Mae Wang Day Trip
– 3 Amazing places to visit in Mae Wang & around Doi Inthanon.
Table of Contents
3 Amazing Places to Visit
Mae Wang Day Trip: The Route
This route goes through the R121 and links up with the rural R3035, taking you through interesting small village areas.
At (วัดท่าช้าง / Wat Thung Chang) you will spy this wonderful Elephant statue and a large pink Ganesha Elephant God inside the temple grounds.
This quiet zone has some interesting elements, including this warning sign. (“ระวังทางโค้ง” – “be careful, sharp curve”.)
1: Ganesha Himal Museum
The Ganesha Himal Museum is a wonderfully unique and interesting collection of Ganesha elephant statues, set within a beautiful garden and house.
Entry is free but you can opt to have a donation-based blessing by a monk.
Within the museum building, there are detailed wax figures, depicting religious aspects.
2: Pha Chor
Within Mae Wang National Park lies the incredible Pha Chor, a large area of naturally eroded soil columns.
The trail to the soil columns is a fair walk, so prepare yourself for a bit of a mini hike. There is a shop at the start of the trail where you can buy water. I suggest ensuring you have water, and wear a hat or take an umbrella, as there is very little shade along the route.
Signs in Thai and English are dotted along the route, providing information on how the soil columns were formed.
Intermittent shaded rest spots are provided.
The lengthy trail is worth it once you reach the soil formation. It is quite spectacular.
Thankfully the hike back is mostly downhill, making it easier to exit. One thing to note is how narrow the initial exit point is from the soil columns, with signs stating not to touch the rock.
A comical detour…
Once I was back on my bike I decided to explore a little within the National Park zone, which is when I noticed a possible interesting shortcut through to a waterfall I planned to visit.
I made a U-turn, but figured that since I was already in this area I may as well see if there were other routes worth looking at. I rode to a bridge and realized it was the bridge over the area I just tried to cross. It dawned on me that this was supposed to be a river area. Doesn’t seem so good for the start of Cool Season. Surely this river should be flowing after the Rainy Season? I also noticed that many areas were brown instead of green. The Rainy Season had recorded very little rainfall, and it showed.
I kept riding along but the route led to a dead end, so I turned back.
Pong Cho Reservoir
Location. I have not added this to the key places to visit as there is not much there except for the reservoir, but seeing as it is within the Mae Wang National Park area it is worth a quick visit.
There are also some great farming back roads around this area, so it is worth exploring if you have time.
I spotted this interesting small remote temple, also: สำนักสงฆ์ป่าบวกบง.
Eventually, I was on the main R108 where I topped up fuel just before the 1009 junction, which would take me up to Wacharathan Falls.
3: Wacharathan Falls
Important note:
There is a National Park checkpoint in this area but if you are planning to ONLY visit the waterfall and not Doi Inthanon then you are permitted to ride through, without needing to pay the National Park entry fee. Just let the guards know that you are not going to Doi Inthanon.
Wachirathan Falls is a stunning waterfall at the base of Doi Inthanon (the Highest Mountain in Thailand). The route down to the falls is fairly steep and narrow, so keep that in mind.
There is a cafe, eateries and bathroom facilities available at the falls.
The Back Route
Feeling refreshed I got on my bike again. It was getting late and I wished to ride the longer route back to Chiang Mai.
I love this route!
Epic!
If you would like more on Mae Wang, including this route and some hidden gems, check out the Mae Wang Route GPS Guide:
GPS Route Map for The Mae Wang Loop
GPS Map Guide
Mae Wang Loop GPS Map Guide
Mae Wang Day Trip Video
Bonus Place of Interest: Giant Buddha
My Mae Wang Loop guide also features this giant mountain Buddha that I spotted on a ride many years back when it was still under construction.
This fantastic Buddha overlooks the Mae Wang Valley.
The Buddha is so huge that you can stand on the tip of the Buddha’s finger!
The rural road to this temple and Buddha cuts through the mountain, which has scenic views of agricultural land on either side, with lots of vegetation and flowers. It is a super quiet road with just a few random passing farmers.
The Buddha statue and temple have been under construction since 2012 and have been an ongoing work in progress. The following video shows inside the Buddha statue and some of the ongoing mural illustrations.
I hope you enjoyed this Mae Wang day trip report.
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