And fortunately in Chiang Mai, you can.

And fortunately in Chiang Mai, you can.

Thanks for that

I'm a flatlander. Until I started travelling to mountainous areas, I didn't notice that fog was really clouds come down to the ground, and that you can distinguish between fog and rain falling on a distant mountain.

Excellent pics - thanks for sharing.

Where was the photographer located (yes, I know - behind the camera - but besides that).

Photographer was located past Doi Suthep further up, past the Royal Palace, past the mini-roundabout & souvenir market, and then a RIGHT turn further up Doi Pui, so not going down to the Hmong tourist village. Then after about a km or so you get to a viewpoint area on the left.

After that you can continue further to where there's an old temple ruin (right side of the road, look for the path/dirt road though it's only 50-100 meters or so from the road) and then you get to the summit of Doi Pui (checkpoint and no vehicular traffic allowed). I actually wonder now if you're allowed to walk further up as the sign simply says 'Restricted access'. There's a National Park checkpoint cabin there as well but nobody home when I was there, so you can just walk further up. Very nice and cool up there most of the time; weird weather with lots of fog, it makes for a nice change from the city.

There was a new wooden sign near the road that continues from there down towards another Hmong village, about a nature trail, camping ground and information booth.

thanks for such refreshing pictures. exactly how it is this morning up there am sure. or maybe nicer.

sure makes for a big contrast to the smoggy, smoky and polluted times we had a few months back when open burning was not to be stopped.

Photographer was located past Doi Suthep further up, past the Royal Palace, past the mini-roundabout & souvenir market, and then a RIGHT turn further up Doi Pui, so not going down to the Hmong tourist village. Then after about a km or so you get to a viewpoint area on the left.

After that you can continue further to where there's an old temple ruin (right side of the road, look for the path/dirt road though it's only 50-100 meters or so from the road) and then you get to the summit of Doi Pui (checkpoint and no vehicular traffic allowed). I actually wonder now if you're allowed to walk further up as the sign simply says 'Restricted access'. There's a National Park checkpoint cabin there as well but nobody home when I was there, so you can just walk further up. Very nice and cool up there most of the time; weird weather with lots of fog, it makes for a nice change from the city.

There was a new wooden sign near the road that continues from there down towards another Hmong village, about a nature trail, camping ground and information booth.

You can walk up to the summit of Doi Pui. If we are talking about the same place, the National Park checkpoint you mentioned is also a visitor center with some exhibits. There are campgrounds there and they rent out tents and bicycles. You are right, no vehicle access. The people working there said we could walk to the summit, but to look out for leeches this time of year.

Photographer was located past Doi Suthep further up, past the Royal Palace, past the mini-roundabout & souvenir market, and then a RIGHT turn further up Doi Pui, so not going down to the Hmong tourist village. Then after about a km or so you get to a viewpoint area on the left.

After that you can continue further to where there's an old temple ruin (right side of the road, look for the path/dirt road though it's only 50-100 meters or so from the road) and then you get to the summit of Doi Pui (checkpoint and no vehicular traffic allowed). I actually wonder now if you're allowed to walk further up as the sign simply says 'Restricted access'. There's a National Park checkpoint cabin there as well but nobody home when I was there, so you can just walk further up. Very nice and cool up there most of the time; weird weather with lots of fog, it makes for a nice change from the city.

There was a new wooden sign near the road that continues from there down towards another Hmong village, about a nature trail, camping ground and information booth.

The old temple is 'San Ku' - a 13th century chedi ruin. Still a highly revered place for locals to visit.. doesn't get too many farang, well done for finding it.

The checkpoint cabin is not the summit of Doi Pui.. you must walk past it and beyond the barrier for about another 2-3km, then you will reach Yod Doi Pui.

I go up there often and hardly ever see a single soul.. magic

Great pic .. using one of them as my desk top now... very relaxing picture to look at.

I wouldn't mind getting above the clouds here, it hasn't stopped raining for nearly 48 hours.

Not heavy but just a fine to medium drizzle.

Great pic .. using one of them as my desk top now... very relaxing picture to look at.

In that case, you may want it in a bit higher resolution, to match your screen size:

(The latter is for wide screen screens.. Anyone else with a different screen size, just shout. )

Or a shot the other way, from the ground up to the mountain:

Or a shot the other way, from the ground up to the mountain:

Thanks, I just saved this one on my desktop screensaver slide show....very nice!

McG