Doi Inthanon National Park: trails, waterfalls and pagodas
Contents
Doi Inthanon National Park is in Chiang Mai Province and surrounds Thailand's highest mountain, which rises 2,565 metres above sea level.[1] The park mixes rainforest, mixed forest and pine forest, stays cool all year, and in the cool season mist often blankets the slopes all day, with frost flowers on early mornings.[1] Waterfalls, two royal relic pagodas, nature trails, rice terraces, a national observatory and a small local market are spread across the mountain, so choose a few priorities rather than trying to fit everything into one outing.
Choose a short forest walk or a longer ridge trail
Ang Ka Nature Trail near the summit is the easy one: a loop of about 300 metres on a wooden boardwalk through cloud forest, where moss and ferns cover the trees. Signs along the route explain the plants, and the boardwalk brings you back to where you started.[2]
Kew Mae Pan is the longer option: a circular walk of about 3 miles near kilometre 42, at around 2,000 metres, which takes 2 to 3 hours. It leads through ancient cloud forest and along a narrow ridge with steep sides, with views of a sea of mist at sunrise, and red azaleas bloom along the ridge in winter.[3] The directory lists a guide fee of 200 baht per group on top of the park entrance fee.[3]
Things to Do
Offers are only loaded from GetYourGuide after you click. GetYourGuide can then process your IP address and set cookies. Privacy Policy
GetYourGuide partner offers. GoAsia may earn a commission if you book through these offers. Check whether tickets or transfers are included, and follow the attraction's official booking and admission rules.
Plan a waterfall route
The park's waterfalls include Mae Klang, Wachirathan, Siriphum and Mae Ya.[1] For a double-waterfall day, start at Mae Ya in the foothills, not far from Highway 108, then continue about 30 kilometres uphill to Wachirathan.[4]
Mae Chaem, about 2 hours west of Wachirathan, is known for its terraced rice fields and makes a good overnight stop if you want to wake up to green paddies.[4]
Keep the pagodas as a separate stop
Phra Mahathat Napamathanidol and Phra Mahathat Napaphol Bhumisiri, the Great Holy Relics Pagodas, are a stop of their own, separate from the forest walks and waterfalls.[1] Give them their own slot in the day rather than squeezing them in between waterfalls.
Before you go
Pick a focus for the day: a short summit-area walk, the longer Kew Mae Pan ridge, the waterfalls or the pagodas. The park office can be reached on +66 53 286 728.[1]
For onward planning, explore the Thailand travel guide.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] Tourism Authority of Thailand: Doi Inthanon National Park. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
- [2] Thailand Digital Tourism Center, Ministry of Tourism & Sports: Ang Ka Luang. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
- [3] Thailand Digital Tourism Center, Ministry of Tourism & Sports: Kiew Mae Pan (Doi Inthanon). Retrieved October 20, 2026.
- [4] Tourism Authority of Thailand: Mountain Savouring the Greens at Doi Inthanon, Chiang Mai. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
The park surrounds Thailand's highest mountain, 2,565 metres above sea level. It is known for cloud forest, waterfalls such as Mae Klang, Wachirathan, Siriphum and Mae Ya, the Ang Ka and Kew Mae Pan nature trails, the Great Holy Relics Pagodas and rice terraces.
Yes. Ang Ka Nature Trail is a loop of about 300 metres on a raised wooden boardwalk through cloud forest, and it returns you to the start.
It is a circular walk of about 3 miles near kilometre 42 that takes 2 to 3 hours. It runs through cloud forest and along a narrow ridge with steep sides, with views of a sea of mist, and the directory lists a guide fee of 200 baht per group.
Mae Klang, Wachirathan, Siriphum and Mae Ya. A good two-stop day starts at Mae Ya near Highway 108 and continues about 30 kilometres uphill to Wachirathan.
No. The two Great Holy Relics Pagodas are a separate stop on the mountain, distinct from the waterfalls and nature trails.
Choose a few stops that fit your interests. For example, pair two waterfalls on the mountain road, or combine a short summit-area walk with the pagodas. The attractions are spread out, so allow time for driving between them.
The park office can be reached on +66 53 286 728.
Mae Chaem, about 2 hours west of Wachirathan Waterfall, is known for its terraced rice fields and works well as an overnight stop.
