Phrathat Chedi Srinagarindra Sathit Maha Santikhiri

Phrathat Chedi Srinagarindra Sathit Maha Santikhiri stands on the highest point of the Doi Mae Salong mountain range, about 4km from Mae Salong (Santikhiri) village in Mae Fa Luang district, Chiang Rai. It’s easy to confuse with the Princess Mother’s more famous memorial at Doi Tung — that’s a different mountain entirely, home to her former residence and the Mae Fah Luang Garden. This chedi, completed around 1996, was built specifically to honour Princess Mother Srinagarindra from the Mae Salong community she supported through decades of hill-area development work. Entry is free.

The chedi itself rises about 30 metres from a stepped square base roughly 15 metres per side, built in an applied-Lanna style with gold detailing against white plasterwork, alongside a matching viharn. It’s not an especially large structure by Thai temple standards, and the architecture isn’t the main event — the position is. As the highest point on the Mae Salong ridge, the chedi’s terrace gives a sweeping view over the terraced tea plantations that define this part of Chiang Rai, with the hills rolling toward the Myanmar border on a clear day.

Insider Tip: Go for the late-afternoon light rather than midday — the tea-plantation hills below catch a warm glow in the hour or two before sunset, and the mountain air cools noticeably once the sun drops, a welcome change from the heat lower in the valley.

Mornings tend to bring low cloud that can blank out the view entirely, so if photography is the priority, check conditions before making the drive up. The access road climbs steadily from Mae Salong village and is paved but narrow in places with tight switchbacks — take it slowly, especially if driving a rented scooter unfamiliar with mountain roads. As with any active religious site, cover shoulders and knees and bring a light layer; even in the hot season, the ridge stays several degrees cooler than the plains below.

The chedi sits within easy reach of the rest of Doi Mae Salong’s hill-station attractions — the terraced rows at Choui Fong Tea Plantation and the Yunnanese-Chinese village of Thoed Thai both pair naturally with a morning or afternoon up here.