Doi Inthanon National Park
Thailand's highest mountain and a headline national park, with cloud forest, waterfalls, the twin royal pagodas and cool-climate viewpoints.
- Category
- National Parks
- Entrance fee
- ~300 THB adult / 150 THB child foreigner + ~30 THB vehicle; Twin Pagodas +100 THB; as of 2026, confirm locally
- Hours
- Daily ~05:30-18:00
- Best time
- Cool season (Nov-Feb) for cold peak mornings and cherry blossom; green season for waterfalls
- Time needed
- Full day
- Difficulty
- easy (summit boardwalk) to moderate (Kew Mae Pan nature trail)
About Doi Inthanon National Park
Doi Inthanon is Thailand's highest mountain, and it earns the day trip. You get cloud forest that feels almost alpine, a summit boardwalk through mossy dwarf trees, the twin royal pagodas with their manicured gardens and view decks, and waterfalls along the road up. For a single day out of Chiang Mai, it packs in more scenery variety than almost anywhere else nearby.
There's no public transport into the park itself, so you're looking at a group day tour or chartering a car and driver for the drive up and back. The upside is you don't have to navigate the mountain roads yourself. Go in the cool season if you want genuinely cold mornings at the summit and a shot at cherry blossoms, or come in the green season if waterfalls are the priority.
The summit area is an easy stroll on a boardwalk, but if you want a proper hike, the Kew Mae Pan nature trail nearby is moderate and worth building into the day. Note the twin pagodas charge on top of the park entrance, so factor that in if you want to see them.
Highlights
- Summit boardwalk through misty cloud forest
- Twin royal pagodas with terraced gardens and viewpoints
- Waterfalls along the main park road
- Kew Mae Pan nature trail for a proper hike with valley views
- Genuinely cold, cool-climate air at the top, rare for Thailand
Tips
- No public transport to the park interior, book a day tour or hire a car and driver
- Cool season (Nov-Feb) gives cold peak mornings and a chance of cherry blossoms; green season is better for full waterfalls
- Bring a jacket, the summit is noticeably colder than the city
- The twin pagodas have a separate charge on top of the park entrance fee
How to get there
No public transport to the park interior; join a day tour (~800-1,300 THB) or charter a car/driver (~1.5-2 hr each way)