Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park is the second highest peak in Thailand and the highest campsite

And this national park was the last one on this trip before returning home. In Chiang Rai, where I went from here, I also saw the tea plantations, but did not visit the national parks anymore.

This place is located on the edge of Thailand (on the border with Myanmar) and you can feel the special atmosphere of these places.

What are the features of Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park?

Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park is home to the second highest mountain peak in Thailand (2285 meters). The highest mountain in Thailand is located in Doi Inthanon National Park.

For details, see the article: The highest mountain in Thailand and other attractions of Doi Inthanon National Park

The viewpoint at Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park is quite beautiful. The view opens up to almost 360°.

From this viewpoint you can admire both sunset and sunrise.

To get to the viewpoint, you first need to drive to the Kiew Lom Campground (campsite) and then follow the mountain route for 3500 meters.

There are several more viewpoints at Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park.

There is also a campsite in Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park – at the highest point in Thailand.

While studying the park on Google Maps, I initially came to the conclusion that the hot springs (Fang Hot Spring) are also located in the park. But it turned out that this is not so. If you decide to visit Fang Hot Spring because the geothermal spring is nearby, you need to know that there is no road leading to it from the park – you need to take road number 107 and then find the right turn. So keep in mind that visiting the geothermal spring costs 300 baht per person for foreigners. The public hot water pools are free (included in the ticket price). Indoor and outdoor hot spring baths and steam rooms are available for an additional fee.

What's interesting in Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park

Attractions of Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park:

second highest mountain in Thailand and viewpoint (Huamereng)
mountain hiking route 3.5 km long
a campsite that is higher than any other camp in Thailand
a few more viewpoints

By and large, this is all if you plan to drive along the main road and return.

There is a small village in Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park. If you want to go deeper, you can find a tea plantation, a hotel, other campsites and restaurants from the locals.

Map of Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park

The following interactive map is based on Google Maps. It should be noted right away that the data on Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park on Google Maps is highly inaccurate at the time of writing.

For example, the map shows the continuation of road 3037 after Kiew Lom Campground. This is completely wrong – the road only reaches Kiew Lom Campground, and then the mountain hiking route begins – only the general direction is the same.

Up to Kiew Lom Campground, the painted road and viewpoints on Google Maps are also quite inaccurate.

It should be noted that the paved road here was built relatively recently; before that, there was a dirt road along which not any vehicle could drive and not at any time of the year. It is possible that the image of Road 3037 dates back to this time.

Some forks and roads (at least paved ones) may also be missing. Consider all this.

I marked the most important points of Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park on Google Maps; a little more about them will be discussed below.

How to get to Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park

This national park is located on the edge of the Thai province of Chiang Mai. This park borders another Thai province – Chiang Rai. In addition, this park borders the state of Myanmar (Burma).

To get to the park, you need to go to the point marked on the map as “Turn to Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park”.

Then turn to the “Ticket fee collection point” – tickets are sold here and the entrance to the park is located here.

Then you need to move along the mountain road until you arrive at the camp.

From here at the camp, you can start hiking to the main viewpoint and the second highest mountain in Thailand (Huamereng).

Is it possible to visit Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park without a vehicle?

No, there is no public transport to the park. And from the entrance to the park to the main peak, the distance is about 20 km of a steep mountain road.

How to prepare for visiting Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park

In preparation I would highlight:

Preparation of vehicles
Preparation for hiking

Be sure to check that your vehicle is in good working order, especially the brakes.

When climbing, the load on the engine is very significant – the engine of my motorbike was running at full power, but depending on the degree of slope, the maximum speed was 35-70 km/h.

Similarly, on a descent there is a heavy load on the brakes. Make sure your brakes are not too worn and try not to overheat the brakes and brake fluid. To do this, you need to brake in intermittent sessions, releasing the brakes from time to time and letting them cool. If your vehicle has a manual transmission, then shift to a lower gear and brake with the engine, assisting with the brakes if necessary.

I already mentioned that my brakes failed. As the auto mechanic said, the brake pads and disc were really very worn. But the main reason was overheating of the brakes and brake fluid. Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park has the steepest descent in terms of the ratio of descent to distance traveled. Almost throughout the entire descent I did not release the brake and for a significant part of the route I squeezed the brake almost to full force. In my opinion, if you come across a safe, flat place, then when descending, it would not be superfluous to stop on the side of the road in the middle of the route and let the brakes cool down (of course, if it is safe for you and for other vehicles).

If your vehicle is not equipped with ABS, then do not allow the wheels to lock when braking, that is, do not brake too sharply and do not press the brake pedal all the way – this can lead to wheel locking and loss of control. If your vehicle is equipped with ABS, then you don’t have to worry about wheel locking – you can brake at any intensity without fear of losing control of the car or motorcycle.

Also prepare for hiking in the mountains. The route is not very difficult, I would characterize it as easy-moderate, suitable for beginners. But, of course, a 3.5 km mountain road is 3.5 km – be sure to take water with you, and your shoes should be comfortable.

How much are tickets to Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park?

Entrance fees:

foreigner – 300 baht
Thai – 30 baht
motorcycle – 30 baht

Entrance to the park is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

One ticket allows you to stay in the park for up to 5 days. If you stay there longer, then you need to buy another ticket.

Interesting places Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park

Viewpoint #1

In fact, this is a part of the road from which a beautiful view opens.

At this point the road is wide enough to park a motorcycle without interfering with other vehicles.

You don't have to stop here, as there is another vantage point very close by that offers an even more beautiful view.

Lan Sone Viewpoint

This place is located not far from the previous one and here has a wider viewing angle and better visibility of the neighboring mountains.

There is also parking here.

The viewpoint is fenced with railings and is secure.

Viewpoint #2

This place is already in Kiew Lom Campground. To get here, you need to park your vehicle at Kiew Lom Campground and go deep into the camp.

The viewpoint is located to the left of the entrance to Pha Hom Pok Nature Trail.

In the evenings, quite a lot of people gather here to take pictures of the sunset.

Pha Hom Pok Nature Trail (hiking route)

If you want to climb the second highest peak in Thailand, the trek starts from Kiew Lom Campground. You won't miss the camp because the road ends there.

The beginning of the route is marked with a large sign on which it is written that you need to walk 3.5 km. To see this sign, you need to go a little deeper into the camp. To get to the start of the trail, continue straight ahead from the sign.

By the way, if you need a local guide, then contact the park rangers – they have such a service.

The path to the top is approximately 3.14 km and took us about 1 hour 20 minutes.

The round trip was 6.32 km and took about three hours. The descent is not difficult, but we spent a lot of time at the top of the mountain admiring the views and taking photos.

The site is divided into 5 sections:

Start. Pha Hom Pok Nature Trail

Cloud forest
Epiphyte (plants that grow on other plants)
Rhacophoridae (tree frogs)
Big Trees covered with Epiphyte
Pha Hom Pok Mountaien top (top of the mountain and the end point of the route)

The surrounding forest really changes in each area – this is noticeable to the naked eye.

For most of its length the road slopes smoothly upward. There are only a few sections with fairly steep climbs.

This white foam is not plant sap or camel saliva. This is… a tree frog's nest. There are fertilized eggs inside.

The forest is pleasant for a walk and very educational from a botany point of view. I just liked to look around and even up.

There must be a lot of dew here in the morning. If you're staying at a campsite and planning a morning hike to see the sunset, waterproof shoes are a good idea.

Viewpoint #3

At this point the forest ends and the further path goes along the ridge of the mountain.

Already from here there are wonderful views.

It's almost the top – there's only a little bit left to climb. We need to follow the path, which is located in the upper right part of this photo.

A couple of videos from this place.

Pay attention to the river – there is a dam not far from this park.

Huamereng

On the map, the main 360° viewpoint and the second highest mountain in Thailand is labeled Huamereng.

Here you will find an information sign that says that the altitude is 2285 meters above sea level. A thermometer is attached to the sign so you can find out the current air temperature.

The app on the phone showed the height as 2292 meters.

I like to look at the details of the landscape. This greenery consists of huge trees, between which there may be paths along which someone is also walking. And this someone doesn’t even think that there are people from the top of the mountain who are trying to look at him.

Part of the view is blocked by vegetation – perhaps there are some other paths there to better see the opposite side. I saw small paths with trampled grass, but did not dare to walk too far along them.

It never ceases to amaze me how not small mountains look from an even higher mountain. This hill is also a mountain, and quite a high one at that. But from here it looks like a small bulge.

This height already reaches cumulus clouds. I'm sure that in slightly cooler weather (for example, in the morning), everything here can be shrouded in clouds. The dawn sun breaks through these clouds and fog with its rays, gradually warms the air and the clouds recede. If you are a connoisseur of such spectacles, then here you can get it. But you need to understand that coming here before sunset means walking almost 3.5 km of the mountain route in the dark, quite possibly on stones damp with dew. I think you definitely need a local guide for this. Well, and the corresponding willpower.

Three short videos from the second highest mountain in Thailand.

Panorama 360°

West side

East side

Conclusion

When we left the camp, it was already evening. Someone went on a 3.5 km route to see the sunset at the top of the mountain. Someone gathered at a view point located inside the camp – it also faces the sunset.

A large fire was lit in the camp itself (there is a specially designated place for this, made of concrete or stones).

Seeing all this, I felt the vibe of this place. For the first time in my life, I wanted to go camping myself and stay in a tent overnight.

In general, this place is quite suitable for both a quick visit, as we did, and for camping, with the opportunity to watch the sunrise at the very top of the mountain a little earlier than all the other people who are down there.