Gracie’s Guide to Phu Chi Fa: Beautiful Northern Thailand
Phu Chi Fa is a hidden gem in northern Thailand. Have you heard of it? Probably not. My guide to Phu Chi Fa is one meant for travelers with a robust sense of adventure … Phu Chi Fa is in the middle of a mountainous region far away from a big city. It’s bordering Laos, actually.
The roads to get there can be dangerous, and it’s not meant for those who only want an Instagramable day-trip from Chiang Mai. No, Phu Chi Fa is an adventure meant for a different type of traveler. One who doesn’t want to be surrounded by tons of tourists, one who wants to meet Thai locals, one who loves to take the road less traveled. Is that you?
The mountainous terrain here is special. At every moment there are crazy beautiful views at 360 degree angles. In Phu Chi Fa you’ve stepped into another reality, one that you probably don’t get to visit often. Savor the feeling of marveling at the mountains before you and keep it tucked in your chest for memories later.
Guide to Phu Chi Fa: How to get there, where to stay, when to go
It took us ~7 hours to drive from Chiang Mai –> Phu Chi Fa. We rented a car from Budgetcatcher Rent a Car (highly recommend) for 1000 baht / day. We rented an automatic car and it barely squeaked up the steep steep roads in the mountains. So, if you can drive a manual car, I’d recommend you do that instead! Also, it was only me and my boyfriend in the car, but if there were more people I don’t think we would have made it up some of the hills. Yes, the roads are THAT intense. Be prepared.
The closest city is Chiang Rai ~100 km away. That may not seem far but when you’re driving on roads as windy and steep as these … it takes much longer. So, be prepared to go deep in the mountains if you wish to come here.
We spent the weekend in Phu Chi Fa but I wish it could have been longer. I wanted a retreat from civilization and that’s exactly what Phu Chi Fa delivered. It’s hard to leave the quietness, the peace, the tranquility of this small village. But alas, we had to get back to work and reality.
We went in the end of January, and as an added bonus got a good look at the cherry blossoms. It was cold at night and crisp, sunny during the day. January is the ideal time to go to Phu Chi Fa!! Bring warm clothes because believe it or not, northern Thailand does get cold in the winter!
We stayed at the Ban Chomdoi Resort Phatang homestay for $17 / night — a highlight from my entire time in Thailand. These owners are why Thailand is my favorite country in the world. The care, the hospitality, the generosity, openness, kindness — it’s extraordinary. The owners cooked us delicious farm-to-table meals (even vegetarian for me!), and made us feel right at home in their home. I believe they sourced the ingredients right there on their farm, it was an experience of a lifetime!
At the time we were the only guests there so we spent most days sitting at the veranda outside, gazing at the mountains before us. We played cards for hours, laughing and munching on the most delicious strawberries I’ve ever had, bought at a stall on the side of the mountain roads. I felt the tension and stress leave my body here.
Though the room wasn’t the nicest I’ve ever stayed in, the hosts more than made up for it. If you’re going to Phu Chi Fa you must stay here.
Guide to Phu Chi Fa: What to do there
Go to the Phu Chi Fa peak. To get here, you park at the bottom and pay 100 baht to sit in the back of a pickup truck and get jostled around violently for 20 minutes as you try to reach the hiking entrance. It was actually super fun, it was like an amusement park ride and I couldn’t stop laughing. I felt like a child again in the back of that pickup truck.
Once you reach the trailhead, its only ~20 minutes walk to the peak. If you’re lucky, you’ll see a surreal open landscape of mountains overlapping each other across the Laos border. Unfortunately for us, it was cloudy. But, I still enjoyed the experience — especially the ride up there!
There’s also a scenic forest park around halfway up to the trailhead with beautiful temples and flowers. This is where we saw all the cherry blossoms!
Go to the Phu Chi Dao scenic spot. We went for sunrise and saw some views, though not a lot. But, again, if you’re lucky you’ll get some mountain stunners into the beautiful country of Laos.
Drive around and explore. Once you make it safely there, Phu Chi Fa is so much fun to explore. Take a drive on the windy scenic roads and take in the views surrounding you. Buy fresh strawberries on the side of the road, stop to gaze at the wonders before you, and meet some locals.
Sabai sabai (relax). Spend time at your homestay, reading or journaling or painting or playing cards. Get off your phone and reconnect with the elements before you. There is a spirituality in northern Thailand that I haven’t felt anywhere else in the world. I hope you feel it when you’re in Phu Chi Fa, too.
To conclude
I hope my guide to Phu Chi Fa was helpful for your travels! Part of traveling is going places like this — talking to locals, taking in the natural beauty, spending time off electronics. Phu Chi Fa is a must-see destination on your time in northern Thailand, especially if you love exploring the mountain roads. Be safe driving there, and make your own adventures!
xx Gracie
If you liked this article, you may enjoy my others about northern Thailand: