Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Continue towards the right fork in the road to
Ban Thawai Tourism Village
, which is a
pedestrian-friendly market with 3km of shops selling all sorts of home decor, knick-
knacks and other souvenir market goodies, if you haven't yet gotten your fill of souvenir
shopping. Past Zone 5 is Sriboonmuang's workshop, an example of what made Ban
Thawai famous in the first place. In the factory's covered sheds, workers sand and polish
small armies of wooden elephants, hobby horses and dolls.
Many of the shops here deal in wholesale as well as retail, and shipping can be ar-
ranged.
It is advisable to come with private transport, but you can catch a
sŏrng·tăaou
from
Pratu Chiang Mai to Hang Dong (20B) and to Ban Thawai (30B).
TOP OF CHAPTER
Doi Inthanon National Park
Thailand's highest peak is Doi Inthanon (often abbreviated to Doi In), which measures
2565m above sea level, an impressive altitude for the kingdom, but a tad diminutive com-
pared to its cousins in the Himalayan range. The 1000-sq-km
national park
( 0 5328 6730;
adult/child 200/100B, car/motorbike 30/20B; 8am-sunset)
surrounding the peak has hiking trails, wa-
terfalls and two monumental stupas erected in honour of the king and queen. It is a popu-
lar day trip from Chiang Mai for tourists and locals, especially during the New Year holi-
day when there's the rarely seen phenomenon of frost.
Sights & Activities
There are eight waterfalls that dive off the mountain. Nam Tok Mae Klang (at Km 8) is
the largest and the easiest to get to. Nam Tok Wachiratan (at Km 20.8) is another popular
stop with food vendors at its base and a huge frothy mane that plummets 50m. If you'd
rather be a part of the cascade, try abseiling with Peak Adventure Tour (
Click here
). Nam
Tok Siriphum (at Km 30) looks like a river of silver from the vantage point of Ban Mong
Khun Klang, a Hmong village. In February the village builds and races wooden carts
down a steep incline. Along the road to the top are terraced rice fields and covered green-
houses tended by Hmong and Karen tribespeople.
About 3km before the summit of Doi Inthanon,
Phra Mahathat Naphamethanidon and No-
phamethanidon
(Km 41-42; admission to both 40B)
are two
chedi
built by the Royal Thai Air Force to
