Santichon Yunnan Village

Santichon was settled by Yunnanese Chinese who left after 1949 - the same Kuomintang-linked migration that produced Mae Salong and Ban Rak Thai - and the village retains Chinese food, tea houses, clay and adobe houses, and Mandarin among older residents. What has happened since is a familiar Pai pattern: the village has been substantially developed for visitors, with a Chinese-styled gateway, a viewpoint charging entry, a swing, costume hire for photographs, pony rides and stalls, alongside the genuine tea houses serving Yunnanese food and oolong. The result is a mix that some visitors find charming and others find contrived, and both readings are defensible. The tea and the Yunnanese food - steamed buns, braised pork, black chicken - are the substantive part. It is five kilometres from Pai on a good road and takes a couple of hours, and it is busiest at sunset when the viewpoint fills.

Highlights

• The Yunnanese food and tea - the substantive part, in the village tea houses.
• The adobe houses - the older clay buildings of the settlement.
• The themed additions - gateway, viewpoint, costume hire and stalls.
• The KMT migration - the post-1949 settlement history shared with Mae Salong.

When to go

November to February. Late afternoon and sunset fill the viewpoint. Two hours covers it. It is a short ride from Pai.

Things to know

Substantially developed for visitors, with charges for the viewpoint and attractions - the balance between village and theme park divides opinion. Pony rides and similar activities vary in animal welfare. Crowded at sunset.

Nearby

Pai town is east; Mo Paeng waterfall and the Pai Canyon are close.