Have you ever heard of this tiny Chinese village in the far north west of Thailand? We stopped here on our road trip round the Mae Hong Son loop! This small, remote town of just 1,000 inhabitants has a unique history & is such a hidden gem In the early 60’s Nationalist KMT Chinese fighters fled China for Burma after the communist takeover. After China invaded Burma, the soldiers then crossed the border to Thailand to seek political asylum. Just 6km across the border, they settled in the town that would be called Ban Rak Thai (which translates as “the village that loves Thailand”). 1,180 meters above sea level, this Thai - Yunnanese town has a distinctly unique culture, blending Thai and Chinese in its food, language, architecture and customs. There are tea plantations, the signs are in Chinese, menus feature mostly Chinese food, red lanterns hang on every building and many of the people living here speak mandarin. The scenery and sights make you feel like you’re in a Chinese village...