Ban Rak Thai

Ban Rak Thai is a small lakeside village in Mae Hong Son province, northern Thailand, noted for its Yunnanese tea culture and lakeside setting. The settlement was established by Chinese Nationalist (Kuomintang) refugees after 1949 and retains a distinctive Yunnanese character.

The village is best known for its tea houses and small-scale tea cultivation set around a reservoir and hillside terraces. Visitors typically walk the village, sample local tea in lakeside teahouses, and photograph views over the water and surrounding hills.

The community was founded by Kuomintang soldiers and families who fled China in 1949 and settled in this border valley. Over time it developed as a small farming and tea-producing settlement with buildings and customs reflecting Yunnanese influence.

Ban Rak Thai sits in the mountainous border region of northern Mae Hong Son province, close to the Thai-Myanmar frontier and northwest of the provincial town of Mae Hong Son. Access is by narrow mountain roads and the site is commonly visited on day trips from towns in the region.

• Tea culture: The village retains a Yunnanese tea-house tradition introduced by Chinese settlers; visitors can buy locally produced and brewed tea in several small shops and lakeside houses.
• Border location and access: Sits close to the Thai-Myanmar border and is reached by steep, winding mountain roads; accommodation and facilities are limited so many visitors come on day trips from larger towns.

Perched on a mountain peak straddling the Thai - Burma border, the quaint village of Mae Aw has a distinctly Chinese flavor inherited from the Chinese Nationalists (Kuomintang, or KMT) who settled here decades ago. Its official name, Ban Rak Thai - ‘the village that loves Thailand’ - is a pointed reminder of where its residents’ loyalties should lie.

Mae Aw makes an easy day trip from Mae Hong Son, 44km to the south, along a road that passes some stunning scenery. There is little to actually do in the village beyond marveling at the ubiquitous Chinese signage, sampling Yunnanese tea, and soaking up the border-country atmosphere.

A number of Shan, Hmong, and Karen hill-tribe villages dot the surrounding hills and make for interesting side trips. Having your own transport is a real advantage up here, as public transport is irregular. The Pha Sua Waterfall is a refreshing diversion on a hot day, and the Pang Tong Summer Palace and a nearby royal project are also worth a look.

Ban Rak Thai is in Mae Hong Son Province near the Myanmar border. From Mae Hong Son town, travel by road northwest; the drive is mountainous and may be slow. Many visitors visit as part of a regional circuit (Pai-Mae Hong Son-Ban Rak Thai). Local minibuses and private drivers are common; check road conditions in the rainy season.

• Arrive early in the morning to see Bann Rak Thai's tea terraces before haze and crowds build.
• Bring a light jacket - evenings can be cool at the higher elevation.
• Try the local tea and ask about the village's Chinese Yunnan heritage; many residents are descendants of tea-farming migrants.