Doi Inthanon National Park + Pa Bong Piang Rice Terrace

Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain in Thailand and the most popular day trip from Chiang Mai. This version adds the terraced rice fields of Pa Bong Piang on the Mae Chaem side of the mountain, which is why it runs longer than the standard park tour. It suits people who want the mountain and the countryside behind it in one day.

Pickup from your Chiang Mai hotel is between 07:30 and 08:00. The drive to the park takes around an hour and a half. On the mountain the stops are the summit at 2,565 metres, the King and Queen pagodas with their gardens and views, the short Ang Ka nature trail through the mossy cloud forest at the top, a Hmong hill tribe market, a Karen village and Wachirathan waterfall. The program also lists Mae Klang Luang, a Karen village known for coffee roasting and, in season, its own rice terraces. The Pa Bong Piang terraces are farmed by Karen families and step down a whole hillside; they are green from around August, turn gold in October and are harvested by November, so the view depends on when you go. You are back in Chiang Mai between 17:00 and 17:30.

An English speaking guide accompanies the group. Wear comfortable shoes, bring a light jacket for the summit, which is noticeably cooler than the city, and cover shoulders and knees at the pagodas.