Doi Saket district (amphoe) is located in the northern part of Thailand in Chiang Mai province (changwat) about 15-20 kilometers northeast of Chiang Mai city. It’s a mostly rural district of about 670 square kilometers with a nice “downtown” area in Choeng Doi along with several other sub-districts (tambons) and villages (baans). Home to about 75,000 people, Doi Saket is a great spot for folks looking for a quiet, country, local lifestyle with easy access to the amenities of the nearby city of Chiang Mai and the surrounding area.
ThaiPBS wrote a nice article about some of the cool things you can find here in Doi Saket.
Shopping and Services
“Downtown Doi Saket”, located in the subdistrict (tambon) of Choeng Doi, is home to a great fresh market open every day where you can buy fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, and much more.
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- Doi Saket Fresh Market (Open Daily) – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Doi Saket Fresh Market (Open Daily) – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
Every Tuesday evening in downtown Doi Saket there is a nice street market where you can find lots of clothes, local products and produce on offer, as well as ready-to-eat meals and snacks to take home.
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- Tuesday Evening Street Market – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Tuesday Evening Street Market – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Tuesday Evening Street Market – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
There are many shops, banks, and services downtown, like Jampha Supermarket, 7-Eleven, and Tesco-Lotus where you can purchase not just convenience items, but many household staples and pantry items.
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- Jampha Savemart Supermarket – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- 7-Eleven and Tesco Lotus Express – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Krungthai Bank – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- BAAC Bank – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
The nearest big box store is the HomePro shopping center on the outer Chiang Mai ring road (Route 121) in San Sai about 13 km or 15 minutes from downtown Doi Saket. HomePro is an excellent store like Home Base or Home Depot combined with a Walmart or Target. In the HomePro shopping center you will also find a small Rimping supermarket which is (at the moment) the “Western-focused” grocery store closest to Doi Saket.
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- HomePro Shopping Center – San Sai Noi, San Sai
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- Rimping Supermarket – San Sai Noi, San Sai
Food and Drink
You’ll be happy to know that Doi Saket has many great places to eat! There are numerous local Thai spots serving everything from noodles to fast food (“dam sang”) to fried chicken and much more.focused” grocery store closest to Doi Saket.
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- Padthai @ Doi Saket Restaurant and Coffee Shop – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Food and coffee at Padthai @ Doi Saket Restaurant and Coffee – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Laab Rim Na Restaurant – Pa Pong, Doi Saket
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- Pork laab, sour ribs, and raw shrimp with garlic at Laab Rim Na Restaurant – Pa Pong, Doi Saket
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- Tee Noy Thai-Chinese Restaurant – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Mixed Platter Food at Tee Noy Thai-Chinese Restaurant – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Laab Duangdee Restaurant – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Nothern Thai and Isaan Food at Laab Duangdee Restaurant – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
There are also many excellent restaurants in the area specializing in Italian and other Western food.
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- Pizza Plus Restaurant – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Hunglay Curry Pizza at Pizza Plus Restaurant – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
Coffee is taken pretty seriously in Thailand, thus there are loads of great spots to get your caffeine fix hot, iced, or otherwise.
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- Hueanpor Coffee – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Baan Pa’s Cafe – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Suk Jai Cafe and Bistro – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
Health and Wellness
Doi Saket has a public hospital located about 1km south of downtown with a good A&E / Emergency Room department for acute health care and injuries; several of the staff here can speak some English and there is a “Foreigner Help Desk” to help guide you through the registration and care processes. In Chiang Mai city there are many excellent hospitals (public, private, and teaching) for serious issues, surgeries, and other specialized medical care. Many of the staff at these hospitals speak excellent English and provide a standard of care that exceeds what you would find in many Western countries.
In downtown Doi Saket there is a very good dental office with English-speaking dentists and staff. Here they can provide everything from check-ups to cleanings to dental surgery.
In addition to health care, there are many other wellness offerings in the area including Thai massage and Yoga.
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- P-Thai Massage – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Flow Yoga – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
And lest we forget our furry friends, in downtown Doi Saket there is also an excellent animal clinic / veterinarian office and groomer with English-speaking staff.
Culture and Recreation
Doi Saket is home to a revered Buddhist temple aptly called Wat Pra That Doi Saket. Perched on a mountain overlooking the entire area it is downright gorgeous and such a lovely spot to have nearby.
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- Wat Phra That Doi Saket – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Wat Phra That Doi Saket – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Wat Phra That Doi Saket – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
Doi Saket is a seriously pretty area with many lovely places to visit with your family. The Mae Kuang dam and lake are wonderful spots to spend a couple hours relaxing, as is the Nong Bua lakes area just north of downtown.
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- Mae Kuang Dam and Lookout Point – Luang Nuea, Doi Saket
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- Mae Kuang Dam and Lookout Point – Luang Nuea, Doi Saket
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- Mae Kuang Dam and Lookout Point – Luang Nuea, Doi Saket
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- Nong Bua Natural Lakes Area – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Nong Bua Natural Lakes Area – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
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- Nong Bua Natural Lakes Area – Choeng Doi, Doi Saket
We hope this gives you a snippet of what Doi Saket has to offer you and your family if you are thinking about moving here. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions about real estate or construction or to just chat about our amazing area; we love to show it off!