This peaceful cafe is nestled within its own private forest in Chiang Mai , providing customers with serene surroundings in which to enjoy a mindful sip of joe.
Chiang Mai is one of Thailand 's most popular backpacker and wellness destinations. It's very different to the pulsing, vibrant, traffic-choked Bangkok . It's greener. The air is cleaner. And everything moves at a much gentler pace. Wellness rules supreme here and you'll find massage parlours and yoga studios running alongside plant-based eateries, whimsical bars and sustainable fashion boutiques. Which is to say, it's the perfect place to open a coffee shop like Boonma .
Located at the edge of the city, just a short stroll from Wat Ram Poeng Buddhist temple, it's not your average coffee shop. Rather, it's a little green oasis that reflects Chiang Mai's spiritual and natural roots. The boundaries between indoors and outdoors are blurred here and coffee is served against a backdrop of lush greenery and birdsong.
Boonma is surrounded by eight metres of private forest and design studio Sher Maker capitalised on the landscape by creating an open-air entrance area that features a curved, plastic curtain that runs around the entire building. What this does is create a walled-off section of the forest where guests can sit on wooden benches with their food and drink and breathe in the sights and sounds of the forest.
Indoors the slightly industrial vibe is offset by hanging plants, light filters and large windows. There's a terrace area at the back with more lush, green space in which to enjoy meditative drinks. The menu is simple; coffee, tea, juice, smoothies and healthy snacks. It's open from 10am to 6pm, Wednesdays to Mondays (closed on Tuesdays).
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