Your travel plan is a good one and is a common way for tourists to reach Chiang Dao. Here are the detailed steps and some useful tips for your journey.
Step 1: From Chiang Mai City to Chiang Dao Bus Terminal
Start at Chang Puak Bus Terminal (also known as Terminal 1) in Chiang Mai. This is a local bus station, not to be confused with the larger Arcade Bus Terminals (Terminals 2 and 3). You can get there by a red songthaew (shared taxi truck) or a taxi from anywhere in the city.
Look for the orange bus or songthaew with a sign that says “Chiang Mai – Chiang Dao – Fang” or just “Fang” in Thai (เชียงใหม่ – ฝาง). The fare is typically between 40-80 THB per person, and the journey takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. The buses depart frequently, usually every 30 minutes to an hour.
Tell the bus driver or ticket counter staff that you want to go to “Chiang Dao Bus Terminal” (ท่ารถเชียงดาว).
Step 2: From Chiang Dao Bus Terminal to Chiang Dao Hut
Once you arrive at the Chiang Dao Bus Terminal, you’ll need to take a local taxi or songthaew to your accommodation. You will see yellow songthaews waiting at the terminal.
The fare to get to Chiang Dao Hut is a fixed price of 150 THB per trip. This fare is for the whole vehicle, not per person. If you are traveling alone, you will pay the full amount. If you can find other travelers to share with, you can split the cost.
The ride from the bus terminal to the guesthouses near the mountain, including Chiang Dao Hut, takes about 10-15 minutes.
Have a safe and pleasant trip to Chiang Dao!
