Riding & Camping at Doi Inthanon

The ride up to the rooftop of Thailand was not too bad with steep slopes as the lane were wide with good paved roads. In a way I was lucky I went this loop around clockwise because the next day when I headed to Mae Cham toward Mae Sariang the roads were so damm steep that going downhill was already a challenge with the squeaky brakes but looking backwards and the vehicles tackling those slopes and bends, I felt, I would be in trouble with Bluey low 125 cc power if I had gone the other way.

The rooftop of Thailand was 2565m above sea level and with being so far north of Thailand the temperature really drop at night. Daytime was 18 degrees but night time was a bone chiller at 14 degrees but feels like 8 degrees. 

Doi Inthanon The Rooftop of Thailand

Doi Inthanon Thermometer Showing 8 Degrees 

The national park had camping grounds and as I suspected tent for rent so it was camping for the night. No booking in advance and barely any information of the campsite online so it was a risk I took just riding up to Doi Inthanon and hoping the park rangers had camping facilities for rent. 

It cost 225 baht for the tent 20 baht for the mattress 10 baht for a pillow and I save on sleeping bag since I had my own with me. If i had brought my tent with me the cost for camping would have only been 30 baht for admission.

Campground was nice and tidy with very clean modern western toilet and plenty of cold water for shower. Had to admit, shower never crossed my mind with the cold weather. 

Camping Grounds at Doi Inthanon 

It was just not worth the effort to be clean but with chattering teeth afterwards. The tent was also fully set up and ready too so  all one needed was to register at the park and pick a tent slot which was numbered with locks.

Doi Inthanon park had two parts, the lower parts where all the settlement and food with restaurant were base and the peak where no overnight staying is allowed. 

North Thailand Sausage 

The part climbing to the peak closes at 6pm and is the most challenging climb for Bluey. Near the top, Bluey engine nearly died from lack of oxygen. I could hear the sound that seam fainter and fainter the higher I go and even at stationary position the sound of the engine was so faint that even though I open the throttler the sound just seam to drown out more. 

Tuning the air intake on the carburetor did not help much so by some luck I manage to make it to the top. Seams 2565m is the limit for Bluey.

The climb was a continuous uphill climb with almost no break for flat of rolling up and down. It was pure brutal uphill continuous 8 degrees slope winding gently with wide lanes. Along the way there was the twin chedi's which was beautiful, some viewpoint with eateries and finally at the top a small forest trail and some signpost to say welcome to Doi Inthanon the roof top of Thailand. 

Forest Trail at the top of Doi Inthanon 

One of the Twin Chedi at Doi Inthanon 

Thermometer placed at the rooftop of Doi Inthanon at 3pm in the afternoon said 8 degrees celsius.

By 5pm I headed back to the camp site which was where food was. Needless to say that night I slept so cold I woke up a few time to put on more and more clothes but no matter how many clothes I put on even with two socks, my legs were freezing painfully cold. 

Initial idea was to stay two night in the cold mountains enjoying nature but after one night of painful cold it was time to head down to Mae Sariang. 

Riding in Doi Inthanon 

Traveled on: Dec 2018
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