A sea of mist
Hilltops like islands at dawn.
Visions of Domino — CC BY 2.0 · Visions of Domino — CC BY 2.0 · Visions of Domino — CC BY 2.0 · Visions of Domino — CC BY 2.0 · WalkOnWater93 — CC BY-SA 4.0
A hill west of Pai looking over the whole valley, famous for its sea of mist at sunrise, when white fog fills the valley and the hilltops rise from it like islands before the sun comes up over it. Its name means arriving clouds in Yunnanese, and on top sits a small café with bamboo huts, timber terraces and a red Chinese-style gate. Below the hill lies Santichon, a Chinese village of Yunnanese origin founded by migrants who came from southern China after the 1949 revolution, with Yunnan-style earthen houses, a small lake with a wooden bridge, and restaurants serving Yunnanese dishes and Chinese tea grown locally. It is a lived-in village that has become an attraction, so respect its residents' privacy. The viewpoint charges about twenty baht, and a small extra sum may be asked to enter the café grounds at the top, sometimes with a cup of tea. It opens from dawn to dusk. Get there by scooter or the vehicles that leave from the village car park. The finest months are November to February, with cool clear mornings; March and April are the field-burning season, when smoke fills the valley. To see the sea of mist, arrive between six and seven in the morning in the cool months and bring a light jacket, as the dawn chill surprises visitors. Then come down for breakfast in the village before heading to nearby Mo Paeng waterfall.
Hilltops like islands at dawn.
Yunnanese houses and a lake.
At the hilltop café.
Above Santichon village, about 6 km west of Pai town
Early morning between six and seven, especially in the cool months from November to February.