If I ever stop and wonder why I choose to live in North Thailand, I only need to get in the car or on the motorbike and go exploring the Northern hills. There's a wonderland out there that just begs to be discovered, and last week I took a couple of days out with friends to hike up Doi Mon Chong, which is located in Om Koi Wildlife Sanctuary, about 200km south of Chiang Mai. It's one of the most remote areas of Chiang Mai Province, and the only habitation around there consists of a few villages of the Lahu and Karen minority groups.

Because the area is under the protection of the National Parks Department, we had to contact the local ranger and make arrangements for a guide to drive us to the trailhead, then walk up with us to the campsite near the summit, and lead us back down the next day. We also hired a couple of local Lahu porters, dressed in wild pyjamas, who carted our heavy gear such as water, food and tents, in huge bamboo backpacks.
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The summit of Doi Mon Chong

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A sheltered Buddha image offers a blessing to hikers at the trailhead

The weather was ideal as we began our trek through dense tropical forest. Soon we were breathing deep of the scent of pine as we made our way across the hillsides at a height of around 1,500 metres. Since the summit is only 1,929 metres, we didn't have to gain much elevation, but with constant downs and ups, some of which were very steep, I felt I was pushed to my limit and stopped frequently to let my heart stop pounding.
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Some parts of the trail are very steep

Finally we emerged from the densely-wooded slopes onto a windswept, west-facing ridge, and the best part of the hike began. As we walked along that ridge, sweeping panoramas opened up all around us, with the enticing summit at the end of the trail, surrounded by an almost sheer drop-off on all sides. The guide led us down a short slope to a sheltered area by a stream where we set up camp, and my hiking companions raced up to the summit and back before dark while I sat on the ridge soaking up the spectacular scene.

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Tiny stupa at the summit of Doi Mon Chong

In the morning I joined my buddies for a look at the view from the highest point for miles around, though as we trudged up the final approach, a thick mist kept visibility down to a few metres. Then, as often happens in such circumstances, the mist began to evaporate rapidly, revealing lush valleys and receding ridges all around. The summit was graced with a tiny stupa, at the base of which a few hikers had left offerings of coins or energy snacks, and on the hills around were some gnarled, moss-covered rhododendrons just bursting into flower. Suitably re-assured of the raw power of nature, we skipped back down the trail to the campsite, packed our things and made our way back to the city.
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Rhododendrons in bloom near the summit of Doi Mon Chong