Ban Rak Tai's Hidden Beauty

Photo by Kenneth Bernaldez for Tangent Zine

Ban Rak Tai, also known as Mae Aw, traces its history back to 1949, when members of the Kuomintang (KMT) army fled China after Mao Zedong’s Communist forces won the Chinese Civil War. Seeking refuge, they settled in this northern Thai village along with their families. Over time, the Thai government granted them residency and, eventually, citizenship.

Photo by Kenneth Bernaldez for Tangent Zine

Today, while Ban Rak Tai remains a hub for tea cultivation, it is primarily known as a tourist destination, drawing visitors with its traditional Chinese architecture, Yunnanese cuisine, and misty mountain scenery. Although you no longer see the locals’ authentic way of life, as most of the structures have been converted into shops or accommodations for tourists, it is still worth visiting, not only for its dramatic sunrise and sunset, made even more magical by the morning mist, but also because the structures allow you to imagine how life must have been for the Chinese migrants fleeing persecution. It hits different when you are at the actual place where a story happened, at least for me!

Photos taken by Kenneth Bernaldez for Tangent Zine