thumb|Road in Doi Suthep - Doi Pui National ParkDoi Suthep (ดอยสุเทพ), is a mountain located in
Chiang Mai Province,
Thailand.
Description
View of Chiang Mai from Doi Suthep
Doi Suthep (1,676 m) is one of the twin peaks of a granite mountain located west of Chiang Mai, the other peak is known as
Doi Pui and is slightly taller (1,685 m).
Doi Suthep is located 15 km away from
Chiang Mai city centre.
Most of the bedrock of the mountain is
granite. The vegetation below c. 1,000 m is mostly
deciduous forest and evergreen above this height.
The Doi Suthep - Doi Pui hill is part of a mountain chain separating
Burma from Thailand also known as
Loi Lar Mountain Range or
Daen Lao Range. This range, the westernmost of the
Shan Highland system, separates the
Salween watershed from the
Mekong watershed. Other high peaks of the Loi Lar Mountain Range are Doi Luang Chiang Dao (2,175 m), Doi Pui (1,685 m), and
Doi Inthanon, the highest point in Thailand, reaching 2,565 m.
There are spectacular views of Chiang Mai city and its surroundings from the top of this mountain.
Shan,
Akha and
Lahu tribal villages are located on the mountain sides.
The
Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep temple is on top of the hill. This Buddhist place of worship dates back to the year
1383 when the first
chedi was built. It is an important pilgrimage spot for the devout and a legend featuring a
white elephant is connecteed to this revered site.
This mountain is part of the
Doi Suthep - Doi Pui National Park. The park was established in 1981 and has an area of 261 sq km that includes the Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep temple as well as Bhubing palace, placed ambong flower gardens.
Doi Pui, the other peak of the massif, is located close by connected through forest paths. Hill tribe people, belonging to the
Meo,
Yao,
Akha,
Lisu and
Lahu cultures, live in the surrounding area.
See also
