10 Best Things to Do in Ban Rak Thai, Thailand's Chinese Village

Nestled in the misty hills of northern Thailand, Ban Rak Thai is a hidden gem that feels like a world apart. This enchanting Yunnanese village near the Myanmar border is famous for its tea plantations, Chinese heritage, and stunning mountain scenery.

If you’re looking for a destination rich in culture, nature, and adventure, Ban Rak Thai offers an unforgettable experience.

I’ve explored every corner of this picturesque town, and I can confidently say it’s one of Thailand’s best off-the-beaten-path destinations. From sipping freshly brewed oolong tea at a local plantation to cruising across the serene Ban Rak Thai Lake, this village offers a unique blend of Thai and Chinese influences. The cool climate, authentic Yunnanese cuisine, and traditional mud-brick houses make it feel like a storybook setting.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the best things to do in Ban Rak Thai, including tea tasting, scenic hikes, cultural experiences, and hidden gems that most travelers miss. Whether you’re a nature lover, foodie, or photographer, there’s something here for you. Get ready to discover why this charming border village should be on every traveler’s northern Thailand itinerary.

History of Ban Rak Thai

The first thing that comes to mind when you arrive at Ban Rak Thai is: what is a village like this doing here, lost in the mountains of northern Thailand and just a few kilometres from the border with Myanmar ? The answer, as is often the case, lies in its history…

Ban Rak Thai was founded in the 1950s by Chinese soldiers of the Nationalist Army (Kuomintang, KMT) who fled China after the defeat by the communists in the Chinese Civil War (1949). Many of these soldiers and their families escaped to Burma (now Myanmar) and then crossed into Thailand, settling in these remote, mountainous areas, creating settlements more similar to their native China, such as Ban Rak Thai.

During its early years, the town was used as a stronghold for the remnants of the KMT , who were attempting to organize themselves to retake China. During this period, the local economy depended largely on the cultivation and trade of opium , a problem endemic to the Golden Triangle, a border area comprising parts of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.

However, in the 1970s and 1980s, the Thai government began to exert more control in the region, promoting crop substitution programs and establishing tourism as a new source of income. As part of these reforms, many former KMT fighters and their descendants were granted Thai citizenship .

Interestingly, the name “Ban Rak Thai” means “ people who love Thailand ”, reflecting their integration into the country, although their culture remains predominantly Chinese. In fact, many inhabitants still speak Mandarin and the Chinese influence is evident in the architecture, traditions and gastronomy.

What to see in Ban Rak Thai, northern Thailand

Ban Rak Thai a Chinese village in Thailand

What to see and do in Ban Rak Thai

By now you will have understood that the great jewel of Ban Rak Thai is the town itself. Walking through its few streets, surrounded by houses with traditional architecture and that rural but well-kept atmosphere, is quite an experience. But there are a handful of plans and specific places that we recommend you don't miss:

1. Have a tea at Leewine Coffee with the best views of the lake

Yes, it is a café, but order a tea, because you are surrounded by these famous plantations for a reason. We were served a pot of Oolong tea (90 THB) with little cups decorated with Chinese motifs and spent the afternoon upstairs, watching the Mae Sa-nga lake change colour at sunset and how it gradually filled up with little boats.

Unlike most tourist destinations, we would dare say that it is best to come to Ban Rak Thai during a high season weekend , especially to see the town as lively as possible and the lake full of boats. We were there on a Saturday in January and it was really bustling.

The next day we went back before dawn (it opens between 6 and 6:30) to see the typical image of the lake covered in fog and, without giving any spoilers, it was one of the best moments of the trip (in this case we ordered a coffee and a matcha tea and they were also very tasty hehe).

Have tea at Ban Rak Thai

Leewine Coffee panoramic terrace in Ban Rak Thai

Things to do

2. Take a boat ride on Mae Sa-nga Lake

One of the most popular (and surprisingly cheap) things to do in Ban Rak Thai is to board a traditional boat and sail quietly around the lake while having a photo shoot longer than the Godfather saga (even better if you're dressed in traditional costume).

The price is calculated per person: 2 people costs 350 THB , 4 people costs 550 THB and 6 people costs 750 THB, as you can see, it is quite affordable. The duration is 40 minutes and, interestingly, there are fixed departure times: every 20 minutes, from 06:20 am to 20:20.

We were clear that we wanted to take the walk, but in the end we decided to enjoy the spectacle that takes place both at dusk and at dawn from the panoramic terrace of the cafeteria.

rent a boat in Ban Rak Thai

Ban Rak Thai lake at sunrise

3. Try typical Yunnan food, one of the best things to do in Ban Rak Thai

There are a handful of restaurants in the village that offer local recipes, but from the first moment we knew we wanted to go to Lee Wine Yunnan Restaurant , partly because of its location, right next to the lake and with great views, but also because it had the most and best reviews. There must be a reason, we thought…

And we weren't the only ones, there was a real stir! It was like New Year's Eve dinner, with groups of Thai and Chinese tourists sharing tables full of dishes, waiters constantly bringing steaming trays out of the kitchen, and the exquisite aroma of spices and herbs in the air.

We tried several traditional recipes : glazed mushrooms, egg-roll, ribs, fried Chinese buns (served with condensed milk hehe) and, of course, rice. Although not spectacular, we ate well, at a good price and with good views. What more could you ask for?

Typical Yunnan Ban Rak Thai food

*Panoramic terrace of Lee Wine Yunnan Restaurant in Ban Rak Thai*

Other places to eat in Ban Rak Thai that look appetizing are Pang Pao Dim Sum , which specializes in Dim Sum, as you might imagine, and the barbecue joints that are set up on this side of the lake for dinner, with a very cool atmosphere.

Fun Things to do

BBQ restaurants in Ban Rak Thai

4. Stay overnight at least one night

The best advice we can give you to enjoy 100% of your unforgettable experience in Ban Rak Thai is to spend at least one night here. This will allow you to experience the two best moments of the day: sunset and sunrise . We initially planned to spend just a few hours on the road between Pai and Mae Hong Son , but we definitely changed our minds, and thank goodness!

It is true that accommodation is a bit more expensive than in other places in Thailand (without being prohibitive) and that availability will depend on the day you go, but we assure you that you will not regret it .

We stayed at the Longlai Kezhan hotel , and it was the treat of our route through northern Thailand by car . It is a new, spotless accommodation, exquisitely decorated and with a mattress that will be like sleeping among the clouds. They include a super complete typical Yunnan breakfast, with a veggie option. As I said: highly recommended!

Accommodation in Ban Rak Thai Thailand

Longlai Kezhan Ban Rak Thai hotel

5. Take a tour of Lee Wine's tea plantation

If you are observant, you will have noticed that this name is repeated a lot around here… And it seems that this Mr. Lee was quite a visionary , because not only did he open one of the best restaurants in the town, but he also opened a resort with tea plantations, souvenir shops and… he even made wine! Of course, wines made from peach, pineapple and other not so conventional fruits. He had to be like the Chinese-Thai Berlusconi: he had it all.

But back to the tea plantations … This is without a doubt one of the most iconic images of this little corner of Thailand and you won’t have to go far to find it. In fact, they are in the centre of the village, specifically at the Lee Wine Rak Thai Resort . If you don’t stay here, you can visit them for 40 baht , which seems to us to be a more than reasonable price. However, please respect the privacy of the guests and limit yourself to the paths open to the public.

We climbed up to the Chinese temple at the very top , after a steep slope. The reward was magnificent: we were alone, surrounded by the resort's cabins and the photogenic tea fields.

Lee Wine Rak Thai Resort viewing point

Ban Rak Thai tea plantation viewing point

Top Activities

More things to see and do in Ban Rak Thai

These are the 5 things we have told you about in our opinion, the must-sees of Ban Rak Thai, but there are a handful of extra things that we recommend you take note of:

You can rent traditional costumes to go around the boat and have an even more special photo album. Unlike in other cultures, in Asia this type of activity is highly valued, so don't feel like you're disrespecting them. Of the 1000 tourists there, only we were not dressed in traditional costume, so we don't think it would be too expensive.
On the main street there are several souvenir shops , almost all with tea-related products (from cups and teapots to tea bags of all kinds) but there are also dried fruits, local desserts, snacks and, of course, Lee Wine wines.
We didn't go there, but you should know that there is a Thai temple , Wat Pa Rakthai, south of the lake. We did pass by the temple with an altar to Confucius (or so it seemed to us) which is in the south-east corner of the side.
Ban Rak Thai is right next to Myanmar and we read that if you approach the border on foot, they let you cross to take a walk around the town on the other side, without stamping your passport. The truth is that it seemed a bit shady to us, but we probably thought that because we listen to a lot of True Crime podcasts and I already saw myself without a passport or kidney living forever on the other side of the border. If you dare, tell us about the experience.
There is another nice looking tea shop-café that we didn't visit due to lack of time: it's called Hwin Café Rak Thai .

Traditional costumes for rent in Ban Rak Thai

what to see in Ban Rak Thai Thailand

Lanterns on the lake of Ban Rak Thai

Ban Rak Thai: A Comprehensive Traveler's Handbook [2024] - North of Known

This concludes our travel guide to Ban Rak Thai . We hope that these recommendations will help you plan your visit and that you can soon enjoy a little bit of China in Thailand! Don’t you find this little town curious? We fell in love with it and, although we are sure that it will become more and more touristy and it is already a bit “Disney-themed”, we think it is a top visit if you are on a trip through northern Thailand.

Did you know about it? Do you know more things to see in Ban Rak Thai?

Tours & Activities