Rating: 3.8/5 (5 votes)

Open Days: Generally daily (best visited in daylight; avoid heavy-rain days)

Opening Hours: Recommended 06:00 – 18:00

 

Pa Ton Nam Huai Ton Yang (Ban Thung Yao, Moo 8, Pa Pong Subdistrict, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai) is not the kind of forest people visit just to “see something green.” Its real charm is the job it quietly does: this is a true headwater forest for the community. Local information describes the area as being surrounded by mountains and covering roughly 2,000 rai, which gives the place a deep, layered atmosphere—part ecosystem, part living classroom, and part community memory.

 

For travelers, a good headwater forest naturally slows you down. The beauty is rarely one loud viewpoint; it’s the small things that start to feel vivid when you stop rushing—the scent of damp soil under shade, the steady sound of a creek that doesn’t need to roar to feel powerful, and the signs of care that don’t turn the forest into a staged attraction. Ban Thung Yao villagers have been nurturing conservation awareness and using local knowledge to develop this area as a learning space for forest ecology and practical water stewardship.

 

One of the most meaningful learning highlights here is the community approach to small check dams—often called fai cha lon nam or “Maeo dams.” The idea is simple but effective: slow down the water, reduce erosion, help the soil hold moisture longer, and support infiltration so the forest stays resilient. These structures aren’t designed to make water “suddenly abundant” overnight; they help stabilize the system over time. When you hear the logic explained by people who build and maintain them, conservation stops being a slogan and becomes something practical and repeatable.

 

Another layer that makes this forest more than just a “walk in the woods” is the presence of two old archaeological traces known by elders as “San Wat Hang.” Visitors may still find bricks roughly 8 x 2 inches and remnants resembling a temple base in some spots. The history is not clearly documented, but the remains suggest the forest is also a place of long community memory. The respectful approach is straightforward: do not dig, remove, or collect anything, and avoid stepping or placing weight on fragile structures.

 

The area also includes natural features like cliffs and caves, though their stories are not clearly confirmed. If you plan to explore near these features, keep safety first: avoid risky zones without a knowledgeable local, and do not visit after heavy rain when rock and soil surfaces can become dangerously slippery. This is a forest that stays beautiful precisely because it remains natural—and nature always comes with conditions.

 

To enjoy the visit without harming the forest, bring grippy shoes, drinking water, mosquito repellent, a light rain jacket, and your own trash bag. For children or older travelers, keep the pace gentle and choose morning to early afternoon for safer light and an easier return before evening.

 

Getting There From Choeng Doi area, follow the irrigation canal road, passing Ban Kio Lae and Ban Thung Yao for an approximate total of 6 km, then continue via village roads into the headwater forest area. Drive carefully, especially in the rainy season, and plan to arrive in the morning or early afternoon to allow time for learning and to return before dark.

 

 

A: It is in Ban Thung Yao (Moo 8), Pa Pong Subdistrict, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai, and is known locally as a community-managed headwater forest and learning area.

 

A: Beyond the forest atmosphere, it functions as a real headwater system for the community, with learning points about forest ecology and check dams (Maeo dams), plus archaeological traces known as “San Wat Hang.”

 

A: Morning to early afternoon is best for daylight, safer walking conditions, and an easier return. Avoid heavy-rain days because trails and surfaces can become slippery.

 

A: Grippy shoes, drinking water, mosquito repellent, a light rain jacket, and your own trash bag. Walk slowly and stay mindful near any wet ground, cliffs, or cave areas.

 

A: Follow Leave No Trace habits: take all trash out, avoid loud noise, do not collect plants or objects, and treat the “San Wat Hang” remnants with care by not touching, digging, or moving anything.