Neil Aronson In this article we cover our top 6 picks for national parks in Northern Thailand. They are recommend for everyone who loves nature and the outdoors in the larger mountains. In Thailand there are well over a hundred national parks and wildlife sanctuaries that cater to different tastes, activities and wildlife.
Northern Thailand has very different national parks than in Southern Thailand. Many of them in southern Thailand are located in marine areas, so they are great for those who like beaches and marine activities. In addition there is different plant and wildlife species.
In northern Thailand you will find more mountainous regions, with taller waterfalls and forests, great hiking and camping. Wildlife enthusiasts will enjoy the hundreds of bird and butterfly species. And the weather tends to be cooler, especially in the winter. Read more on the top Southern Thailand National Parks.
If you are traveling around Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and other parts of Northern Thailand, then these are our five favorite ones to visit. And most of them are very easy to access from both large cities. Also they can be visited in one day if time is a factor. The following resources are great places to help you find accommodations, tours and activities, as well as local transportation.
Getting to these national parks in Northern Thailand is very easy, and the can be accessed by great roads. If you do not have your own car or motorbike, you can take a tour of hire a private driver easily. Red busses and other local transportation will also take you to them, especially if you are on a budget. Any hotel will be able to guide you where to get local rides. A few resources below can help you get there.
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Resources
Expedia is my favorite place to book flights, hotels, cars, and more. Their group includes Hotels.com and Vrbo for vacation rentals.
Agoda is the best place to book cheap affordable hotels in Thailand, especially near national parks. They also book flights as well.
Viator is the top choice for activities. Book everything from a waterfall tour to scuba diving and jungle trekking,
12Go is the top transportation source for Asia. From busses to trains to regional flights.
Doi Inthanon
Doi Inthanon National Park is the highest national park in Thailand, located in the Thanon Thong Chai Range of the Western Hills, about 80 kilometers (50 mi) north of Chiang Mai. It is home to Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Thailand at 2,565 meters (8,415 ft).
This also makes it a relief from the hot weather. Be prepared when visiting, as the weather can change quickly, and it actually gets cold. During the winter months you many need long pants and a light jacket or more. A rarity in Thailand.
This is for sure the busiest of the National Parks in Northern Thailand. It covers an area of 482 square kilometers (186 sq mi) and is known for its beautiful scenery, including waterfalls, forests, the largest mountains, and lots of wildlife and hiking trails.
We are partial to this park as it is just down the road from our house, so we visit often. If is a great place to just relax, and endless opportunities for photography. 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.
Getting to and staying near the park is easy. There are great hotels just outside the parks entrance including Touch Star Resort 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.
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.
Explore some Waterfall Videos on our YouTube Channel.
For details visit our complete guide for Doi Inthanon National Parks.
Mae Wang
Most tourists, rightfully so, go the Doi Inthanon and Doi Suthep-Pui national parks. But at Mae Wang National Park, you can also experience beautiful scenery, waterfalls, rivers, hiking, camping, and of course wildlife. However it is most famously known for its ‘mini grand canyon’. Best of all it is just a short drive away from Chiang Mai, and less crowed.
Located just one hours drive south on Chiang Mai city center. Essentially it is on the way to Chom Thong and Doi Inthanon national park. Ob Khan national park is also in this direction. So if your on a park tour, you can hit Doi Inthanon, Mae Wang, and Ob Khan in succession.
For sure the best time of the year to visit this amazing national park is during the dry season, November-May. In the winter months it can get cool (at night), so be prepared. However it does not get nearly as cold as Doi Inthanon. Last time I was there in November, it was still very hot.
To get there take route 108 south out of Chiang Mai. Then you can take to old road or the bypass highway (route 1013), which is better. From there, the drive is wide open, as pictured below, and only a few road changes. There is good signage leading you there, and Google maps worked great for us.
Absolutely the big attraction in this amazing national park is Pha Chor. Like I said earlier, most locals refer to Mae Wang as Pha Chor. It is also referred to by locals as ‘little grand canyon’. To be honest, it is not that big, and it is called that only since most people in Thailand have not actually been to the actual Grand Canyon. However the creation of these canyons is the same, by running water.
Ob Khan
Very close to Chiang Mai city, Ob Khan is a unique one of the national parks less than an hours drive away, and popular with locals locals. Locals know where the best national parks are for family picnics, camping, and relaxing in nature. We visited and hiked in Ob Khan in an afternoon after lunch with our local cousins.
Ob Khan features canyon like landscapes, which can get treacherous during the rains of the summer. In fact many parts of the park close during that time, and some hiking trails have to close. The Ob Khan river is the main feature, where most activities revolve around.
“Ob” is a word in the local language used to describe steep and narrow rock canyons with a stream of water flowing through (steep cliffs with rock surfaces on both sides) or in Thai, ‘Kroaktarn’. This type of geological characteristic can be found in very few places in Thailand. This is also what makes Ob Khan one of the best national parks. The river is called Khan, and hence became Ob Khan.
The park sits between route 1269 on the north side, Samoeng Loop, and route 1013 to the south, which goes out to Mae Wang, and has a couple waterfalls along the way. You can take these routes to access outer areas of the park.
In Ob Khan is the only place in Thailand where you can find Dendrobium Wardianum (Orchid), which blooms in January.
Swimming in the Mae Khan river is a popular activity, especially with locals. When I was there I did see many local kids swimming, however we where there is November at the end of the rainy season. So with river was still murky. I was told in the winter months the water get very clear and much nicer to swim in.
Doi Suthep-Pui
Northern Thailand is home to one of the most popular national parks in all of Thailand, Doi Suthep-Pui. Most tourist who come to Chiang Mai for the first time make it a point of visiting Wat Doi Suthep. The famous temple on the mountain overlooking the city. The temple is in the park, however there is a lot more to see and do than just visit that. And since it is just next the the city, it make it easier than any to visit. Regular red busses, tour groups, or private drivers will take you.
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park is very popular with exercising, such as hiking and biking. Often there are organized road races and runs. There are several waterfalls, other amazing temples, and some great camping.
Formerly known as Doi Aoy Chang, Doi Suthep-Pui National Park is named after two mountains within the park; Doi Suthep and Doi Pui. Doi Suthep is where the hermit Sudeva lived on it’s slopes for many years. The park is situated in Chiang Mai Province, only a few kilometers northwest of Chiang Mai City covering 265 km².
My favorite places are not around Wat Doi Suthep. Be sure to stop at Montha Waterfall, which also has a great short but steep 1.6km hiking trail. Camping is also available.
Close to the waterfall is Wat Pha Lat, which is one of my favorite. The temple sits part way up the mountain and can also be hiked to from the city along Monk’s Trail.
The main attraction area is the part closest to the city. However, since Pui is part of the same park, it extends to one of my favorite area towards Mae Rim.
Lum Nam Kok National Park
Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand is one of the most famous areas of the country for trekking, and many routes take in the forests, waterfalls and rivers of the Lum Nam Kok National Park. Most treks take at least a couple of days to complete and involve a rustic homestay in a hilltop village.
Northwest of the city is a good area for hiking and there are several great waterfalls, although they are spread out. Near the park is a challenging hiking trail and waterfall. The Huai Kaeo waterfall extended loop. This is a popular trail for backpacking, birding, and camping, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day.
Doi Luang
Doi Luang (large mountain) covers an area of 3 provinces in Northern Thailand, Phayao, Chiang Rai, and Lampang. Geographically, it is a high undulating mountain range and a forest where the original source of the rivers to Kwan Phayao, the Wang River, and the Lao River is located. Generally, the forests in the national park are mixed trees that loose their leaves, moist evergreen and deciduous dipterocarp forest.
It is a habitat of various kinds of animals such as serows, deer, barking deer, wild boars, monkeys, langurs, gibbons, mouse deer, Asiatic wild dogs, red junglefowls, pheasants, and more than 150 species of birds.
One of the most impressive spots is of this photo of Doi Nork an iconic huge grey black rock. A “Nork” is mean the large shoulder hump on an Indian cow.
There are many waterfalls in Northern Thailand national parks, and this area is no exception. Many are located off or near route 1 in between Lampang and Chiang Rai. Many offer trekking and hiking trails.
A popular one is called Namtok Champa Thong, which is located in Amphoe Mueang Phayao. It is a very steep waterfall flowing down into tiers similar to Mae Sa Waterfall in Mae Rim. The water is crystal clear and suitable for swimming. There are large and shady trees around the area of the waterfall, as well as, a large terrace for sitting and relaxation.
The nature study route is 2,200 meters. Tourists can take this route by themselves because directional signs are posted along the way. The total walking trip takes around 2 hours. For those who would like to stay overnight, there is a camping area provided, but you have to bring their own tent.
Explore Chiang Rai
Read more on Chiang Rai. One of the jewels of Northern Thailand. Chiang Rai is often overlooked by people visiting its neighbor Chiang Mai. Perhaps partly because it is a little bit isolated, and almost a 3 hour drive from Chiang Mai. But this may give it an advantage for travelers wanting to visit Chiang Rai Thailand. As a result, there are less tourists, prices are even cheaper, and there is still plenty to do and see.
