Chiang Rai, Doi Mae Salong and Tea Country
Photography-first field notes, practical techniques and thoughtful travel.
This guide is part of our photography-first look at Thailand and Cambodia ahead of the November 2027 workshop. It is based on research and planning rather than a claim that I have already photographed these locations myself.
1. Northern Thailand beyond the famous temples
Sometimes the photographs that stay with us are made somewhere between the places we planned to visit. Northern Thailand seems full of those opportunities. While developing our 2027 workshop, I have been drawn to the rolling mountains of Chiang Rai, the tea-growing hills around Doi Mae Salong, and the villages and small scenes along the roads between them. It is landscape photography with an element of discovery: lovely light on a ridge, curves in a tea field, or a simple moment in a mountain town. Exactly the sort of photography that can keep me occupied for hours.
2. Chiang Rai: the White Temple and Blue Temple
Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple, gives us extraordinary architecture, reflective surfaces and intricate details. I would photograph the familiar wide view, certainly, then use a standard or longer lens to isolate patterns, shapes and symmetry. Wat Rong Suea Ten, the Blue Temple, offers a completely different palette. Both are important visitor sites where photography arrangements can vary by area, particularly between exteriors and interiors. Follow the posted rules and allow other visitors to enjoy the place. These are interesting photographic subjects, not sets reserved for our cameras.
3. Doi Mae Salong and Santikhiri
Doi Mae Salong sits in the highlands of Chiang Rai province. The village of Santikhiri is known for its Chinese-Yunnan heritage, tea-growing landscape and distinctive local culture. I would want our photographs to reflect more than beautifully curved rows of green bushes. The people, markets, food and tea traditions are part of the story too. Photograph respectfully and ask permission for close portraits. A local guide or arranged visit to a tea producer can add essential context, but should never be treated as blanket permission to photograph somebody at work.
4. How to photograph tea plantations
Tea fields are a lesson in composition. The planted rows follow the hillsides in sweeping lines and repeating curves, often creating natural paths for the eye. I'd look for one clean line beginning near the frame edge, then see where it takes the viewer. A wide lens can show the broader agricultural landscape, but a telephoto is brilliant for isolating the curves and removing visual clutter. Soft overcast light can make the green tones sing, while low-angle morning or afternoon light reveals texture and shape. There is no need to enter a working field or damage plants to improve a photograph.
5. Choui Fong is a different destination
Choui Fong Tea Plantation is another established Chiang Rai photography destination, but it is not the same place as Doi Mae Salong. They have different layouts and visitor arrangements. I would consider Choui Fong when planning a route and look for the curves and repeating patterns it offers, while being careful not to promise it as a confirmed stop on our workshop itinerary. Treat working and visitor areas differently and follow any site restrictions.
6. Mountain layers and atmospheric distance
This is the bit that particularly gets my landscape-photographer brain going. A foreground ridge is dark, the next ridge softer, and the hills farther away fade into the haze. These layers can make wonderfully simple compositions. A telephoto helps isolate the distant shapes, while black and white can emphasise the changes in tone. If there is mist in the valleys, fantastic. If there is not, look for side-light, shadows and smaller scenes. Mountain weather does not read photography itineraries, unfortunately.
7. Photographing local life without staging it
Markets and mountain villages invite a different sort of photography. I would travel lightly with a 24–70mm or a small prime and spend time observing before lifting the camera. Perhaps sunlight falls across an ordinary doorway or a group of colours makes a strong arrangement. Wait for the scene to come together naturally rather than asking people to repeat an action. If you are photographing someone recognisably at close range, seek permission. The best travel pictures can communicate a real sense of place without turning people into props.
8. What camera equipment would I take?
A standard zoom is the dependable all-round option for temples, markets and everyday scenes. A 70–200mm would be particularly useful for mountain layers and tea-plantation patterns; a wide angle adds flexibility for bigger landscapes. I'd also bring a manageable tripod when appropriate, spare batteries, rain protection and a lightweight jacket for early mornings at altitude. A circular polariser can help reduce reflections on leaves, but it is not a magic button for better green landscapes. Know the equipment you bring rather than carrying everything you own.
9. November light and seasonal conditions
November generally falls in Northern Thailand's transition to cooler, relatively drier conditions. That can be pleasant for exploring highland landscapes, although showers, haze and low visibility remain possible. The more severe seasonal smoke pollution usually develops later, often from February into April, but air quality deserves checking whenever you travel. Tea-field colours and agricultural activity also change, so do not expect every plantation to match a photograph taken in another month. I'd plan for the conditions, then work creatively with whatever we find.
10. Slowing down in tea country
The workshop begins in Chiang Rai before continuing to Chiang Mai and then Cambodia. The exciting thing about this opening is its range: elaborate architecture, gentle hills, tea fields and everyday rural life. Not every specific plantation is a locked workshop stop, and I would never pretend otherwise. What I do want is the opportunity to explore the area thoughtfully, with photography taking priority over racing through a sightseeing checklist. From here the journey moves to the very different energy of Chiang Mai's Yi Peng celebrations, including our arranged organised mass lantern-release event.
Thanks so much for reading, folks. Take it easy, everyone. Cheers!
Explore Thailand & Cambodia with your camera
9–22 November 2027 · Maximum six photographers · Northern Thailand, Yi Peng, Angkor, Tonlé Sap and Phnom Penh.
Explore the Thailand & Cambodia Photography Workshop