Doi Inthanon, Thailand, March 16th, 2025
Today was the high point of this trip to the Golden Triangle – quite literally.
Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain in Thailand, situated to the southwest of Chiang Mai in the Chom Thong District. I joined a small group, consisting of a Canadian couple from Toronto on a seven-week SE Asia tour, a Polish couple from Szczecin, an Italian guy from Puglia and an Austrian girl from Vienna, who is here to learn Thai massage techniques.
After a stop at the Wachirathan Waterfall at the foot of the mountain, it was a steady climb to the summit at 2,565 metres (8,415ft), although it does sap the oxygen when walking in the heat at this altitude. There is a weather station operated by the Royal Thai Air Force and the Thai National Observatory at the summit.
A delightful stop in a mountain village for a traditional Thai lunch and then on to the famed King and Queen pagodas before spiralling down the mountain to a more comfortable altitude on the return for the Caraboa Cup final and a cold beer in Chiang Mai.
It’s burning season sadly, so the stunning views from the summit were smothered by heat haze and low visibility.
