Mae Salong (Santikhiri) travel guide

Mae Salong is situated at an altitude of over 1200 m, close to the border with Burma. It is like a small pocket of China. After the Communist victory in China in 1949, remnants of the nationalist KMT (Kuomintang) sought refuge here and developed it as a base from which they would mount an invasion of China. This wish has long since faded into fantasy and the Thai authorities have attempted to integrate the exiled Chinese into the Thai mainstream. A paved road now leads to the town which is easily accessible. It is also an alternative place to trek from.

Despite the attempts to Thai-ify Mae Salong, it still feels Chinese. The hillsides are scattered with Japanese sakura trees, with beautiful pink blossom, whilst Chinese herbs and vegetables are grown in the surrounding countryside and sold at the morning market. Many of the inhabitants still speak Chinese, Yunnanese food is sold on the streets, and there are glimpses of China everywhere. One of the reasons why Mae Salong has remained so distinctive is because a significant proportion of the KMT refugees who settled here became involved in opium production and trade. This put the inhabitants in conflict with the Thai authorities and created the conditions whereby they were excluded from mainstream Thai society. Mae Salong’s remoteness – at least until recently – also isolated the town from intensive interaction with other areas of the country.

Tea growing has now become a massive industry in and around Mae Salong and the hills are filled with endless tea terraces while the village is now home to dozens of tea-houses. The local brew is subtle and tasty – the variety of Oolong is particularly good. Less nuanced and completely tasteless are attempts to build a weird tea visitor centre just outside of town. Here massive gold and silver tea pots (soon to have fountains pouring from the spouts) sit beside giant Chinese dragons as surreal, gaudy evidence of someone with too much money and not enough sense.

The morning market is worth a visit for early risers (0530-0800), as this is where hilltribe people come to sell their produce. Wat Santakhiri is situated in a great position, with views of the hills on the road up to the impressive shrine to the Princess Mother. It is a Mahayana Buddhist monastery with images of Kuan Yin and Chinese-style salas....read more