A country packed with misty peaks, hidden ancient temples, otherworldly karst outcrops and dense jungle teeming with wildlife, Thailand offers a veritable feast for hikers.
After you’ve laced up your boots (or fastened your sandals), you can conquer mountains, circumnavigate stunning sandy islands and make your way to Thailand’s biggest waterfall. What’s more, thanks to Thailand’s 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.
1. Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail
Best hike in entire country
2.7km (1.6 miles), 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 all of Thailand. Within the Doi Inthanon National Park near Chiang Mai, the 2200m-high (7218ft-high) Kew Mae Pan mountain stands only a few hundred meters south of Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest peak at 2565m (8415ft).
The trek itself is a short circular trail with boardwalks, which begins inside a forest of mossy trees and ferns that bursts with red rhododendrons between January and March. After passing the Mae Pan waterfall, the thicket opens to a bright-green grassland and leads hikers to the Kew Mae Pan Viewpoint (also called Station 9), which dominates the whole reserve and is known for its breathtaking sunrise views.
Planning tip: Guides are compulsory here, so be prepared to pay 200B (US$5.87) per group.
2. Um Phang
Best multiday hike
Distances and times vary, moderate to hard
Um Phang and Tak offer spectacular hiking but with a fraction of the visitors of popular Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces. All treks start in and around the Um Phang Wildlife Sanctuary and use the Mae Klong River as an artery for deeper jungle exploration.
The region is well suited to multiday hikes. Travelers could spend a week trawling its hills, bunking down at Karen villages and hiking south along the border with Myanmar to the Three Pagodas Pass at Sangkhlaburi, an area that served as the main supply line for the construction of the Japanese Thailand–Burma railway in WWII.
Yet most come here to see Thailand’s largest waterfall, Nam Tok Thilawsu. From the wildlife sanctuary, it’s a two-hour hike to the striking cascade through dense palms, giant bamboo and strangler figs – an exertion that’s rewarded by a dip in the waterfall’s pools.
Planning tip: Advanced hikers and peak-busters can attempt the grueling 20km (12.5-mile) slog to Mt Kagerla, the fourth-highest peak in Thailand. However, at 1428m (4685ft), it’s not for the faint of heart (or muscle).
3. Phanom Rung
Best hike within an archeological site
1km (0.6 miles), half a day, easy
While not quite a traditional hike, 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 in the northeast, this 10th-century Khmer temple is built from pink sandstone.
Complementing the striking archaeological site itself, the climb to Phanom Rung follows an ancient walkway flanked with the heads of Naga (serpent guardians). From the parking area, the trail morphs into a stairway to the plateau, where the main temple and its 15 doorways await.
4. Tiger Cave Temple
Best hike to a temple
1km (0.6 miles), half a day, moderate
It’s a short, steep climb up to the 278m-high (912ft-high) limestone outcrop that overlooks Krabi Town – and hikers who successfully tackle the 1260 stairs to the summit are rewarded with access to Wat Tham Suea (Tiger Cave Temple), plus stellar views. The temple is named for the tigers who locals once believed dwelled in the surrounding caves; while you won’t find any prowling cats today, you will encounter golden stupas and a large seated Buddha silently keeping watch over the emerald forest and sprawling blue sea below.
Carry plenty of water for the rigorous ascent and humid air. A hiking pole can be useful, too – both to haul yourself up and to keep the resident monkeys at a distance.
Planning tip: Since this is an active temple, remember to wear culturally appropriate clothing such as trousers or long skirts and tops that cover your shoulders.
5. Koh Jum
Best island hike
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 paradisiacal atoll is on foot. The western coast has a flat trail that flits between coves and quiet beaches for 6km (3¾ miles), but for views as far as Ko Phi-Phi (on clear days), tackle the steep climb up Khao Koh Pu hill.
There are two trailheads that lead to the 400m-high (1312ft-high) summit. The most direct route starts at the 2.9km sign on the circular road surrounding the hill. Navigating the empty rubber estates can be tricky, but locals will take guests up for about 1000B (US$29.25).
6. 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 this jungle trek one of the best in southern Thailand. And with 48 mammal species roaming the forests, there are plenty of excellent wildlife spotting opportunities, too. Expect gibbons, macaques and barking deer for the most part; more-elusive species such as sun bears, clouded leopards and tigers have been known to make appearances as well.
Several trails, each around 12km (7½ miles) long, start from Khao Sok village on the southern edge of the park, before cutting through dense forest and winding past tumbling waterfalls until reaching the southern shore of the lake. Post-hike, Cheow Lan’s floating homestays, surrounded by fang-like karsts that rise from the water, are a popular spot for taking in the lake and the northern side of the reserve.
Planning tip: In October and December, the world’s largest (and smelliest) parasitic flower, the Rafflesia kerrii, blooms in the jungle, which can be quite a sight (and scent).
7. Phu Kradueng National Park
Best hike to a peak
9.5km (5.9 miles), 4–6 hours, moderate to hard
Phu Kradueng (Bell Mountain) is the main peak in the namesake national park in Loei Province in northeast Isan. The climb isn’t that taxing to begin with – but things get 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.
Locals typically complete the climb in a day. Yet staying over at the top affords hikers the chance to see a stunning sunset over the Mak Dook cliffs; sunrise over the Nok Aen cliffs is equally compelling.
Planning tip: The descent is hard on the knees; borrow one of the walking sticks on offer.
8. Khao Yai National Park
Best hike in a 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 50km (31 miles) of hiking trails that teem with macaques, gibbons, civets, barking deer and endemic bird species such as the great hornbill.
A couple of short loop trails begin near the park’s headquarters. Yet since wild elephants are often spotted in the reserve, guides are required for venturing any deeper into the rainforest. Avoid visiting on weekends and public holidays as cars often fill the roads to the main sights, including the 150m-high (492ft-high) Haew Narok waterfall and Haew Suwat cascade, whose 25m-high (82ft-high) drop dazzled millions in Danny Boyle’s cult film The Beach (2000).
9. Bangkok Phra Pradaeng Loop
Best hike near Bangkok
12km (7.5 miles), 3 hours, easy
An essential green space in Bangkok, this walking trail and bicycle path starts at the Bang Krachao Pier (also known as Bang Kachao) and has been protected by long-standing laws prohibiting the construction of tall buildings in the area. Hiking out here is a rare opportunity to see how the ever-growing Thai capital looked decades ago.
Most of the route follows suspended pathways built above a mangrove swamp, past a number of homes built on stilts. Try to hike on a Sunday, when the Bang Nam Phueng market sells delicious street food and all sorts of goods, from pearl earrings to coconut pancakes.
