19/08/2026
Doi Mae Salong - From O***m to Oolong
After more than 15 years, I finally found my way back to Doi Mae Salong in Chiang Rai - a mountain village in Northern Thailand, just a stone’s throw from the Golden Triangle and overlooking the Myanmar border.
At around 1,200 metres above sea level, Mae Salong feels like another world. Cool mountain air, misty valleys, endless green tea plantations and a fascinating blend of Thai, Yunnanese Chinese and hill-tribe cultures.
What makes this place even more remarkable is its history. Once part of the wider Golden Triangle region, Mae Salong was closely connected to the o***m trade. Former Chinese soldiers eventually settled here, and over time the mountains underwent an extraordinary transformation - from o***m fields to some of Thailand’s finest Oolong tea plantations.
And then there’s the food… 😋
Yunnanese and Sichuan influences are everywhere. This time, I enjoyed tea-smoked duck, a delicious local classic, along with the flavours of Southern Chinese cuisine.
For this mountain road trip, our Toyota Yaris Cross was the perfect choice - comfortable on the winding mountain roads, spacious enough for the journey and ideal for exploring Mae Salong at your own pace.
