It proves how relatively flat a country is when you can drive to the top of its tallest mountain. You can do just that at Doi Inthanon in the north of Thailand. At over 2500 meters above sea level, it’s the tallest mountain in the country and is a great place for a day trip. You’ll see some beautiful views, waterfalls, unique pagodas and plenty more. I did a day trip to Doi Inthanon from Chiang Mai on my recent trip to Thailand – keep reading for all you need to know, including how to get there, how much it’ll cost and some things you can see.
How to go
The primary methods of getting to Doi Inthanon from Chiang Mai are to lease a motorbike or car or take a trip. I believe there might be some songthaews that go there (I saw some which took individuals to the pagodas, uncertain about the Chiang Mai– Park Headquarters leg) but you would not have the ability to see almost as much.
I picked a trip. You can book them from a lot of guesthouses and take a trip representative in Chiang Mai. You can also have a look at some trips on Get Your Guide if you choose to book ahead. I paid 1100 baht, which included lunch, transportation and national park charge (which is 300 baht). Many locations promoted the tours for 1300– 1500 baht so you may need to deal. I booked at my hotel as it was the cheapest rate I saw and I didn’t even have to deal with. The two-hour hiking tour (the one I did) is a little more costly than the one without that trek– I ‘d highly suggest going for the choice that I did.
Wachirathan Waterfall
The very first stop on my Doi Inthanon day journey was Wachirathan Waterfall, considered to be one of the finest waterfalls close to Chiang Mai. There are lots of other waterfalls in Doi Inthanon National Park– book a private tour or drive yourself if you want to see more of them.
Lunch
Generally, when you get a consisted of lunch on a trip like this it leaves a lot to be desired. This wasn’t the case on the Doi Inthanon day journey though– the lunch was wonderful! It was a buffet-style lunch where they bring a couple of meals to the table and top them up as required. We visit also a Karen tribe where we drink coffee and visit some women who make tissue.
To the top and the pagoda’s
From there it was a brief drive to the top of Doi Inthanon.
It’s a little an anti-climax though, as there are no views from up there. There is a little pagoda as well as an indication stating you are in fact at the highest point in Thailand.
The last quit on this Doi Inthanon excursion went to the King as well as Queen Pagodas. These pagodas are pretty distinct (the Queen’s one is a method better) and have wonderful sights of the bordering hills (similar to the view you see on the walk). When you can stand, there are loads of blossoms and also polished gardens around the Queen Pagoda and there are also escalators running up to both of them– why stroll!
You can always book hotels on Agoda to explore the area