" Doi Mon Jong "

I've been wanting to visit for a long time, and many people have invited me to go.
But I was never free, I had to do this and that, and I missed it every time.

Until my junior invited me for the last time, asking if I would be free in two weeks.
If I don't go this time, I'll have to miss it until next year because the mountain will be closed.

I tried to pick a date from the calendar and it was a very good day.
February 14th, I pouted and rolled my eyes, just for the ceremony.

Hmm... Valentine's Day for many years, even though I was in Bangkok, I was free and bored.
Well, this year, let's do something different. Let's celebrate being single on the mountain. : )




We arrived on Friday night and took a van to Doi.

We slept and woke up all the way. We arrived at the tourist service center in Omkoi around noon the next day.
We changed vehicles and moved ourselves and our luggage to a four-wheel drive pickup truck.

Why a 4x4? Because the road is very rocky.
There are potholes, steep hills, and slopes, and we drive along the edge of the mountain.
Most importantly, we ate dust for an hour.




After a long and dusty journey, about an hour or so, the four-wheel drive car dropped us off at the foot of the mountain. We started our ascent, taking our time and enjoying the scenery.




The last hill before reaching the "Chang Golf Course" is the steepest hill here.
You may need to use a low gear, but you will get through it.


The last hill, the last one, really.
Once we get over this hill, it's (mostly) flat.
Let's take a deep breath and keep going, step by step.

The porters are carrying heavier loads than us and they're still going.
We can do it too... Oh, really?
After comforting myself, I collapse on the ground.


As you ascend, you'll encounter a clear path along the mountain ridge, with golden grasslands stretching out before you. In the distance, you'll see "Pha Hin Sing" standing tall.

Continue along the path and you'll come across the elephant golf course. Then, turn on your headlights and prepare to veer left, descending into the valley to set up your tent. In total, it takes about three hours of walking for young adults to reach the campsite.




After packing up and taking a short break to catch our breath, we continued our hike, following the edge of the mountain for about two kilometers.
Our destination was "Pha Hua Singh," the highest point of Doi Mon Jong.

Along the way, we stopped to take photos of the stunning views from the edge of the cliff.



From afar, "Pha Hua Sing" looks like Godzilla.
It's purely my imagination.

The path to the top has some ups and downs, but it's not too tiring.
The path is straight, so you don't have to worry about getting lost.

If you accidentally turn left or right, you might not just get lost.
You might hit the jackpot and fall off the cliff, haha.



The gentle afternoon sun, the cool breeze blowing softly,
Strolling, enjoying the view, taking pictures,
"Pha Hua Sing" is getting closer and closer.



When the camera can't zoom, you have to zoom with your feet.
The viewpoint "Pha Hua Sing" is not far away anymore.
Wait a moment, I'll be up there soon : )



As we get closer, we can see the outline of the mountain.
Why is it called "Lion's Head Cliff"?
.
.
From this point of view, it looks like a lion with its head held high.
The ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and even the golden grass as a mane.

Wow!!! It perfectly matches the ancient description of a lion (I made this up, haha)


Reaching the top requires a bit of effort, but the reward is worth it.
Luckily, when I visited, there were still some thousand-year-old roses in bloom.



Hooray, hooray, hooray! Conquered the 1,929 meter point above sea level
The highest peak of "Doi Mon Jong" is now achieved


Looking back, along the cliff path we walked,
Humans are so small compared to the vastness of nature.
After enjoying the sunset for a while, we descended from the top of the Singha cliff.

It was already dark when we returned to the tent, so we had a big meal.
After dinner at nine o'clock, we prepared to go to our tents to sleep.

We talked and made a big plan... to wake up at four o'clock and go hunting for "wild boars".



The alarm clock on my phone went off at four in the morning. It was freezing cold, but I got up and messaged the gang we had planned to meet up with.
It turned out that only three of us were actually awake and ready to go see the meteor shower. The rest decided to stay in bed and dream about the stars instead.
The three of us climbed out of our tents and headed to the elephant golf course.
Wow... the stars were amazing! It was like a million stars were twinkling down at us.
We saw all the photographers lining up to take pictures of the elephants.

I didn't want to be left out, so I pulled out my trusty tripod.
I always bring it with me on every trip, but I usually end up carrying it around for nothing. (Haha)
Today, I was determined to capture some amazing photos of the elephants!
I opened my notebook (where I had written down all the tips) on how to take pictures of the Milky Way. I set up my camera perfectly and followed all the instructions. Then I took a look at the picture on the back of the camera.

Wow, it's beautiful... Wait a minute, where are all the stars?
I tried taking two more pictures, then three, but there wasn't a single star in sight.
I started to panic. Did I do something wrong? Or do I need to bow down and pray to the spirits of the forest before I take any pictures?



We took photos and braved the cold wind until dawn, waiting for the first rays of the sun to greet us.

"Happy Valentine's Day, the day of love" .... Hehehe, looking around, everyone is being sweet and cuddly with their partners.

The first warm light of the sun chased away the cold, but not the loneliness. Whew!
Ugh, ugh... No, I won't cry! A strong single person like me shouldn't be swayed, right? Right? T_T

I thought to myself, I can tell nature I love it instead... The more I look at the morning light against the golden meadow,
I want to hug the mountain tightly... Doi "Mon Jong", you are so beautiful : )


Enjoy the morning atmosphere on the world's largest golden Teletubby grassland
Capture the moment, keep the memories close to your heart, and then come down to have a meal to recharge.

Before dismantling the tent and packing up, prepare to descend
On the way back, we made good time and it only took a little over an hour to reach the foot of the mountain.

Sit in the four-wheel drive vehicle that came to pick us up and become a "dust-covered pig" again.
To return to the service center, take a shower, and get on the van that we had arranged.
Sleep all the way back to Bangkok.


Summary This trip takes 3 days / 2 nights ... Departing on Friday night and returning on Sunday night (no need to take leave from work)
The trail up is the easiest I've ever hiked (compared to Phu Kradueng, Phu Soi Dao, Khao Chang Phuak, Khao Hin Koo B)
The views on Doi Mon Jong are absolutely stunning.

The cost was 3,200 baht / person ... We went with a tour company, going on our own and contacting them ourselves would probably be cheaper.

But with the busy schedules of the gang, we wouldn't have had time to contact and arrange the trip ourselves before the departure date.
Also, we didn't have enough tents for everyone, so we agreed before going
to pay a little extra, just bring ourselves and our hearts, and be ready to go. It's better than starving or missing out on climbing Mon Jong.
If you have time, try contacting and arranging the trip yourself, cook your own food, the trip cost will be cheaper, and it will probably be another kind of fun.

#See you again next trip : )


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#chiang mai#doi mon jong
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