Sunday, 16th January 2011. Hike from the Campsite below Doi Pui to the Coffee Shop And down to Wat Doi Suthep.
This is a 12 km hike, mostly downhill which is suitable for all. It will be a fairly sedately paced hike.
An excellent report of a similar hike can be found on the CM Hikers web site by clicking on Trip Reports, scrolling down to 26 Sep 2010 and clicking on the first entry entitled “Hike from Ban Doi Pui unmanned ‘chkpt’ to Wat Doi Suthep”. (or by clicking on this link)
We can partake of refreshments at the Coffee Shop where Coffee and two biscuits are available at 30 bt. For anything more substantial please bring your own! We are likely to take a lunch break during the hike of 9 kms from the Coffee Shop, via the Hmong Tribal village of Ban Khun Chang Khian, to the Temple on Doi Suthep. From the Temple area we return by Song Taew to the Arboretum.
Hike Leaders
The hike leaders for this hike are Maggie and John.
If you want to join
Just turn up at the meeting place on the day. There is no need to let us know you are coming unless you are coming in a big group.
Meeting Place
This time we will meet at 8 a.m in the car park of the Huay Kaeow Arboretum (also known as the exercise park).
- Head straight out from the moat 3.5 km towards Doi Suthep on Huay Kaeow Road.
- The arboretum is on the left after the front entrance to Chiang Mai University and just before the entrance to the Zoo.
- The car park of the arboretum is at the end of the park near the zoo.
See the maps below (click to enlarge them).
Advice
- Bring around 1.5-2 liters of water or more and snacks
- Good footwear etc. hat, mozzie repellant, sunblock and rain gear
If by chance it is raining heavily we will probably cancel the hike. But in the case of lighter rain if it looks like the weather might clear up we will probably go ahead with the hike and brave the rain which will at least cool us down.
Hi,
Will a fit 11 year-old be OK on this walk?
I would like to come but am I too fussy? Sitting in the back of a songteow on that windy road I find too horrid and sickening. Once I rode my bike up to Wat Doi Suthep, but never again because of the diesel fumes of the songteows.
Hi,
I don,t have any transport to get to the eeting point, isit far out of Town?
It is not too far out of town. You may be able to get a ride from Central Kad Suan Kaeow for 20 Baht. If you go by taxi or tuktuk I would say around 200 B is reasonable.
I don’t hike often, but I have mountain biked this trail many times and it is one of my favorites for a moderate level, not too demanding or lengthy course; I highly recommend it this time of year. It’s through an area with some of the most dense forest and mature trees in the park. There is everything from Hmong village life and farming, jungle stream crossings to mountain-valley view point. Gene’s horticutural observations on the previous trip report are outstanding; you are lucky to have him along. don
Thanks Don! Are you the mountain biking expert who used to write the series of articles for the Chiang Mai Mail? Hope you can join us for a hike soon! Or have you done so already??