Riverside Guesthouse, Lampang

Lampang isn’t a hurried or chaotic place, with its lazy river and horse-drawn carriages still clip-clopping around town.  Even so, Riverside Guesthouse provides a quiet retreat.  Situated directly on the Mae Wang river, the guesthouse consists of a series of refurbished teak houses and leafy common areas perfect for unwinding with a drink after a day riding elephants or visiting temples.

 

We scored one of the large upstairs rooms with hot water, views of the river and plenty of room.  And all this for approximately $40 US a night.  They also arrange tours to nearby attractions, rent both human- and gas-powered bikes, and offer a decent breakfast in the mornings.

 

If you decide to stay for a few nights, skip the mosquito-infested and mediocre Riverside Restaurant.  Instead, head right down the street to Aroy One Baht for some top-notch and dirt cheap Thai food.  We munched on salads, eggs, curry and more; and were thoroughly entertained by the Thai version of Gordon Ramsay commanding his roadside kitchen.  Even with the standard Thai tipple of a bottle of whiskey and soda water, our bill came to an astounding 300 baht ($10 US).   We’d come back to Lampang just for one more meal at Aroy One Baht.