When people think of Thailand, they see gold, temples, Buddhas, flowers, street meat, mango sticky rice and smiling faces. Thai culture is one of the most enchanting cultures you can experience. The food! The cities! The people are wonderful. I'm here to tell you a little about what you'll find outside the cities, beyond the temples and tom yum and cabaret shows.
Thailand's natural world is something not to be missed, and it's full of superb national parks. Along with most other Southeast Asian countries, it's still fairly wild. The Thai government has done a great job protecting a large amount of land from development and has protected many species that were on the decline. Tigers still roam wild here, although small in numbers and extremely rarely spotted, they are here.
Not far outside of any city there are treasures to be found - hotsprings, lush jungles, waterfalls, stunning cliff faces, mountain scenery and quaint villages. Surprisingly, it's not all that popular to pitch a tent in the woods in Thailand, so often you will have the area to yourself. Many locals enjoy a glamping experience, and tend to flock to more developed campsites - plus there are just so many affordable guesthouses to stay in instead. Nevertheless, camping is easy, safe and and accessible.
The national parks are a great place to start because the park headquarters can get you suited with anything you need - maps, tents, sleeping bags, cots, and kerosene lamps can be rented for a low cost. National parks charge a one time entrance fee, usually between 200-400 baht. It also helps a lot (let's maybe say it's necessary...) to have a car or motorbike to get around. Here is a list of some great camping areas around Chiang Mai and the north that should not be missed.
Mon Chaem
Glamping at it's finest! Mon Chaem is a mountaintop just north of Chiang Mai. There's a beautiful restaurant and gardens at the top where visitors come to enjoy the views for the day. If you want to stay overnight, book ahead, and you get a fabulous hillside campsite that's NOT right next to your neighbor. The tents have comfortable mattresses and blankets, slippers, a reading light, and some basics to keep for comfortable. The tents are huge, and you can order dinner from the restaurant which is then walked down to you at your tent in a stackable dinner tin. The nights are usually chilly because of the elevation and it's likely you'll wake up in the clouds! It's a fine experience.
Doi Pui National Park
Doi Pui, also known as Doi Suthep National Park, spreads atop Doi Suthep Mountain and includes the temple itself. Doi Pui has some fantastic trails with views and a campsite up above the temple. Some winding mountain roads will lead you back to a wooded flat with some awesome hammock hanging trees and a view off the backside of the mountain. The national park headquarters can provide you with rentable camping great if you need. There are bathrooms and flat, grassy lawns to make for a super comfortable stay. Bring your own food! There is no restaurant at the top. No need to book ahead, but there is a small national park fee.
Bua Tong Waterfall (Sticky Waterfall)
This is a marvelous waterfall that is an easy day trip from Chiang Mai, but you can also camp here! Sticky waterfall contains minerals that have calcified over time and built up a hard, sandpaper-like surface that's easy to walk up and down, and it's is loads of fun. It's large enough that there is plenty of surface to explore and some pools to sit in. Most parts are rather steep, but walking around this place is rather easy and an incredible feeling to be sticky! Boom, you're a gecko for a day. Watch out for the darker green patches, those can get slippery and it definitely takes some caution to make sure everyone is safe here.
Chiang Dao
Chiang Dao Youth Camp is my top recommendation for camping (the main photo above). The Youth Camp is a beautiful property set back at the end of a road near the base of the mountain. It's a peaceful gathering place for any event, and they welcome casual campers as long as you make a reservation. The youth camp has hosted small music festivals, family gatherings, birthday parties, school groups and campouts. There's a lovely stream you can frolick in and usually some buffalos to be spotted around the land. There are plenty of hammock trees, mountain views and even basic bathrooms and showers. They have camping gear to rent if you need it too! And the best part? It's walking distance to the free, local hot springs.
If you are up for the trek, you can camp at the top of Doi Luang, or Chiang Dao mountain. The whole trek up is strikingly beautiful and remote, and there are dozens of rare species of birds and flowers to be seen along the way. The challenging yet fairly quick hike to the top takes about 3 hours if you're in good shape. The trail is well defined, but can get muddy. Camping is located just below the summit, and you mustn't miss the sunset or sunrise, a quick extra 20 minutes to the tippy top where you will usually see local photographers and can get the best views from the second highest peak in Thailand. This hike is incredibly rewarding and well worth it, but must be reserved ahead of time. Camping gear is available to rent. Beware, it DOES get chilly up there at night!
Huay Tung Tao
Huay Tung Tao is the local lake for lunch, weekends and lazy afternoons in Chiang Mai. It's just north of the city near the mountain, lined with little bamboo huts made for day-long relaxing with friends and family. It can get quite busy here, people come to fish in the lake and picnic along the banks. Camping here is allowed almost anywhere, as long as you check in with the office and pay a small 50 baht fee. It's not the most exciting or accommodating place to camp, but I'll leave that for you to decide! We encountered packs of dogs roaming the roads after the sun went down; not particularly interested in us, but certainly noisy. Camping's not popular with the locals here, so you'll probably have the place to yourself.
Doi Inthanon National Park
You can camp on the highest peak in Thailand! You won't camp at the summit, because this peak is rather large and rounded-off even a little anti-climatic, the whole park itself is a beautiful place to be for a day or two and there is a lot to explore. There are a few nice, shaded campgrounds to choose from, but are often packed in close with other campers since Doi Inthanon is a popular destination. Camping here doesn't have to be booked in advanced and is very affordable, and gear is available to rent. It also gets chilly up there, bring socks and a hoodie!
Ob Khan National Park
Ob Khan is my personal favorite place to camp. Located just south of the city, it's tucked into the mountains a bit with a gorgeous river running through it. It's a popular place for locals to picnic, but surprisingly hardly anyone ventures further up the river - where the real playground is. Ob Khan has remarkable rock formations along the riverbanks, some little tiny beaches and swimming holes to get your feet wet, or even jump in. The river is full of surprises and each corner is something a little different. There is a clear trail that follows it up for quite some distance, apparently it goes quite far. You can legally and easily camp anywhere along this river, and when we did there was absolutely no one around. It's been one of my favorite camping experiences in Thailand so far - check out the Ob Khan page for more juicy bits and pictures. Please take note that it's closed in rainy season because it's very dangerous - there have been serious flash floods there, and the canyon walls are steep, so don't even think about risking it during rainy season (May to October).
Doi Khun Tan National Park, Lamphun
Doi Khun Tan is a beautiful high mountain area comprised of mainly woodland with a few rivers running through it. It's easily accessed by taking the main north-south train line; get off at the Khun Tan train station and the park entrance is walking distance. It's best to call the park ahead of time and reserve a camping space. This park is fairly wild and has a lot of land to cover, so it's a good idea to go with someone else or even hire a guide to show you around the best areas. There are waterfalls, nature trails, animal species, great views and basic camping facilities.
Mae Ping National Park
Ob Luang National Park
Padaeng National Park
Mae Tang River Camp
Thi Lor Su Waterfall
Khun Khan National Park
Other mentionable campsites in Thailand
Khao Yai National Park, Nakon Ratchasima
Huay Mae Kamin Waterfalls, Kanchanaburi
Khao Laem, Kanchanaburi
Even better: here is a downloadable guide to all of Thailand's National Parks. http://park.dnp.go.th/file/NATIONALPARKS_Eng.pdf
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