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.

Cafe set within its own private forest in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Boonma is a coffee shop in Chiang Mai with roots in nature ©Sher Maker / Boonma

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.

Indoor and outdoor shot of Boonma cafe
The entrance area is surrounded by a curved, plastic curtain ©Sher Maker / 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. 

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Inside the vibe is slightly industrial ©Sher Maker / Boonma

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.

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Guests can enjoy a coffee to the soundtrack of birdsong ©Sher Maker / Boonma

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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Greenery is everywhere ©Sher Maker / Boonma

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