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PenCave Homestay is composed of a main teak house with the kitchen, the large balcony and also 3 teak wood bungalows. It's definitely the right place to start on a good adventure as we provide short or long kayaking trip and also caving experience and challenging trekking. We have a very big rocky land with an organic garden where we grow our own vegetables and fruits.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
4 nights - early February 2024 We fell in love with this pretty Guesthouse perfectly run by Pen and Yan, located in a quiet village a few minutes walk from the caves. The garden is magnificent and very well maintained, the small wooden bungalows immersed in greenery are full of charm, all different, each with a pretty terrace. Comfort is simple but everything is there! The breakfasts (not included in the room price) are very good (really excellent coffee produced by the house), even better from the sunny rooftop, and the meals are absolutely excellent! We trusted Pen to prepare good local dishes (traditional Shan cuisine) for us every evening and we enjoyed ourselves! Also note the good pastries from Yan for breakfast or for a treat during the day, as well as the ice creams... Great advice for walks in the region, which has some lovely surprises in store. A little cool at night (we are in mid-mountain and we were there in winter), so plan to cover up. A real pleasure, we recommend ++!!
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Date of stay: February 2024
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our family of five (kids age 14, 12, 7) had an amazing adventure — highly recommend staying with Pen! Ban Thom Lod is a challenge to get to but that is what makes it so special and off the beaten track. As a Shan village about 10 miles from the Burma border, the rural misty mountain scenery is beautiful.
Pen is the perfect host and expert guide who grew up in this village and has been leading treks for over 20 years. The three traditional bungalows in her garden are spotless and all food and coffee is sourced within a few miles of the homestay — everything served is organic, healthy, and tasty. Highly recommend ordering her “off the menu” Shan food, coconut ice cream, fresh juices, and breakfast muesli. Pen also prepares homeopathic supplements and teas from local plants and herbs — just ask her.
In terms of activities, do the 15km hike from the village of Mae Lana back to Ban Thom Lod — great views along the mountain ridges and you also pass through picturesque hilltribe villages. Another all day activity is to have Pen guide you through the lesser known local trails for great scenic views, swimming, and caving. Our family did both and loved it.
If you are willing to make the extra effort to get here (it is worth it), then stay with Pen. Send her a WhatsApp to set up your stay +66 87 175 4384.
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pen invites you to her beautiful garden and homestay. You feel immediately at home. She speaks English. Nice wooden bungalows. Don t expect luxury nor airco but a lovely wooden cabin in the jungle with warm shower and a mosquito net. Excellent breakfast, meals, homemade coffee and home made muffins. She can arrange trekkings in the neighbourhood and helps the local community by selling local products. A hidden gem for fans of off the beaten track travelling. Also near the beautiful Tham Lod Caves. Easy to find on Google Maps and Maps.me.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Â Parking spots available. Bring insect repellent and earbuds because nature can be loud!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Great place with a host couple who give much more than you can expect. Pen and Yann are the nicest people in the world, incredibly helpful and really good in a kitchen. They grow all fruit and vegetables themselves, organically of course, and have their own coffee production.
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Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip: Besøg i grotten , Tham lod er et must.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were highly recommend to stay at pens by a friend and we were so glad we did! Pen, her husband and her staff are so friendly and helpful. First of all the food, coffee and juices are amazing! We even brought some of her coffee beans to take home. Secondly, our wooden hut was so cute! The bed was comfy, the room was so clean and had a mosquito net over the bed to make sure the bugs from outside did not get in! We will 100% be returning and recommending to others! Our advice, STAY STAY STAY!
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Can’t recommend this place enough. Unfortunately we booked another place to stay without knowing about Pen Cave but that didn’t keep us from eating 4 times in a row in their cozy and beautiful restaurant. What a gem! Both breakfast, lunch and dinner were amazing here. They grow their own veggies, bake fresh (and delicious!!!) croissants in the morning and serve the best curries. Don’t visit the Lod Cave and surroundings without making a stop here.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were there with two kids (4 and 7) and it was just a great experience. Pen and her husband were so nice, and the food, drinks and coffee was fantastic. We went to see a local Karen tribe village, which is definitely worth a visit. We got a tour of the village and bought a ton of their amazing hand-woven scarfs, bags, etc. Go go go!
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Â Remember warm clothes! It can get quite chilly at night
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What a great place. Huge garden, beautiful designed. In the garden you find a few fantastic houses were you can stay for the night. We booked here for one night, but if we had known what we know now, we surely would stay for some extra nights. Next time will book some days extra. Recommended.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled with friends
Room Tip: Don’t miss this one on your Mae hong son tour
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pen is an amazing host. The bungalows are basic but cosy, with a lovely deck area outside to sit and read. The gardens are beautiful and well maintained. The food is AMAZING. Pen kindly took us on a day trek to some caves. It was a beautiful walk and a special experience to see the caves without hordes of other tourists. Pen clearly has a passion for nature which made it more fun. Thank you Pen!
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Pang Mapha area.
PRICE RANGE
$26 - $27 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
ThailandMae Hong Son ProvincePang Mapha
NUMBER OF ROOMS
10
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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