Doi Pui Hmong Village and Waterfall Gardens

Last updated 2008-02-01

Five or Six kilometres further up the Doi Suthep mountain is where you'll find the Doi Pui peak, the location of a Hmong village that's become well visited by tourists. If you're expecting to find a haven of traditional tranquillity, you'll be sorely disappointed. Upon arrival, you are greeted by a dusty car part full of pickup trucks, trinket shops and signs in English, pointing to a carefully choreographed route around the village.

This route winding around the village is nothing more than a very long line of handicraft stalls selling Hmong fabrics, clothing and even crossbows! If you're thirsty, why not sit down in one of the small restaurants and drink a Coke from a big supermarket drinks chiller... Do you get the picture? It's a tourist trap and little more. The road used to be a dirt track but is now a sealed single track road, making it much easier to get to.

However, if you don't have the time or the energy to visit more remote locations, it's worth the effort to go the extra few kilometres up the mountain to see the place, if only for the Doi Pui Waterfall garden, with it's lovely views, fragrant gardens and opium poppies (which the Hmong are apparently allowed to cultivate for personal use).

Unfortunately, there are also beggars here. The old lady pictured here was paid 50 Baht for a quick chat and a snapshot. It may seem unpalatable to have to pay someone to take their photograph but please bear in mind that these people are extremely poor and have very few opportunities. On the one hand, tourism brings much needed hard cash to such villages but on the other hand there is no arguing that traditional values are eroded.

Admission to the small waterfall gardens costs 10 Baht at the time of writing.

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