Doi Inthanon National Park and Ethical Elephant Sanctuaries

Within ninety minutes' drive of the Old City moat, the flat valley floor gives way to bamboo-clad river gorges, Karen hill-tribe coffee villages and cloud forests rising past 2,500 metres. Dedicating at least one full day of your Chiang Mai itinerary to the northern highlands is essential, whether to observe rescued Asian elephants in the wild or to hike across the roof of Thailand.

How to choose a truly ethical elephant sanctuary

Chiang Mai province was at the forefront of moving Asian elephant tourism away from trekking saddles and street begging toward retirement sanctuaries, most notably in the Mae Taeng and Mae Wang valleys. However, because words like "sanctuary" and "retirement" are not legally regulated, vet any programme carefully before booking:

• Zero riding, zero shows and no chains: avoid any camp that offers saddle or bareback riding, painting, ball games or bullhooks.
• Observation-first vs crowded river bathing: animal-welfare organisations increasingly recommend hands-off or observation-led sanctuaries (such as long-established Elephant Nature Park in Mae Taeng, Burm and Emily's Elephant Sanctuary further out in Mae Chaem, or small-scale forest walks) where small visitor groups watch herds forage naturally along forest trails and mud wallows rather than crowding dozens of tourists around an elephant in a river for forced selfies. Always book directly on the sanctuary's official site weeks in advance, as daily visitor numbers are strictly limited.

Doi Inthanon National Park (the highest peak in Thailand)

Rising to 2,565 metres above sea level roughly two hours south-west of Chiang Mai city, Doi Inthanon is the tail end of the Himalayan mountain chain, cool enough for sphagnum moss bogs and wild rhododendrons to thrive year-round. A classic full-day loop climbs from the tropical foothills to the cool summit and back down:

• Summit and Ang Ka Luang Nature Trail: stand at the highest point in Thailand, then follow the raised wooden boardwalk through an ancient, mist-draped cloud forest wrapped in ferns, lichens and orchids.
• Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail (open November to May): a spectacular three-kilometre guided ridge hike led by a local Hmong community guide, emerging from dense forest onto an open alpine grassland edge with views across a sea of morning clouds.
• The Twin Royal Pagodas (Phra Mahathat Naphamethanidon and Naphaphonphumisiri): two faceted stupas surrounded by terraced botanical gardens on a high mountain saddle, followed by stops at a Karen village coffee roastery in Mae Klang Luang and the thundering cascades of Wachirathan and Sirithan Waterfalls on the way down.