Doi Ang Khang: The Mountains of Eternal Spring

Doi Ang Khang is a mountain located in the far north of Chiang Mai province, not far from the town of Fang. With a highest point at 1 m, it is the 15th highest peak in Thailand. It is a relatively unvisited mountain due to its isolation from the tourist routes and yet it is full of ethnic villages and breathtaking landscapes.

Sometimes one could have the impression of being somewhere in Yunnan in China, while certain reliefs made me think of northern vietnam. And with all this, it has a unique climate in Thailand, with a average annual temperature of 17,7°C, falling into the category of places (usually mountain towns) which we call "eternal springs". A perfect temperature to escape the sometimes stifling heat of Thailand!

Royal Agricultural Station, where it all began

For a long time, just like a good part of the area of golden triangle in thailand, Doi Ang Khang was a lawless area, where drug barons ruled.

When King Rama IX of Thailand was prospecting the area for a royally sponsored agricultural project, he had no choice but to arrive by air to avoid the dangerous roads. At the time, Burmese members of the Shan State and Chinese regiments of the Kuomintang army were fighting over control of the lands where poppy fields grew, used to make opium, the sinews of war, which financed their operations.

The purpose of this exploration was precisely to put an end to this interminable war by offering alternatives to opium to the peasants of these mountains. The project itself began in 1969, and although the skirmishes continued for a few more decades, that is now the past and Doi Ang Khang has since been pacified.

The royal project can be visited and is located in the main village towards the top, Ban KhumThe visit is not free, but it remains very affordable since the ticket is 30 baht per person to which we just have to add a “tax” of 50 baht per vehicle.

A vehicle that is useful if you want to go around the entire resort, because the loop is about 3 km. After the first straight line, bordered by greenhouses, the visit begins further on with a set of flower gardens on either side of the road.

There we observe cacti, trees whose scientific names do not necessarily mean anything to me while going up/down the stairs of the garden. Continuing the walk, we went along a pretty shaded road lined with fir trees. On the left side, there is a peach orchard while further on, we come across a sort of clearing where you could see mules grazing, waiting for the curious.

As this is quite an unusual scene in Thailand, the day I was passing by with Jitima, she was tempted to take a little photo. In this clearing, you can see trees in bloom if you are there in the right season (around mid-December to the end of January).

Further on, we arrive at the main point of the resort. There is a café/restaurant that looks like a mountain chalet with cabbage plantations around it (it must change according to the seasons).

The whole thing gives the impression of an English mountain resort as well as a Cameron Highlands.

There is sometimes a local market with local tribes who come to sell their crafts. There is also another village within the site itself (I noticed this by looking at Google Maps). The road ending the loop passes by orchards producing different fruits, pears, kiwis, apricots or peaches among others.

Mountains oblige, it can be cold here during the winter, even in the middle of the day. On my last visit in December, it was a little 8 °C around noon! Not to mention the freezing wind, we were clearly not equipped enough (just a sweater), Jitima was freezing his ass and we had to take several coffee breaks to warm up... Being cold in Thailand, imagine, it's the height of absurdity!

What to do and see in Doi Ang Khang

Doi Ang Khang is home to several villages of different ethnic groups. It's one of the few places in Thailand where I've seen local people naturally sporting their traditional clothing.

Ban Khum, a village at the end of the world

Ban Khum is the main village of Doi Ang Khang. This is where most of the shops are concentrated: mini-markets, tea rooms, guesthouses, restaurants and even an ATM. The villagers are mainly of Chinese origin, more precisely belonging to the Kuomintang, or KMT as in Mae Salong.

At its market, you can come across ethnic groups from the Lahu or Palaung mountains who come to sell their crafts (bracelets, embroidered fabrics, etc.). It was originally a village growing poppies for opium. It is also on a former field that the village's main hotel, the Ang Khang Nature Resort, is located.

Khop Dong, the other ethnic village

Continuing north you will find the entrance on the right leading to the Lahu ethnic village. This is the one illustrated by the presence of the king at the beginning of the article. This is where the main school of Doi Ang Khang is located. The view when arriving at the village is superb since you can see the valley below in good weather.

The contrast is quite striking when you see the way these people live, in fairly simple wooden huts, while just down there, it is still more modern and a clearly offbeat world (even if with the growing assimilation of these populations, the differences with down there will quickly fade over time...).

These people live off agriculture for the most part, the fields around are mainly strawberry plants, but you can also come across corn or other depending on the season. From time to time, you come across little black pigs walking around there freely.

Women are grinding corn kernels while another is making bracelets in her corner from a kind of wicker. This gave rise to a slightly comical scene where, while I wanted to take some bracelets from her, she apparently had no idea of ​​the value of her work… Or was confused about the numbers to pronounce in Thai, which is not their first language!

When I asked her how much it was worth, although her Thai was very approximate, the old lady first answered 2 Baht. Unsure of her answer, she repeated 2,2,2… Even I couldn't see myself giving her that amount, it seemed so ridiculous to me.

It was then that his "colleagues" busy with the corn said to him, even though I did not understand their language, "but no, it's more", and I paid 20 Bahts for each little bracelet, which is still a trifle.

Ban Nor Lae and the Burmese border

Going to Doi Ang Khang also means flirting with neighboring Burma. Continuing north after the village of Khop Dong, you will land at Ban Nor Lae village, located on the tip of the mountain. It's almost as if one side is in Thailand and the other in Burma.

You have a surveillance post at the end of the village accessible to the public with a border viewpoint. The village itself is peaceful, along with those in the surrounding area, it is one of the few villages in Thailand where I have been able to observe mountain ethnic groups dressed daily in traditional clothing, in this case Palaung.

I was able to chat a little with a lady sitting outside with her mischievous-eyed son while some little puppies were making themselves welcome, quite a program!

If necessary, at the very end of the village, a sort of local grocery store has some gasoline to help out. (I was in the red for quite some time once and the next gas station wouldn't have been for another 30 or so km).

Accessing the villages is already a great experience, so much The road leading there is superb. But beyond the royal agricultural project and the mountain tribes, it is also possible, for the more athletic, to go mountain biking on the mountain trails as well as trekking. (possible with mules carrying heavier loads if you want to play “adventure”!).

A view of the mountains and the sea of ​​clouds

Going up from the main village, you will come across a sort of clearing on your left higher up with (perhaps, depending on the time of year I imagine) a few tables and chairs for eating. The Thai come here in winter to admire the sea of ​​clouds covering the valley while sipping hot tea. You will also have a local market on weekends.

But it is also an easy access point to a viewpoint, just 250 m on the right of the road. You normally have to register your name, but access is free.

Tea and strawberry plantations

Further along the road, after the crossroads leading to the village of Khop Dong, you have the tea plantation tour, shortly after the main village, on the left. This is one of the stopping points where visitors stop. The view of the mountains is sublime and you can enjoy a good tea or, failing that, coffee, right next to the tea leaf drying factory.

Depending on the day and time, you can watch the villagers from the surrounding tribes collecting leaves. Below, you have a mini market with handicrafts, many of them embroidery for sale, but also some local snacks like grilled sweet potato.

Finally, still further, just before Ban Nor Lae, you will have on the left a path leading towards strawberry plantations. On one side you can see a large area covered with strawberries, which you can buy fresh on site, as a whole fruit or as a drink as well as local crafts. On the other side, you will have a partial view of Burma and the village of Ban Nor Lae.

Getting to Doi Ang Khang

I'm afraid there is no choice but to have your own vehicle. From Fang, you will have to turn right from the main road 107 to join the 1249 which goes up towards the Two Ang khang. From Chiang Mai ou Chiang Dao, it is possible to take another path by leaving road 107 for the 1178 and finally the 1340 which goes up towards Arunothai then towards the Two Ang khang.

For those who do not know the country, the road from Fang will be the easiest in terms of direction, because it is well indicated. The 12 km climb is tough with some serious curves, watch out for possible cars tempted to cut the bends. If you arrive by this road 1249, you will arrive at the top at a crossroads with a military checkpoint. Turn right to pass the checkpoint and go directly to the main village.

The other option is to continue straight, you will arrive a little further down at a crossroads, which you will also come across if you arrive from road 1340 from Arunothai (Doi Ang Khang being indicated on the right, but also accessible by going there from the left).

Coming from above, turn right to follow a beautiful road, passing through the village of Ban Luang. An impression of a Chinese village with a landscape quite unique in Thailand, this secondary road is the guarantee of being alone at the end of the world.

The road from Arunothai is also very beautiful, the mountain landscape is particular on the part close to Arunothai since we come across rocks coming out of the ground like objects that have fallen there.

The road passes through several small mountain villages, Sinchai, Ban Tham Ngop (also called Santi Wana), another village inhabited by former KMT members, where you can also find a typical Yunnan building, in a circle and surrounded by a wall.

This building was the former headquarters of General Li, who was part of the KMT's 93rd Division. Since converted into the Thom Ngob Inn, it is only supposed to be open from November to March, but having already passed by it in February, I think it is no longer open, too bad.

Otherwise, a short break there is still welcome to appreciate the small local market and the sakuras in bloom if it is the right season (normally in February).

Finally, you will pass through Ban Pha Daeng at the end of which you will have a viewpoint of the mountains. Another viewpoint will be on your left 7 km before arriving at the junction of road 1340 mentioned above (shortly before the checkpoint).

Where to stay in Doi Ang Khang

You will find several accommodation in Doi Ang Khang, mainly small guesthouses in the main village of Ban Khum like the Angkhang Good View or in Ban Luang, with the Ban Luang Homestay for example.

The downside is that they are all aimed at Thai customers, so apart from a phone number you won't have much to book in advance and there is no guarantee that there will be space if you come directly during the right season.

Before Covid, I always opted for the easy solution even if it was the most expensive by going to the Ang Khang Nature Resort, a hotel clearly focused on luxury but the only one that was available on platforms like Agoda or Booking…

Unfortunately, the latter has since closed and remained abandoned... There are a few small guesthouses in the village next door (like the Naha Guesthouse) but most of them are booked by phone or platforms dedicated to Thai people, so it's less obvious...

Another option from the campsite is a camp (which also serves as a military base) with a view of the valley just after the checkpoint at the intersection of roads 1340 and 1249. This has been recently renovated and has a nice terrace with a café and visitor centre.

If you don't have any equipment, you can rent tents and usually other equipment like blankets and groundsheets to spend the night (again, don't forget that it can be very cold in winter!).

Shortly before arrival at the main village of Ban Khum, you will come across another camping area located in the woods on the side of the road and there is also another area a little further down (listed camping area 1, 2, 3 on the map at the bottom of the article).

An alternative solution is to sleep in Fang, or in a village at the foot of the mountain rather than at the top. It was while testing this option with Jitima that we slept in a remote village near Doi Ang Khang, at Fhukfang Home stay. A homestay experience in a village in the Thai countryside, although they were already expanding and are closer to a more classic guesthouse.

Attractions in Doi Ang Khang on a map

In order to summarize and situate everything I have just mentioned in the article, here is a small map as I like to help you understand better. It was while establishing this map that I realized that there was a small pagoda in the area. I have indicated it to you as a bonus 😉

I hope with all this that you will be ready and curious to go and have a look, personally, it is one of my favorite places in Thailand, for its slightly “timeless” side, clearly off the beaten track, its atmosphere and its superb landscapes, in short, I am won over, and you?