Doi Pui Hmong Village: Getting There, Fees, What to See

Doi Pui is a White Hmong village about 4 km beyond Bhubing Rajanives Palace, down an extremely winding road. No public transport runs past Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, so use your own vehicle or a taxi. Foreign adults pay THB 100 for the national park.

By Vincent Nguyen

Doi Pui Hmong Village (บ้านม้งดอยปุย) is a small White Hmong village up the road past Doi Suthep temple. The one thing to get right is transport: no public transport runs to the palace on the way. It suits visitors with a vehicle who want crafts and a look at hill-tribe life.

Doi Pui Hmong Village fees and opening hours

Foreign visitors pay THB 100 per adult and THB 50 per child at Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. After paying, carry the receipt for inspection.

The campsites, visitor centre and waterfalls are open daily from 08:30 to 16:30, and there are no time limits to enter the park.

Which fee applies

Whether the fee is collected on the road to the village or at a separate village gate is not published, so carry small change and keep every receipt. A separate village museum charge is possible but unconfirmed, so keep small cash for it.

What to see at Doi Pui Hmong Village

The village shows the Hmong way of living, homes and culture through a collection of objects, such as musical instruments, traditional silver-embroidered costumes and bamboo crafts. Doi Pui is one of the few places close to town where you can meet the Hmong hill tribe and learn about their way of life from the living museum.

The villagers used to grow opium poppies until royal projects turned the village into agricultural farms. Today they earn from agricultural products and tribal souvenirs sold to visitors.

The village in short

Doi Pui is a White Hmong village founded in 1951. It lies southwest of the Doi Pui summit at about 1,300 metres above sea level, inside Doi Suthep-Pui National Park.

Trail and campsite

A 13 km trail starts right north of the village at about 1,320 metres above sea level. A campsite lies north of Doi Pui Hmong Village.

Who Doi Pui Hmong Village suits (and who should skip it)

• Good for a first look at hill-tribe life near the city. Doi Pui has a living museum of Hmong objects and crafts.
• Good for craft shopping. Villagers sell tribal souvenirs and agricultural products to visitors.
• Good as an add-on to Doi Suthep. The village is about 4 km beyond the palace, which is about 4 km from the temple.
• Skip it without a vehicle or a taxi. There is no public transport past the temple to the palace.
• Skip it if winding roads upset you. The road to the village is extremely winding, though steep but well paved.

How to get to Doi Pui Hmong Village from Doi Suthep

From Chiang Mai, take route 1004 northwest. The park entrance is about 15 km from the city centre, and the drive from the entrance to Doi Pui takes about 40-50 minutes.

Bhubing Rajanives Palace is about 4 km from Wat Phra That Doi Suthep (วัดพระธาตุดอยสุเทพ). There is no public transport, so visitors use their own vehicle or hire a taxi from the temple’s front gate.

Ban Hmong Doi Pui is about 4 km from the palace down an extremely winding road, so drive with caution. One paved road from Phuping Palace leads to the village. The road up is steep but well paved.

Without a car, take a red songthaew (shared pickup truck) from the foot of Doi Suthep; it drops you at various points along the way. Public transport does not run past the temple to the palace.

For the last stretch, charter a songthaew or taxi. Agree the stop and the return price before you set off. The red songthaew guide covers how to flag and pay.

Open Hmong Doi Pui Village in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

When to go and how long

Phu Ping Palace is open daily from 8:30 to 16:15. Its ticket booth is open 8:30-11:30 and 13:00-15:30, so plan the palace stop for those windows.

Park facilities close at 16:30. Start from the temple in the morning to keep both stops inside the hours above.

Nearby and how to combine it

Bhubing Rajanives Palace, also spelled Phu Ping Palace, is about 4 kilometres before the village. The Doi Pui summit is about 7 kilometres from the palace on a relatively narrow route. Drivers should take care on the steep slopes.

A half-day plan: Wat Phra That Doi Suthep first, then the palace, then the village. The Doi Suthep guide has the temple fees, hours and songthaew fares.

Before you go

• Carry your park fee receipt for inspection.
• Budget THB 100 per adult for the park fee.
• Dress politely at Phu Ping Palace: no shorts, skirts, tank tops or spaghetti straps.
• Drive with caution on the extremely winding road.
• Plan to leave the park facilities by 16:30.
• Camping is THB 30 per person per night.

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Not confirmed: Village and museum fee: not published, and where the park fee is collected on this road is not stated. Carry small cash. Palace ticket price: not found in official pages. Village hours: none sourced; park facilities close at 16:30.

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