Doi Inthanon National Park - Day Trip

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Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain in Thailand and is located in the national park of the same name in the province of Chiang Mai. At the top of Doi Inthanon the mountain measures 2565 meters, making it the highest point in the whole kingdom.

Day trip from Chiang Mai to Doi Inthanon

The national park is a very popular destination for day trips, both among locals and tourists. The Doi Inthanon National Park is over 480 km² in size and you can spend a few hours here looking at the waterfalls, pagodas, the highest point in Thailand, and much more.

How to get to Chiang Mai

Since Doi Inthanon is a day trip from Chiang Mai, it is best to travel to the diverse city beforehand. You can get to Chiang Mai by airplane, bus, train or minivan. You can even come to Chiang Mai with international flights e.g. from Singapore, Doha, Seoul, Beijing and more.

You can also fly to Chiang Mai from many locations within Thailand. This starts with short flights of 45 minutes e.g. from Mae Hong Son, continues with flights from the capital Bangkok and the south with Phuket or Surat Thani. All connections for a good overview are best found at Skyscanner.

Furthermore, there is a train connection from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, but it usually takes 12 hours or more to arrive. Bus and minivans also drive from many different cities to Chiang Mai such as Pai, Chiang Rai, from the Isan, Bangkok and more. For an overview and to book tickets we can recommend our partner 12go.asia.

Accommodation in Chiang Mai – our hotel tip

The T-Heritage Hotel is located in the heart of Chiang Mai, more specifically in the Old Town. From there you can explore the area wonderfully. Particularly noteworthy is the decor of the rooms in the traditional, but still kind of modern style. We are sure that you will feel comfortable in this small oasis in the middle of the city.

Find more hotels in Chiang Mai here.

How to get from Chiang Mai to Doi Inthanon National Park

I went from Chiang Mai to the peak of the Doi Inthanon. From the old town of Chiang Mai it is about 60 kilometers via Highway 108 and Highway 1009 to the entrance of the national park.

The route is very easy and you have to drive straight on road 108 for about 50 kilometers from Chiang Mai’s old town. Then turn onto road 109 for another 10 kilometers and then you will finally reach the entrance to Doi Inthanon National Park.

You have to pay 300 baht (adults) or 150 baht (children) for the entrance fee. There is also a fee for a scooter or car of 30 baht.

Up to the highest point in Thailand on Doi Inthanon it is still 40 kilometers within the national park. You have to drive for quite a while. On the way you will find many other interesting sights, where you can make a stop or two. You can find out what these are below.

Wachirathan Waterfall

The Wachirathan Waterfall, also known as the Khongyong Waterfall, is one of the most visited waterfalls in the Doi Inthanon National Park. It is on the way to the top at about 22 km (you can always see the kilometer marks on the roadside).

The water falls from a height of 70 meters and if you stand there to take a picture, you might get a little wet when the water sometimes splashes very far. Nevertheless, the waterfall is a very popular destination and photo motif for visitors. A stop that’s definitely worth it.

If the sun is shining from the right direction into the Wachirathan Waterfall, you can also see a rainbow on the ground. Really nice! There is also a hiking trail along the waterfall and a few stalactite caves nearby.

Sirithan Wasserfall

A little further up the mountain, the Sirithan Waterfall is located on the left. A 40-meter high waterfall that falls from the Mae Khlang River. The origin of this river is on Doi Inthanon.

On March 28, 2002, Queen Sirikit came to visit for the first time. She visited the waterfall a few more times and finally named it Sirithan Waterfall on March 24, 2004, based on her own name.

The waterfall isn’t quite as spectacular as the Wachirathan waterfall, but it’s still worth a quick visit if you’re on the way to the top of Doi Inthanon.

The way to the top of Doi Inthanon

After visiting the two waterfalls, it’s still quite a bit up the mountain. But while you are driving the remaining 20 kilometers, you can still discover a lot along the way.

Native villages of the Hmong people, rice fields, small markets – if you feel like it, you can stop every few kilometers and take a little break.

As soon as you pass the first steep roads up the mountain, you will get wonderful views of the Doi Inthanon National Park. Sometimes over the clouds, sometimes over wide valleys – almost always it was worth a photo stop for me!

The highest point in Thailand

At the end of the road through the national park you will arrive at a military radar station and there is a parking lot in front of it. Here you can park your scooter for free and walk the last 50 meters to the highest point in Thailand.

Now you are 2565 meters above sea level and at the highest point that the Land of Smiles has to offer. Even if day trips to Doi Inthanon National Park are very popular, you won’t meet many people at the top of the summit and you can even have this magical place for yourself at times.

It can get quite cool on the Doi Inthanon summit. Probably very cold for Thais, but even I preferred to put on a jacket. It was about 20 degrees, but with a bit of wind up on the mountain it’s already fresh. So you better take a jacket with you. In colder seasons, the temperatures on the summit sometimes drop way below the 20-degree mark.

The royal pagodas at Doi Inthanon

The two royal pagodas are located not far from the summit of Doi Inthanon and were built by the Thai Airforce on the occasion of the 60th birthday of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit.

The spellings of the pagodas differ between the signs on site and the spellings on the Internet. The “dark” pagoda is often called Nabha Metaneedol or Naphamethanidon.

It was built in 1987 for the King’s 60th birthday. The bright pagoda, is called Nabhapol Bhumisiri or Naphapholphumisiri. It was built in 1992 for the Queen’s 60th birthday.

The whole area is beautifully landscaped with flowers. The two Chedis are each on a slope and can be reached via stairs or optionally via an escalator. Inside the pagodas are relics of Buddha and beautiful Jade Buddha statues. A very sacred place for most Thais.

Up here on the mountain, you can sometimes be lucky with the weather and sometimes unlucky. The pagodas can be covered by the clouds in an instant. Anyway, a few minutes later they are clearly visible again and shine with a blue sky. The temperatures up here, as mentioned earlier, are a bit different than in the rest of Thailand.

Admission to the pagodas costs another 40 baht. This is not included in the national park fee.

Conclusion

A day trip to Doi Inthanon is definitely worth it. If you are interested in nature and want to explore the many hiking trails, then several days are also worthwhile. In the park itself there are also accommodations for visitors who would like to stay on site longer than a day.

I particularly liked the two royal pagodas and the highest point of Thailand. Very impressive and something completely different in contrast to the many dream beaches in the country.

Doi Inthanon: Tours and Tickets

Do you prefer to travel with a guide who knows the area very well? Then we recommend a guided tour with a local. This way you can get to know the Doi Inthanon in a completely different way. GetYourGuide offers a wide selection of exciting tours for the Doi Inthanon and Chiang Mai.

Have you ever been to Doi Inthanon National Park? How did you like the visit? Leave us a comment below.

Photos: Photo 1 (hotel recommendation): T-Heritage Hotel