Hotels near Doi Pui Summit Trail

Doi Pui is the true high point of Doi Suthep-Pui National Park at 1,685 m, and almost nobody who visits the mountain bothers with it. That is what makes it worth doing. The summit trail proper is a short affair: 2 km return from the saddle car park with about 140 m of climb, taking 45 minutes to an hour on an abandoned paved road that switchbacks into forest before a dirt fork leads to the marked top. Easy, and doable in trainers.

For a real half-day of Doi Suthep hiking, start lower. From the Bhubing Palace car park at roughly 1,370 m it is about 8 km return with 310 m of ascent to the summit and back, or 3 to 3.5 hours at a walking pace, passing the Doi Pui campground and the Hmong village of Ban Doi Pui on the way. The forest here is evergreen hill forest rather than the drier woodland lower down, so it holds moisture, stays cool and is noticeably better for birdlife: the park records over 300 species.

Be realistic about the view. The summit is wooded and the panorama is partial rather than sweeping, so the reward is the walk, the cool air and the silence. Park entry is 100 THB for foreign adults and 50 THB for children aged 3 to 14 (about EUR 2.60 and EUR 1.30), collected at the road gates. Bhubing Palace itself charges a separate 50 THB (about EUR 1.30) and closes to visitors when the royal family is in residence, which does not affect the trail.

Pro Tip: Do this one on the same day as the Monk's Trail rather than as a separate trip. Climb the Monk's Trail in the morning, then take a songthaew from Wat Phra That Doi Suthep the remaining 9 km up to the saddle for around 40 to 60 THB (about EUR 1.05 to EUR 1.60) and walk the summit spur in the cooler afternoon air.