Doi Inthanon National Park
Thailand's highest peak, wrapped in cloud forest and twin royal chedis.
Doi Inthanon National Park is home to the summit of Doi Inthanon, standing at 2,565 metres — the highest point in Thailand. Located about 80 kilometres southwest of Chiang Mai in the mountains of the northwest, the park covers roughly 482 square kilometres of dense montane forest, waterfalls, and highland villages. It's a genuinely dramatic landscape that feels worlds away from the city, and for anyone coming from the flat, steamy lowlands, the cool air and lush canopy at the top genuinely surprises.
The park packs a lot into a single day. Most visitors make a beeline for the twin chedis — Naphamethinidon and Naphaphonphumisiri — built in the late 1980s to honour the King and Queen of Thailand, surrounded by manicured gardens full of exotic flowers that bloom brilliantly in the cooler months. From there, the summit is a short drive, marked by a small shrine and, on a clear day, sweeping views into Myanmar. The waterfalls are another highlight: Mae Ya is widely considered the most spectacular in Thailand — a wide curtain of water plunging over dark rock — while Wachirathan is easier to reach and equally impressive up close. Birdwatchers come specifically for the park's remarkable diversity; over 380 species have been recorded here, including endemics you won't find anywhere else in the country.
The park is best treated as a full-day trip from Chiang Mai — leave early, around 6am, to catch the summit before the clouds roll in and to beat the tour groups to the chedis. There's a national park entry fee for foreigners (currently higher than the Thai rate, as is standard), and you'll need your own transport or a hired driver to move efficiently between the waterfalls, summit, and gardens. The road up is well-maintained and the drive itself is scenic. A few small food stalls near the summit sell hot coffee and strawberries grown by hill tribe communities — don't skip them.