The great thing about Chiang Mai is its location. Situated in the north of Thailand, there are many mountains (and jungles) surrounding the city. In this article I’m giving you two recommendations for the best viewpoints near Chiang Mai. Because what could be better than mountain views?

They say you haven’t been to Chiang Mai if you didn’t go to Doi Suthep. Which essentially means… that everyone goes to Doi Suthep. It is advertised everywhere, all tuk tuk and songthaew (public transport) drivers will want to take you there and it will be the first thing everyone recommends you to see.

But…

There are other – and in my opinion much more wonderful – places you could go to instead. I’m going to share two locations with you which I absolutely loved. They are basically hills (Thais call them mountains but they looked more like hills to me… maybe because they are so green) just outside of Chiang Mai with temples at the top. So the same as Doi Suthep but with less tourists and better views.

Sounds good?

Doi Inthanon

Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain of Thailand (2,565 m) and was number one on my list of things to see in Chiang Mai. Mainly because I had a beautiful picture of it set as my laptop wallpaper for about a year to always motivate me and keep reminding me of the big upcoming trip.

If you don’t have a car or motorbike, your only option to get to this mountain seems to be through an organised tour. I am not a big fan of organised tours but I just had to see this place. Booking the tour was very easy and we only did it the day before.

Booking a Tour

When you are in Chiang Mai, you will see tourist offices on every corner and they all offer trips to Doi Inthanon so it’s just a matter of finding the cheapest one. The average price is usually about 1,500 THB (£34) for a day trip but we managed to haggle as low as 850 THB (£20). Always ask for a discount, mention you have seen a lower price elsewhere or simply get up and say you are going to that other place – the price will magically go down. It’s so easy in Thailand!

Just make sure you know what’s included in the price: transport, entrance fees, lunch and an English-speaking guide are a must.

The Journey to Doi Inthanon

On the day, we got picked up from our accommodation at 8am and drove in a minivan south of Chiang Mai. The group wasn’t too big – it was nine of us in the van and two guides. We made several stops: Wachirathan Waterfall, Sirithan Waterfall, a local village (where we were obviously expected to buy products from the locals but since there were more tourists than village people, it all felt a bit too artificial), a market with fresh fruits and other food grown by the locals, a delicious Thai lunch, a rainforest… and then finally, the peak of Doi Inthanon.

I enjoyed seeing the many different things along the way but as you can see, our itinerary was quite busy, which meant we were only given about 45 minutes to explore the last (and best) part. I could have easily spent at least 2 hours up there… But if this is the only way to visit the place, then so be it.

The Doi Inthanon Fairytale

What is so special about the Doi Inthanon mountain, you ask? There are two beautiful pagodas at the top (King’s and Queen’s), amazing mountain views all around you and the place is just stunning.

You definitely need more than 45 minutes to take it all in, explore the two temples, walk around the fairytale gardens and take pictures with the beautiful views everywhere (FYI this place is sooo instagrammable! 🙂 )

Doi Inthanon is hands down one of the most beautiful places I have seen in my life and can definitely recommend a visit.

BUT be aware that Doi Inthanon might not be worth visiting during rainy season (July – October). We went in February and had nice views and warm weather. Our guide even said this was a good time to visit. You will not be so lucky all year round though, so plan your trip accordingly.

Wat Phra That Doi Kham

Surprisingly, this gorgeous temple is not advertised much, but that’s just a win for you because you won’t find so many tourists there! I visited in the afternoon around 3pm and was surprised to find it almost empty (OK, a bus full of Chinese tourists arrived shortly after but they just took their pictures and left fairly quickly.)

Getting There

How to get to Doi Kham? Well, it’s definitely not as easy as going to Doi Suthep, that’s for sure. If you don’t have a motorbike, you could try talking to a tuk tuk or a songthaew driver but it might not be the cheapest option… I simply ordered an Uber for 200 THB (less than £5) and then negotiated a songthaew ride back to town (for 250 THB and I had the vehicle all to myself 😀 ).

I had read there was an entrance fee for Doi Kham but I didn’t see a ticket booth and no one asked me to pay anything so I assume the admission is free.

What to Expect

When you get to the top of the mountain, one of the first things you see is a 17 m high statue of sitting Buddha, which is quite spectacular. There are two other huge Buddhas inside the temple, one reclining and one standing.

And what makes this place my favourite are the views of Chiang Mai and its surrounding mountains. You can even see planes departing from Chiang Mai airport. And the best part is, Doi Kham is so much more peaceful than the neighbouring Doi Suthep which is overcrowded with tourists.

Don’t miss this place when you are in Chiang Mai!

Have you been to Doi Inthanon and Doi Kham? What other places in Chiang Mai would you recommend?

Don’t forget to read my recommendations for Bangkok, too!

If you are backpacking all over Southeast Asia, I also have posts on Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia for you to read 😉

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