The majority of tourist only visit the south of Thailand, namely Phuket and the islands. I think they are missing out big time!
There are some great things to see and do in the North, which I will share with you in a few separate posts here on Steemit. One of these things is the epic mountains, called "Doi's".
There are so many mountains to explore in Northern Thailand, it really is a cyclist, runner, hiker or just adventure's dream.
One of the more popular mountains in the Chiang Mai area is Doi Pui. Some locals will refer to the entire mountain as Doi Suthep, but as a foreigner it will be easier for you to tell them you want to go to Doi Pui. This will ensure they understand you mean you want to go right to the top.
There is a tarred road which goes up almost the entire 18km climb. The last 4km or so, the road becomes really narrow and you need to be careful around the corners.
There is a very short hiking trail which takes you to the peak of the mountain. The view here is good but you will have a better one at the look out point long before this.
AT the look out point the views are EPIC. It was the first bicycle ride I did in Thailand and I could not have asked for a better welcome to the country.
There are a few things you can decide to do going up Doi Pui:
Visit Bhuping Palace. I have not done this before but I always see many tourist doing so. There are actually a lot of beautiful palaces to visit in Northern Thailand.
Doi Pui Village. I'm not sure if this is the correct name for it, but the locals will know what you are talking about.
Hike to the peak of the mountain. You can also cycle there as I have done on a road bike before. I have not seen vehicles go up there and although most of the road is tarred I think it would be very dangerous.
Check out this Strava link which will show you the full segment of Doi Pui. Your best bet is to go up there (either with a bicycle or Songthaew) and then explore from there.