Dao Home

If you’re looking to unplug, reconnect, and live in a place where mountains outnumber people and animals outnumber rules, this is it.

We’re tucked away in peaceful Chiang Dao — with views that look like postcards, nights full of stars, and a soundtrack of five excitable dogs, a squad of cats, and three turtles who take life very, very slowly.

Volunteers join in for around 2–3 hours a day on light tasks like gardening, cooking, animal care, or fun creative projects. Some days you’ll do more, some days less — we flow with the weather (and the mood).

You’ll stay in simple shared rooms or tents, eat home-cooked meals that might ruin restaurants for you, and sip coffee roasted daily by us (and judged daily by Nicholas, our resident barista wizard). Free time? Think gym, ice baths, bonfires, movie nights, and spontaneous karaoke sessions when Tom feels romantic.

It’s not just volunteering — it’s joining a slightly chaotic but very loving family. Come for the mud homes, stay for the dogs, and leave with stories you’ll tell for years.

At Dao Home, you don’t just meet “hosts” — you meet a whole cast of characters: 👨 Mark – From India, ex-tech guy turned mountain farmer. Co-founder, coffee addict, and the one who tries to keep this circus together. 👨‍🦱 Tommy – From Brooklyn (yes, with the accent). Ex-tech, now co-founder, building mud homes and cracking jokes in equal measure. 👩 Anita – From Czech Republic. Came as a volunteer, stayed as family (and as Mark’s girlfriend 💕). She helps with design, volunteers, and basically everything. She’s also way cooler than Mark, but don’t tell him. 🎤 Tom – Might look like a gangster but sings the most cliché love songs at night. Huge animal lover, biggest heart in the house, and the guy who can fix absolutely anything. 🇦🇷 Rocío & Nicholas – “The Argentinians.” (Guess why? 😉) Rocío is the queen of organizing and making the house sparkle, Nicholas is our barista wizard roasting the best coffee you’ll ever taste. Together they bring Latin energy to the mountains. 🐱 Andy – From China, proud cat mom. Keeps the kitchen, cats, and chaos in order. If something tastes good, it’s probably thanks to her. And then there’s the real boss team: 🐕 Mocha, Mumu, Bella, Mon, and Lucky (dogs, part security, part cuddle crew) 🐈 Elvis, Rocky, Lana, Gingy, and Leo (cats, also known as “the twins” — two orange street rescues with big personalities) 🐢 Three wise turtles, who move slower than anyone but judge us all equally. ✨ How will you be treated here? Like family. Expect good food, lots of laughter, questionable karaoke, and the occasional dog stealing your seat. We live simply, share meals and stories, and treat every volunteer as part of the community. You’re not just helping — you’re joining a living, breathing, slightly chaotic, but very loving family.