Doi Mon Lan - Phrao a marvel of a NP

Franz

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Had some time and still some mms on my fronttire left so invited Boy to a ride together to an unknown small hill and totally undervalued small NP near the #1150 between Phrao and Wiang Papao. Don't get fooled by Googennnn Maps as the best road to go there is from the 1150 only and not what the IT shxxxs otherwise suggest.
Turn off point is here:
It's a small concrete/asphalt/pothole road, many places just single lane with NO traffic at all. There are signs in Thai but small lettered English below it, just follow: Doi Mon Lan. Some waypoints you need to pass:
Until you finally reach:
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There's a visitor center and a shop which was closed today due to some village festival nearby. They provide a huge parking and camping area, spotlessy clean toilets with showers. Entrance fee is B100.- for farang and B20.- for locals and mocy. As inside a NP, no alohonnn available. From the visitor center you can walk up to the peak for around 20-30 minutes, beautiful, well kept area and if there's no fog and clouds you get magnificient views down to Phrao valley and even can see Doi Luang Chiang Dao in the distance.
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You need to bring everything yourself: tent, mattress and other amenities. There's a fireplace behind the visitor center not far from the restrooms.
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Road up there is quite good although sometimes sand on it or in some parts a litten potholed.
My advice: go there soon, as once BKK has discovered it, it will not be such a marvel any longer.
FYI we were there 15.11.25 at noon and it had around 19-20°C, the peak is at 1,695 msl, so expect the corresponding flora and fauna up there.

And please careful, there's another similar named mountain in Phayao province too but not accessible like the Phrao one.
 
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Aaaaand if some GTR members think this is a good place to visit, then let's do the final 2025 GTR dinner on the last Wednesday in December nearby either in Wiangpapao or Phrao. I know Phrao and there's good acco and eateries there as are in WPP.....
You could go to Mon Lan on the day of the dinner or the day after, actually as December, it must not be Wednesday......
 
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Yesterday before going up to Doi Mon Lan we found a small turnoff just some kms out of Phrao and still at the side of the new dam.
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Signs said waterfall and so on. Started as a very steep concrete road soon to be a single dirt track which after some 3kms turned into red clay and for this both the MT07 and 09 are not supposed to be ridden on.
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Some friendly very well educated official also pampered us with warning signs such as sharp corner, top speed 50km/h and 'do not overtake', all on a single dirttrack. Just dingdong.......
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Pictures again courtesy of Boys "insta360 x5" camera which has a 360°view..... these 2 days he mounted it on his helmet ahead of the chinguard.
 

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