Touring Chiang Mai

Highway 1004

The highway continues to the last section of the tour now. Finishing at Doi Pui which is one of the highest points of the Chiang Mai province (the highest being Doi Inthanon) which overlooks the Mong hill tribe village of Ban Mong Doi Pui. When you reach the viewpoint if you look hard enough into the distance, on a clear day, you can just make out the fringes of the Mae Sa Valley.

On the the way to Doi Pui and beyond it are two hill tribe villages. The first is called Ban Mong Doi Pui and it is located close-by in a valley underneath the summit of Doi Pui. The second hill tribe village is called Ban Khun ChangKaen, this is also a Mong hill tribe village but it is located much further away and the road is a rough dirt track.

On the Road to Doi Pui

The tour begins where highway 1004 (2) left off, as soon as you leave the Phu Ping Palace area the road bends around to the right and narrows again. Follow the road around until you reach the sign for a fork in the road...

The sign may indicate a fork in the road but its not quite like that.

When you reach this point you have a choice of either going straight on and around a hairpin bend to the left or turning right. The left hand road will take you to Ban Doi Pui, the right hand road will take you to Doi Pui and beyond to Ban Khun ChangKaen (see roll-over pic). Theres also a monastery on the Doi Pui road too but WR never noticed it, something for one visitors to seek out perchance!If tree planting is your thing then HM The King planted some trees further up on the right hand turn too.
If you want to turn left then follow the link for Ban Doi Pui or just click HERE.

Assuming that you want to carry on towards Doi Pui hang a right-turn.

The road may be classed as a highway but by this point it's a damned narrow one, keep your wits about you, I was cruising along having seen no traffic for a good while when all of a sudden two pick-up trucks came flying around a blind corner towards me.

Arrival at Doi Pui

Just pull off the road and park your machine, the actual summit is on a raised hillock that you need to walk up a winding trail to get to, you can bike your way up this trail if you feel lazy. Take in the views and enjoy the scenery. The day I scouted it wasn't perfect (the pictures don't do the place justice), there was some brooding clouds hanging about but thankfully no rain.

The summit of Doi Pui, you can't see it but up here there is trash and litter all over the place! Some people have no consideration for others, not to mention the mess it causes.

 

You can make out the hill tribe village of Ban Doi Pui in the valley below. If you look to the left hand extreme edge of the village you might just be able to make out the entrance road coming down the ridge.

I'm on the outside edge taking this, all the pesky vegetation still gets in the way though. If you try doing this be careful as its a long way down...

After Doi Pui you've a choice, you can wheel your bike around and head on home or you can carry onwards to Ban Khun ChangKaen by clicking HERE or on the nav-menu.

Be aware that if you carry on this is where Highway 1004 finishes and the downward (no name road?) spiral will take you into rough dirt track territory and in bad weather (usually in rainy season) it can turn nasty down there.

 

 

 

Highway 1004
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