Doi Suthep-Pui National Park

The climate of Thailand is tropical in nature, driven by monsoon and divided into microclimates due to the geographical shape of the country that allows it to lie within many meridians. The Northern Thailand has three distinct climatic seasons as follows. The Cold Season: A relatively cool dry period that runs from November to February when the monsoon blows northwest. During this period most of the northern mountains areas have temperatures that can approach to Zero Celsius in the night. The average temperature in this period range between 19° C and 25° C in the day and between 10° C and 16° C at night. Temperatures can drop to 6° C during the nights of February. The Hot Season: A warm period that starts in March until mid-May also characterized by occasional rain. The northern mountains areas have intense heat and high humidity during all this time with average temperatures ranging from 29° C to 35° C. At times there can be temperature peaks even higher than 40° C. The temperature usually hits its highest point in mid-April. The Rainy Season: This period starts from May until October influenced by the southwest monsoon during which rainfall is more frequent and intense. However, as can be said for the term “cold season”, the term "rainy season" can be slightly misleading. While the rain during this season can be intense with furious storms and showers, they usually do not last more than a day. Sunny are also not uncommon during this time a well. The average temperature during this time is between 28° C and 30° C with the humidity usually well over 70%.

Doi Suthep-Pui National Park is only 7 km kilometres northwest of Chiang Mai City. To reach the park from city center follow the Highway 1004, i.e. Sriwichai Road or Doi Suthep Road, the winding 15 km road leading to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and the HQ located close to the temple. Bhubing Palace is about 5 km ahead following the same road, while Yod Doi Pui Campsite is located 4 km north of palace following the road that turns to the right 900 meters later. To get there, you can drive yourself a hired car, or hire a songthaew for as long as you need it. Consider that a songthaew, two-bench partially open-air taxi, will cost about 2,000 THB for the whole day including gasoline usually, so ask first to avoid surprises. In Chiang Mai you can rent a car at prices ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 THB a day, depending on the model and rental company. At airport terminal you will find the offices of the major car rental companies such as Avis, Budget and Hertz, which offer excellent car covered with full insurance. Inside city, the local hire agencies offer cars of good quality at similar price, however, sometimes they do not have insurance that covers the full damage, so make sure of it before you have unpleasant surprises.

Chiang Mai International Airport, IATA code CNX, is an international airport serving the city of Chiang Mai, the capital of the homonymous province in northern Thailand. The airport was founded in 1921 as Suthep Airport, and is the main gateway to northern Thailand. Currently it's the fourth busiest airport in the country. 17 airlines operate there with more than 5.3 million passengers, 43,000 flights and 18,000 tons of cargo handled. On January 24, 2011 the airport became a second hub for Thai AirAsia. Chiang Mai International Airport is situated about three kilometres southwest off the old town, and has two terminal twins, one for international departures and arrivals and the other for domestic flights. The arrivals halls of both terminals are located on the ground floor, while the second floor is for departures. The airport is well served by various means of public transport, taxis or songtaews. Songtaews cannot get inside the terminal without passengers. Accordingly, if you have just arrived, you can only find them on the main road opposite the airport. Inside the airport there is also a bus service, which runs every 20 minutes to the Old City. In the terminals there are offices of major car rental companies, such as Avis, Budget and Hertz, currency exchange offices and tourist agencies. The airport is open in the evenings until midnight and reopens at 05:00 am.

Buses and minibuses offer different choices to get to Chiang Mai from Bangkok, or from other cities of tourist interest. Many tourists use buses lately, although the duration of travel, since when are available the comfortable VIP buses, which often traveling at night and allow to recover time for the holiday. Chiang Mai has two bus stations, consisting of three different terminals, one, the oldest, in city centre, the new one outside the city walls. The Chang Puak Terminal 1 is the old bus station in Chotana Road, just north of the central moat, about 1 km north of Chang Phuak Gate. From Chang Puak depart all buses to various districts of the Chiang Mai province, like Mae Rim, Chiang Dao, Fang, Tha Ton, Phrao, Samoeng, Chom Thong and Doi Tao. The station is in a good central location and, if you must use them, you can reach it even walking. The new one is the Chiang Mai Provincial Arcade Bus Station, located just outside Kaew Nawarat Road to the east of the city moat, about 3 km from the city centre. Arcade is a huge bus station and has two terminals, Terminal 2 and 3 adjacent each other, separated only by a tuk-tuk stand and a road. All buses, and minivans, from and to destinations outside Chiang Mai province use the Arcade station. The available destinations include not only all the other provinces or cities in northern Thailand, such as Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Mae Sariang, Nan, Lampang, but also the provincial capitals of central and eastern regions, such as Sukhothai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Ubon, Bangkok as well some seaside resorts, like Hua Hin, Koh Chang and Koh Samet. Currently there are more than 40 different transport companies operating from the Arcade Station, all with different itineraries, prices, quality of services and timetables. Depending on the destination and the transport company buses depart from Terminal 1 or 2, but often, in classic Thai style, to the same destinations buses leave from both terminals, and in the same way behave the companies.

Trains are a good alternative to buses to get to Chiang Mai from Bangkok, although the trains are are slower of buses, but they offer more chance of sleeping during overnight trips, in case you choose a class with sleeping bunks. The first-class provides private cabins with two seats and air conditioning, the seats inside are transformed into two beds. The second-class does not provide private cabins; it has wagons with bunk beds separated by curtains or seating with comfortable padded seats, both with or without air conditioning. There are five daily departures from Hua Lamphong Railway Station in Bangkok toward North, reaching Chiang Mai in about 13 hours. A third-class seat from Bangkok to Chiang Mai costs 271 THB. A second-class seat costs 431 THB with fan, 641 THB with air-con; a second-class upper berth with fan costs 531 THB and 581 THB for lower berth, while with air-con the prices are 821 and 751 THB. A first-class upper berth in private cabin costs 1,253 THB and 1,453 for lower berth, it means a two-person air-con sleeping compartment complete with washbasin. To find availability in first and second class booking in advance is highly recommended, a few days for the seats and as soon as possible for bunks and sleeping cabin. The SRT has tried to make Advance Booking as easy as possible; in fact, you can book tickets up to 60 days ahead at any railway stations and up to 30 days ahead online.