Walking Up Doi Suthep For Asanha Bucha

[cm-happy]

In CM a local tradition to hike Doi suthep to Wat Phra Tat to celebrate Asanha Bucha. Think its May 30 this year.

Its about a 22 kilometer hike, all uphill!!

My b/f is keen on both of use walking, instead of our usual drive. Maybe he's interested in my insurance.

Not sure if I could make it without keeling over. Could easily handle the 22 K but on level ground.

Has anyone done? Am interested if older gents have attempted and how far thy've gone.

[chanchao]

I've done it, but would NOT do it again.

Why:

For such an event if would make sense to then block or severely restrict vehicular traffic up/down the hill, as there's no separate footpath. This being Thailand, they don't.

So in addition to people walking, there also LOADS of cars going (speeding) up and down the mountain, passing dangerously close to the pedestrians trying to walk up. Secondly, you're inevitably breathing more because of the exercise, and you're breathing in a LOT of fumes from cars and trucks. This gets uncomfortable quick.

Besides the main road there's also a walking trail that goes all the way up, starting on the soi goign to the back-entrance of the zoo off Suthep Road. However as people walk at night, I don't think that's a very good idea. That would be a worthwhile hike during the day though (in the cool/dry season).

[colinm]

I've walked up during the day, from Huay Kaew Waterfall via the dirt path to Pha Ngerb, and then back onto the main road and follow the road the rest of the way. It took me 2 1/2 or 3 hours from start to finish. Nowhere to buy water when I went up, but I'm sure there will be stalls dotting the road at the festival. Although I thought at the festival they arrive shortly before dawn?? I think they will also go at a slow pace.

Yep it is all uphill and I'm sure you'll love the 300 odd steps at the finish

[imp]

Visakha bucha not asanha

[cm das]

I've done the Visakha Bucha walk twice & plan on doing it again this year. It's tiring but I love it. First of all, it's about 13km, not 22. It's true there is some vehicle traffic but my experience wasn't like what Chanchao described - certainly not much speeding. The first time I went (2005) I expected a kind of somber procession but it wasn't like that at all. It had much more of a festival atmosphere, with lots of food & drink stalls along the way, etc. It gets quite crowded at the Chedi, especially after midnight & so this year I plan on going a little earlier - maybe leave CMU around 8pm. And getting into a songthaew on the way down can be a challenge. But all in all I think it's a great Chiang Mai experience.

[bungalowbill]

In CM a local tradition to hike Doi suthep to Wat Phra Tat to celebrate Asanha Bucha. Think its May 30 this year.

Its about a 22 kilometer hike, all uphill!!

My b/f is keen on both of use walking, instead of our usual drive. Maybe he's interested in my insurance.

Not sure if I could make it without keeling over. Could easily handle the 22 K but on level ground.

Has anyone done? Am interested if older gents have attempted and how far thy've gone.

Are you sure it's 22K? I think it's closer to 14K Roundtrip. I walked it today (Saturday)..Started at the fitness park near the Zoo at 7:15 am and arrived at the steps of the wat at 10:00 am. I had some lunch then started back down at 10:45 and got back to the fitness park around 1pm. I reccomend good hiking shoes or running shoes (trainers if your british) and make sure you bring one bottle of water..you can refill it at the top. definately a hat if you go in the daytime. Next time I go up on foot it will be a weekday to avoid all the weekend traffic. The novices were out there today putting up the flags along the road. They told me the walk for the Buddha day starts at 7pm on the 30th.

[cm-happy]

In CM a local tradition to hike Doi suthep to Wat Phra Tat to celebrate Asanha Bucha. Think its May 30 this year.

Its about a 22 kilometer hike, all uphill!!

My b/f is keen on both of use walking, instead of our usual drive. Maybe he's interested in my insurance.

Not sure if I could make it without keeling over. Could easily handle the 22 K but on level ground.

Has anyone done? Am interested if older gents have attempted and how far thy've gone.

Are you sure it's 22K? I think it's closer to 14K Roundtrip. I walked it today (Saturday)..Started at the fitness park near the Zoo at 7:15 am and arrived at the steps of the wat at 10:00 am. I had some lunch then started back down at 10:45 and got back to the fitness park around 1pm. I reccomend good hiking shoes or running shoes (trainers if your british) and make sure you bring one bottle of water..you can refill it at the top. definately a hat if you go in the daytime. Next time I go up on foot it will be a weekday to avoid all the weekend traffic. The novices were out there today putting up the flags along the road. They told me the walk for the Buddha day starts at 7pm on the 30th.

Not really sure if its 22k. This is based on my recollections of road signs on the way up driving.

seems it is doable! I'll give it a try, park in the Zoo and take it from there. B/f will be with me to help push LOL

[neilrob]

Did you do the walk yesterday, cm-happy? I walked it---it was an interesting experience, but tiring towards the end. I was the oldest person doing the walk whom I saw (but there were huge numbers of people, so maybe I missed some 90 year olds walking up!). Most people were less than half my age (60). hope you enjoyed the trek.

Neil

[cm-happy]

Did you do the walk yesterday, cm-happy? I walked it---it was an interesting experience, but tiring towards the end. I was the oldest person doing the walk whom I saw (but there were huge numbers of people, so maybe I missed some 90 year olds walking up!). Most people were less than half my age (60). hope you enjoyed the trek.

Neil

I've got 2 years on you, you youngster you :-)

Yup, did the trek yesterday. Tiring but I made it! Parked at CMU. Took songtaew back down.

For the first time I noticed many,many plastic garbage bags for people to take care their rubbish.

B/f & I drove up today. Counld'nt do it two days in a row. Saw hundreds of what appeared to be students cleaning the roadside, replacing the full garbage bags and dumping the full ones into trucks.

But today as a compromise, since I drove, did walk to the wat up the stairs.