Stranded in Chiang Rai for two months during the 2020 outbreak of the Coronavirus, we had plenty of time to exhaustively explore the surrounding countryside. For one of our many excursions out of Chiang Rai, we chose a day trip to Doi Chang Mountain.
Doi Chang is situated about 40 km southwest from Chiang Rai City. Aside from its astounding natural beauty and epical views, the area is mostly famous for its unique coffee. There was a time when the hill tribes inhabiting the mountain earned their livelihood by opium cultivation, and the region was an opium trafficking hotspot. After a royal initiative undertaken by former king Bhumibhol Adulyadej, the hill tribes were encouraged to gradually give up opium crops for other, lucrative but legal crops of which coffee proved the most successful. Besides coffee, the region nowadays generates a steadily larger part of its income by tourism, following the development of hospitality infrastructure.
Luckily for us, given that Thailand was almost entirely bereft of tourists during those days, we were to experience the region as closely as possible to its pristine state. On a scorching hot morning of May, we set off from Chiang Rai.
Chiang Rai to Doi Chang
The closest way o reach Doi Chang from Chiang Rai follows the road 1211, southwest from the city center. In the village of Ban Huai San Phlapphla, you take a right at 19.7884, 99.6602. You are then on the Doi Chang Road heading straight up the mountain and to the village. Doi Chang Village is 40 km away from Chiang Rai and it should take you roughly an hour to get there by either a motorbike or a car.
In our case, since we were planning to take that route on the way back, and we’d rather describe a circle, we decided to approach the mountain from its southwestern foot, driving there via Mae Suai.
Mae Suai Town and Lake
It took a 50 km drive and about an hour to reach Mae Suai via motorway 1 and provincial road 118. Mae Suai is a rather cute little town and its people cordial and welcoming. We stopped for a coffee and a delectable ice-cream at a place called House Coffee, located some 200 meters up Road 109 from the town’s main junction. A very cozy place run by a lovely family.
Then we proceeded to Mae Suai Lake, some 3 km north of the town. The lake is ringed by some really impressive, dramatic rock formations. The views of it from high up the slopes are among the most scenic I’ve ever beheld in Thailand. By the southern shore, there is also a picturesque temple and a rather imposing dam worth to be seen. Near the dam, from the village of Ban Tin Doi, starts the southern portion of Doi Chang Mountain Road, on which we proceeded on this trip.
Doi Chang Mountain Road
This route up to Doi Chang was an amazingly spectacular one; awe-inspiring. We really had to employ some self-control in order to limit our photo breaks. There was a never-to-be-forgotten viewpoint after literally every curve of the road; and the views got steadily more impressive the higher we drove. Many stops later, we arrived in the mountain’s main village.
Ban Doi Chang Village and Coffee Farms
Ban Doi Chang was an exquisitely beautiful – sparsely spread along the steep, lush slopes – remote village. Coffee plantations extended broadly across the smoother portions of the surrounding slopes and cafes were omnipresent. The extensive development of the village’s tourist facilities was a downside. Fortunately for us – unfortunately for its residents, I reckon – during our visit it was altogether devoid by any non-locals, and the commercial hassle was waned away. The hill-tribes people seemed to be largely westernized, preserving their culture for commercial reasons only. In normal times, I imagine it to be a rather crowded place lacking originality. Nevertheless, it definitely worths a visit.
Ban Mai Phatthana Village
About 5 km north from Ban Doi Chang lies a smaller, remoter village called Ban Mai Phatthana. It altogether lacked hospitality facilities and its people felt much more original and were extremely friendly. One should definitely not omit to check it when visiting the area.
Doi Chang Mountain Peak
By the northern end of Ban Mai Phatthana begins the trail to the peak of Doi Chang Mountain. It is an approx. 5 km trek to reach the summit and it should take 2-3 hours. Most of the way is drivable with a motorbike (even a scooter), though it’s very rough and steep so that good driving skills are required. We drove almost the entire way to the peak. The forest was dense and especially captivating. Some extremely boisterous sort of crickets kept stridulating madly throughout the woods, making the place sound like a construction site. Ticks were also numerous and proved very willing to have close interactions with the bare parts of our skin.
On the very peak, there is a limited opening in the growth and views down to the plains are discernible. A small, at the time unfinished, structure that stands on the highest point is probably meant to become a shrine at some point.
On the way back down, we were caught by a bounteous storm. Luckily, we found a small roofed structure to take shelter. The raincloud passed by quickly but the rain it unloaded sufficed to turn the trail into a mudslide. It would have taken quite some effort to even walk down; imagine what I went through to slowly, and extremely cautiously, roll that scooter down.
Huaychoompoo Waterfall
On the way back to Chiang Rai, along the northern portion of Doi Chang Mountain Road, there we had planned our last stop for this excursion. Halfway between Doi Chang and Huai San Liso villages, there starts the path to Huaychoompoo Waterfall (trailhead coordinates: 19.8244, 99.5919). There are signs along the 3-km-long route to the falls. Since it was already dusk by the time we made it there, our only chance was to attempt to drive it. The path was very rough and it took us ages to complete just the first one of the three kilometers. We had, unfortunately, to give up and return before it turned completely dark.
Further down along the Doi Chang Road, already deep night by then, we drove past a reservoir located right by the roadside. Water streamed over the road into a brook and formed an ankle-deep pool right on top of the road. A company of locals was gathered there and, while a full moon rose over the placid surface of the reservoir, were holding an interesting sort of party. My guess is that it was related to some full-moon fishing ritual of sorts. While some boys trapped passing-by fish in a net, others were drinking and dancing to Thai music resounding out of a voluminous speaker carried over in a van. We stopped to check the event out and they welcomed us heartily. Unfortunately, they were out of beer. They offered to drive to 7-Eleven and fetch some for us, but that would have been far and we had to go. I accepted a bite of some roasted insects instead.
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