Village
Ban Rak Thai
A Yunnanese Chinese village on a reservoir near the Myanmar border, surrounded by tea terraces.
WhereMae Hong Son
Time needed2–3 hours
Best timeNovember to February
CostFree
It is the strangest and most beautiful village in northern Thailand: mist over the lake, tea rows on the hills, and Yunnanese food that is nothing like Thai cooking.
How to visit it well
- Stay overnight for the morning mist on the reservoir.
- Drink the local tea; the plantations are behind the village.
- Bring your passport — the border checkpoint is close.
