Hiking in Thailands National Parks: Treasures of Chiang Mai

The traveling adventurer can find plenty of everything in Thailand's expansive national parks. Natural treasures ranging from virgin evergreen rainforests, to endless boardwalks atop marshy swamplands, to majestic mountains and valleys nestled under an enchanting mist are sure to delight any lover of the outdoors and nature. While there's plenty of outdoors activities to keep you busy, hiking (or trekking) in Thailand's National Parks is fast drawing international attention as an experience not to be missed in any vacation to Asia.

By far the most popular hiking destination is the province of Chiang Mai, a mountainous outdoor wilderness wonderland in Northern Thailand. Hiking in the National Parks offers those looking to get away from the crowds and the commercialism of more typical tourist attractions in Chiang Mai to get off the beaten trail and discover some truly authentic natural gems of Thailand. So long as you are in fair condition and health, you should easily be able to find a hiking trip that suits you.

Dozens of hiking tour guide companies have emerged to meet the growing demand, offering all manner of hiking experiences ranging from short day trips to week long journeys deep into the wilderness. The competition between the guides affords the visiting hiker plenty of experienced, well organized companies to choose from and at reasonable rates.

Chiang Mai

This province acts as a central hub from which to launch hiking expeditions of all kinds. Most hiking guide companies will have a small office or guesthouse (which frequently act as guide companies themselves) in the areas most trafficked by tourists. The Night Bazaar, Loi Kroh road, Moon Muang, or outside the city in the smaller village of Pai are generally the most popular areas for these companies to congregate.

In addition to the wide range of natural wonders you'll get to experience, Chiang Mai is also host to a really diverse hodgepodge of local cultures and minority ethnic groups across many hilltop villages, themselves nestled in between the trails and along the mountain sides. Paduang, Karen, Mein, Lisu, and Hmong villagers have settled into the region during the past century, mainly from the Asian interior.

Each of them comes with their own unique (and sometimes unusual) language, style of dress, and culture. Far removed from the mainstream culture predominating in Thailand, these hill tribes have insulated themselves out of a preference to stay close to their roots and live a simple life in the mountains. The guided tours will take you straight into the heart of these villages where you will share in their food and learn about their unique way of life.

The majority of hiking trips offered by the guide companies will be between three and five days, but there are plenty of options for day trips as well. Many of the longer planned trips will offer the hiker a sort of potpourri of Thai outdoor adventurism. You may hike up a large mountain, stay the night in a log cabin overseeing a breathtaking panorama of mountains and valleys, take an elephant ride to a river bank, and then take a river raft ride back down the mountain. Truly, it is an experience uniquely Thai.

While the heavy competition between guide companies keeps rates low and value proposition high, it can have its drawbacks. To the visiting hiker unfamiliar with the area and local hiking norms it can be hard to get a good sense for what sets one company apart from another. While the Tourism Authority of Thailand does put out a list of agencies that are licensed under them, many of the guides work independently on a freelance basis and tend to be rather transient. If possible, asking people you know that have hiked in Chaing Mai or other visitors you come across is probably the best way of choosing.

In practice, however, your options will be restricted by when you're arriving, which areas you want to hike in, and whether you can get a reserved place in a tour. This last bit is particularly restraining, since often times if there's not enough people register for a particular guided hike, you'll be reassigned to another company entirely.

Expect to pay at the very least 500 baht (approximately $16 USD) a day for guided trips. If someone is advertising something considerably lower than that, there's probably a very good reason. Generally included will be meals and some kind of shelter, ranging from wood cabins to village huts depending on the tip. As far as tipping goes, common practice is 10% for guides, 10-20 baht for porters, none for taxis, and 10% for waiters if gratuity is not already included on your bill.

The climate in the Chiang Mai is relatively pleasant year around, especially in the higher altitudes where it stays cool and misty most of the time. The best weather you'll find is in the months of November through February as it tends to stay nice and dry while the fauna is still nice and lush. The rainy season is during the months of June through September and hikers will definitely want to pack rain clothes and gear. A cool haze fills the valleys in the March, April, and May months which can limit the views.

Doi Inthanon National Park

Doi Inthanon is Chaing Mai's premier hiking destination, featuring all the best of what hiking in Thailand has to offer within its 480 square kilometers of park grounds. Most popular with hikers are the many sprawling trails along Doi Inthanon itself, a massive mountain which happens to be the highest peak in Thailand at 2565 meters above sea level. It is home to over 65 species of mammals, and a huge variety of indigenous birds. Beautiful waterfalls cascade down the mountainside right alongside the well maintained nature trials.

Due to the high altitude Doi Inthanon stays cool all year round, with the coldest month being January at an average temperature of 5.5C. This cool climate, along with the huge variation in altitude, allows the park to support more species of bird than anywhere else in Thailand (over 360). Fog and mist will sometimes linger for days which can obfuscate some views.

There are some spectacular sites you'll definitely not want to miss on a trip to Don Inthanon. The Mae Ya waterfall is considered the highest in all of Thailand. While it is not the easiest site to get to, you'll be happily rewarded by a perfectly magical spectacle once you arrive. For an even more quiet, serene escape there's the Mae Pan waterfall out in the backcountry of Doi Inthanon where you'll find far less people in general. Only an hour off the main road is the Brichinda cave with its massive entrance chamber. Further in the case, there's another large chamber pierced by a shimmering skylight up to the surface.

For accommodations, Doi Inthanon National Park has four houses and a campground that you can stay at (permit may be required) as well as a visitor center. Outside of the park bounds there are several eco-tourism resorts that also will offer guided tours.

The park is crisscrossed by some fantastic nature trails, including the Anga-Ka, Kaew Mae Pang, and Mae Pan Falls trails. These are all shorter day hikes that the ambitious travelers could most likely explore without the help of a guide.

The Ang-Ka Nature Trail is a brief 360 meter excursion through the highest swamp in Thailand atop a raised boardwalk. Up at 2,550 meters above sea level you'll experience cool (and sometimes wet) weather year round. Warm clothes should always be prepared, even in the warmer days of the year. From this height you'll get a glimpse of some extraordinary species of birds flying in the canopies above. At a relaxed pace, the hike should take roughly 45 minutes.

The Kaew Mae Pang Nature Trail is the newest addition to the park, but don't let that put you off; it's easily among the most satisfying and beautiful hikes in Doi Inthanon. You'll start near the main summit road at Napamayatanidol, trek through a dense evergreen forest for roughly a kilometer, then break out onto the peak of a steep slope sitting alongside the headwaters of the Mae Pan river canyons. This will be a 2 hour long hike at a relaxed pace (you'll want to stop and take some pictures).

Mae Pan Falls trail is a less trafficked hike that leads you into the company of two beautiful waterfalls, Mae Pan Falls and the Huai Sai Luang falls. You'll encounter generally drier landscape and less dense forests as compared to other parts of the park at similar elevations (1,200 meters). You'll start out down a dirt path from Mae Cham road about 2 kilometers to a ranger station, where you'll see the Huai Sai Luang waterfalls near the parking lot and at the end of the primary trail the Mae Pan falls. Camping is allowed in this area and the grounds are furnished with bathrooms.

Longer, guided tours in Doi Inthanon will no doubt feature a visit with some of the park's own Hilltribe villages. The Hmong village of Khun Ya Noi affords an opportunity to get a glimpse of their traditional way of life and the colorful embroidering of their clothing. Also within the park is the Karen village of Ban Mae Ab Nai. They're known for their exquisite traditional weaving and other textiles and also adhere to a very quaint way of life. While the inhabitants of these villages are generally quite friendly, it is not recommend that you attempt to visit these villages without a guide.