Doi Tung Travel Guide

Known by locals as ‘Switzerland in Thailand‘, Doi Tung (‘Flag Mountain’) is located in Chiang Rai Province in the north of the kingdom, not far from Chiang Rai and the Thai-Burmese border town of Mae Sai.

This gorgeous mountain-top destination comprises forests and close-by Akha, Lahu and Shan tribal villages and makes for a magnificent trip through the mountains in combination with a visit to Mae Sai and Tachileik, its counterpart in Myanmar.

Probably the most important draw in the region is the 1,000-year-old Wat Phrathat Doi Tung, a temple that is a significant place of pilgrimage. From the time its chedis were built, an oversize flag has been flown, giving the mountain its name.

The area also houses the Doi Tung Development Project, initiated by Her Royal Highness the Princess Mother who passed away in 1995. The Doi Tung Royal Villa has been maintained precisely the way it was when the Princess Mother stayed here and is a symbol of her continuous efforts to improve the well-being of her subjects.

Set just below the Royal Villa, the beautifully landscaped Mae Fa Luang Garden is filled with blossoming and ornamental plants, making it one of the country’s most colorful sites. Each year, tens of thousands of visitors flock to this attraction and learn about the invariable endeavors of Princess Srinakarindra.

Getting There & Away

Doi Tung can be accessed by taking Highway 110 from Chiang Rai and after about 30kms turning left onto Highway 1149, which leads directly to Doi Tung. The more adventurous can depart from Mae Sai on Highway 110 and find a small side road after about five kilometers that climbs very steeply through several hairpin bends to Baan Phamee, passing a number of Akha and Lahu villages. Chiang Rai is a 1-hour, 30-minute flight from Bangkok.