass through on the way to Chiang Rai. They catch the lake from the road and keep going. But there is enough here to stop for days — the lake, waterfalls, temples, festivals, and a base for Chiang Rai or Phu Langka.

Ban Tam sits west of town, where the flat land starts climbing toward Doi Luang. It has rice fields, watershed forest, and a six-tier waterfall inside its own boundary. The fields here are farmed for a living, not kept for photographs.

Our house is in Ban Tam Phra Lae, under half an hour from town. On the way in the road narrows, the buildings thin out one by one, and you are left with fields and a ridge. Then you cut the engine and open the door, and the first thing you notice is the air — before you have even looked at the view.

A day here

Nothing to rush for.Not nothing to do.

If you are wondering what actually happens here, an ordinary day looks something like this.

  1. 06:30

    The light comes from the east

    In the cool season a thin mist sits over the fields for an hour before it burns off. Make coffee in the kitchen and take it out front. Two or three motorbikes will pass on their way to the fields. That is the whole of the morning traffic.

  2. 08:30

    The morning market in town

    Vegetables picked that morning, fish from the lake still moving, eggs, pork, dried goods — all at provincial prices. Whoever is selling will ask what you are making and put a few kaffir lime leaves in for nothing. One trip is enough for the whole stay.

  3. 10:00

    The waterfall is in the same subdistrict

    Champa Thong falls sit inside Doi Luang National Park, in Ban Tam, the same subdistrict as the house. Six tiers, water year-round, pools to get into, and a 2.2 km nature trail if you want a proper walk.

  4. 14:00

    The hottest hours, spent indoors

    Come back, turn on the air-conditioning, shower, lie down. Put a film on the 55-inch TV through Netflix, or leave music running on the speakers. Afternoons here are quiet enough that most people fall asleep without meaning to.

  5. 17:30

    Evening light turns the fields

    The western fields go gold for about forty minutes. If you want the full sunset, drive to the lake — behind Wat Si Khom Kham there is a viewpoint that takes in the whole of Kwan Phayao with the Phi Pan Nam range behind it.

  6. 19:30

    Run the tub

    The round tub sits on the concrete deck behind the house. Start the hot water at dusk and get in once the air has cooled. In the cool season: cold air, warm water. In the hot season: a proper soak after the heat. In the rains: you can stay in even through a light shower — there is no roof over the tub.

  7. 21:00

    It gets properly dark — and the lane is lit

    On a clear night you will see more stars than you expect. The lane into the village is lit the whole way, so coming home after dark feels safe. Sit out front with a drink as long as you like — just bring the volume down after ten. Everyone here is up at five.

Nothing to rush for.Placeholder · Morning out front, mist on the fields

The house

Inside it is a house,not a room.

A house in the village, at the point where the houses begin to spread out. Neighbours nearby, far enough apart to be quiet. At night there are people around — enough to feel easy about it, not close enough to hear.

However many bedrooms you book, you get the whole house. Kitchen, bathroom, tub, garden and parking are yours alone. No lobby, no guests next door, nobody walking past your front step in the morning. Close the door and the time is properly yours.

The joinery is real timber, so it creaks a little at night as the wood cools, and in the cold season the floors are warmer underfoot than tile. Insects come and go with the seasons — more in the rains and early hot months than in winter — and we keep mosquito repellent in the house.

The rest is simply what a lived-in house ought to have: air-conditioning in every room, hot water, fast Wi-Fi. All of it there from the first day, without having to ask.

Inside it is a house,Placeholder · The house seen from the front garden

Room by room

What is where

The house is not large, but nothing in it is there for decoration. This is everything you will have the run of.

First bedroom

A proper double bed with the window facing the fields. Wake before the sun and you get the mist before anyone else in the house.

Double bed · air-con · window onto the fields

Second bedroom

Same size, same bed. Opened when there are four of you, or left shut when there are two.

Double bed · air-con

Living room

A 55-inch TV with Netflix and YouTube ready to go, and real speakers rather than the ones built into the television — the difference shows after an afternoon of music.

55-inch TV · Netflix · YouTube · speakers · air-con

KitchenPlaceholder · The kitchen and gas stove

Kitchen

Open a cupboard and there are pots, pans, plates, bowls and cutlery, stocked like a kitchen someone cooks in every day rather than one equipped only to boil water.

Gas stove · fridge · coffee machine · pots and pans · full crockery

Bathroom

One bathroom, indoors. The hot water arrives quickly, and towels, soap and shampoo are already set out.

Hot water · towels, soap and shampoo provided

Back deck

A concrete deck with the round soaking tub set out in the open. It is enclosed and part of the house, with no path running past — get in at whatever hour you like.

Round tub · open air · private

Front garden

Seating that works from the first coffee of the morning to the last drink of the night. Park at the door; it is a few steps to the house.

Outdoor seating · parking

The fields

Rice fields on every side,Doi Luang beyond.

Rice fields on every side,Placeholder · The western field at dusk

Beyond the fence the paddies are still worked. Further out, the fields run in every direction, with Doi Luang as the backdrop.

Morning light arrives from one side, evening light from another, and the house changes colour all day while you do nothing but watch. In the rains the green is almost hard to look at; at harvest it turns gold; once cut, the ridge stands clear.

Along the neighbour's edge we planted a wall of ficus for privacy and wind. That is the one line we closed on purpose. The fields and the mountain are still close enough to feel every day.

The rice year

The fields do not stand still

These are working rice fields, so the view changes with the farming year. If you want a particular picture, pick your month from here. Timings shift a few weeks with the rains.

  1. May – June

    Ploughing and seedbeds

    The first rains arrive and the fields turn brown and water-logged. Tractors are out all day, and wet earth is the smell of the month.

  2. July – August

    Transplanting

    The rice is still short and the paddies are full of standing water. Morning and evening, the whole field becomes a mirror for the sky — one of the best times of year to photograph it.

  3. September – October

    Full green

    Green so strong it is almost hard to look at. The rice stands waist-high, and a gust of wind sends a wave right across the field.

  4. November

    Ripe, and gold

    The whole field turns gold, and the air has already started to cool. This is the best month at the house. If you can choose, choose this one.

  5. December

    Harvest

    Harvesters in the paddies, straw stacked at intervals, and the smell of straw and new rice. In the evening a thin smoke hangs over the fields.

  6. January – April

    Open ground

    Once cut, the fields lie open and the Doi Luang ridge stands out clearly. Some plots go to a second crop. This is when the view reaches furthest.

Out back

A round soaking tub,in the open air.

Behind the house is a concrete deck with a round soaking tub set out in the open, jets and all. There is no roof over it, which means at night you lie in warm water and look straight up.

The best way to do it is to start the water at dusk and get in after dinner, once the air has turned. The gap between the air outside and the hot water is the whole point.

It works in every season. Cool-season nights make the contrast sharp; hot days make a warm soak feel earned; and light rain is no reason to get out — rain and hot water go together better than you think.

This deck belongs to the house. It is not a shared facility. Nothing to reserve, no time slot, nobody else's turn.

The kitchen

A kitchen that works,not one for show.

Gas stove, fridge, coffee machine, pots, pans, plates — stocked like a house someone lives in, not a room with a microwave and a kettle.

Ingredients are no trouble either. The market in town is within a half-hour drive, with vegetables in season, fish from the lake, and local things you will not find in a supermarket. One trip buys enough for the whole stay.

Cook your own breakfast if you like — or tell us ahead and we will arrange breakfast for you.

A kitchen that works,Placeholder · The kitchen and gas stove

Eating

Cook at home, or drive into town

Cook at the house as much as you like, drive into town in half an hour for restaurants — and if you want breakfast, tell us ahead and we will arrange it.

Cooking at the house

What most people choose. Stock the fridge on your first day and you need not start the car again. Food you cook yourself, somewhere this quiet, always tastes better than it has any right to.

Breakfast

Use the kitchen yourself, or tell us before you arrive and we will arrange breakfast — no need to hunt for it on your first morning.

The morning market in town

Seasonal local vegetables, freshwater fish from the lake, pork, chicken, eggs, dried goods, and northern breakfast eaten at the stalls. Arrive before eight for the best of it.

Restaurants on the lake

A row of them along the shore of Kwan Phayao, trading on fresh freshwater fish and the sunset. For dinner, arrive before six so you still have the light.

What to order

Pla som — soured fermented fish from the lake, preserved the way families here have done for generations — is the thing Phayao is known for. Have it fried with herbs or stirred through rice. Beyond that: tilapia, northern larb, sai ua sausage, young chilli relish, and catfish curry. Pla som also travels home well.

Cafés

There are several by the lake and in town, most open early and fine to work from — useful if you want half a day somewhere other than the house.

Just ask us

Places open and close constantly. Email us and we will tell you what is good the week you are here. We live here; we know.

Inside

What you get

Bedrooms

  • Two double bedrooms
  • Air-conditioning throughout
  • Bed linen and towels
  • Fans

Kitchen

  • Gas stove
  • Fridge
  • Coffee machine
  • Pots, pans, crockery
  • Drinking water

Water and tub

  • Indoor bathroom with hot water
  • Round outdoor soaking tub
  • Jets
  • Soap and shampoo

Living

  • 55-inch TV
  • Netflix and YouTube
  • Good speakers
  • Fast Wi-Fi

Outside

  • Front garden
  • Outdoor seating
  • Parking at the house
  • Lit lane the whole way in
  • Mosquito repellent

Working from here

Stay a week and still get things done

The weekly rate exists for people who are not only here on holiday.

Genuinely quiet by day

During the day the village is close to silent — everyone is out in the fields or at work. It is the kind of quiet you can work through for hours without being interrupted.

Wi-Fi and power

Fast Wi-Fi throughout the house — fine for video calls, streaming and uploading files. You will not be nursing a weak connection through a meeting.

Somewhere to work

Use the table indoors, or move out front for the morning and evening when the air is at its best. You can change desks all day without leaving the property.

Seven nights, pay for five

Under ฿1,500 a night — close to thirty per cent off the standard rate — and you are not packing up and moving on every few days. Your things stay put, and so does the kitchen.

Seasons

No two months are the same here

Each season has its own reason to come. None of them is a compromise.

Cool season

November – February

Mist over the fields in the morning, and nights that are properly cold — some below fifteen degrees. An open-air tub of hot water against cool air is at its sharpest. If you want these months, message us well ahead.

Hot season

March – May

Daytime brings wind and the warmth of summer; by five the air opens up and sitting outside feels good again. The hot tub eases the heat. In April, town hosts Songkran on Kwan Phayao — water play, processions and lakeside concerts, half an hour away.

Green season

June – October

The greenest the fields get all year, and Champa Thong waterfall at full flow. Rain usually comes in the afternoon and then stops, leaving clean evenings. You can soak through a light shower, and anyone who likes rain on a roof will like this season.

The village

Ban Tam is not a tourist village.People actually live here.

Ban Tam is a farming subdistrict west of Phayao town. People here grow rice and look after forest as a matter of course. There are no souvenir shops and no café on every corner, which is exactly why it is still quiet.

The watershed forest above the village is community forest, managed by the villagers themselves for decades — it has a name locally as one of the most strongly protected in the province. The streams that rise in it run down into Kwan Phayao. Some of the water you see in the lake in town comes off the hills behind this village.

On the road up toward the waterfall there are old temples — Wat Tam Mon and Wat Tam Klang — worth stopping at. No entrance fee, nobody selling you anything. They are working village temples.

One thing worth knowing: people here genuinely rise early and sleep early. That is why we ask about noise after ten. It is not a rule we invented — it is just what being a decent neighbour looks like.

Nearby

What there is to do once you leave the house

Phayao has enough to fill several days. The good places sit close together — most within half an hour to an hour and a half.

Champa Thong Waterfall

Same subdistrict as the house · Doi Luang National Park

Six tiers fed from Doi Luang, running all year, with pools to swim in — the second and third tiers are the best of them. There is a 2.2 km nature trail through dry evergreen forest for anyone who wants a real walk. Open 08:00–16:30.

Kwan Phayao

In town · half an hour

The freshwater lake at the heart of the province. In the evening the whole town comes out to walk, run and sit along the water. Restaurants on the shore, boat rides on the lake, and cycling around the edge. Most of the fish you eat in Phayao comes from here.

Wat Si Khom Kham

On the lake · in town

The principal temple of the province, home to Phra Chao Ton Luang — the largest and oldest Buddha image in Lanna. The back of the temple meets the lake, and it is the finest place in Phayao to watch the sun go down behind the Phi Pan Nam range.

Wat Analayo Thipyaram

On Doi Busarakham

A hillside temple with a panoramic view over the lake and the town below. Plenty to walk around once you are up there. Go in the morning, when the air is at its best.

Phu Sang Waterfall

Phu Sang district · Thailand's only warm waterfall

Warm water from underground, around 35°C — a soak in the forest. Inside Phu Sang National Park, about one and a half to two hours from the house. Worth a half-day if you are staying several nights.

The morning market

About half an hour's drive

Worth the trip if you intend to use the kitchen. Seasonal local vegetables, fish from the lake, dried goods, and northern breakfast food, at genuine provincial prices.

Doi Nok

For serious walkers

A summit with a full 360-degree view taking in the whole lake. It is a hike with an overnight at the top, with a camping area near the summit. Contact the national park ahead and go with a guide.

What there is to do once you leave the housePlaceholder · The lane in, or fields along the way

Further afield

If you are staying a while, keep driving

Phayao sits halfway between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, which makes it a good base if you have a car and a few days.

Chiang Rai

About 90 km · an hour and a half

An easy day out. The White Temple, the Blue Temple, tea plantations, and no shortage of good coffee. The best single-day trip from here.

Wat Nantaram, Chiang Kham

About 70 km · an hour and a half

A teak assembly hall built in Shan style by Burmese craftsmen — old, and genuinely beautiful. Chiang Kham is a Tai Lue town, with a culture and a kitchen noticeably different from Phayao town.

Phu Langka, Pong

About 110 km · two to three hours

One of the finest places in the north to watch a sea of mist, at around 1,700 metres. If you want the morning mist, stay a night nearby rather than driving up at dawn.

Phu Chi Fa

On the Chiang Rai border · about three hours

The best-known mist viewpoint in northern Thailand, and very busy in the cool season. To catch sunrise you would be leaving the house in the middle of the night.

Chiang Mai

About 150 km · around three hours

Easy to fold into a longer trip on the way in or out. Plenty of people use Phayao as the stop between the two big northern cities.

Getting here

However you are coming

Phayao sits on the main road north to Chiang Rai. Driving is easiest, but you can get here without a car.

From Chiang Rai
About 90 km, roughly an hour and a half, on Highway 1 the whole way.
From Chiang Mai
About 150 km, roughly three hours.
From Bangkok by road
About 725 km, roughly ten and a half hours' drive, or an overnight coach from Mo Chit 2 to Phayao bus station.
From Bangkok by air
Fly to Chiang Rai, then hire a car or take a transfer for about an hour and a half. The fastest way by some distance.
From Phayao town
Take Highway 1 toward Mae Chai, turn onto Highway 1127 into Ban Tam. Under half an hour.

We send a Google Maps pin by email before every stay. The last stretch is village road, but the pin takes you to the door — no guesswork at the end of a long drive.

Before you pack

What to bring

The basics are all here — including mosquito repellent, so you do not need to pack that. These are the things people forget and then wish they had.

Proper warm clothes, in the cool season

November to February, the nights are colder than most visitors expect — some drop below fifteen degrees. You will want them in the morning and any time you sit outside.

Something to wear in the tub

The tub is outdoors behind the house and private. Packing swimwear just makes it easier.

Shoes you can walk outside in

There is a garden, a concrete deck, and wet rock if you go to the waterfall. Sandals alone may not be enough.

Some cash

Bank transfer works nearly everywhere in town, but the morning market, small shops and some park entrance gates are still easier with cash.

Any medication you take

Pharmacies and the hospital are in town, about half an hour away. If you take something regularly, bring enough with you.

Who it suits

Come rest,without having to see anyone.

The whole house is yours — quiet, with neighbours close enough to feel easy, and town close enough for dinner or Songkran when you want them.

Especially good for

  • Couples who want the whole house and no other guests
  • Small families, or four of you travelling together
  • Small groups of friends who would rather cook than eat out
  • Remote workers staying a week or more
  • Anyone who wants a hot outdoor soak, stars at night and fields in the morning

Probably not a fit if

  • You are planning a loud party into the night — neighbours rise early
  • You want hotel service with staff on hand all day
  • You are travelling with pets — we cannot take them yet

Rates

The house is yourseither way.

The price changes with how many bedrooms we open, not with how much of the house you get. Kitchen, bathroom, tub, garden and parking are yours in full, every time. Nothing is shared.

One bedroom · two guests

2,000THB / night

Two bedrooms · four guests

3,000THB / night

Longer stays

By the week

Stay seven nights, pay for five — under ฿1,500 a night. For remote workers, or anyone who wants to stay long enough to settle in.

One bedroom · 7 nights
10,000THB
Two bedrooms · 7 nights
15,000THB

Included

  • The whole house, privately
  • Cleaning
  • Water, power and air-conditioning, no extra charge
  • Bed linen and towels
  • Soap and shampoo
  • Wi-Fi
  • Parking at the house

The price you see is the price you pay. No cleaning fee added at the end, no service charge, nothing appearing at checkout.

One night minimum, any day of the week

How it works

Booking, step by step

No booking engine, no third-party app. Use the form on this page, or email us directly. No deposit. Five steps and it is done.

  1. 1

    Send us your dates

    Use the form below, or email stay@tamafield.com — arrival, departure, how many of you, and whether you want one bedroom or two.

  2. 2

    We check and reply

    Usually within the day. If the dates are free we confirm straight away; if not, we will suggest the nearest ones that are.

  3. 3

    Confirm the booking

    We send payment details by email, along with the dates and the total written out again so there is no confusion.

  4. 4

    We send the pin

    A Google Maps location, a phone number, and directions for the last turn, all before your arrival day.

  5. 5

    See you at the house

    Check in from three in the afternoon. Give us a rough arrival time and we will be there to let you in.

Getting here

Easy to find,and we will come out to meet you.

The lane in from the village road is lit the whole way, and you park at the house — set your bags down and it is a few steps to the door.

If you arrive after dark and are not certain you have taken the right turning, call. We will come out and meet you at the top of the lane. Please do ask; we do it for anyone who wants it.

Check-in
From 15:00
Check-out
By 11:00
Where
Ban Tam Phra Lae, Ban Tam, Mueang, Phayao
Parking
At the house, free
Easy to find,Placeholder · Seating out front at dusk

Before you come

A few things to know

  • Smoke-free house

    Please keep smoking away from the house and the tub deck. There is a lot of timber inside and the smell never really leaves. The front garden is fine.

  • Not set up for pets yet

    We cannot look after them properly at the moment, so we would rather not take them. Our apologies.

  • A drink is welcome

    Have one out front or beside the tub for as long as you like. Just bring the volume down after ten — the neighbours are up at five.

  • Guests as booked

    Two for one bedroom, four for two. If you want to bring someone extra, tell us beforehand and we will sort it out.

Common questions

What people ask before booking

If I book one bedroom, do I only get that room?

You get the whole house. Kitchen, bathroom, tub, garden and parking are all yours. The only difference is how many bedrooms we open and how many people can sleep. There are never other guests in the house.

Is the tub really private?

Yes. It sits on the deck behind the house, which is enclosed and part of the property — no public path runs past it. The side facing the neighbour is screened by the ficus wall.

Is there hot water?

Yes, in the bathroom and for the tub out back. If you plan to use the tub, start the water a while before you want to get in.

Can we cook?

Absolutely. Gas stove, fridge, pots, pans and full crockery. Most guests stop at the market in town on the way in, shop once, and cook for the whole stay.

Is breakfast provided?

We can arrange it — just tell us before check-in. Or cook yourself; you have a coffee machine and a kitchen that works.

Is the Wi-Fi good enough to work on?

Yes. Fast Wi-Fi throughout the house — fine for video calls, streaming and uploading files.

Can we bring children?

Of course — children usually take to it, with a garden to run in and fields to look at. Do bear in mind the tub sits outdoors behind the house, so young children need watching closely while it is filled.

Can we arrive late?

Yes. Just give us a rough time. The lane is lit the whole way and feels safe after dark, and we live in this village ourselves — if you cannot find it, call and we will come out straight away.

How do I book, and is there a deposit?

Use the form on this page, or email stay@tamafield.com with your dates and how many of you there are. No deposit. We check availability and send payment details. The person replying is the owner.

Are there any extra charges?

None. The price you see is the price you pay. Cleaning, water, power, air-conditioning, linen, towels and parking are all in it. Nothing gets added at checkout.

Is there a discount for longer stays?

Yes — stay seven nights and you pay for five, which works out under ฿1,500 a night. If you want longer than that, message us and we will work something out.

Can I cancel?

Talk to us. If you let us know in advance we will always understand — reply to our email or send another form message as early as you can.

From the owner

Why we opened the house

We did not build this house to rent out. We built it to live in, and every decision came down to one question: would it be good to actually be here? That is why the kitchen works properly, and why there is a tub out back — we wanted one to soak in ourselves through the cold months.

When we opened it to guests, we had no interest in turning it into a hotel. There is no counter and no staff standing by all day. There is a house that is ready, someone who answers the phone themselves — and if you want breakfast, tell us and we will arrange it.

If you are looking for the whole house to yourselves, quiet enough to rest, with fields close by and town close enough for a day out, we think you will like it here.

Book

Tell us when you would like to come.We'll get back to you.

Use the form, or email stay@tamafield.com — dates, how many of you, and one bedroom or two. We read every message and write back ourselves.

Check-in · Check-out

Check-in

Pick arrival

Check-out

Then pick departure

August 2026

Su
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Sa

September 2026

Su
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Sa

Pick arrival

Bedrooms