Despite being Thailand’s only national park accessible by train, Doi Khun Tan is far quieter than the other parks within day-trip range of Chiang Mai. You’ll share the trail almost exclusively with Thai locals, many of whom take the one-hour train ride south from the city and walk up to the park directly from the train station.
Khun Tan Train Station is Thailand’s highest, and turning this journey into a day trip gives the whole experience a very Switzerland-in-Southeast-Asia feel. Step off the train already in your boots, cross the tracks, follow the well-marked 1.3-kilometer path to the visitor center, and start (or, I suppose, continue) your trek up the peak.
Jump Ahead
Romance often bows to reality where family logistics are involved, however, and I confess we didn’t have the pleasure of visiting Doi Khun Tan by train. This was our first stop on a week-long road trip, and we had rented a mighty, diesel-powered Toyota Land Cruiser.
Sure, I felt like a bit of a fraud driving this monster past hikers still making their way up from the station. But if you’re self-driving, there’s not really another choice, and it’s better to save that kid energy for the actual trail.
Trailhead of the Chili Smoke
The trail begins almost directly from the parking lot, which offers a scenic view over the valley below. The park’s small, open-air restaurant is also here, taking full advantage of its elevated position. It’s an excellent spot to begin or end your hike with a plate of Pad Kra Pao—the best dish on a small menu.
Pro Tip
If, during your meal here, the whole family suddenly develops a hacking cough with no obvious cause, the kitchen is probably cooking chiles over an open flame. I have a reasonably high spice tolerance, but the aerosolized version still gets me.
Once you’re ready to set out, you’ll have no trouble following the trail, which is very clearly marked throughout. It’s also well maintained and, even at the end of the monsoon season, was in very good condition. Credit the strong contingent of local Thai hikers, who know exactly who to call when something needs fixing.
The Four “Yaws” of the Doi Khun Tan Summit Hike
The five-kilometer hike is helpfully divided into yaws, a Thai word roughly meaning “strategic camp.” Despite the name, the yaws are less “technical staging stop” and more “vacation home of a prominent politician” or “summer retreat for American missionaries.” This is not K2.
| Landmark | Distance | Elevation | What to See |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yaw One | 150 m | 900 m | Historic State Railway of Thailand vacation houses. |
| Yaw Two | 1 km | 1,035 m | Khasi Pines and Former Prime Minister M.R. Kukrit’s retreat. |
| Yaw Three | 3.5 kms | 1,225 m | American missionary houses. |
| Yaw Four | 5 km | 1,373 m | The summit and panoramic view. |
The climb to the peak leads through some lovely scenery. As we approached the 1,000-meter mark, the resinous scent of evergreens became unmistakable. Yaw Two sits in a thicket of Khasi pines, and it’s not at all hard to understand why a former prime minister chose this as his mountain retreat. The residence isn’t always open to visitors, but you can still enjoy the well-tended garden of winter flowers that surrounds it.
For whatever reason, yaws make excellent motivating goals. Telling the kids that we’d just reached Yaw Two and asking whether they thought we could make it all the way to Yaw Three fired them up for some bizarre reason. The power of new and exotic words, I suppose.
October’s Late Monsoon Rain Turns Us Back
Whether we could make it to Yaw Three turned out to be a sensible question. Kat and the kids had absolutely no doubt and had already set their sights on Yaw Four, the summit. I’d been watching a late-monsoon storm develop and was less sure. Already, the peak of Doi Khun Tan was covered in cloud, which was quickly spilling down the mountain.
When I heard the first distant boom of thunder, I knew we had to turn back. The kids did not take the news well, insisting they’d happily hike straight through the rain. Never before in family history had I been alone in calling for an early end to a hike. I insisted, and eventually drew Kat onside, but I was secretly delighted they wanted to continue, and equally disappointed that they couldn’t.
We were right to turn around. Within twenty minutes, the first mists were washing over us. The lightning was still distant, but each roll of thunder was closer than the last. Thanks to the quality of the trail, and the added incentive of avoiding a drenching, we were back down the mountain in just over an hour.
As the rain finally broke, we watched it fall over the valley from under the roof of the park restaurant. When it let up, we drove back down the mountain toward our next stop in Lampang. Passing bedraggled hikers who had yet to even begin their ascent, I concluded that for today at least, family logistics had decisively beaten pure romance.
Follow us as we continue on to Lampang, Northern Thailand’s Most Effortlessly Cool City.
Plan Your Trip to Doi Khun Tan
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Getting There
By Train: This is the most iconic way to arrive and is an experience in itself. From Chiang Mai, local trains depart several times a day (most popular are the 8:50 AM and 9:30 AM departures). The journey costs as little as THB 15-50, takes about 1.5 hours, and drops you right at Khun Tan Station.
From Bangkok, the overnight sleeper trains (No. 9 or No. 13) arrive in the early morning, just after passing through Thailand’s longest tunnel.
By Car: If you’re driving (mighty Land Cruiser or otherwise), the park is about an hour’s drive south of Chiang Mai or 45 minutes northwest of Lampang via Highway 11. The road up to the visitor center is quite steep and has some bends. Nothing unusually challenging, but keep a sharp eye out for hikers, with whom you’ll be sharing much of the road.
Where to Stay
Inside the Park: The Department of National Parks (DNP) maintains several bungalows and a campsite near Yaw Two. These are basic but offer the best sunrise views. Reservations can be made via the official DNP website.
In Chiang Mai: With so many great hotels, you hardly need our recommendation for Chiang Mai, but we’re happy to provide one anyway. On this visit, we stayed at 99 The Heritage Hotel and found it an excellent choice in all respects.
99 The Heritage Hotel Located in the heart of the Old City, this elegant boutique hotel blends colonial grandeur with modern luxury. You’ll find an oasis of calm, chic black-and-white interiors, and a stunning pool just steps from the famous Sunday Walking Street.
In Lampang: In case this is, as it was for us, your next destination, Lampang has some beautiful boutique options. We spent two nights at The Riverside Guest House and can heartily recommend it.
The Riverside Guest House Set in a beautifully preserved teakwood mansion, this riverside gem is steeped in northern Thai charm. Wake up to tranquil Wang River views and explore Lampang’s historic old town right from your doorstep.
When to Go
The cool season (November to February) is the gold standard for hiking. The air is crisp, the “winter flowers” at former Prime Minister M.R. Kukrit’s house are in bloom, and you’re unlikely to be turned back by thunder.
The green season (June to October)—as we experienced—is spectacularly lush. The trade-off is the afternoon monsoons. If you hike during this time, start as early as possible (before 9:00 AM) to beat the standard 2:00 PM storm window.
Doi Khun Tan National Park charges typical national park fees of THB 100 per adult and 50 THB per child. We weren’t charged for the kids here and I frankly don’t remember ever being charged for our children at any Thai national park.
Booking/Tours
Tour operators targeting foreigners don’t typically offer Doi Khun Tan as a day-trip option, instead focusing on the far more popular Doi Inthanon.
The good news is that the hike is so well-marked, and the trail conditions so good, that a guide isn’t necessary. Taking the train is half the fun. Once you’ve sorted that, everything will fall easily into place.
