Go Hiking at Doi Inthanon ‘Doing exercise while going sightseeing’

Doing exercise doesn’t mean just playing sport, but also doing something that make your body really move and improve your body system. Therefore if you’re not good at playing sport, don’t worry. You can still find other ways to fit your health instead. 

Or, if your true reason is that you’re tired of doing exercise in same old ways, locking yourself up in a fitness or a field, then you’re just coming to the right direction, because here is something you will absolutely love. It is probably your new way of doing exercise, in fact. 

Let’s pack your things and get out of your residence temporarily! Let’s do some exercise outdoor. One of the best place to do this is, of course, Doi Inthanon Chiang Mai.

Doi Inthanon is a national park in Chiang Mai. It is located within the area of San Pha Tong County, Jom Thong County and Mae Jam County.

The whole park is surrounded with high mountains. That’s why you will feel so fresh as soon as you enter it. However, the fact is, Doi Inthanon National Park is the highest mountaintop of Thailand, the one you should see for once in lifetime. During your walking there, you should see the sign written ‘The highest peak of Siam with total 2565.3341-metred height.

Just stand on the highest spot of the mountain and feel how great it is! You will see greenery environment all around you.

Doi Inthanon is also one of the most famous tourist attractions in northern Thailand. You may haven’t realised yet that it is one part of Himalayan Mountain, which goes from Nepal, Bhutan, Berma and Thailand at last.

Getting into Doi Inthanon, the park is a woodland with many lines of water sources and streams. It is one part of Ping Water Source, which gives electronic power to Bhumibol Dam. The outstanding appearance is natural beauty and greenery environment, including waterfalls.

If you’re about to plan your trip to Doi Inthanon, in order to go hiking at Doi Inthanon, then don’t hesitate! You better start right now. Go full-fill your feelings with natural-way exercise, walking up onto the mountain, moving your legs and body while looking at the surrounding scenery. Let’s try!

Doi Inthanon has about 482 square kilometres, mostly mountains. That is really enormous! So, walk carefully. Follow the proper way with your guide. Don’t go alone. The woodland is somewhat like a labyrinth. So, if you go all by yourself, you can get lost and that will be a serious danger.

The most important thing is that you MUSTN’t forget to wear thick cloths. The temperature on Doi Inthanon is super cold humid and all year round, due to its height. If you don’t want your hands to get numb, you better wear a pair of trousers, a long-sleeved shirt, a shoes and a scarf. Don’t wear shorts or anything sexy, especially females. Remember, Doi Inthanon is both a national park and a woodland. That’s why you should dress something sporty. Believe this, you don’t want to trip over a branch or a rock or get your skin cut by a sharp thing. Safety first, always repeat this in your mind.

However, beside of being a woodland, some parts of Doi Inthanon are empty fields, due to the forest reclaiming of hill tribes long time ago.

Now, these are hiking paths within Doi Inthanon that you should realise before you go.

• Ang-Ga Luang Nature Trail : The Ang Ka Luang Nature Trail is a short loop that’s good for beginners and takes visitors through a mangrove forest past orchids and rhododendron. Having lenght at about 360 metres, you can finish the trip within 15-20 minutes. This path is an evergreen forest on a high mountain. There are tropical plants. You will hear the birds singing during the walk. Moreoever, this path is also the water source of Mae Ping, which is super plentiful. This area is popular with birdwatchers who venture here during migration season (November-February) to spot species that can’t be seen anywhere else in Thailand.

• Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail : Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail, is found at kilometer 42 on the road to the summit. It has been developed as an ‘educative nature trail’ and there are quite a few signs (in Thai and English) along the well-maintained trail. This is a quite short path, just about 3 kilometres. Kew means narrow path, and this one snakes along a towering mountain range which is home to great variety of plants and animals. The 2.78km-long trail takes you through a forest teeming with biodiversity. All 21 stations offer detailed explanations about the plants and ecosystems, whether it be ferns from ancient times, Himalayan flora species, dense cloud forest or grassland. You trip will be finished within two hours. Good for you if you want to learn about evergreen forests.

• Baan Mae Klang Luang : This nature trail is around a two hour trek and will take in a diverse range landscapes. If you are starting at the higher end (recommended as most of the walking will be down hill) then you will start by leaving the highway straight into the forest. The path will make its way down hill towards the river which runs through this part of Doi Inthanon. Eventually the path will meet the river and you will spend around 1 hour following the river down stream through the lush forest. On route you will come across plenty of small and large waterfalls and there is a large waterfall (Pa Dok Siew Waterfall) with a pool beneath which is deep enough for swimming if you want to cool off. The trail continues along the river until it emerges into cultivated clearings above the village of Mae Klang Luang. In the rice planting season these slopes heading down to the village carpeted in lush green rice paddies. On route to the village you should also see coffee plants. Coffee is one of the area main crops grown by the Karen people in this area. Just before passing through the village there is a Karen coffee shop which uses coffee cultivated from the surrounding slopes, there us usually a Karen villager on hand to explain the coffee cultivation process
• Mae Pan Waterfall Path : Walk totally 2 hours within the 2-kilometred path.
• Yod-Doi – Siriphum Waterfall Path : If you wish to choose this path, then you better make sure that your health is in perfect condition before you start a trip. This is a long-way path, total 8 kilomtres! You have to walk for about 5 hours. This may sounds exhausted for you. But, if you look ‘re looking forward to learn about nature or biology, this is the most proper path. You will see various species of plants.
• Briginda Cave Path : Only 1-kilometred lenght.
• Sob Had-Ban Mae Glang Path : Explore the wood area within the 900-metred distance.

• Pa Waen-Wachiratarn Path : You will finish this path within 1 hour only. It is a short path. You will enjoy the view of the waterfall and the agricultural lives of the farmers.

• Thirty-Eighth Kilometre-Siriphum Waterfall Path : Quite hard enough with 5.5 kilometres and 3 hours. If you love to see lovely birds, you should go.
• Pang Sondej-Pha Mhon Path : Another long path, with 6 kilometres and 3 hours. This is something you don’t want to miss if you’re adventurous.

Also, after finishing your hiking, don’t forget to take a snap with the brown wooden plate written ‘The Highest Spot in Thailand’. Then upload the photo to your Facebook or Instagram to tell your friends that you’ve already been there.

You can’t get all hiking paths done in just one day. That is impossible. Therefore, if you wish to finish them all, you need to spend the night at Doi Inthanon. Then you can go on each path everyday without feeling to exhausted. Doi Inthanon offers shelter service for tourists. You can contact 579-7223 or 579-5734 directly for more details.

How to get there

Doi Inthanon has parking lots for sure. In fact, it will be best to bring your own car, because you can put all your belongings in there. 

If you use a personal car, just start your trip from Chiang Mai Downtown, going straight along the 58th kilometres of Chiang Mai-Hod Road. Then you will reach Jom Thong County Market. At the sam time, you should see a way on your right side, which is actually Jom Thong-Doi Inthanon Road. Follow the road for about 48 kilometres until you reach the mountaintop.

Hiking program at Doi Inthanon National Park