Review : Doi-pui (1500 metres above sea level) is only about an hour and a half drive from the city or approximately 40 minutes further up the mountain beyond Wat Doi Suthep.  I went up there with a group of friends in 2 cars. The road was pretty good until we turned off the main Doi Suthep road in the Doi-Pui direction. It became an old dirt road with just one lane. However don’t be discouraged by this somewhat restricted access. It means this place is not that popular-"just yet". We left Chiang Mai town around 10am. and got there just on time for morning tea. We had coffee, tea and biscuits up there in a little cafe run by Chiang Mai University students. The coffee is as fresh as you can get as it's from a coffee bean plantation staffed by students and local hill tribe villagers as part of a Chiang Mai University research project. After we enjoyed our coffee overlooking the sloping terraced plantation we went for a good walk around the area and took heaps of photos. I love this place especially at this time of the year (December-January). It's “winter” time in Thailand and can get quite cold up on the hills, although compared to Melbourne it's nothing. It's just nice really although you really should take at least a light jacket just to be sure.

When is the best time to go : These amazing cherry blossoms only come out once a year at around December-January depending on the weather. So if you like them make sure you get there on time.

Where : Doi Pui is located half an hour past the famous Wat Doi Suthep or approximately 1 and a half hours from Chiangmai city centre.

How to get there : You can get there by car or local taxi. But the tip is the road to get there is not that great so you might want to invest in a rental car (a comfy one) to go there. Or if you're capable a motorbike is an ideal way to get there if it’s not rainy season and the roads are dry. In addition, most reputable mountain bike touring companies take tours up to Doi Pui and stop at the coffee plantation café for morning / afternoon tea.