Ban Santichon Section of Populated Place

Address: Ban Santichon (Chinese Yunnan Cultural Village), near Mae Wang/Chiang Mai-Doi Mae Salong area, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand

Hours: Village shops and cafes typically 08:00-18:00

Admission: Entrance to the village area free; some shops and the tea houses charge for purchases/services

Ban Santichon is a small settlement in northern Thailand noted locally for its Yunnanese-Chinese cultural connections and for a compact cluster of tea houses and craft stalls. It is commonly visited as a cultural stop near other tourist routes in the region.

The settlement’s identity reflects migration and cultural links between Yunnan communities and northern Thailand; it developed as a local centre for Yunnanese-style commerce and hospitality.

Situated in northern Thailand, the settlement lies close to regional tourist routes and nearby provincial towns, and is accessible by road from surrounding communities.

• Yunnan cultural influence: Look for small tea houses and vendor stalls selling locally produced tea, snacks and handcrafts typical of Yunnan-influenced settlements in northern Thailand.

The residents of Ban Santichon are descendants of Nationalist Chinese Kuomintang soldiers who arrived from Yunnan in China many years ago. Yunnanese roots are alive and well here, and visitors are welcome to explore the village and sample its culture and traditions, from the traditional language, customs and dress to the distinctive rammed-earth architecture and the rustic, tasty Yunnanese cuisine served in local restaurants.

The main attraction is the Chinese Yunnan Culture Centre, opened in 2005, a slickly presented display of Yunnanese life, alongside souvenir shops selling Chinese tea and crafts, a Yunnan-style restaurant and a guesthouse. It has become something of a tourist trap, with near-identical thatched adobe huts and rather fake-looking crenellated castle walls, but if that does not put you off you might stay a night or two to get a fuller feel for the place and explore the surrounding lychee orchards. Also nearby are the popular Mo Paeng Falls, second only to Pai Canyon among Pai’s top sights, so it is worth combining both on the same trip.

Ban Santichon is about 60-90 minutes by car from Chiang Mai city; travelers can hire a taxi or join a day tour that includes Doi Mae Salong and nearby viewpoints. The village sits near the winding Route 1269 that climbs into the mountains.

• Try the Yunnan tea and the small almond pastries in the village-these are specialties introduced by Chinese Yunnanese settlers.
• Arrive mid-morning to avoid the peak coach tours that arrive later in the day.
• Walk up to the viewpoint above the village for views of the terraced fields and surrounding hills.