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Guide · The summit
Doi Inthanon twin pagodas and the summit
The Doi Inthanon twin pagodas stand on a ridge below the highest point of Thailand, where a small stupa and a boardwalk wait in the cloud forest. Here is how to see both.
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Editorial team, trekkingtourchiangmai.comUpdated October 27, 2026Read time: 6 min35 sources
Quick answer, at the top
- 01The summit
- 2,565 meters, the highest point in Thailand.1
- 02The pagodas
- The Great Holy Relics Pagodas, in TAT's naming.2
- 03Dress code
- Casual dress or better: no flip-flops, no tank tops.
- 04Cold
- 0 to 4 degrees Celsius on the coldest winter days.3
- 05Easiest visit
- A 9-hour day that stops at the Grand Pagoda, from $39.
The highest point in Thailand
The Doi Inthanon summit sits at 2,565 meters, the top of the national park and the highest point in the country.1 It is not a bare peak: the park service describes it as covered with high-altitude hill evergreen forest that mixes temperate and tropical plants.4 You arrive by road, step into the trees and find yourself in a damp, mossy wood rather than on a rocky top.
At the summit stands the stupa of King Inthawichayanon, the ruler who gave the mountain its name.5 He asked that some of his ashes be placed in a stupa on the mountain, and Doi Inthanon is the name the peak took.6 The park has built an elevated walkway that links the stupa to the visitor center through the forest.7
Close by begins the Ang Ka boardwalk, which one tour listing calls a short 360-meter walk rather than a hiking trail. At the edge of the summit bog grows Rhododendron simsii, a species the park service describes as found only on the top of Doi Inthanon.8 Stay on the boards; the bog and its plants are the most fragile ground on the mountain.
A morning at the top
From the gate to the pagodas
-
Gate opens
Into the park
TAT gave 05.30 as opening time in 2021.9
-
First light
The summit
The stupa of King Inthawichayanon in the cloud forest.5
-
Early morning
The boardwalk
The elevated walk to the visitor center.7
-
Morning
Ang Ka
A short boardwalk past the summit bog.8
-
Mid-morning
The twin pagodas
Gardens, shrines and views across the slopes.2
The twin royal pagodas
A little below the summit stand the twin pagodas that appear in most photographs of the mountain. TAT names them Phramahathat Napamathanidol and Phramahathat Napaphol Bhumisiri, the Great Holy Relics Pagodas.2 Tour listings spell them in several ways, and you will see them called the King's and Queen's pagodas or the Chedi of the King and Queen.
Each pagoda sits among terraced flower gardens on a ridge, with views across the forested slopes when the cloud lifts. Staircases and walkways circle each base. Visit both, and walk the garden paths between them for the best views of the pair.
These are religious buildings, and the dress code is enforced. One Doi Inthanon tour asks visitors to the Chedi of the King and Queen to wear casual dress or better, with no flip-flops and no tank tops; sneakers and sports shoes are fine. A Viator day that stops here for 60 minutes gives the same rule. Pack a shirt with sleeves and long trousers or a skirt to the knee.
At the top
Summit, boardwalk and pagodas
| Sight | What it is | Effort | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit stupa | Stupa of King Inthawichayanon | Short walk | Go at first light |
| Elevated walkway | Stupa to visitor center | Easy | Cloud forest views |
| Ang Ka | 360 m boardwalk | Easy | Stay on the boards |
| Twin pagodas | Great Holy Relics Pagodas | Stairs | Cover shoulders, no flip-flops |
| Kiew Mae Pan Viewpoint | Sea of mist spot | Trail walk | Closed June to October |
What each sight is, from the park service, TAT and the listings; the dress rule from a Doi Inthanon tour listing.5721112
Decision helper
How to see the top
Choose by how much time and effort you have.
A guided park day
The most reviewed day stops at Ang Ka and the Grand Pagoda.
Stay near the park
TAT names the summit as a sea-of-mist spot in the cooler months.11
The Kew Mae Pan day
Both pagodas plus the ridge trail from November to May.
Go after the winter
The summit can drop to 0 to 4 degrees in December and January.3
Highway 1009
Up from Chom Thong past the headquarters at milestone 31.13
The national park has constructed an elevated walkway connecting the stupa to the visitor center
Doi Inthanon sunrise and the sea of mist
A Doi Inthanon sunrise is a good reason to stay near the mountain overnight. TAT names the 2,565-metre summit and the Kiew Mae Pan Viewpoint as favourite spots in the cooler months to watch the morning sea of mist, a layer of cloud that fills the valleys below.11 The ridge trail of Kew Mae Pan is known for exactly that view.14
Check the gate times before you plan a dawn visit. When the park reopened in November 2021, TAT gave opening hours of 05.30 to 18.30 daily.9 Confirm the current hours locally, leave early enough to reach the top before first light, and remember that Kew Mae Pan itself is closed from 1 June to 31 October in TAT's lists of seasonal closures.12
Even without mist, the top in the early morning is quiet, with the forest dripping and birds calling in the cold. By late morning the light flattens and the cloud often closes in. If you can only come on a tour, choose one that starts early and reaches the summit first.
Map
From the old city to the roof of Thailand
First the hills around Chiang Mai where the treks and hikes go, then Doi Inthanon with its summit, pagodas, trails and falls.
1Chiang Mai old city3Doi Suthep temple5Thailand's highest summit6Mae Wang7Mae Kampong
8Summit stupa9Twin pagodas and Kew Mae Pan11Pha Dok Siew12Mae Klang Luang13Siriphum Waterfall14Wachirathan Waterfall15Mae Klang Waterfall16Mae Ya Waterfall17Mae Pan Waterfall
- 1Chiang Mai old city
Start of the site tour: the meeting point is Baan Meesuk in the old town, with pickup available.
In Google Maps ↗ - 3Doi Suthep temple
Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep stands at 1,056 metres, an easy half hour drive from downtown.15
- 5Thailand's highest summit
The top of Doi Inthanon, at 2,565 meters.1
In Google Maps ↗ - 6Mae Wang
Mae Wang District is one of the districts Doi Inthanon National Park covers.16
In Google Maps ↗ - 7Mae Kampong
Ban Mae Kampong, a village in Mae On District, won the PATA Gold Award 2010 in the culture category.17
In Google Maps ↗ - 8Summit stupa
The stupa of King Inthawichayanon stands at the summit, linked to the visitor center by an elevated walkway.57
In Google Maps ↗ - 9Twin pagodas and Kew Mae Pan
The Great Holy Relics Pagodas near the top; TAT lists give the nearby Kio Mae Pan Nature Trail as closed from 1 June to 31 October.21218
In Google Maps ↗ - 11Pha Dok Siew
Pha Dok Siao Waterfall has 10 tiers and lies about 1 kilometer on foot from the park headquarters.1920
In Google Maps ↗ - 12Mae Klang Luang
Ban Mae Klang Luang, a hill tribe village on several Doi Inthanon day trips.
In Google Maps ↗ - 13Siriphum Waterfall
Twin falls reached on foot through the flower plots of the Inthanon Royal Project.21
In Google Maps ↗ - 14Wachirathan Waterfall
About 70 to 80 meters high, at milestone 20 of Highway 1009.2223
In Google Maps ↗ - 15Mae Klang Waterfall
Flows all year into large pools; rainy-season currents make swimming perilous.24
In Google Maps ↗ - 16Mae Ya Waterfall
Thirty tiers and approximately 260 meters in height.25
In Google Maps ↗ - 17Mae Pan Waterfall
Four tiers and over 100 meters tall, about 400 meters on foot from the ranger station.26
In Google Maps ↗
Checklist
For the summit and the pagodas
01
Wear
- A warm jacket, even in the dry season
- Sleeves and long trousers for the pagodas
- Closed shoes, not flip-flops
- A rain shell for the cloud
02
Plan
- Arrive early for the light
- Keep the park fee receipt
- Kew Mae Pan closes June to October
- Cherry blossom in January and February
Cost calculator
What a summit day costs your group
Your party size times a summit day, worked out here.
People
Total from$77
each from $39
Check availabilityfree cancellationStarting prices come from GetYourGuide, converted with European Central Bank rates; booking reveals the exact figure.
Video
The royal pagodas, villages and forest of Doi Inthanon
The video loads only when you tap play.
How cold it gets at the top
Pack as if for a different country. The park service describes the summit as windy and very cold on the coldest winter days, with temperatures of 0 to 4 degrees Celsius in December and January.3 On frosty days in those months frost forms.27 Above 2,000 meters the park's climate is temperate, and the upper highlands are wet and cold throughout the year.2829
That contrast catches people out. You may leave Chiang Mai in a T-shirt and arrive at the summit in fog and wind. A fleece or light down jacket, a rain shell and closed shoes cover most days; in December and January add a hat and gloves for a sunrise visit.
In the middle of the park it is milder: the park service gives an average of around 20 degrees through the year and 15 to 17 degrees in December and January.10 Our weather page has the month-by-month figures for Chiang Mai and explains why the mountain is so much cooler than the city station shows.
Visiting on a tour or by car
Almost every Doi Inthanon tour includes the top and the pagodas. The most reviewed day stops at the Ang Ka Nature Trail and the Grand Pagoda before lunch, then visits Mae Klang Luang and Wachirathan Waterfall, all in 9 hours. It has 7,099 reviews and starts from $39.
Other days spend longer at the pagodas. The Kew Mae Pan day visits both pagodas by name, Pra Mahatat Noppamethanedon and Pra Mahatat Nopphonphusiri, plus the ridge trail in season. A day trip with a hike spends 30 minutes at the pagodas before a Hmong market and the Pha Dok Sieo trail.
By car, the road to the top is Highway 1009 from Chom Thong, which passes the park headquarters at milestone 31.13 Drivers only passing through to Mae Chaem can be exempt from the park fee, but the exemption does not cover a visit to the summit.30 Keep your fee receipt; the park service asks visitors to carry it for inspection.31
Photography and etiquette at the top
The pagodas photograph best with the gardens in the foreground and the slopes falling away behind, and the light is kindest early or late. On cloudy days the shapes appear and vanish in the mist, which can make a more interesting picture than a clear blue sky. Keep drones in the bag unless you have checked the rules locally.
Inside the pagoda grounds, behave as you would in any temple: shoes off where signs ask, voices low, no climbing on railings or statues, and no posing with your back to a Buddha image. The dress rule in the tour listings, with no flip-flops and no tank tops, is a minimum rather than a target.
At the summit itself, the stupa of King Inthawichayanon is a place of respect for many Thai visitors.5 Give people space to pay their respects, keep to the walkway, and save the selfies for the sign at the visitor center rather than the shrine.
Flowers, gardens and the old names
The gardens around the pagodas are planted for colour, and the mountain adds its own seasonal show. TAT lists Thai cherry blossoms, Nang Phaya Sua Krong, at Doi Inthanon in January and February.32 Lower down, Siriphum Waterfall is reached through the flower plots of the Inthanon Royal Project, set up, according to the park service, to support hill tribes.21
The mountain's older names are worth knowing. It was once called Doi Luang, the large mountain, or Doi Ang Ka.33 The park service explains that Ang Ka refers to a basin-shaped pond west of the summit where crows gathered to swim, and that the word also comes from the Karen language, meaning big.3435
Those names are a reminder that the summit belongs to a lived-in landscape. Karen and Hmong villages sit on the slopes below, and many tours stop at one after the pagodas. Treat them as homes rather than sights, and ask before photographing people.
Your trek
Two days, one village night, one raft.
All meals, a group of 12 at most, and free cancellation until 24 hours before.
You ask,we answer.
How high is the Doi Inthanon summit?
2,565 meters. The park service gives the park's range as 400 to 2,565 meters, with the summit Thailand's highest.1
What are the twin pagodas called?
The Great Holy Relics Pagodas. TAT names them Phramahathat Napamathanidol and Phramahathat Napaphol Bhumisiri.2
Is there a dress code at the pagodas?
Yes, casual or better. One listing asks for no flip-flops and no tank tops; sneakers and sports shoes are fine.
Can I see the sunrise from the top?
Yes, if the gate is open. TAT gave opening hours of 05.30 to 18.30 in 2021; check the current times before a dawn trip.9
How cold is it at the summit?
Very cold in winter. The park service gives 0 to 4 degrees Celsius on the coldest days of December and January.3
What is at the very top?
A stupa and a boardwalk. The stupa of King Inthawichayanon, linked to the visitor center by an elevated walkway.57
Do tours stop at the pagodas?
Almost all of them. The most reviewed Doi Inthanon day stops at the Grand Pagoda before lunch.
Sources
What this text is based on
- 1Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 2Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)TAT advises tourists to Northern Thailand to take precautions amid air quality concerns (25 March 2019)↩
- 3Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon Summit - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 4Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon Summit - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 5Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon Summit - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 6Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 7Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon Summit - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 8Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 9Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Doi Inthanon National Park and its 'sea of mist' reopens to visitors (11 November 2021)↩
- 10Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 11Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Doi Inthanon National Park and its 'sea of mist' reopens to visitors (11 November 2021)↩
- 12Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Opening/closed status of Thailand's national parks (July 2023)↩
- 13Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 14Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)TAT highlights SIRIVANNAVARI Autumn-Winter 2026/2027 collection inspired by Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail in Chiang Mai (9 March 2026)↩
- 15Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Exploring Chiang Mai's many natural and man-made wonders (May 2021)↩
- 16Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 17Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Thailand reaffirms its commitment to promoting responsible tourism (February 2016)↩
- 18Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Thailand's national park system starts annual seasonal closure of attractions (April 2018)↩
- 19Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandPha Dok Siao Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 20Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandPha Dok Siao Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 21Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandSiriphum Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 22Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandWachirathan Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 23Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandWachirathan Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 24Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandMae Klang Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 25Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandMae Ya Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 26Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandMae Pan Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 27Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 28Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 29Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 30Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandThaen Phra Sang Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 31Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 32Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Thailand's Flower Blooming Calendar (February 2025)↩
- 33Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 34Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 35Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
