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Katiliya Blog
The Tea and Coffee Trail of Northern Thailand: Plantations, Tastings and Mountain Views
June 26, 2026
There is a reason the hills of northern Thailand are so often wrapped in mist. The cool air, the high ground and the rich soil that make this landscape so beautiful also make it perfect for growing tea and coffee, and over the past few decades, Chiang Rai has quietly become one of Southeast Asia’s most rewarding regions for both. For travellers who love a slow morning, a good brew and a long view, following the tea and coffee trail is one of the great pleasures of the north.
Better still, much of it sits right on the Katiliya estate’s doorstep. Here is where to go, what to taste, and how to make a leisurely day of it.
Why the North Is Tea and Coffee Country
Tea and coffee both thrive at altitude, and the mountains of Chiang Rai provide exactly the conditions they need: cool temperatures, morning mist, and well-drained hillside soil. Tea has deep roots here, particularly around the Chinese-Yunnanese communities of the higher slopes, while Thai highland coffee, including the celebrated beans of nearby Doi Chang, has earned a serious international following.
The result is a landscape dotted with plantations, hilltop cafés and family-run roasteries, where the journey between them is half the joy. Winding mountain roads, sweeping views and the scent of fresh tea and roasting coffee make for a day that feels indulgent and restorative in equal measure.
Choui Fong Tea Plantation
If you visit just one, make it Choui Fong, and happily, it sits only a short drive from the estate. This is Chiang Rai’s most photogenic plantation, where neat emerald rows of tea ripple across the contours of the hills in a way that looks almost designed. The modern hilltop café is perfectly placed for a slow pot of tea, a slice of green tea cake and a long, contented gaze across the valley.
It is an easy, gentle outing, ideal for a relaxed morning or afternoon, and its proximity to the estate makes it the natural first stop on any tea trail.
Doi Mae Salong
For tea with a story, climb to Doi Mae Salong, a mountain village with deep Yunnanese-Chinese heritage and a fascinating past. Wrapped in tea plantations and cooled by its high elevation, the village is a wonderful place to sample excellent oolong, wander local markets and feel the pine-scented air of the higher slopes. Small family tea houses welcome visitors for tastings, and the drive up , all switchbacks and views , is an adventure in itself. In the cool season, cherry blossoms sometimes dust the hillsides pink.
Singha Park
Closer to the city, Singha Park spreads across vast, rolling farmland that includes its own tea fields among the flower gardens and lakes. It is a relaxed, family-friendly expanse where you can cycle the trails, ride the shuttle, picnic on the lawns and stop for tea with a view. Less a working plantation experience and more a beautifully landscaped day out, it is a lovely, easy addition to the trail.
Doi Chang and Highland Coffee
No coffee lover should leave the north without seeking out Doi Chang, the mountain that put Thai coffee on the world map. The high-altitude beans grown here are rich, smooth and genuinely distinctive, and the surrounding villages , home to hill tribe communities who farm the slopes , offer a window into how the coffee is grown and processed. Whether you make the journey up or simply seek out Doi Chang and other local highland beans in the region’s cafés, it is a taste of the north worth chasing.
Making a Day of It
The pleasure of the tea and coffee trail lies in not rushing it. A relaxed approach is to pick two stops rather than four, leave plenty of time for the drives and the views, and let each tasting unfold at its own pace. Pause for a long lunch somewhere with a vista. Buy a bag or two of tea and beans to take home, they make the loveliest souvenirs, and a far better one than a fridge magnet.
A few gentle tips: mornings tend to bring the clearest mountain views before any afternoon cloud builds; a light layer is wise for the higher, cooler plantations; and the winding mountain roads reward an unhurried driver, so allow more time than the map suggests.
A Perfect Base for the Trail
Part of what makes the Katiliya estate such a natural home for a tea-and-coffee trip is simply where it sits, high in the same misty hills that grow the leaves and beans, and only a short drive from Choui Fong. You can spend your morning among the plantations and be back on the estate by lunch, with the nature park, the spa and the terrace waiting.
And whether you stay in the all-suite Mountain Resort & Spa or the relaxed Park Villas, the whole estate is open to you, so you can round off a day of tastings with a treatment, a swim or a quiet drink, all without leaving home.
The tea and coffee of the north are more than a drink; they are a way of meeting the landscape, the people and the pace of this beautiful region. Follow the trail slowly, and it will reward you.
To explore the tea trail from the perfect base, book directly with Katiliya for our best available rates and full access to the estate. We are happy to suggest routes and arrange your days among the plantations. >> BOOK NOW
