Doi Pha Tang

Doi Pha Tang is a mountain on the Thai side of the Laos border in Wiang Kaen district, north of Phu Chi Fa on the same high country, above the ethnic Chinese village of Ban Pha Tang. The road up is steep and potholed, and from the parking lot it's a short walk to the top, where the view runs all the way round, over Laos and Thailand with the Mekong between them.

The reason to time it is the sea of mist that fills the valleys at dawn in December and January. Those dawns are cold, so bring a jacket, and the weekends get crowded, so go on a weekday if you can. Some people camp on the summit to be there at first light. On the way down, stop in Ban Pha Tang for the stewed pork and steamed buns the village is known for.