Doi Wiang Pha National Park Chiang Mai
Doi Wiang Pha located in the Chai Prakarn and Faang districts of Chiang Mai province. The Park has not yet officially been designated as a National Park and as such, currently, admission is free to both Thai and Farang visitors, although facilities are still limited.
Now a day to be announced as a national park covering the areas of Mae Fang National Conserved Forest in Tambol Sridongyen, Tambol Maetalob, Chaiprakarn District, Tambol Mae Kha, Tambol Mae Kha, Fang District, Chiang Mai Province, and the left side of Mae Lao National Conserved Forest in Tambol Pa Daed, Tambol Srithoi, Tambol Thakor of Chiang Rai Province within an approximate area of 583 square kilometers or 364,375 rai.
The geographical features of the National Park consist of high mountains, extending northwards, which are regarded as the boundary between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces. Doi Wiang Pha is the highest mountain of the National Park, at the altitude of 1,834 meters above the medium sea level. Most of the areas are water-source forests for major gullies, particularly Fang River and branches of Lao River such as Mae Fangluang Gully, Mae Fangnoi Gully, Yangmin River, etc.
The National Parkโs main attractions include Huay Zai Khao Waterfall (เธเนเธณเธเธเธซเนเธงเธขเธเธฃเธฒเธขเธเธฒเธง), located just 300 meters from the National Park Office (During the summer, the waterfall dries up), the 18 meters high Doi Wiang Pha Waterfall, located 8 kilometers from the National Park Office and the Mae Faang Luang Waterfall (เธเนเธณเธเธเนเธกเนเธเธฒเธเธซเธฅเธงเธ), which is situated 10 kilometers from the Hua Fai National Park Protection Unit.
Visitors can also hike up to the summit of Doi Wiang Pha for spectacular views of the surrounding areas. The viewpoint is situated 30 kilometers the Hua Fai National Park Protection Unit. Doi Wiang Pha National Park is located just off Highway 107 (Chiang Mai - Faang), about 125 kilometers north of Chiang Mai. Turn right at Baan Mae Khi (เธเนเธฒเธเนเธกเนเธเธด) (Km.125) and the National Parkโs Headquarters is 12 kilometers down a dirt track.
The weather at the National Park can be divided into 3 seasons including rainy season (May-October), when it rains heavily in September, winter (November-February), when the weather is cool and ideal for travelling, and summer (March-April), when the weather is rather hot.
The best time to visit the National Park is the cool season from November to February. The rainy season is from May to October with the heaviest rain in September. It is advisable to call the Park (053-818 348) during these months as the Yot Doi Wiang Pha Nature Trail is officially closed from the 1st July until 31st October and access to other parts of the National Park may be restricted as well.
There are a variety of forests covering the whole areas of the National Park, including virgin forests, arid, evergreen forests, pinery, timber forests, and mixed forests, depending on the altitude of the areas. Major plants include teak, rubber trees, Leguminosae (Pradoo), Michelia Alba, Pinus Merkusii Jungh (two-leaf pines), different kinds of Lithocarpus Cantleyanus (Kor), moss, ferns, orchids, etc.
Due to its abundance of forests, varieties of plants, and different altitudes of the areas (300-1,834 meters), the National Park has become the source of foods and dwelling places for different kinds of wild animals including Muntiacus Muntjak, wild boars, gorals, porcupines, wild rabbits, monkeys, masked palm civets, squirrels, tree shrews, and different kinds of birds such as White-rumped Shama, turtle doves, hawks, while fowls and others.
