Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chiang Dao
In a lush, jungle setting in the shadow of a mighty limestone mountain, Chiang Dao is a
popular country escape from the steaming urban plains of Chiang Mai. Families and
30-something travellers come to relax and wander, enjoying the area's rural character. The
star attraction is Doi Chiang Dao, allegedly Thailand's highest limestone mountain. It is a
thickly forested peak with a revered cave shrine burrowed into the base, and trails popular
with birders and trekkers.
Sights & Activities
Chiang Dao town isn't much but a dusty crossroad that hosts a colourful twice monthly
morning market, when hill tribes come to sell their wares. The more charming part of
town is 5km west along the road that leads to Tham Chiang Dao (Chiang Dao Cave).
From the main four-way junction at Chiang Dao, those with their own wheels can head
eastwards to visit hill-tribe villages, many of which have become multi-ethnic villages due
to cultural assimilation over the generations has occurred. Roughly 13.5km east from Rte
107 is the Lisu village of Lisu Huay Ko, where rustic accommodation is available.
Without independent transport, you can arrange hill-tribe treks through the guesthouses at
Chiang Dao. Some guesthouses rent mountain bikes for 150B a day - not much of a bar-
gain but an improvement on two feet. They can also help you arrange motorbike hire
(300B to 400B) so you've got more freedom.
Tham Chiang Dao
(Chiang Dao Cave; admission 40B)
In the heat of the day, the coolest place in town is the Chiang
Dao Cave, a complex said to extend some 10km to 14km into Doi Chiang Dao. There are
four interconnected caverns that are open to the public. Tham Phra Non (360m) is the ini-
tial segment and is electrically illuminated and can be explored on your own.
It contains several religious shrines, a common feature of Thailand's caves, which are
regarded as holy meditation sites. There are also some surreal-looking stalactites reminis-
cent of a Salvador Dali painting.
To explore the other caves - Tham Mah (735m), Tham Kaew (474m) and Tham Nam
(660m) - we recommend that you hire a guide with a pressurised gas lantern (100B for up
to five people), not because you aren't intrepid enough to go solo but because the guide
CAVE
