Why should you go there and how do you do it right?

Visit the chedis on a clear day. This is crucial, because the two royal chedis near the summit, built in 1987 to commemorate King Bhumibol's 60th birthday and in 1992 to mark Queen Sirikit's 60th birthday, offer breathtaking views across the highlands from their gardens. In fog, they appear as two beautiful buildings that are otherwise barely visible. They are operated separately from the park and cost 100 baht to enter. The summit itself, at 2,565 meters the highest point in Thailand, has no viewpoint. There you will find only a marker, a shrine, and the Ang Ka Walkway, a 360-meter circular path through dense cloud forest that takes 20 to 30 minutes to walk.

A worthwhile hike is the Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail, a two- to three-hour circular route along an open mountain ridge, open only from November 1st to May 31st. It cannot be hiked alone; a local Hmong guide is mandatory and costs 200 baht per group of up to ten people. They can be booked at the trailhead. The major waterfalls are included in the park ticket. Wachirathan is just a minute's walk from the car park, and Mae Ya, on the southern edge of the park, has its own checkpoint where you show your pre-purchased ticket.

It's about 100 km from Chiang Mai, a journey that takes approximately two hours each way. The last 48 km are a steep climb from the Chom Thong junction. Scooter riders love these curves, but those who don't feel confident on a scooter can book a guided day tour from Chiang Mai for 1,200 to 1,800 baht. This includes visits to hill tribe villages, coffee breaks, and roadside fruit markets. Yellow songthaews run from Chang Phueak and the Chiang Mai Gate to Chom Thong. However, there is no public transport within the national park itself. Without a tour or your own vehicle, you'll need to hire a driver for the uphill journey.

Foreign visitors pay 300 baht for adults and 150 baht for children, plus 30 baht for a car or 20 baht for a motorbike. Payment is made in cash at the entrance according to the National Park Fee Regulations in effect since June 2022. The gates open at dawn and close at 6:00 PM. November to February offers the clearest and coolest weather. March and April are hazy due to smoke from the forest fire season, and in December and January, nighttime temperatures drop to just a few degrees above freezing. Therefore, pack a jacket regardless of the season.