Doi Pui is a mountain to the west of Chiang Mai where you will find Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. The park is a popular day trip from Chiang Mai, with many other attractions worth visiting on route. Here is a suggested itinerary for a day trip to Doi Pui from Chiang Mai.
Doi Pui Day Trip Itinerary
Stop 1: Monk’s Trail
The Monk’s Trail is a well-known path just a 15 minute drive outside of Chiang Mai. The path stretches uphill through a forest, past a stream to Wat Pha Lat. The walk is uphill but isn’t too challenging – just remember to bring plenty of water. It should take around 40 minutes to reach the temple complex. The sign at the start of the trail shows a circular loop trail. To be honest, we couldn’t find the split off point so ended walking there and back along the same path. It was still a lovely walk and the serene Wat Pha Lat with its spectacular views over Chiang Mai makes it all worth it.
You can extend the walk and trek all the way to Wat Phra Doi Suthep (the next stop in this itinerary) but that was a little far for me!
Stop 2: Wat Phra Doi Suthep
The next stop is a Doi Pui Day Trip from Chiang Mai from the start of the Monk’s Trail. Wat Phra Doi Suthep is a buddhist temple on the mountain. Park up along the busy street of shops and prepare to walk up the 300 steps to reach the Wat. As it is a religious site, visitors are expected to dress respectfully and cover legs, shoulders and chest. Visitors also need to take their shoes off at the top of the steps.
Entrance Fee for Wat Phra Doi Suthep: 30 Baht
Stop 3: Bhubing Palace
Further up the mountain, you’ll find Bhubing Palace. This is a Royal Garden just a 12 minute drive from Wat Phra Doi Suthep. The Palace is heavily guarded and again strict on clothing so make sure you have something to cover up with. Whilst you cannot enter the palace, the gardens are extensive and lovely to wander around. You will find pristine flower beds, a rose garden, fern garden and a large greenhouse.
Entrance Fee for Buhbing Palace: 50 Baht
Stop 4: Khun Chang Khan Village
The penultimate stop is a further 30 minutes away. Khun Chang Khian hidden in the mountain is a traditional Hmong village. It is famous for its abundant pink blossom trees. When in bloom (around January-February), the foliage fills the village with colour. Wander around the village and meet the locals at the market and coffee shops. You can also find more stunning trees at the Khun Chang Khian Highland Agricultural Research just outside the village.
Stop 5: Doi Pui Waterfall Park
The last stop on this road trip before heading back to Chiang Mai is Doi Pui Waterfall Park. Doi Pui is another Hmong village, 30 minutes from Khuan Chang Khian, roughly back towards Chiang Mai. This village is much larger and has an extensive market leading from the main street towards the waterfall park. The park has a small waterfall and lots of curated flowerbeds and seating areas. Its a great place to relax for a little while if you have much daylight hours left by this point!
Entrance Fee for Doi Pui Waterfall: 10 Baht
From here, the journey back to Chiang Mai should take around 50 minutes.
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How to get to Doi Pui from Chiang Mai
The best way to get to Doi Pui from Chiang Mai is to hire a moped and drive yourself. This gives you plenty of freedom to travel at your own pace and stop where you please. We hired a bike from Sunshine Motors for 250 Baht (approximately £5 or $7) per day. I’d highly recommend them but there are plenty of scooter rentals around the city.
Alternatively, you could join an organised tour. This will cost more but may be more comfortable for you. There are lots of tour options available on Viator.
What to Pack for a Day Trip from Chiang Mai
- Sun cream – you will be out in the sun all day so make sure you are protected.
- Passport – many scooter rental companies will ask to hold you passport as a deposit.
- Cash – you may struggle to find an ATM on the mountain and very few places accept card payments.
- Trousers and a jacket or scarf – When visiting Bhubing Palace and the temples, you will need to dress respectively and cover your legs, chest and shoulders. Make sure you have something with you to cover yourself with to avoid being turned away.
- Water and snacks – there are shops near the Wat Phra Doi Suthep but its just always handy to have water with you, especially in the heat!
- Insect repellent
- Waterproof
- Comfy shoes – this itinerary involves a fair bit of walking
Total costs
Attractions and scooter hire tend to be very cheap in Thailand and this day trip is no exception. Here are the total costs for this itinerary, excluding food and drink.
| Cost in Baht | Cost in GBP | Cost in USD | |
| Scooter hire | 250 | £5 | $7 |
| Wat Phra Doi Suthep entry | 30 | £1 | $1 |
| Bhubing Palace entry | 50 | £1 | $1 |
| Waterfall park entry | 10 | £0 | $0 |
| Fuel | 65 | £1 | $2 |
| Total | 405 | £9 | $11 |
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