Mae Salong is a beautiful place located not far from Chiang Rai. It is in the highlands which consists of miles and miles of tea plantation and scenic views.
As you are going up the hill, you would pass a number of Yunan settlements where the Chinese culture is still going on strong.
Above are areas where it is being used to grow tea leaves. The view is spectacular. At certain spots when you are travelling on the road, the entire road consists of simple wooden huts with miles and miles of scenic view, similar to the highlands that you would see in Europe.
As tea is a famous produce in Mae Salong, there are a number of shops that are selling tea commercially.
There are hotels located in the highands of Mae Salong with often beautifully landscaped scenery. However when we were there, we did not stay in the hotel in Mae Salong but stayed at Chiang Rai and made a day trip up to Mae Salong.
It was again year end when we visited, hence the weather is cold and breathtaking.
There is also Wat Santikhiri Temple, with The Phra Boromathat Chedi located at one of the peaks. The vans were parked below and we made it up through the staircase.
On our way down, we had tea at Sweet Mae Salong cafe which served the delicious coffee. The cafe overlooking a scenic hill location.
Overall Mae Salong is a beautiful place to visit which can be completed via a day trip. However for those who wish to enjoy the weather, you can consider staying overnight.