🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
If you drive in from Bangkok via the motorway and turn off into Kabin Buri, this is the shortcut up to Khao Yai that Prachinburi locals use all the time. The charm of the route is the cafes tucked between the rice paddies and the foot of the hills. Many open very early because they catch both the people topping up on coffee before the climb and the cycling crowd. We've ordered them by how worth-it the stop is, looking at the view, the menu and what real reviews say.
8 mountain- and rice-field-view cafes worth a stop
Compass Coffee Roasters (Kabin Buri)
A specialty cafe right on Route 304 as you come into Kabin Buri town, with its own roaster on display out front, high ceilings and plenty of seating. Reviewers keep mentioning the Gravity (a dirty-style double shot), the matcha and the carrot cake. A solid place to fuel up on coffee before the climb to Khao Yai.
Noen Homme Cafe (Noen Hom)
Sits near the foot of the Khao Yai road on the Noen Hom side, shaded by big trees, with an earthen house and several photo corners. It opens very early, so cyclists climbing the hill love stopping here to recharge. There are both indoor and outdoor zones.
Myrrh. Cafe
A minimal, all-white cafe with an open outlook onto Khao Yai and Khao E-Toh as a backdrop. Pets are welcome and there are corners for working too. Best for photos with the mountains on a clear morning.
Bliss & Bloom Cafe (Thap Lan)
Inside The Verona project in the Thap Lan area, with a view of the hills and flower fields and a European-style fit-out. Good for anyone who likes a garden atmosphere and lots of photo corners. The blueberry cheesecake gets a lot of mentions.
Baan Chang Cafe
The draw here is the easy-on-the-eyes view of green rice fields. There's an EV charging point and the menu is more substantial than most, with pizza, steak and bingsu. Good for a lunch stop where you settle in for a while.
De Nadi Casa & Cafe
A cafe on Route 304 with a minimal-meets-vintage fit-out. The selling points are single-origin coffee and croissants, and it stays open into the evening, making it a good stop on the way back from Khao Yai.
Mo Garden & Cafe
A garden cafe in Kabin Buri town with a shady, leafy setting that's comfortable to sit in. A handy mid-day break if you don't want to drive out far, and a place locals drop by regularly.
Little House Cafe
A homey roadside cafe with homemade bakery, steak and one-plate dishes, plus cats to play with. It opens early, from seven, so it's good for a light breakfast before you carry on.
When to go
The mountain views are clearest in the morning once the sky opens up, especially in the cool season (Nov–Feb). The rice fields are greenest from the rainy season into early winter. If you're set on photos with the mountains as a backdrop, go before 10am for nicer light and fewer people than in the afternoon.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Prachinburi food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
Plan a smooth cafe-hopping route
If you've got half a day, try lining the cafes up along one route so you're not doubling back. Below is a rough plan that starts in Kabin Buri town and works its way up toward Noen Hom and the Khao Yai turnoff.
Kabin Buri → Noen Hom → Khao Yai turnoff
Mountain view or rice-field view — which to pick
- Want a wall of mountains as a backdrop — go for the Noen Hom–Khao Yai turnoff side, like Myrrh. and Noen Homme, where Khao Yai and Khao E-Toh are clearly in view
- Want easy green rice fields — pick Baan Chang, where you can sit and watch the paddies for ages; best from the rainy season into early winter
- Want serious coffee — Compass Coffee Roasters and De Nadi focus on the beans and the brew more than the view
- Bringing pets or family — Myrrh. is pet-friendly, while Mo Garden and Little House have an easygoing feel that works with kids
Straight talk
A lot of these are small cafes that open and close depending on the day, and some are shut on weekdays. Before you set off, check the shop's page for that day, and bring some cash — a few of the smaller places only take bank transfers, or the signal isn't great near the foot of the hills.
Plan a full day in Prachinburi — cafes, waterfalls and the Prachinburi side of Khao Yai
See the Prachinburi guide →