Alright, let me tell you about this hiking thing I did in Thailand. Wasn’t some grand plan, really. I was just there, had some time, and thought, why not stretch the legs a bit? Heard the nature up north, around Chiang Mai, was pretty decent for walking.
So, I decided to give it a shot. Didn’t do a ton of research, honestly. Found a guesthouse, asked the owner, “Where’s a good place to hike around here? Not too insane, mind you.” He pointed me towards one of the national parks nearby. Seemed straightforward enough.
Preparation was pretty basic. Woke up, threw some stuff in a small backpack. What did I pack? Let’s see:
- Couple bottles of water. Crucial, that humidity is no joke.
- Some bananas and sticky rice I bought from a street stall. Cheap and good energy.
- My trusty old hiking boots. Thank god I brought those.
- Sunscreen and a hat. The sun can be brutal.
- Phone for pictures, though reception was spotty.
Didn’t bother with maps much, just trusted the signs and the general direction people were heading. Hired one of those red truck taxis, a songthaew, to get me near the park entrance. The ride itself was bumpy, already felt like part of the adventure.
Hitting the Trail
Got dropped off. Paid the driver. Stood there for a second. Okay, here we go. Walked through the entrance, paid a small fee. The air felt thick, you know? Heavy. Already sweating before I even started climbing properly.
The first bit was easy enough, kind of a worn path. Lots of green everywhere, massive trees, vines hanging down. Heard birds making all sorts of noise, insects buzzing like crazy. It was really loud in a natural way.
Then it started going up. And up. It wasn’t paved or anything, just dirt, rocks, and loads of tree roots snaking across the path. Had to really watch where I put my feet. Slipped a couple of times on loose dirt. Nothing major, but kept me focused. Passed a few other hikers, mostly just quick nods, everyone seemed intent on their own pace.
Drank water constantly. The sweat was just pouring off me. My shirt was soaked through pretty fast. Stopped a few times just to catch my breath and look around. The forest felt ancient, kind of wild. Didn’t see any big animals, maybe a weird-looking lizard or two.
After maybe two hours, maybe more, I dunno, time gets weird when you’re just putting one foot in front of the other, I reached this viewpoint area. There was a small clearing. The view was… okay. Hazy day, couldn’t see for miles and miles like you sometimes hope for. But still, looking out over the green hills rolling away, it felt good. Felt like I’d earned it. Sat down on a rock, ate my banana and sticky rice. Best meal ever at that moment.
The way down was faster, obviously, but tough on the knees. Had to go slow in the steep parts, used trees for balance sometimes. Nearly took a tumble once or twice. Finally made it back to the park entrance area. Felt absolutely wiped out, legs were like jelly, but satisfied. Proper tired, the good kind.
Found another songthaew heading back to town eventually. Just sat in the back, quiet, watching the scenery go by. Got back to my guesthouse, showered, and went out for some street food and a cold Chang beer. That first sip was pure bliss. Yeah, that was my hike in Thailand. Nothing too fancy, just a solid day out in nature. Glad I did it.
