About Doi Mae Salong
Doi Mae Salong, officially Santikhiri, is a mountain village in Chiang Rai province, near the Myanmar border. It was founded by Kuomintang soldiers who fled China after 1949, and Chinese culture is still very visible in food, language and buildings. The village is known for its tea plantations, especially oolong, and you can taste tea in tea houses with views over the hills. Sights include the museum for the Chinese martyrs, the tomb of General Tuan, the village's founder, and the Phra Boromathat Chedi for the Princess Mother. The surroundings have a cool climate and quiet mountain roads. The village is popular with Thai tourists in the cool season, and you can stay overnight if you like. The village sits high in the hills and is reached by a steep, winding road from Mae Chan; allow about an hour of driving for the climb.
Best time to visit (indicative)
Best from November to February: cool and dry, with chilly mornings in the hills. From February to April smoke and haze from agricultural burning can limit visibility; June to October is the rainy season, green and quiet. Weather varies from year to year; this is a guideline based on the climate.
Getting there
From Chiang Rai by songthaew or car (about 1.5 to 2 hours); the road is steep and winding. Distances and travel times are rounded estimates.
Things to do in Doi Mae Salong
- Tea houses Taste oolong tea with views of the hills and tea plantations.
- Chinese Martyrs’ Memorial Museum A tribute to the village’s Kuomintang history.
- Phra Boromathat Chedi A chedi on a hill honouring the Princess Mother.
- Tomb of General Tuan The mausoleum of the village’s founder.
Doi Mae Salong on the map
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