Neil Aronson (Updated October 2024) Doi Inthanon National Park is one of the most popular and best National Parks in Thailand for locals and tourists alike. This is our complete and updated guide to the park. We live just outside the park entrance, so being in our backyard, we are there often.
If you enjoy nature, wildlife and birding, culture, large waterfalls, hiking, sacred sights, picnics, cooler weather, then you will want to visit Doi Inthanon.
The most popular things to do in Doi Inthanon National Park are to visit the many amazing waterfalls, go hiking, and have a picnic. At the summit are two famous Chedi’s with views reaching for miles.
However, try not to go on New Years Day when some 12,000 people make their way to the summit.
It is also one of the most visited attractions in Northern Thailand, so my advice is to not go on the weekends. Now that Thailand is recovering, it is packed with tour busses on peak weekends. Just recently, we were sitting at Wachirathan waterfall relaxing on a weekday by ourselves. And within minutes hundreds poured off the buses.
As you can see on this map, Doi Inthanon National Park is not the only park in the area to visit. So you can see a plethora of Thailand’s beauty in one trip. Ob Khan is another great park to visit, especially if you want to go hiking.
Doi Inthanon National Park covers an area of 482 square kilometers (186 sq mi) and is known for its beautiful scenery, including waterfalls, forests, and mountains.
Resources
Agoda is the best place to book cheap affordable hotels in Thailand, especially near national parks. They also book flights as well.
Expedia is my favorite place to book flights, hotels, cars, and more. Their group includes Hotels.com and Vrbo for vacation rentals.
Viator is the top choice for activities. Book everything from a waterfall tour to scuba diving, jungle trekking to cooking classes. Do the Chiang Mai Golf Challenge from Viator.
12Go is the top transportation source for Asia. From busses to trains to regional flights.
Table Of Contents
Getting To Doi Inthanon National Park
If you are staying in Chiang Mai city, you will need to plan a way to get to the park. It is at least an hours drive to the entrance. Luckily there are several options and it is pretty easy.
Recently a bypass road has been completed from Chiang Mai to Chom Thong city at the turn to Doi Inthanon. This avoids going through smaller cities and saves some time.
The easiest way to get to Doi Inthanon National Park is by car. There is also an option to take the bus from the Arcade Bus Station in Chiang Mai up into the park. The bus station is located at the end of Kaeo Narawat Rd just before it meets the superhighway.
12Go is the most recommended source for transportation around Thailand.
There are also a few tour companies that offer day trips to the park from Chiang Mai. I would recommend if you are staying in the city and don’t want to drive or rent a car, then sign up with a ‘small group’ all day Tour with Viator. You will at least get to stop at all the popular spots. Go on a weekday to avoid weekend crowds.
Thai National Park Service even has their own Doi Inthanon Taxi Service, from Chiang Mai that will take your small group to Doi Inthanon for the day and tour the most popular spots. A pricier but more private option.
What is Outside The Park
First of all I would recommend staying for a couple nights to explore the area. You can take a day tour from Chiang Mai, but you will be missing a lot. There is a lot to do while your out in this area of Chom Thong. There are also some really cool and inexpensive places to stay just outside the park.
The main park entrance is just down the road from Chom Thong city. We live close by to here. You can read our Article On Chom Thong to find out more details about the area.
If you are staying overnight outside the park here are some resources for lodging, food and things to do. The main road right outside the park entrance, has many options for food and things to see. Just outside the entrance is a quiet area with some relaxing choices. We recommend booking hotels with Agoda, they cover all the good ones in the area. There are options for camping and homestay’s, which we will cover below.
Tabtim Thong Grilled Fish Shop. Located on the way to Doi Inthanon or Mae Hong Son, and is one of the best places are local places most tourists don’t know about. Here is an amazing place for local Thai Food in a really cool atmosphere.
Lodging Just Outside The Park
These three resorts are all near each other and located just outside the park. I would recommend them all. They are located off route 1009 which goes from the main route 108 into Doi Inthanon.
Touch Star Resort. Highly Recommended by us. Located just 5 minutes from the first checkpoint. Very spacious grounds with lush landscape and various types of rooms. Wi-Fi, TV and all the modern amenities.
There are standard hotel rooms, small Chalets, as well as small and large group houses to rent. Wedding and banquet facilities if you’re going down that route! Friendly local staff. Good restaurant. My wife and I have stayed in both a deluxe room and chalet and loved it both times. Rates are 1,200 baht and up.
Inthanon Highlands Resort. This resort is just across the road from Touch Star. Also has beautiful grounds, a great Thai restaurant we tried, and a quiet atmosphere. It is more booked by locals.
Doi Inthanon View Resort. Also located right outside the park entrance on route 1009. They have really neat looking individual chalets. This is a higher end resort offering small villa type rooms. The property features lush gardens, with restaurant and activities. There is a nice looking Thai restaurant. We have not stayed here, but walked around and it looks great.
Inthanon Golf and Natural Resort – Looking to play some golf while in the area visiting the park? There are a couple great options, this is my favorite and a good golf course. This golf resort is located before you reach Chom Thong off route 108. You go up a small side road for a couple Km before you reach the course. From there the park entrance is about 20 minutes.
If you are looking for a more personal local experience for a place to stay just outside the park, you can stay in our village outside the park entrance. Just down the road from our house is a private homestay house on a beautiful piece of land. If you are photography, the owner Kevin is an avid photography and teaches courses. The property is called Suan Sook Homestay.
There are several small coffee shops close to these hotels outside the park entrance. Go in the opposite direction about 10 minutes away and go to our Favorite Coffee House in the area, WanWaan Cafe. Set amongst the rice fields and surrounding mountains, they have great coffee, made by the owner Mooey.
Wat Phradhatu Sri Chomtong Voravihara
Visit a Temple in Chom Thong. While visiting the area outside of Doi Inthanon you can experience some of the best temples in Thailand. Visit Wat Phradhatu Sri Chomtong Voravihara.
This is a stunning temple in the city with a world famous meditation center that welcomes visitors from all over the world. The King of Thailand’s former wife used to frequent the meditation center here.
Mae Klang Waterfall
Two of the best three waterfalls are not up the mountain in the main part of the park. One of them, and my favorite, is Mae Klang. Besides the fact the waterfall and river below are amazing, the fact you don’t have to drive up the mountain to get to it is a huge bonus.
Our house is very close by, so we frequent this waterfall often just to hang out and have lunch. Just before you turn to go up the hill to the main part of the park, you will take a slight left to this waterfall. And the parking lot is just right there.
They have an amazing picnic area along the river. You get get grilled food at one of the several stands. Eat along the river on picnic areas that are set up with matts and maintained by someone working there. Or you can sit at the covered tables overlooking the river. Order some chicken, sticky rice and a cold beer and you are set.
Pass the parking lot you will go up a small paved road to the waterfall, about 100 meters. You pass the entrance booth to pay, however the last couple times we were there no one charged us. Along the way there are nice restrooms and more picnic areas. You can also find a lot of butterflies. Once you reach the waterfall, there is a trail that goes up to the right and an observation tower.
Mae Ya Waterfall
Although technically inside the park, for the purposes of this article I’ll consider it an outside attraction. That is because to get there you need to go to another entrance, 17km southwest of the main one. You will have to pay the standard entrance fee, which is good for the rest of the park.
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The road up however is a slow road with sharp turns up to the waterfall. Once at the parking area, you will have to walk a bit up the road to the falls, or take the trail along the river which is super nice. Well worth the effort getting there as this is considered one of the top waterfalls in all of Thailand.
Inside The Main Park
Inside the Doi Inthanon National Park there are many ways to spend your day and sights to see. Depending on what you are into, and the time of year. Essentially there is one main road (1009) going to the summit, with side roads going off to trails, waterfalls, hilltribe homesteads, etc. Most sights are along the main road and clearly marked.
Waterfalls
For good reason one of the most popular things to do in the park. There are many waterfalls in Doi Inthanon National Park. Two of the biggest and best we covered already. Up the mountain the other popular ones are Wachirathan Falls, Sirithan, and Siriphum Falls.
During the mid-end (July-November) of the rainy season is when they will be at their fullest. In the winter months of the dry season they will be smaller, but clearer water and safer to swim in the rivers.
Wachirathan Waterfall
By far the most popular to visit in Doi Inthanon National Park, and perhaps all of Thailand. Reasons why it is so popular will become evident once you are there. It is also easily accessible, close to the main road with ample parking.
A spectacular waterfall with great vantage points, extensive tropical grounds and good Thai food, coffee, and facilities on site. A great spot to have a picnic. Many people enjoy swimming in the river below. This can be dangerous during the rainy season and the waterfall gets very large with fast moving water below and lots of large rocks.
Rainbows can be seen in the spray from the waterfall when the sun is angled in the afternoon. You will also get wet on the trail closest to the falls, when trying to take your selfie. It is a great place to cool off as you will get wet in the fall.
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The cafe has good Wi-Fi, I used it to write this article. Go early in the morning if possible before the tour busses show up.
Sirithan Waterfall
This one is past Wachirathan as you are going up the mountain. It is a mostly dirt parking lot and not very big. None of the tour busses stop here.
It is very impressive, however you cannot get too close. In the drier season there is a trail that lets you get closer. There is a fun and beautiful trail that goes from the road/parking down to the river to an observation platform. This is your only viewpoint.
No facilities at all.
Siriphum Waterfall
This waterfall in Doi Inthanon National Park is closer to the summit. You will drive off the main route 1009, and up to a hilltribe village, where you can do some local shopping.
The waterfall itself is only moderately impressive. The better part is that you have to hike a ways from the parking up the main falls. This is great if you want to enjoy an easy hike through the forest and along the river. A lot of the way is on a boardwalk.
Hiking
Inside Doi Inthanon National Park, it is no surprise there are many options for great hikes. The waterfalls also have shorter trails by them you can take for hikes of less than an hour.
If going on a longer hike, make sure you bring a pack with water, some food, and some layers of clothes. Weather can be warm, cold, dry, rainy, be prepared. During the rainy months of the summer most are not even passible and closed, so keep that in mind. As I said, November and December are the best months for hiking.
There are a lot of trails in and around Doi Inthanon National Park. Here are three that are easy to find and popular. Mae Klang waterfall and Wachirathan waterfall also have trails that go up past the top of the falls, but they are not passible in the rainy season.
Ang Ka Luang Nature Trail: One of the more popular trails, as it is located near the summit by the parking, with food, coffee, and the visitors center nearby. Less than a mile, boardwalk trail, will take you through lush vegetation, shrines, and great for birding. More of a stroll than a hike.
Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail: Also at the summit just past the two Chedis, this trail will take you through a forest teeming with biodiversity. Considered one of the more stunning trails in the park where you can see rare species of plants.
You must be accompanied by a Hmong Tribe guide. The Hmong hilltribe population is estimated to be about 125,000, second largest only to the Karen. The cost of a guide is 200 baht, and they can be hired on the spot at the trailhead.
Here you need to register and get a guide for the trail.
Pha Dok Siew Waterfall Chaloem Phra Kiat Trail: In Doi Inthanon National Park, this is one of the most popular trails. It is a very popular trail for birding, hiking, running, and the waterfall. At about 5.5 KM, it takes about 2 hours, and the best time to go would be November-January.
Birdwatching-Wildlife
Doi Inthanon National Park is home to a variety of wildlife, and an especially great place for those who love to go birdwatching. The best time for viewing would be during the dry season, November through February.
- Go birdwatching: Doi Inthanon National Park is home to nearly 400 species of birds. It is a popular destination for birdwatchers from all over the world. More birding information in Doi Inthanon and a complete List.
- Mammals: elephants, gaurs, sambar deer, barking deer, muntjacs, wild boars, civets, mongooses, porcupines, and several species of bats.
- Reptiles: snakes, lizards, tortoises, and turtles.
- Amphibians: frogs, toads, and salamanders.
- Butterflies: There are so many!
Near The Summit
In the summit area of Doi Inthanon National Park, is where you will find the busiest area of the park, with several attractions. There are a couple trails mentioned above. A visitors center, food, coffee shop on one side of the road. This area is where you will find Ang Ka Luang Nature Trail, and the famous sign everyone has to take a picture at, just like us.
The Twin Pagodas.
Just up the road is the most famous and photographed area of the park, the Royal Gardens and Twin Pagodas (Chedi). This area is maintained by the Thai Royal Air Force, not the park service.
We have been able to park right at the main parking lot at the Pagodas in October, however most of the time you cannot, as it is too crowed. There are several large parking lots up the road, and shuttle busses will take you. We walked this past time which is a mistake. It is steep and a good distance up the road.
On this site where the pagodas are, you will find some beautifully maintained gardens, a restaurant, coffee shop, and some cool toilets. A good place to have a picnic. At the restaurant/shop area there are patios to sit, relax and have lunch.
The two pagodas, one white and one black. known as Phra Mahathat Naphamethanidon and Nophamethanidon in Thai. They are not ancient and not maintained by the park service, but the Royal Thai Airforce, which greets you with a welcome sign as you enter the grounds. The two temples were built to honor the 60th birthday anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 1987, and the 60th birthday anniversary of Queen Sirikit in 1992.
The white jade buddha image enshrined in the hall of the Chedi in the Buddha’s attitude of thinking representing the attitude for those who were born on Friday, which is also Her Majesty’s birthday was named. Phra Buddha Sirikiti Tikayu Mongkol, meaning ‘Lord Buddha is the proserity and blesses her majesty with long life’.
Up at the Pagodas, there are spectacular sweeping views of the surrounding mountains. Certain times of the year, rainy season, there can be no view as it is cloudy. I have been up there 6 times and only had clear views once. Across the road there is also a Royal Thai Airforce Station, and the Thai National Observatory.
Camping And Overnight
As I mentioned above there are some very nice resorts just outside the park. If you are looking to stay inside the park, there are limited options.
Scattered throughout the park there are several small lodges. You will also find homestays in Hilltribe Villages.
Campsites are also available throughout the park. I have not camped, and from what I can tell they are fairly primitive, but in some great areas.
22 Aquarius Glamping Cafe is a beautiful place to spend the night in the tents. Located not far off the main road (route 1009), and turn on to route 1284. Enjoy nature near the summit of Doi Inthanon. We like to go there for an hour just to enjoy a coffee and the scenery. There are amazing flower fields.
For more information on accommodations for camping and homestays, visit The Thai National Parks Website, or Agoda.
General Park Information
The best time to visit Doi Inthanon National Park is during the cool season, from November to February. However, I think November and December are the very best. The weather is mild during this time but the waterfalls are still the best after the rainy season. And the crowds are smaller, but as I said, tour busses will show up at any time. The park is open year-round, but it can be very hot and humid during the rainy season, from June to October.
The entrance fee for Doi Inthanon National Park is 300 baht for foreigners and 60 baht for Thai citizens. The park is open from 5:30am to 6:30pm every day.
Here are some additional tips for planning your trip to Doi Inthanon National Park:
- Bring cool weather clothes! Yes, at 8,000+ feet even in Thailand it gets cold, especially in winter! Last trip to the top in December it was 12 Celsius (54f).
- Wear comfortable shoes and clothing. There is a lot of walking involved in exploring the park.
- Bring sunscreen and a hat. The weather can be very sunny at higher altitudes.
- Bring a camera. There are many beautiful photo opportunities in the park.
- Bring water and snacks if you are hiking. There are a few great places to eat in the park, especially at Wachirathan waterfall and the two chedis, but it is a good idea to bring your own food and drinks. Mae Klang Waterfall has great local food.
- Be prepared for the altitude. Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain in Thailand, and the altitude can affect some people. If you are coming from a lower altitude, take it easy at first and drink plenty of fluids.
- Give yourself time if possible. The drive up and back takes time, plus all the sights to see, you don’t want to rush yourself.
On your way down there is a large hilltribe market you can’t miss driving past. There they sell hand made products and food. There is also a small coffee shop.
I hope this guide helps you plan your trip to Doi Inthanon National Park! Feel free to drop us a note if you have any questions. We would be happy to answer them.
As always, do not forget Travel Insurance.
