Thailand’s tropical beaches are some of the prettiest sights we’ve ever laid our eyes on, but a last minute trip to the Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai unexpectedly redefined the word “beautiful” for us. Why we haven’t taken a day trip to Doi Inthanon sooner is beyond us, but this exquisitely green side of nature was absolutely spectacular. So much so that dare we say it’s now our favorite place we’ve ever visited in Thailand.
We’re not the first people to regularly forgo vacationing in our own backyard. We know that Chiang Mai has plenty of interesting places to visit and things to do. So naturally, we stick them in our back pockets and save the best for our visiting family and friends.
When Angela’s college friends came to our side of the world and said they were going hiking up Doi Inthanon, the tallest mountain in Thailand, we thought, “Heck, why not go, too?”
Highlights of Our Day Trip to Doi Inthanon
We didn’t have nearly enough time to go to all the recommended stops during our day trip to Doi Inthanon, but the areas of the park that we managed to see were AHHmazing!
We were also lucky the day was bright and sunny with big fluffy white clouds and clear robin egg blue skies. And even though Chiang Mai’s cool season just started in December, Doi Inthanon’s high altitude (nearly 2,600 meters) sports temperatures in the mid-teens ⁰C (mid-60s ⁰F) much of the year, which was a welcomed change from the city heat below.
Giew Mae Pan Nature Trail
Do not miss this. If there is one place you have to go while in the Doi Inthanon National Park, it’s the Giew Mae Pan Nature Trail.
At first, we were hesitant to go because hiking the Giew Mae Pan Nature Trail requires a guide at a price of 200 baht per group. But we quickly warmed up to the man who led us, a local Hmong hill tribesman who undoubtedly cared for and respected the mountain. He was a very personable and humble guide and contributed fun facts and short stories about the trail and his people that really added a special touch to our trip. If we remember correctly, his name was Pong.
The first kilometer of the trail twists its way through a towering forest made of (surprisingly) tall oak species blanketed in a variety of moss. There weren’t tropical coconut trees with a deep underbrush of ferns as we had expected. Then the trail opens up to a clearing of golden hills.
That second kilometer lead us along the mountain’s ridge and experienced some of the most gorgeous skylines we have ever seen. Much of our photos captured rolling blue-green mountains and a kaleidoscope of green forests down in the valley below.
The last half of a kilometer took us back into the cool forest where we walked by several small waterfalls and over bridges that spanned crystal clear streams, all which eventually feed into Thailand’s mighty Chao Phraya River.
| TIP: This 2.5 km trail requires a moderate level of physical activity. It has a significant number of both gentle and steep stairs to climb and descend. Make sure you’re in good health (with good knees!) and can withstand a moderate level of activity for 2+ hours. |
Royal Twin Pagodas
Our first glimpse of the Royal Twin Pagodas was actually while hiking the Giew Mae Pan Nature Trail. Roughly two-thirds way through the trek the trail opens up to a clearing on a hillside just opposite of the Royal Twin Pagodas. What an incredible view!
We knew we were going there next and get a closer look at these immense structures.
These Royal Twin Pagodas, known as Naphamethinidon and Naphaphonphumisiri, are two Buddhist structures that contain important relics. The mirrored structures were built to honor Their Majesties The King and Queen of Thailand. We walked around some of the surrounding landscaped gardens and up the stairs of the pagodas for more mountain views.
| TIP: Although the national park’s entrance fee is 300 baht per person, the Royal Twin Pagodas has a separate entrance fee of 40 baht per person. |
The Summit: Highest Point in Thailand
We made a quick dash to the very top of the mountain, known as The Summit. There isn’t much to see here aside from some interesting wooden trails that take you to a shrine that holds the ashes of King Inthanon (for whom the mountain is named.) It only requires a short walk from the parking lot to the sign. Of course, we had to take a picture as proof of our visit!
Suriphum Waterfall
We had only an hour or so left before the sunset, but we still wanted to visit at least one of the many waterfalls on Doi Inthanon. We randomly chose Suriphum Waterfall and spent some time exploring the interesting gardens at its base before snapping a few shots of the falls.
It’s actually an extremely tall waterfall and you can appreciate its height much more on the approaching drive. It’s possible to hike up to near the top of the waterfall (a strenuous hike we may add) but there were no safety restrictions such as handrails to prevent us from tumbling into the waterfall. To be honest it was a little intimidating, especially with the approaching darkness.
How to Get to Doi Inthanon
It takes about an hour and a half’s drive to get from Chiang Mai to Doi Inthanon National Park. The best way to get there is by hiring a local driver or tour guide. We like that Take Me Tour offers a few different tours (group or private) and that the guides know where the best sightseeing spots are and when to go to beat the crowds. They’ll pick you up in an air-conditioned car or van, wait for you at each spot, and stop for a Thai lunch, too, before returning you to your hotel in Chiang Mai.
Otherwise, you can hail a songthaew (red truck taxi) from the main streets of Chiang Mai’s Old City. It’s not uncommon to hire the driver for the day and negotiate a price. After you’ve come to an agreement on the cost, the driver will take you there, wait while you explore, and then bring you back. Pay your driver in cash Thai baht at the end of the day.
Or, you can rent a car or motorbike and drive yourself. The drive is surprisingly easy. The road is wide, well maintained, and isn’t very curvy or very steep. To begin your trip, leave Chiang Mai Old City by turning south off the moat at Saen Pung Gate onto Thipanet Road (Route 108). Continue toward Hang Dong for 50 km and then turn right onto Route 1009. The entrance to the park is another 8 kilometers away, where you’ll have to pay to get in.
Cost of Our Self Guided Trip
The four of us decided to rent a car and take a day trip to Doi Inthanon on our own. We spent 888 baht or about 25 USD per person for the entire day.
The fee to the park is 300 baht per foreigner, even for those who have a Thai driver’s license. Otherwise, the fee for Thai people (or anyone who looks Thai) is 50 baht per person.
It’s worth mentioning that the regions of the park we explored were very well maintained. The Giew Mae Pan path was in excellent condition and alternated between quality concrete steps and packed dirt paths that progressed up and down through the forest. The roads up the mountain were free of potholes, too.
| TIP: Get a car with at least a 1.5L engine. We rented a Honda City (1.49L) and with the four of us and day packs (weighing about 600 lb or 275 kg total) we were using low gears to get up the hills a lot. If we had to do it over again, we’d get a more powerful vehicle. |
We Can’t Wait to Go Back
Now that we’re home and flipping through the pictures we took, we can’t believe we’ve waited this long to go. No sooner had we gotten in the car to begin our drive home we were chatting about what we would do during our second visit.
In fact, we would suggest to others interested in visiting Doi Inthanon to go on a two-day trip instead of trying to fit everything into one day. There’s just too much to see such as more waterfalls, a second nature trail, and an interesting cave. Luckily the park headquarters rents out camping gear to visitors but there is also the option to spend the night in a Thai style bungalow within the park.
Have you ever been to Doi Inthanon? If so, what was your favorite part?
PIN IT FOR LATER!
Our son is interested in climbing Doi Inthanon. We are headed to Chiang Mai today. Are there any groups that climb it or best to get to the trail head on your own and hire a guide there. Thanks for any help.
The trail mentioned in our post, Giew Mae Pan Nature Trail, has mandatory guides available for hire at the trailhead. Have a wonderful trip!
Hello Angela and Chris,
My husband and son and I will be in Chiang Mai from june 17th to the 21. Wondering if you recommend for us to stay in the Old town of Chiang Mai and travel from there to the different destinations. I would love to do Doi inthanon National Park. Also,visit an elephant sanctuary. Any suggestions welcome. I would love to hire a tour guide while in Chiang Mai wondering if it can be too expensive??
Thank you
Yes, we recommend that you stay somewhere in the Old City. Not only will you have public transportation options at your fingertips such as songthaews and Grab taxies, many of the tour companies offer free pickup to guests who stay in the Old City.
A licensed private tour guide is roughly $100 per day, so not too expensive. Have a great trip!
Hi Chris and Angela,
my brother and I are planning on going to Chiang Mai around mid-June and would be interested visiting Doi Inthanon. However, would it be good to visit around mid-june with the unpredictable weather?
2 – also are the views like what they make out in the pictures?
thanks
It will be the beginning of the rainy season, but it will be unlikely that it will be flooding or heavy rains that will cause you to cancel your trip to Doi Inthanon. If it is bad, the trails will be closed by park officials (our favorite, Giew Mae Pan) but otherwise, you can still see the Twin Pagodas and the Summit. The views will be GORGEOUS that time of year – clear blue skies and white fluffy clouds! Have a great trip!
Hi Chris and Angela,
Thank you for writing this wonderful blog. My husband and I will be planning a one day trip to Doi Inthanon next month. I have a question about renting a car and driving ourselves versus hiring a driver. You mentioned that the roads are very good but I have read elsewhere that it can be dangerous driving in Thailand. Based on your experience would you recommend driving ourselves or hiring a private car and driver?
Thank you,
Kiran
We recommend driving. The drive to Doi Inthanon is very easy. The hardest part is getting out of the city (about 15-20 minutes). Have a great time. You’ll do great on the road!
Wow, awesome guys! Thanks for this great blog and for all the beautiful pics, we’re even more excited about going now ;)
Thanks! It’s GORGEOUS this time of year. Have a great trip!
This is really helpful! I will be going to Doi Inthanon this November and at first I thought of joining a group tour but I found out in here that we can actually do it in our own. Just a question. From Chiang mai to Doi Inthanon, is the road really that difficult or is it all concrete? Also, do we leave our scooter at the entrance and walk our way through the top? My boyfriend will be coming with me and he is a really good driver so I am thinking that maybe he can manage driving us through.… Read more »
It’s easy enough to visit Doi Inthanon on your own, although there are some perks to taking a tour. The road to the park from Chiang Mai is beautiful – smooth wide curves, lots of shoulder, and it’s evenly paved. Since there are several miles to go after you’ve reached the park’s entrance and the attractions are spaced a bit far apart to walk, don’t ditch the bike. They only time you’d leave your bike is to hike the Giew Mae Pan Nature Trail. Have fun!
Hi Chris and Angela
I have 2 question:
1. I and my husband and my brother will go to chiang mai early of June 2018. Is it possible that go to Doi Inthanon by motorcycle?
2.we dont have international motorcycle license. Is it possible that rent motorcycle? or is it dangerous?
thanks
Samaneh
1.) Absolutely. The ride to Doi Inthanon is quite scenic and it’s not too hilly to ride on a motorcycle. It’s about 1.5 hours away from Chiang Mai. 2a) It is illegal to ride a motorcycle without a Thai motorcycle license or an International Driving Permit (IDP) for a motorcycle permit. However, the rental car/motorbike companies do not check for a license (only a passport) and will allow you to rent a motorbike. If the police catch you, you will be fined 200 to 500 THB (6 to 10 USD). If you get in an accident, your travel insurance will… Read more »
thanks a lot for your response.
Samaneh
Hi Chris and Angela, I’ll be heading there next month. May I know the total number of hours you spent there (Gew Mae Pan + Pagodas + the summit + waterfall) ?
We were at the park from approximately 10am to 5pm. We left as it was getting dark.
Hi. What time did you start your day? Read that you ended just in time before sundown but curious to know what time you started. Thank you.
I think we hit the road around 8 or 8:30am. Have fun!
you went from Chiang Man to Doi at 8am? Or you started at Doi at 8am? Thank you.
By “hit the road” we meant we started driving (aka, left Chiang Mai) at 8 or 8:30am.
Is everyone able to get to that viewpoint where you took that picture of the twin pagodas or do you need a drone? Feels like seem people were much further away in photos they took
Great question! We didn’t have our drone yet when we went on this trip, so the photos you see are taken with our feet on the ground on the main trails. The one photo that is looking down into the valley is at the middle of the Giew Mae Pan Trail and the one of the Twin Pagoda’s in the distance is at the end of the Giew Mae Pan Trail. Hope this helps and have a great visit.
hi
We want to go to chiang mai in early of June. will Doi Inthanon be close in June?
what about another National Parks in Thailand?
Doi Inthanon is open all year round, but they might close off select hiking trails in the rainy season (July to October, a little bit of June). We assume that applies to all national parks in Thailand.
We don’t have a master list of national parks in Thailand, but we did manage to tour all four national parks in Chaiyaphum, which is off the touristy path. Very pretty! It really depends on which province you go to (there are 76!)
Hi.. I am planning on going to Chiang mai in june 2018. Is it a good idea to take our kids to Do I inthanon? Please let me know any other places in Chiang mai good for kids.
Hi Viji, Doi Inthanon is suitable for kids. Since you will be visiting Chiang Mai in June we recommend that you get a copy of our Family Friendly Guide to Chiang Mai. It includes an entire week of activities, restaurants, and places to see that you (and your kids) will enjoy. We provide accommodation and transportation options as well. We hope you and your family have a great trip!
This is a great and informational article. Planing to go here during our trip in August. We are deciding between self-guided and going with a tour. This gave us something to seriously think about – thanks (also, gorgeous photos!
You’re very welcome! Doi Inthanon will be really pretty in August but be sure to bring a poncho in case it rains for an hour or two.
Great writing. I’m Malaysian and will be visiting Chiang Mai in a couple of weeks.
Your writing really spark the interest in me to go to doi ithanon. I searched the web n there were a lot of tour packages to doi ithanon. I’m traveling alone and i want to ask you whether it is safe if I go to doi ithanon without tour package?
We got the impression that Doi Inthanon is safe to travel to alone. Most of the sites are directly off the main road and have a parking lot. You’ll have to rent your own vehicle because it’s too far/too expensive to take a taxi or songthaew out there. If you go to the Giew Mae Pan Nature Trail, you are required to hire a guide (200 baht), so you won’t get lost. Have a great trip!
Trip taken 29 June 2017. Been there done that. It’s a minute walk from the car park to the highest point in Thailand signage. Weather plays an important part, once it’s wet you can’t do much. But riding up was great as fog covered the road. Temperature at bottom was 29, on top was 15. A 125cc bike is good for 1 person, you will definitely need a more powerful bike if there’s 2 of you. Some slopes at the top are steep. Doi suthep road is basic in comparison to doi inthanon. Thanks for the article guys, makes it… Read more »
Agree about the motorbike size with 1 vs 2 people. And it’s cold on top, right?!
Hi! Great post! Now I’m planning to make a trip up to doi inthanon too. But I get motion sickness really easily. Could you briefly share how was your journey going up and down the mountain? Thanks!
If we remember correctly, it was not at all twisty turny. The roads are really wide with smooth, slow curves. Have a great trip!
Can you do Giew Mae Pan trail during the rainy season? I’m going there next week and was wondering if the trail is open during this time of the year. Thanks!
Park staff will close off the trail in the event of heavy rain. Otherwise, it’s open year round. Have fun!
Hi, can you go to Doi Inthanon without trekking? I plan to go there with my mom and dad.
Thanks
Yes, you can drive to most of the sites on Doi Inthanon, so there is minimal walking (aside from the short walk from the respective parking lots). The trekking on the Giew Mae Pan Trail is just small portion of the park. Have a great time!
Hi, loved the blog, we are currently in chains mai and I’m desperate to climb to this summit. Two quick question. 1)where did you start your hike from? I’ve tried to find a map/starting point to begin, but I can’t seem to find anything online. 2) Where did you get your guide from? Any help would be much appreciated and I’m sorry if you’ve already answered these questions. Thanks Daf
No problem (didn’t include a map this time!) Pull up Google Maps and use the spelling ‘Kio Mae Pan’ – a little camera icon on the map will indicate the entrance to the trail. It has a parking lot, a sign that indicated the Giew Mae Pan Trail is there, and a few buildings that you can see clearly from the road. This is also where you will find your guide for 200 THB. Have a great time!
Hi, on the offical webpage of the national part the tour guides are much more expensive, I was wandering if You have made any pre-bookings of guide?
We’ve only been to Doi Inthanon once and did not pre-book our guide to the Giew Mae Pan Nature Trail. Perhaps the rate you are quoted is for a guide that takes you around the entire park?
Hi
We are visiting chiang mai in May. Thinking of day to Doi Inthanon whilst we are here. One person is in wheelchair , so we’ll use taxi..but do yiu think there is enough to see. How’s access to twin pagodas, any waterfalls with level path access or at least good views
Thanks
We wracked our brains and can only recall that the Twin Pagodas has an escalator leading up to the base of the towers and the flower gardens but there’s still a flight of stairs to climb to reach the pagodas themselves. And although there are paved paths at the waterfall we visited and a raised, wooden boardwalk at the summit (highest part of the peak) we just can’t remember if there are any steps. We’re sorry, but we think the best way of going around this is to contact any tour company who goes to Doi Inthanon. The guides would… Read more »
How do you recommend getting from Chiang Man to Doi Inthanon and where do you recommend we stay while at Chiang Mai?! Thanks for the help!
You’re in luck! Check out our 7-day Adventure Itinerary. Inside the itinerary we give our favorite transport and hotel options in Chiang Mai plus many other food and activity recommendations. It’s exactly what you’re looking for. Have a great trip!
you said you made a quick dash to the top of the mountain and it was near a parking lot- how long does it take to hike to the “highest point in Thailand” sign?
From the parking lot, no more than a 5 minute walk. It’s really just a photo opportunity with a sign.
That’s also my plan on my trip to Chiang Mai to trek to Kew Me Pan trail. Is it advisable for a solo traveller like to have a self guided trek like you did or it will be much costly?. Anothing thing is transportation, I’ve read that it’s hard to go to Doi Inthanon by public transportation means.
Very well depicted travelogue! Inspired me to explore it in my next trip
Thank you :)
Hi. I was thinking about going up the Giew Mae Pan Nature Trail. I was just wondering if the trial had any stairs or paths that were not natural because I am looking to a 100% natural trail. But some nice info and good pics.
Nope, the Giew Mae Pan Nature trail is not a 100% dirt path. Some areas, such as some hills, have steps made from poured concrete.
Thank you for the wonderful write up about the trip. We will be there over new years weekend this year and plan to make a day trip to the national park. Since this is an all day adventure I wanted to know what you did for food along the way. Did you pack food or were you able to buy lunch and snacks there? I also wanted to know if the park entrance and the entrance to the trail you recommend are in the same area or will we need to hike to the trail head? We are going to… Read more »
Glad to help! We ate breakfast before we left and packed some fruit but there are two places to eat that we are aware of in the park. One is a Thai restaurant in a building very close to the park’s visitor center and the other was an unofficial place that served grilled meat, papaya salad, instant noodles, and coffee. The Giew Mae Pan Nature Trail is 15 or 20 minutes drive into the park past the park’s ticket booth (drive there, don’t hike). There’s a map at the visitor’s center, but the landmarks’ signs are relatively easy to spot… Read more »
Hi there! I’ve planned my trip to Chiang Mai in Jan 2017, and am going solo. I was thinking, it might be good to band up with like-minded travellers to explore Doi Inthanon together – let me know if you would like to fix something up: danielxav@gmail.com
would it make sense to go from chiang mai to doi inthanon for only an afternoon? or do you think that is too short of a trip?
your pictures and description makes me want to go but i am concerned that there will not be enough time!
Give yourself at least eight hours (which includes three hours roundtrip driving). An afternoon just won’t be enough time unless you pick one or two activities such as only the nature trail or just visiting the Twin Chedis and a waterfall.
Hi there, thank you so much for sharing all this information along with photos! So excited to visit Doi Inthanon! How is the drive from Chiang Mai to Doi Inthanon with a car rental? I know you mentioned getting a powerful vehicle for the mountainous part. I’m wondering if it’s doable as a single traveler. Also, do you know how early in the morning guides begin the tours for Giew Mae Pan Nature Trail?
Thanks again!
If it’s only you, we think getting the smallest car (the 1.45L, like a Honda City) will be just fine. We had the weight of four adults plus water and a little bit of gear, which is why the car struggled up the hills a bit. As far as the time the Giew Mae Pan Nature Trail opens, we not sure. The park opens at 6am, so it can’t be any earlier than that. Funny thing is, we can see the sign using Google street view, but it’s too far away to read!
Are there several gas stations along the way? Should we fill up at least once on our way to Doi Inthanon?
We were able to make the trip by car without filling up – we topped off the tank once we got back to Chiang Mai. We’re don’t know off hand about a bike. If you need a gas station, you will be on a highway and yes, there are several along the way.
Hi! I purchased your 7-day adventure tour and am loving it! I am doing Doi Inthanon tomorrow. I am by myself. Is it realistic to take a red truck that far? If so, about how much can I expect to pay? I don’t have an international driver’s license, so I wasn’t going to rent a car…
Stefanie – hi! Hope our response isn’t too late. The farthest we’ve taken a songthaew has been an hour away (not quite as far as Doi Inthanon but in that same direction) and it was 5,000 baht – way to much for one person. We’d either recommend joining a group tour for 1,150 baht OR contacting Chiang Mai Lady Driver for a private comfy car for around 3,000 baht. Have fun – it’ll be GORGEOUS!
Hello! I was just wondering about the complexity of the trail to Giew Mae Pan and what is the duration time from start to finish. My mother, who is 62, might be joining my friends and I on this trip and wondering if you she will be able to handle it. Thank you for your time and for the great info.
Well, we mentioned this in the post: “This 2.5 km trail requires a moderate level of physical activity. It has a significant number of both gentle and steep stairs to climb and descend. Make sure you’re in good health (with good knees!) and can withstand a moderate level of activity for 2+ hours.” We think it come down to answering the question: is she comfortable going up and down moderate stairs and hills for 2.5 km? Going down is more difficult than going up, although the guide should be willing to go at a slower pace if necessary.
Hi, thank you for the excellent post. Could you give some details on car rental please. I know you can hire from the airport, but we are reaching by train. Thank you
Sorry for the delay! You can make a reservation with National Rental Car near the airport and then take a cheap taxi across town to pick it up. Shouldn’t cost you more than 5 USD for a taxi.
I’m so glad I found this blog post! This has inspired my husband and I to rent our own car and see Doi Inthanon how WE want to see it – #1 on my list is the Kew Mai Pan trail. Your pictures are breathtaking! We’re traveling to Chiang Mai for NYE and have read that the lines can be super long at the park. With a tour group, I’m sure we’d still see a lot of people, but the tours don’t leave until 8am. We were hoping to leave at 6am and get an early start ahead of all… Read more »
It’s a great idea to get on the road by 6am – you’re right, you’ll beat the tour groups, but most likely you will have to wait in line with locals. The alternative is to get there the day before, rent a bungalow, and then get up early. And violà! There should be no lines to worry about if you arrive in the early evening. That’s how we would do it to beat the entering crowds.
The car was 1200 baht and gas was 300 baht. Not bad!
Hi, thank you for the wonderful writeup. Would you suggest the trails during October first week? We had a great time camping in Erawan national park last year, how is the camping infra at Doi Inthanon? Thanks a ton
It’ll be gorgeous. The rainy seasons starts to trail off in October, so it’s totally possible to have a few perfect days with little or no rain. As far as camp sites go, we didn’t check them out firsthand but it’s possible to go there with tents (or rent them from the park’s office), or stay overnight in some of the bungalows in the national park. Have fun!
Can you tell me where you booked your guide? Thanks in advance!
There’s a small booth at the trail’s entrance where visitors can pay for and book a guide. When we went, several guides were waiting around the booth.
Hi Chris and Angela, thanks for all the great content here on your blog. Will be in CM, Aug 12-18 and purchased a 7-day itinerary option. I’m reading that this trail (Giew Mae Pan Nature Trail) may be closed during the rainy season. Do you have any info on how I might structure a day trip like yours during this time? Seasonal considerations? Thank you!
Wow, thanks for buying an itinerary! We’d suspect that the trail will be open unless there are really bad rainstorms that day. Otherwise, the sort rain we have each day shouldn’t prevent you from going. Try this: complete the trail in the morning, but if it’s raining (probably just for an hour or two), then come back to it in the afternoon. Regarding the day trip, are you wondering which order to visit everything?
Hi there? it was inspiring me to visit doi inthanon this year. But Actually I just want to visit the 2 Royal Pagodas, I want to ask how long does it take the time from Chiang Mai city to the National park area, and how long does it take from to reach the 2 pagodas ?
From Chiang Mai Old City to the Royal Twin Pagodas is 100 km or 2 hours. The beginning of the National Park is 65 km from Chiang Mai Old City (although the ticket booth is even further inside), so you will drive another 35 km to get to the pagodas. Have fun!
So, driving in a car to get there is pretty easy? Also, thank you for mentioning that a two day trip is probably better (I had a hunch that would be the case). Do you just rent the bungalows once you are there?
Yup, a straight shot and no crazy curves in the road. There are bungalows listed on Agoda, but we did pass by several others and figured they could be rented on the spot.
I was there about two months ago and it’s a beautiful place. We didn’t do a lot of research in advance so we didn’t know about the Giew Mae Pan Nature Trail… it seems like we missed the best of it! Thanks for sharing, if I go back to Chiang Mai I’d like to do the trail :)
That’s a bummer. It was impromptu decision to go on that trail while we were on the mountain… it doesn’t seem to be as well known as the highest point or the twin chedis. We hope you make it back to see it!
I really need to get back to Thailand, this is now on my list. Thank you for sharing, I love a hike with stunning views.
You’re welcome. Being up so high and looking down on the valley was surreal. Definitely make it out there on you next visit (just not during Feb, Mar, or April because of the smog :/)
Hey Guys! Nice article there! Im going to Chiang Mai on march (smoky season :/ ), and i would like to spend a day on Doi Ithanon. Would the smoke be a problem in such high? I mean problem by sight seeing, not health problems. Reading your article, now im planning on renting a car, and then ask for a guide at the park to get to the top. Is this possible?? thanks so much!
This reply is definitely too late, but the smog will hinder your views even at that elevation if you visit in March and April. You’ll only need a guide if you go on the Giew Mae Pan nature trail (it’s mandatory) and we didn’t remember seeing an option for a guide to just go on the short Ang Ka trail to the Summit.
Very informative and helpful article!
We also want to trek the mountain but a local tour agent told us that tourists are not allowed to hike to the top anymore but as I read this article before, I decided to follow your strategy to rent a car and explore it by ourselves. So could you please recommend where should we rent a car or a transportation service that will bring us to the national park? Thank you
The small trails require a guide, but getting a car to get to the mountain and drive up its main roads are a great way to go at your own pace (no guide necessary since the roads are in great condition). We rented from North Wheels and it’s on the northeast side of the moat. Have fun!
Wow the pictures look amazing! My friends and I are planning a day trip there next week. May I know where/how do we arrange for the nature trail guide? Thanks!
Once you’ve pulled over in the parking area for the trail, you have no other choice but to walk past a desk (before going into the forest) that will arrange for a guide. Super easy. Have fun!
wow, so amazing pictures! someday I’ll be there for sure. :)
It was goooorgeous. Being up so high and seeing so far will make your heart race a little!
Planning to Arrive @ CNX in January. Seems like a very great view, especially the Trail, can’t wait to do that climb. Thanks for sharing your adventures, as always.
If you have enough time, there is a second path called Ang Ka Nature Trail that is much shorter but supposedly has super mossy habitats and interesting bird and flower species. Have fun during your trip next month!
I love to hike and plan on hiking in Thailand in February. Thanks for the tip !
Absolutely :) Don’t forget to pack an extra long sleeve layer because it’s chilly up there!
Thanks a lot. It’s very informative and easy to read as usual 😊
Hope you can make it out to Doi Inthanon soon!
slso we enjoyed doi ithanon while on a holiday in chiang mai. we stayed overnight at the hotel of doi ithanon golf course. recommendable and reasonable pricing. nice pool and good food.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Some nice pix.
Indeed an amazing place.
l also thoroughly enjoyed daybreak and the amazing sunrise.
(On Holidays there will be a big crowd so expect about an hours wait or longer before the ticket gate when driving up before sunrise)
Yeah, we were also told that there can be swarms of people who visit on holidays. All the reason to spend the night to avoid the lines the next morning!