I was keen to get out into the countryside to places that my bike and I were reluctant to pedal so I became a tourist for a day and booked a tour to Doi Inthanon National Park.
What a fantastic day! We had a packed minivan with people from all over the world and a very cheery tour guide. Most of our day was spent within the National Park and I really enjoyed being surrounded by greenery once more.
Our first stop was at Sirithan Waterfall (40 metres high).
My fellow day trippers
Sirithan Waterfall
After narrowly escaping an encounter with a crazy looking caterpillar…
A different kind of caterpillar
we visited a Karen village within the park. It felt a little odd to be walking around someone’s village although I did like to see a very different way of life.
Ever wondered what baby rice looks like?
Community rice farm
We also watched the women hand weaving some stunning scarves. I succumbed to temptation and bought this beauty.
Our next waterfall was the much higher Wachirathan Waterfall (80 metres). The water was pounding over the edge. I was lucky to be here in the rainy season.
Dried off and full up from a delicious lunch we headed up to the summit of Doi Inthanon. There wasn’t much of a view because of the mist but it was still nice to go for a walk.
Temple at the summit of Doi Inthanon
I would like one in my garden (when I get a garden that is)
The mist stayed with us as we visited the King and Queen’s Pagodas.
The King’s Pagoda
Inside the King’s Pagoda
Behind the mist is the Queen’s Pagoda
The Queen’s Pagoda
Our last stop was the Royal Project.This project is an initiative of His Majesty, King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand and was founded in 1969 to solve the problems of deforestation, poverty and opium production by promoting alternative crops.
Flowers being grown at the Royal Project
Hard at work at the Royal Project
It was a beautiful setting to wander around. Coffee is grown here and I can happily say it is delicious! A special thank you to Jackie (IOU coffee), who kindly bought me a coffee after I had spent every cent that I had on me on my gorgeous new scarf.
Best fish ever! They swam round in circles near to the surface so we could see them clearly
Travel tips:
- All of the tours companies I looked at went to the same spots on this tour. I paid 1000 baht for the day and that covered all entrance fees and lunch
- Take a layer. It gets pretty chilly on the mountain
- Take some spare cash. Some of the women in the Karen village make stunning scarves and it’s likely you’ll want to buy one.
- Don’t expect a great view from the top of the mountain. There is usually a lot of mist.
