Santikhiri

Santikhiri, often known by its alternative name Doi Mae Salong, is a hill town in northern Thailand famed for tea cultivation and a prominent Yunnanese Chinese community. It occupies upland terrain with a markedly cooler climate than lowland Thailand.

The area is noted for its tea plantations and small-scale agriculture; visitors come to see terraced tea fields, local markets and hilltop viewpoints. The town centre has Chinese-style shops and eateries that reflect the community’s cultural heritage.

The settlement developed in the mid-20th century as a community of former Kuomintang soldiers and migrants from Yunnan; the town later integrated into Thailand’s administration and diversified into agriculture and tourism.

Santikhiri sits in northern Thailand near the border area with Myanmar, in a mountainous part of the country within the broader Chiang Rai highlands.

• Elevation & agriculture: Situated at high elevation-around 1,200-1,400 metres-the town’s cooler climate supports tea cultivation and temperate crops.
• Cultural character: The community retains strong Yunnanese Chinese cultural influence due to mid-20th-century settlement, reflected in cuisine and architecture.

What to See#

• Tea plantations: Extensive terraced and smallholder tea plantations occupy surrounding slopes and are a visible feature of the local economy and landscape.
• Town market and viewpoint: A hilltop market and viewpoint area in the town provides panoramic valley views and a focal point for local Chinese-influenced shops and eateries.

Santikhiri (Doi Mae Salong / Santikhiri) is a hilltown in northern Thailand’s Chiang Rai area. The usual approach is by road from Chiang Rai city - a mountain drive of roughly 1.5-2 hours depending on traffic and exact start point - using the regional roads toward Mae Salong; the last stretches are winding mountain roads. Local minivans, private cars and motorcycle taxis serve the village from nearby towns; once in Santikhiri the village is compact and explored on foot.

• Go at sunrise for the best views over the tea terraces and to catch the early-morning mist that gives Santikhiri (Mae Salong) its dramatic scenery-viewpoints and ridge roads are far quieter then.
• Enter the town and walk into the tea plantations and small village streets rather than staying only at the main viewpoint; the local Chinese‑Yunnan cafés and small tea houses in the town often get missed by visitors who only take photos from the roadside.
• If you're interested in culture, visit the morning market and the village shops to try local tea and snacks-the market atmosphere and family-run tea farms are more informative than the panorama alone.