From Chiang Mai to Doi Inthanon by Motorbike

To spend a day away from the chaotic Chiang Mai we decided to go on an adventure and spend a do-it-yourself day surrounded by nature, in the Doi Inthanon National Park.

Doi Inthanon is nicknamed “the roof of Thailand” because it is the highest mountain in this country and takes its name from the king Inthawichayanon, the last King of Chiang Mai, who was concerned about the forests in this area and tried to preserve them.

Today, the summit of Doi Inthanon is a popular tourist destination but we wanted something different so here we are in the saddle of a scooter ready to face different stops: the waterfalls, the floating bars, the famous stupas, and then reach the summit of this mountain, 2500m above sea level.

Rent the scooter

In Chiang Mai there are many places where you can rent a scooter and the prices are really affordable, a day (24h) with a 125cc costs more or less 250 ฿ (~7€) plus a security deposit of 3000 ฿ (~80€). We rented it to Cat Motors.

Be careful! In Thailand an international driving license is required to drive a vehicle… Don’t take the risk to go without it because you will find several checkpoints inside and outside the city.

The international driving license is a document that allows you to drive abroad.

To be able to get your international driving license you need to go to the Civil Motorization office bringing the TT746 form for the Geneva 1949 International Driving License, a photocopy of your driving license and two profile pictures. You can pay everything directly with your Credit Card, the cost is around 40 €.

What to bring

Heavy clothes: driving the bike you will find that, rising in altitude, the temperature will tend to fall by many degrees. It is therefore advisable to bring a sweatshirt.

Food and water: nothing to add except that, with very high temperatures you will need a lot of water and energy to tackle the path.

 Money: bring cash as there are no ATMs in the area.

Sunscreen

 Mosquito spray

Our journey

After a really good and plentiful breakfast in our lovely hotel in Chiang Mai ....................... , we fixed up our inseparable Osprey Backpack, filled the water bottles and we were ready to go!

The road that separates Chiang Mai from the final destination is about 100km and will take you just over an hour and 30 minutes. 
Remember to fill up with gasoline before entering the park (before Route 1009) because later you will not find more distributors.

First stop: Mae Klang Falls

To make the journey lighter we stopped to see the Mae Klang Waterfalls and to rest for a while in one of the floating bars on the river.

To access the waterfall you will be required to pay a park entrance fee of 300 ฿ (~ 8 €), you will be given a ticket which is valid for the whole park and which you will have to show at all check points on the route.

Second stage: Wachirathan Falls

Third stage: Ban Mae Klang Luang

If you are a coffee lover you cannot miss a quick visit to Ban Mae Klang Luang to enjoy a cup of pure Arabica coffee.

Initially these areas were used for the cultivation of opium by the Karen tribe until, thanks to a redevelopment of the territory, they replaced opium with coffee, which thrives thanks to the temperate climate of Doi Inthanon.

Fourth stage: Chedi dedicated to the king and queen

Traveling with your scooter at some point you will begin to see two huge buildings that stand on one of the mountain peaks, we are talking about the two twin chedi built by the Royal Thai Air Force for the sixtieth birthday of the sovereigns of the time.

The brown one is the monument dedicated to the King in 1987 (the Chedi Napamaytanidol), while the lilac one was made in honor of the Queen in 1992 (the Chedi Napapolphumsiri).

It’s worth getting lost in the flowery gardens that surround the two buildings.

Fifth stage: on the roof of Thailand

10 minutes away from the chedi you will arrive in front of a military base (do not enter it), park your scooter in the parking lot and follow the short route shown which will lead you into the forest until you reach the highest point in Thailand at 2565 meters on sea level. It was a big satisfaction!

Sixth stage: a delicious dinner in Chiang Mai

Tired and hungry we went directly to Chiang Mai. Immediately outside the walls there are a lot of really amazing restaurants, shops and fabulous market where you can buy some local handicrafts.
We stops in a restaurant called .................. and .........., the place, the goodness of the food and the way it was presented...all wow! And of course, a mango smoothie!