Doi Pui: The Ephemeral Beauty of Thai Sakuras

Sakuras are ornamental cherry trees native to Japan, where every spring their magnificent flowering attracts many tourists, but also locals who appreciate the bright white or pink colors of these trees.

Doi Pui, is the name of the mountain peak, adjoining Doi Suthep, again (see previous article), Doi means “mountain”.

So we find sakura trees at Doi Pui? Well yes! But be careful, it is a short-lived event that takes place in Thailand every year in December and January only.

This is a visit that combines perfectly with that of the Doi suthep.

How to get to Doi Pui

It was when I saw a man with his sign to attract customers that I simply discovered this place. It is therefore possible to get there from the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, via a songthaew.

The most common solution for tourists, and which I also recommend to save time, is by motorbike. Assuming that you will already be on a motorbike when you arrive at the foot of the temple, getting to Doi Pui is very simple: Just keep going up!

The road continues for 4 km after which you will come across the parking lot in front of the Buphing Winter Palace. Go your way and continue on the small main road which goes up.

The road becomes narrower and narrower. Until it becomes even more than a path, sometimes not wide enough for 2 cars, hence the interest in going there by motorbike! The road continues for about 14 km, you will come across another car park, but continue even further. If you are there during the peak flowering season, you will know when you are approaching the goal anyway!

It's almost okay!

Note that the small road has recently been redone (in 2021), up to the village of Baan Khun Chang Kian, so it is now more suitable to get there by car.

The Hmong villages of Doi Pui

These mountains are home to several villages of the Hmong tribe. You can first stop to admire the view, at the appropriate viewpoint. This gives you a view of a Hmong village below, Baan Hmong Doi Pui.

This village is indicated a little before on the left, at a fork which is located shortly after the gardens of the Bhubing palace (on the right leading towards the trees and another village). I do not think that it is the most "authentic" one, because being easier to access, it necessarily acquires more visitors...

At the point of view.

Hmong village.

However, be aware that there are others, further into the mountain, you can for example go to the village of Ban Khun Chang Khian, in fact really not far from where I stopped in the gardens with all the trees in bloom. On the other side of the mountain, you also have the Hmong village of Mae Sa Mai, in the district of Mae Rim.

Specifically, I thought the road in question was a loop, because I had seen wooden signs indicating the city (in Thai only…), so I thought it was possible to “easily” go back down the other side.

According to a comment left here (thanks Bernard!), there is indeed a track starting from the village of Ban Khun Chang Khian and going back down to the lake of Huai Tueng Thao in Mae Rim, north of Chiang Mai, but it is in poor condition.

Otherwise, coming to Doi Pui remains above all an excursion to admire nature, and apart from the sakuras, it is still a beautiful walk in the middle of the mountains that awaits you. Because even if the trees are not in bloom, the Hmong garden, hidden in the middle of Doi Pui is not unpleasant for the eyes.

You can enjoy a local coffee, “fresh” (from the mountain) on the terrace, while admiring the view, what more could you ask for?

The series of photos below are taken in the garden located about 1 km before Ban Khun Chang Khian