Huai Hong Khrai Royal Development Study Centre

Located in the forested area of Khun Mae Kuang, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai Province, the Study Centre covers an area of over 3,000 acres. It was established on His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s initiation in order to conduct studies and research on various development patterns such as forest development. The Royal initiative includes three classes of tree cultivation: those cultivated for fruit, those for firewood, and those cultivated for sale and purely economic benefits. This cultivation yields benefits according the value produced in each case, as well as a more diffuse benefit in terms of increased moisture retention in the soil and a general increase in the health of the land itself.

At the entrance to the Study Centre, the area begins with a forestry study project which has served to improve the environment in the Centre area, eliminate forest fires, and produce a moist climate bursting with fertile water sources. Subsequently, visitors will come upon facilities for ongoing studies of industrial agriculture and fishery studies at check dams, as well as farms for livestock and dairy cattle.

The Study Centre’s main aim is to function as a complete one-stop service centre replete with practical wisdom aptly demonstrated for farmers to learn and apply the model into practice. It also provides services, such as supporting animal husbandry activities and providing seeds, and giving advice and guidance on techniques which farmers can adopt in their daily lives. The Study Centre promotes the coexistence of man and land involving the distribution of the water supply to agricultural areas and the establishment of forest and fishery stations.

In the words of HM King Bhumibol, “Let this Study Centre function as living museum of Mother Nature.”

The Study Centre is open every day from 08:30-16:30, but visitors are advised to call ahead in order to obtain bungalow reservations and camping permission. Visitors must supply their own camping gear.

Tham Tap Tao Temple

This temple is situated in Chai Prakan Sub-district along the Chiang Mai-Fang route between Km.120 and Km.121. Temple attractions include a scripture hall located in the middle of a pond and Tap Tao cave which houses several unique Buddha images.

Ban Rai Phai Ngam

Located between Km.69 to 70 along Chiang Mai-Hot route, the place is famous for its high quality traditionally woven cotton. To get to the village from the main route, turn left and proceed for 1 kilometer until you seethe village sign.

Inthakhin Archaeological Site and Pottery Museum

The museum is situated at Ban San Pa Tong, Tambon Inthakhin, Amphoe Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai. It is an archaeological dig site which uncovered ancient Inthakhin kilns of the Mueang Kaen area of Thailand. Because of this, it is very important to Thai history and archaeology, helping to firmly establish the fact the Village of Phan Aek Phan Fuea Mueang Kaen actually existed in the ancient Kingdom of Lanna. Stone inscriptions have been found, dating back to the era of King Mengrai era (1258 – 1311 AD). It is also very important to the archaeology because kilns in good condition as well as beautiful examples of traditional pottery have been found here. Nowhere else in the Upper North have kilns or earthenware been found in such good condition as the ones unearthed here.

From the evidence found, archaeologists determine that these kilns were in use from approximately 1407-1457 AD, and it is assumed that the Ban San Pa Tong area was once a major producer of earthenware for the entire Lanna Kingdom. By the 14th century the art of glazed pottery making was widespread throughout Chiang Mai and the rest of the Lanna Kingdom.

Most of the earthenware found here are of the celadon type – with a light green or greenish-brown glaze – molded from extremely good quality white earth which can be compared with the Sangkhalok wares of Si Satchanalai, and with also specimens produced in Tao Phan Kiln in Chiang Rai Province. The products were uniquely strong and beautiful. Significantly, pre-fired ceramics molded from white earth have also been discovered, a find unduplicated in kiln sites anywhere else in Thailand.

This celadon glazed earthenware made Lanna famous in early times, although originally it traces its origins to China. The green glaze in especially treasured as it mimics jade, which is considered the most auspicious of Chinese colors and materials. Throughout this entire period, native Thai sensitivity, craftsmanship and artistic warmth imbued the pottery with unique flavour and vitality.

A nearby attraction is Mae Ngat Sombun Chon Dam, where visitors can relax at the water’s edge and dine surrounded by the natural environment.

Doi Mon Chong Mountain

Situated within the Omkoi Wildlife Sanctuary, which covers areas of Amphoe Omkoi in Chiang Mai Province and Amphoe Sam Ngao in Tak Province, Doi Mon Chong is a beautiful mountain retreat in Northern Thailand. Attractions include the nearly-extinct and therefore protected mountain goat, as well as breathtaking mountainscape vistas. Thailand’s largest Azelia (Rhododendron sp.), which blooms from December to January, adorns the mountains with its red-, pink-, and white-petaled blooms. The landscape includes peaceful, sweeping hills and wide open grassy plains. The forests and plains are home to many rare birds and other creatures.

Hiking trip up Doi Mon Chong can be done within a day, but it would be a very exhausting trip which should not be begun any later than 6:30 am. Hikers are advised to spend at least 2 days and 1 night for a more pleasurable visit. In addition, advance permission is required from Omkoi Wildlife Sanctuary at Musoe Unit, where the office of Wildlife Sanctuary is located.

Getting There:
By Car From Chiang Mai, take Highway 108, then take a left turn from Amphoe Hot to Highway 1099 and continue to Amphoe Omkoi. Musoe Unit is on the left after 40 kilometres. From the Unit to the trailhead is a 16 kilometres drive on an unpaved, windy cliff road. Needless to say, it requires a 4WD vehicle as well as a skillful driver.

By Bus Busses leave from Chang Phueak Gate in Chiang Mai, taking passengers to Omkoi Town. Service starts 8 am. Mr. Det Soemmatiwong ferries passengers to and from the trailhead.
Visitors can buy supplies in Omkoi Town. A porter can be hired for 150 baht per day.

Doi Wiang Pha National Park

This park covers the area of Chai Prakan District and Fang District, in Chiang Mai Province. This area provides the watershed for many major rivers, particularly the Fang River as well as branches of the Lao river such as the Mae Fang Luang, the Mae Fang Noi, and the Yang Min River.

The geographical features of the National Park consist of high mountains, extending northwards and forming a boundary between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces. Doi Wiang Pha is the highest mountain of the National Park, with a maximum elevation of 1,834 meters above sea level. The forests in the area are evergreen and mixed forests. The weather here can be divided into 3 seasons. The rainy season lasts from May to October, and it usually rains most heavily in September. Winter is from November to February, when the weather is fresh and inviting – ideal for travelling. Winter mornings tend to be foggy. March to April is the summertime, when the weather is rather hot.

There are a variety of virgin forests in the National Park, including evergreen, pine, timber forests, and mixed forests, depending on the altitude of the areas. Major tree types are teak, rubber, Leguminosae (Pradu), Michelia Alba, Pinus Merkusii Jungh (two-leaf pines), different kinds of Lithocarpus Cantleyanus (Ko), and the forests also include many types of moss, ferns, orchids, etc.

Due to its abundance of forests, varieties of plants, and different altitudes, the National Park has become the source of food and dwelling places for many different kinds of wild animals including Muntiacus Muntjak, wild boars, gorals, porcupines, wild rabbits, monkeys, masked palm civets, squirrels, tree shrews, and different kinds of birds such as White-rumped Shama, turtle doves, hawks, while fowls, etc.

The Park boasts great lookout points where visitors may experience the natural charms of the mountain range at dawn, in twilight or in the full blaze of day. Many high-altitude plants are found on the mountain top such as Azelia (Rhododendron sp.) and many other types of grasses and flowers.

The Park contains many waterfalls, but most of them are hard to access because the Park landscape is still being developed. The waterfall which is most convenient to access is Huai Sai Khao Waterfall. It is located in the area of the Park headquarters. Huai Sai Khao is a triple-level waterfall with basin suitable for swimming. The flow is most prodigious from May – November. The uppermost level is sandy since the rock above the waterfall is sandstone. The environment around the Waterfall is so moist that all the rocks are covered with cute green moss.

Other waterfalls in the area are Mae Fang Luang Waterfall, Doi Wiang Pha Waterfall and Huai Han Waterfall. All of these are small falls.

The Park has two bungalows. Contact Doi Wiang Pha National Park. P.O. Box 14, Amphoe Chai Prakan, Chiang Mai, Thailand 50320.

Getting There:
By car
From Chiang Mai Town, take Highway No.107 for about 125 kilometres. 2 kilometres before reaching Chai Prakan District, the park entrance is opposite Si Dong Yen School. Continue for another 12 kilometres to Park headquarters.

Bua Tong Waterfall and Nam Phu Chet Si

Nam Phu means fountain – or in this case geyser – and Chet Si means 7 colours. This bejeweled waterfall is located in the area of KM 42 of the Chiang Mai – Phrao Road in Ho Phra Sub-district, Mae Taeng District. It is a mineral geyser containing calcium-carbonate, gushing from the ground and then overflowing streams and small waterfalls. Its streambed is solid white, glittering crusted with calcium carbonate. Sunshine reflected from the clear flowing and falling water, as well as the white stream bed, makes for quite impressive natural scenery.

Pa Kia Doi Chiang Dao

This research station is under the Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University. It is situated in a beautiful area from which visitors can clearly view magnificent Doi Luang Chiang Dao Mountain. The area is full of bird life, making it a great spot for bird watching. In the cool season the mountains are blanketed by a sea of fog in the mornings, and evening skies are dark and clear and full of stars. The lights from Chiang Dao Town shimmer far below.



Getting there:
Take Highway 107 from Chiang Mai via Mae Rim and Mae Malai (visitors can buy supplies here at Mae Malai market), and Mae Taeng. Continue till you reach Ban Mae Na, where there is a separate left turn with a sign for ‘Mae Taman Watershed Management Unit’. After about 21 kilometres there is an intersection. Turn right. This road is steep and unpaved and leads to Pang Hong Village and Pang Hang Village. The road continues and becomes steeper. Go straight past the turnoff for the Pa Den Ya Khat Ranger Station. Turn right towards Ban San Pa Kia School. From there, continue to the Mae Taman Watershed Management Unit. The Research Station is about 500 m up the road, which is very steep.

Getting back:
From the Station, visitors can get back on Highway 107 via Kaeng Phan Tao Village. Approximately 12 kilometres from the Station, visitors will find an intersection. Turning either right or left will bring you to the main road. Going right, the road passes Pak Iak Village, tea plantations and a hilltribe community. The road is paved but is still rather steep. It leads to Kaeng Phan Tao Village and Highway 107.

Accommodations and facilities:
Dorms for students of the Agriculture Faculty, Chiang Mai University are available, as well as bathrooms and kitchens equipped with utensils, but visitors have to bring their own food. The fee is 50 baht per person per night.

Mae Ta-khrai National Park

The Park covers 350 square kilometres of Chiang Mai Province and Lamphun Province, with a landscape of rugged mountains reaching up to 2,030 m. There are various pine, evergreen and mixed forests on the mountains and valley slopes, which are the source of streams eventually giving rise to the Ping River. The forest area is the habitat of different birds, deer, gibbons, wild boars, etc. The weather is generally cool and breezy, although the summer can get quite hot.

Attractions:
Mae Ta-khrai Check Dam
Park headquarters is situated here among mixed forests and bamboo groves. A 3-km nature trail rings the Check Dam.

Tat Moei Waterfall
Soaring 15 metres in height, Tat Moei is very spectacular, especially in the rainy season when its flow is swollen with runoff. The waterfall is about 16 kilometres away from Park headquarters and reaching it requires a 3 km hike through forests.



Mae Ta-khrai Waterfall
This is a single-level waterfall, 6 kilometres away from Park headquarters. Along the way, there are various kinds of plants, mushrooms and wild flowers.

View Points
2 view points can be visited on the Mae Ta-khrai - Huai Kaeo road. The first one is at KM 6, offering panoramic mountain vistas of the range which forms the border between Chiang Mai Province and Lam Pang Province. The second one is another 600 m away, and is likewise quite impressive. Notably, it possesses a supreme view of Chiang Mai Town and Doi Suthep which is impossible to obtain elsewhere. At night, shimmering lights from the town far below seem to create a sea of stars on Earth, nestled in the arms of the valley.



Doi Langka (Phu Langka Luang)
With an altitude of 2,030 m above sea level, this is the fifth-highest mountain in the country. The climate is fresh and cool all year round. Wide open grassy plains sweep across the mountaintop. The area is especially beautiful between February and March, when Azelia (Rhododendron sp.) is in full bloom. Phu Langka Luang lies 50 kilometres north of Park headquarters. Getting there:
By car: Drive to Kamphaeng Hin Village, then hike the 12 kilometres up to the mountaintop.
By foot: Hike up to Doi Langka from Khun Chae National Park. The trip takes 2 days. Visitors can do both – hike one way and travel by car the other way.

Getting to Mae Ta-khrai National Park:
From Chiang Mai Town, take Highway 1006 to King Amphoe Mae-on. At the intersection in front of Pao Sam Kha School, turn right onto Highway 1229 and continue for 4 kilometres to Check Point 1. After another 10 kilometres take the right turn in the direction of Ban Huai Kaeo. Park headquarters and the Check Dam are about 800 m further on.

Mae Tho National Park

The park is located approximately 160 kilometers from Chiang Mai town. To get there, drive along the Hot-Mae Sariang Road to Mae Tho for 16 kilometers, at Km. 55, turn onto the unpaved roads which are steep and curved. Only vehicles in good condition are recommended. The Mae Tho National Park Office overlooks Karen highland paddy fields that resemble a flowing stream. Camping and trekking is possible by contacting the national park office.

Op Luang National Park

Op Luang National Park is an amazing natural attraction comprising both splendid natural charms as well as mysterious scenery. A zigzagging river flows in front of a picturesque gorge. The area is a high, steep cliff with a narrow passage, creating strong currents and powerful echoes. An area in the north of this stream is teeming with various kinds of plants that provide a pleasant ambience all year round. Magnificent views of Op Luang National Park can be seen from the bridge that links with the gorge. An interesting prehistoric archaeological site is also located in the park.

Mae Sa Waterfall

This famous 8-tiered waterfall which is located at Km. 7 along the Mae Rim-Samoeng route is situated in a natural setting among towering trees and has a lovely breeze flowing throughout the year. It is an ideal recreational spot for both residents and visitors.

Mok Fa Waterfall

This one-level waterfall is located on the Mae Malai-Pai road. To get there, take a left turn at Km. 20 onto a dirt road and proceed for 2 kilometers. The waterfall, which is surrounded with lush green trees, is full of water all year round.