During our Chiang Mai trip, we decided to join a small group day tour to Doi Inthanon National Park through Klook. It was a convenient option for our little family because the package already included hotel transfers and lunch. 

About Doi Inthanon National Park

Doi Inthanon is fondly called the roof of Thailand. It rests on a part of Himalayan mountain range at 800 to 2,565 meters above sea level. Doi Inthanon is one of the top national parks in Thailand, housing waterfalls, trails, and villages that accommodate many nature-inclined activities. “Doi” means mountain. 

Visit Wachirathan Waterfall

Although the stop at Wachirathan waterfall was brief, I consider it the cherry on top of our trip. It was satisfying to watch and hear the crashing waters from 40 meters up, especially with the twin rainbows on display. 

Doi Inthanon Mountain, the highest peak in Thailand.

The entire national park is named after King Inthawichayanon, the last king of Chiang Mai. He was known to be an active voice calling for conserving the northern forests. After his death, he willed to rest at Doi Luang, so the mountain was renamed Doi Inthanon. 

Our tour guide gave us a quick overview of Doi Inthanon and taught us that “Doi” means mountain. 

The Twin Chedis/Pagodas

The twin pagodas, Phra Mahathat Naphamethanidon and Nophamethanidon, were built in honor of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit’s 60th birthdays in 1987 and 1992. It offers tourists a great view of the area, being on top of the main summit of Doi Inthanon.

We spent a good thirty minutes here, which was perfect for stretching our legs after more than an hour in the van, and for us parents with children, an opportunity to spend the pent-up energies of our kids. 

Shopping at Thai Hmong Community Market and Thai Lunch

We had our lunch at an open-air place reminiscent of a food court, next to a few souvenir shops offering dried fruits, nuts, plants, delicacies, traditional Thai clothes, and more. 

Our son enjoyed the free taste from the vendors, and we bought some dried strawberries. We wish we had bought more because they were delicious! We like how they preserved the natural taste of the strawberries and that they’re not overly sweet as some preserved fruits would be. 

We also bought a Thai costume for our son as a souvenir and for his Friday uniform in school. I got a pretty kimono-style top with a similar print.

We had a basic Thai lunch, including Tom Kha Gai (chicken in a tangy coconut soup), stir-fried vegetables, cashew chicken, fried chicken, mounds of rice, and platters of pineapple and watermelon slices. 

Karen Hill Tribe Village

The Mae Klang Luang Village is a famous scene in Chiang Mai with rice paddies on the mountain slopes. 

The village is home to the Karen hill tribe, the largest ethnic minority group in Thailand. They hailed from Tibet, moved south to Myanmar, and eventually settled in Northern Thailand. 

There are many Karen tribes in Thailand, and we met some from the “white” Karen tribe for their white-colored woven dresses for singles. They can wear colored clothes after marriage. 

The tribe does most of the work as a community. Weavers can display their work in the shop and leave them there until they’re sold. Payments will be made at the end of each day. 

Pati Non Coffee Roasting Plant

We concluded our visit to the tribe with an afternoon of coffee and tea-tasting at Pati Non Coffee Roasting Plant. It’s a simple, outdoor coffee roasting place and cafe that serves unlimited coffee for its guests. The community plants, harvests, and roasts the coffee beans for sale. 

They also offer natural scented soy candles, coffee beans, cigarettes, and natural insect repellents, and natural pain reliever ointments.

Sirithan Waterfalls

Our short look-see at the Sirithan waterfalls was a nice close to our trip to Doi Inthanon National Park. We stayed at the viewing deck for a few minutes, taking in the fresh, cool air and admiring the waterfalls in full blast. 

Get this tour package for your Chiang Mai Trip!