Doi An Khang, nr Chiang Rai: worth the drive?

[chingmai331]

Now in CM, could use a holiday and have read of this place, out in the mountains, with nice farms and rivers nearby. Any first hand reports? Have read drive is not so good on twisty, holey road so that too is considered.

[Seligne2]

Well worth the trip. Great agricultural station at the top. The road is good, comparable to Doi Suthep but much steeper. Make sure your car can hack it.

[phuketrichard]

its beautiful!!

stay the night, last july we were there and we were the ONLY tourists n town

[duanebigsby]

the road is very steep and twisty, doable but a little scary in parts. Don't drive it at night.

There is a Royal agricultural farm and gardens up there which is fantastic! Huge collection of bonsai trees some hundreds of years old brought in from Japan to train locals how to do them.

I enjoyed myself and there are a few villages off the road worth a drive thru as well.

[chrissables]

I have rode my motorbike up a few times, the views are great from the top and well worth it. I will ride again from Pattaya, so a car trip from Chiang Mai should be nice and easy.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Great trip and if you go early enough you maybe lucky to see the fog blanket in the valleys from the top.

[PoorSucker]

its beautiful!!

stay the night, last july we were there and we were the ONLY tourists n town

ONLY, foreign tourists....

[PoorSucker]

There are two ways up.

Highway 1340 via Aronatai, amphur Chiang Dao

[PoorSucker]

And then Highway 1249 via Amphur Fang.

Recommend you use both for a maximal experience.

[T_Dog]

Doi Angkhang is one of our favorite places in the north. Take HWY-1340 and follow the ridge all the way there. Here is an old thread with photos . . .

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/603058-hwy-1340-to-doi-angkhang/

[MaeJoMTB]

It's very nice,

the road up will kill your car.

[Viking7113]

Doi Angkhang is well worth the trip. there are two routes-- On one that I recommend is drive north on route 107 past Chiang Dao then look for a left turn onto a secondary highway. It is well marked and this heads off into the country side. It is an alternate route friends recommended. It is relatively quiet and off the beaten track. Id recommend this option in a heartbeat as you really get a tour through small villages etc. The other option involves heading toward Fang and looking for the turn off. This route is really steep and winding roads...not for the faint of heart or to be travelled at night.

Edited May 30, 2015 by Viking7113

[Briggsy]

There was a rape and murder of an Australian couple on Doi Ang Khang that was never solved. The police fitted up a hill tribe man but he was freed on appeal.

[Goshawk]

^ jeez . . . that was 10-15 years ago. As i recall they were wild camping somewhere well of the proverbial beaten & very close to the Burmese border....

Anyway don't worry OP, be smart & you'll be quite safe up . . . it's the lunatics driving on the roads that are the biggest killers up & around there, not the hillbillies in the woods...

[Beng]

Went there on a wave 125.

Up fom Chiang Dao on the 1178 and 1340 and down the steep 1249 to Fang.

Tangerine Ville Hotel is a good place to stay overnight.

[Iamemjay]

I go up regularly as I live just down the bottom of the "big hill" (Go up the route I recommend and the village you look down on on the RHS is ours). This is a good time to go. The gardens are at their peak in April but in October/November are pulled out and replanted. November through end January is peak season for Thai tour groups. Also steer clear of Sundays as that's the big day for Thais.

Yes it is VERY worthwhile.As for the roads, continue of the road toward Fang and the main road, Doi Ang Kahn Road is well marked, LHS about 17km short of Fang. That is a good road, although steep (DON'T use an underpowered vehicle and expect to have to use 1st gear a few times - even the 3lt turbo-charged songthaews that go up there have to get down to 1st). When you get to the top of the mountain, as you turn to the right, a road enters from the left - that's your road down. It's interesting but yes, pot-holed in sections.

My recommendation however is, on the return trip, about 3km short of that spot there is a turnoff to the right. take that. It goes through a most interesting Chinese village clinging to the side of the mountain and has spectacular views. It ends up on the aforementioned road. Turn right when you meet it.

Don't miss going to the Ban Lorcha border post - It's a real hoot! From the Thai military post (go in through the boomgate, its OK) you look down and over the Burmese equivalent and a US Vietnam style hilltop fort.

So its not just the agricultural station - there's much more. Doi Ang Kahn Resort is very good for overnight, although there is less celubrious accommodation readily available too.

Enjoy!

(If you feel fit. take the rocky walk up the hill, starting in the bonsai garden - VERY worthwhile.)

[chrissables]

A couple of views from the top. I ended up having front brake failure at night riding down the mountain, excitement i could have done without!

[Seligne2]

I go up regularly as I live just down the bottom of the "big hill" (Go up the route I recommend and the village you look down on on the RHS is ours). This is a good time to go. The gardens are at their peak in April but in October/November are pulled out and replanted. November through end January is peak season for Thai tour groups. Also steer clear of Sundays as that's the big day for Thais.

Yes it is VERY worthwhile.As for the roads, continue of the road toward Fang and the main road, Doi Ang Kahn Road is well marked, LHS about 17km short of Fang. That is a good road, although steep (DON'T use an underpowered vehicle and expect to have to use 1st gear a few times - even the 3lt turbo-charged songthaews that go up there have to get down to 1st). When you get to the top of the mountain, as you turn to the right, a road enters from the left - that's your road down. It's interesting but yes, pot-holed in sections.

My recommendation however is, on the return trip, about 3km short of that spot there is a turnoff to the right. take that. It goes through a most interesting Chinese village clinging to the side of the mountain and has spectacular views. It ends up on the aforementioned road. Turn right when you meet it.

Don't miss going to the Ban Lorcha border post - It's a real hoot! From the Thai military post (go in through the boomgate, its OK) you look down and over the Burmese equivalent and a US Vietnam style hilltop fort.

So its not just the agricultural station - there's much more. Doi Ang Kahn Resort is very good for overnight, although there is less celubrious accommodation readily available too.

Enjoy!

(If you feel fit. take the rocky walk up the hill, starting in the bonsai garden - VERY worthwhile.)

What does "celubrious" mean?

[Ricardo]

Chiang Dao might be a closer non-mountainous-road alternative from Chiang Mai, frequent buses from Chang Puak bus-station, and loads of accomodation & nature-resorts.

[technologybytes]

So its not just the agricultural station - there's much more. Doi Ang Kahn Resort is very good for overnight, although there is less celubrious accommodation readily available too.

What does "celubrious" mean?

Clearly he meant Salubrious. Which means pleasant, agreeable, not run-down.