You won't believe the views on these 9 iconic hikes

[Guest reader]

From Lonely Planet

 Nok Aen Cliff at Phu Kradueng National Park © mr_gateway / Shutterstock

Forget the Rockies or the Alps, trekking in Thailand is the business. With wistful misty peaks, ancient hidden temples, otherworldly karst outcrops and dense jungle teeming with wildlife, the country offers a veritable feast for hikers.

Whether you want to conquer mountains, circumnavigate stunning sandy islands or simply hotstep to Thailand's biggest waterfall, there's plenty to pick from. What's more, with a superb transport system, it's easy to reach most hiking trails independently – though there are plenty of excellent trekking guides available too.

So grab a heavy-duty insect repellent, pack some sunscreen and buy some leech socks, we’re about to set off. These are the best hikes in Thailand.

(NOTE - What follows are capsule descriptions of the sites. Visit the link at the end of article for additional information on all of these scenic locations.)

Krabi’s Tiger Cave Temple

0.6 miles (1km), half day, moderate

It's a short, steep climb up to the 278m-high (912ft) limestone outcrop that overlooks Krabi Town, but hikers who successfully tackle the 1260 stairs to the summit are rewarded with a access to Wat Tham Suea (Tiger Cave Temple) and some stellar views. 

Khao Yai National Park

Distances vary, 2-3 hours, easy

Established as Thailand's first national park in 1962, Khao Yai is the best place for a jungle trek near Bangkok. It boasts more than 31 miles (50km) of hiking trails that teem with macaques, gibbons, civets, barking deer and endemic bird species such as the Great Hornbill. 

Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail 

Best hike in Thailand

1.6 miles (2.7km), 2-3 hours, easy

The short Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail offers hikers a chance to see one of the most beautiful panoramic views in Thailand. Set inside the Doi Inthanon National Park near Chiang Mai, the 2200m-high (7218ft) Kew Mae Pan mountain stands only a few hundred meters south of Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest peak at 2565m (8415ft).

Khao Sok national park

Best jungle trek

Distances vary, 2-3 hours, moderate

Skirting the southern side of Cheow Lan lake, the dense forest and towering limestone karsts of Khao Sok make the national park one of the best jungle treks in southern Thailand. With 48 mammals roaming the forests, there’s plenty of excellent wildlife spotting opportunities too. It’s gibbons, macaques and barking deer for the most part, but more elusive species such as sun bears, clouded leopards and tigers have been known to make an appearance too.

Koh Jum 

Distances vary, 4-6 hours, easy to moderate

Motorcycles are the only vehicles allowed on the low-key island of Koh Jum, just off of Krabi. Fortunately, the most rewarding way to explore this paradisical atoll is on foot. The western coast has a flat trail that flits between coves and quiet beaches for 3.7-miles (6km), but for views as far as Ko Phi-Phi (on clear days), tackle the steep climb up Khao Koh Pu hill.

Um Phang

Best multi-day hike

Distances and times vary, moderate-to-hard

Overlooked for the more popular Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces, Um Phang and Tak offer spectacular hiking but with a fraction of the visitors. All treks start in and around the Um Phang Wildlife Sanctuary and use the Mae Klong River as a handy artery for deeper jungle exploration.

Phanom Rung 

0.6 miles (1km), half-day, easy

It may not be a traditional hike, but few places are more inspiring than the Phanom Rung complex near Buriram. Standing on the rim of a dormant volcano, some 200m (656ft) above the rice fields of Isan, this 10th-century Khmer temple is built from pink sandstone.

Phu Kradueng National Park 

5.9 miles (9.5km), 4-6 hours, moderate-to-hard

Phu Kradueng (Bell Mountain) is the main peak in the namesake national park of Loei Province in northeast Isan. The climb isn’t that taxing to begin with, but it gets tougher as hikers approach the plateau-like summit. A campsite at the top offers hikers the chance to spend the night and rent bicycles for those wanting to explore the area at their own pace. 

Bangkok Phrapradaeng Loop 

Best hike near Bangkok

7.5 miles (12km), 3 hours, easy

Known as the "Green Lung'' of Bangkok, this walking trail and bicycle path starts at the Bang Kachao Pier and has been protected by long-standing laws prohibiting the construction of tall buildings in this area. Hiking out here is a rare opportunity to see how the Thai capital looked a few decades ago.

Continues with photos

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-hikes-in-thailand

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, reader said:

 

So grab a heavy-duty insect repellent, pack some sunscreen and buy some leech socks, we’re about to set off. These are the best hikes in Thailand.

 

thank you for those ideas, heat may be the problem to box of tissues to wipe a sweat may be necessary 

[Lonnie]

4 hours ago, reader said:

leech socks

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/asia-thailand/thailand/chiang-mai-leeches-in-waterfall-pools

[vinapu]

15 minutes ago, Lonnie said:

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/asia-thailand/thailand/chiang-mai-leeches-in-waterfall-pools

thank you 

I learned something, I did not know that salt will remove leech. I knew about vinegar but who would carry vinegar for the hike ?

[Lonnie]

2 hours ago, vinapu said:

I did not know that salt will remove leech

I didn't either vinapu ...but just in case it doesn't I'll be sticking to dry land.

[spoon]

Its 3am here and im reading about leeches lol

Anyway, from my readings, it says not to use salt to remove leeches. Instead, remove it by hand with proper technique or let the leech finished feeding and came off by itself is a better option.

What not to do

Do not remove a leech using any of the following methods. These can cause the leech to vomit blood into your wound and increase your risk of infection:

• salting
• fire
• shampoo
• bug repellant

Source

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, Lonnie said:

I didn't either vinapu ...but just in case it doesn't I'll be sticking to dry land.

or carry vinegar with you... LOL

[thaiophilus]

16 hours ago, vinapu said:

 who would carry vinegar for the hike ?

Somebody worried about jellyfish stings?