Pha Dok Sieo Nature Trail — Attraction in Chiang Mai Province

This trail near Doi Inthanon was easily one of our absolute highlights in Northern Thailand. Everything is super well organized – you check in at a small reception area, get all the info you need, and pay a small fee (which, honestly, feels like a bargain for what you get in return).

After a short intro, we were assigned a lovely local guide who led us through the jungle for nearly two hours. About 1.5 hours of trekking through her backyard – lush forest, rice terraces, waterfalls, coffee plants, and all kinds of vibrant vegetation. She shared stories, answered questions, and showed us her world with a quiet pride that felt incredibly genuine.

We then visited her village – beautifully authentic and thoughtfully presented – where we were offered four drinks: one amazing coffee (grown, harvested, and roasted right there!) and three types of local tea. Everything tasted pure, fresh, and full of character.

There’s a small shop with locally made products – no pressure to buy, no pushy sales. We still ended up getting enough coffee for the next few months and couldn’t resist a handwoven blanket (you actually see the weaving process during the village tour).

The whole experience felt immersive and respectful – not a tourist trap, but a cultural exchange that benefits the local Karen community directly. All income from tours and purchases is shared across the village, helping them preserve their way of life and traditions.

And the cherry on top? At the end, you get to ride back to the starting point on the back of a pickup truck. Bumpy, breezy, brilliant.

Absolutely recommend it – for nature lovers, culture seekers, and coffee...

The guide requirement is obviously there to make money for the locals. I wouldnt mind so much if they just admitted that rather than the whole pretence of it being for safety or whatever.

There are a couple of places on the trail where you could go wrong (nothing an arrow sign on a tree would not solve). Apart from those junctions it is all steps, a clear trail and the occasional bamboo bridge.

I started just before 7am when the trailhead was not staffed. By the time i got back at 8.30 it was staffed.

If you want to avoid the guide nonsense, 50 metres before the carpark/start of the trail (when driving from centre of doi inthanon eastwards) look for the blue pipe like my picture and walk that way, it bypasses the entrance.

Or you could start from the other end of the trail which does not have a carpark or any guides waiting around. Coordinates 18.538676,98.544904 . My other photo shows the sign at that end.

Of course you might meet other guides on the trail, i think on a weekend that would be likely. I didnt on a monday. But they are not national park staff, so i'm not sure if they have any authority.

To make sure you dont make a wrong turn, download the backcountry navigator app (free version is fine), centre your location and follow the dotted line on the map.

As for the trail itself, the waterfall is great. The rest of the trail shows how humans have sort of taken over a lot of the forest in doi inthanon. Not really a true 'nature trail' when you are walking past farms and huts and concrete water funnels,...

'Pha Dok Siew Waterfall' (น้ำตกผาดอกเสี้ยว) is a nature trail total distance of 2.6 km that will take around 2.5 hrs to complete. The path start with the steep hills, beautiful waterfall, and traditional cultivated fields.

Consists of total 10 stations of study point such as ; Reforestation, Lianas, Head watershed area, Hill evergreen forest, Banyan Tree, Pha Dok Siew cliff, Rice terrace, Coffee bean cultivation

The local guide is well-educated and know the area well, so it quite made the trek enjoyable as he interpreted all his experiences into a story, the information board also available along the route. The trail rated as a moderated trekking level (and this all depends on your fitness condition as well)

The path start with the 'pine tree forest' leads to a 'marigold greenhouse' down the hill, we trekked along the river stream to reach a 'magnificent waterfall of Pha Dok Siew' that remarked as the highlight of the trip!

It was impressive, the water stream was so high at that time (the swimming area is located in the lower level of the waterfall, however the guide will told if it safe for you to swim especially in the heavy rainfall season)

We continued trekking up hill to see 'rice terrace' that still remains one of the most important farming for local people here, the trail leads to the history of 'coffee bean farming' forest and wrap up the trip with a cup of coffee drip by the locals at...