Where Do I Start? The Beginner’s Travel Guide To Explore Chiang Dao

Chiang Dao a picturesque little village located in the north of Chiang Mai about 80 kilometers from the city area, surrounded by limestone mountains full of green space covered with an abundance of nature and good weather. Including the simple way of life. Therefore, Chiang Dao is one of the destinations for anyone who seeks to live a life suitable for traveling leisure and adventure.

5 places in Chiang Dao that you must visit

1.Doi Luang Chiang Dao.

It is a set of limestone mountains with the highest peak at 2,225 meters above sea level (and the third-highest in all of Thailand after Doi Inthanon and Doi Pha Hom Pok).

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Doi Luang Chiang Dao is a top-rated destination for hikers. On the way to the top of the mountain, you can observe a variety of plants, flowers, birds, and butterflies. Its limestone summit is home to rare plants, some of which grow nowhere else in Thailand.

Before you go: The summit lies inside the Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary, and the trail is only open in the cool season (roughly November to February — the exact dates are announced each year). You need a permit booked in advance through the sanctuary, there is a daily limit on hikers, and you must climb with a registered local guide; hiking on your own is not allowed. Weekend slots tend to sell out fast, so check the sanctuary's latest announcement before you plan.

Tip: Plan at least two days for the climb (up one day, camp overnight, down the next), plus time to get to Chiang Dao, so you don't get too tired.

2. Chiang Dao Cave 

Chiang Dao Cave is located at the foothills of Doi Luang Chiang Dao. It is the best-known attraction in the area and has Thailand’s deepest limestone caverns offering 12 km of stalactite-laden caves. In which there are five of the caverns accessible to the public.

the Chiang Dao Cave Temple is also located in front of the cave. 

Various sites throughout the region and many other archaeological relics are closely related to local myths and legends.

Tip: Bring your own flashlight!! But, if you don’t have one you can hire a guide with a lantern.

3. Baan Yang Pu To Hot springs.

It is a fantastic place to feel a better mindset, body, and spirit when you get in touch with the natural mineral here. Lay down your worries and let’s relax in the Jacuzzi of the villager’s style!

Apart from Hot springs, this village has many natural activities such as trekking through the jungle, watching birds, various flowers and plants, Traditional Thai massage and homestay.

4. Discover hidden gems at Muang Khong.

Muang Khong is a small village hiding behind Doi Luang around 30 kilometers from Chiang Dao. It is composed of many tribes including Thai Yai, Lisu, Muser, and Karen indigenous people.

Muang Khong is mostly a field with an integrated agricultural system known for its handicrafts, industrial agriculture, folk culture, and tourism based on the communities using local knowledge without affecting the environment and it is sustainable and self-reliant according to the sufficiency economy’s theory.

The simple way of life simplicity during here makes you forget the stress and fatigue from a busy society. 

5. Hostel and Homestay.

It’s time to cut off from the social world and flee to relax in the midst of nature at “Doi Luang Chiang Dao”, sleep under millions of stars and wake up with the aroma of nature and beautiful fog. Chiang Dao has everything from riverside homestays and treehouses to simple hostels in town and small resorts at the foot of the mountain. Many have views of Doi Luang, and rooms fill up quickly in the cool season (November to February), so book ahead and check recent reviews.

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Cover photo: Nuttasak, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons