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Chiang Dao is a limestone mountain almost 2,000 metres high, directly north of Chiang Mai, with the town of the same name at its foot. The climbing sits on a band of walls on the mountain's southeast flank. theCrag logged 61 routes there on 21 October 2026, graded 5b to 8a+, and 30 of them on the main wall, Padaeng.
Three things decide whether this trip works: whether you are allowed to climb at all (the answer is "tolerated", not permitted), when to go (a park closure closes the crag too), and how to get there (there is no public transport — you drive or charter).
What kind of crag this is
Limestone, tagged "morning sun" on theCrag. Pure sport climbing, longest route 38 metres, grades 5b to 8a+. The page description calls it "a well developed area with approximately 100 routes on good rock" — but theCrag only logs 61. That gap is a difference in logging scope, not two versions of the same number.
The area splits into six sectors, none of them large:
| Sector | Routes | Height | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Padaeng / Main Wall | 30 | 26 m | The main wall, most ascended (244 ascents), widest range of routes |
| Pit Stop | 11 | 21 m | 28 ascents — the second most popular wall |
| The White Whale | 8 | 28 m | Almost nobody has climbed it (0 ascents) |
| Japanese Wall | 7 | 28 m | Almost nobody has climbed it (0 ascents) |
| Pa Lai | 4 | 16 m | The shortest wall, only 3 ascents |
| Vagabond | 1 | 50 m | The single tallest route in the area |
Padaeng is where the time goes. It is not the tallest wall, but its 30 routes cover the full 5b to 8a+ range and it has far more ascents than any other sector — which means more beta, more people who have climbed it, and more photos and descriptions to check. Pit Stop is the second choice.
When to go
Chiang Dao sits inside a national park, and that is the first variable in any season plan.
| Period | Conditions | Planning note |
|---|---|---|
| Nov–Feb | Dry season, stable weather | The best window. 28–33°C by day, 15–16°C at night — pack a warm layer |
| Mar | Burning season peak, poor air quality | Chiang Mai AQI passed 150 on 2026-03-04; sensitive travellers should avoid it |
| Apr–May | Hot; the park was closed for fire prevention from 2025-03-01 to 2025-05-15 | You must re-check the 2027 closure list before leaving |
| Jun–Oct | Monsoon | Walls stay wet and rockfall risk is high; usually not the first choice |
A park closure means a crag closure. theCrag puts it bluntly: "The area is in a National Park. So if the National Park is closed then so is the climbing area." The only known park closure so far was COVID-19 in early 2020.
The 2025 fire closure ran from 1 March to 15 May. The 2027 dates have not been published. Chiang Mai's park closure lists normally come out in January or February of the year itself, as an image, and there is no notice about whether the crags fall inside the closed area. This is the single thing in this guide you most need to check again yourself.
Getting there
Public transport
There is none. No bus or shuttle runs from Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao, and the train only reaches Chiang Mai. Realistically there are three options: drive yourself, hire a car with a driver, or join a local climbing group's trip.
By car
From Chiang Mai city, take Highway 107 north and turn onto 1178 at the town of Chiang Dao. The route is roughly 90 to 110 km and 1.5 hours (BudgetCatcher describes the road). Altitude climbs from about 300 metres in Chiang Mai to nearly 2,000 metres, and the last stretch is mountain road with tight bends — not an easy motorbike ride in the wet season.
The other problem with driving is parking. theCrag tells a specific story here: climbers parked on a farmer's field and walked across crops on the way to the crags, which triggered a dispute with the locals, and that crag can no longer be accessed. Park in the designated area; do not stop on what looks like an empty field.
Parking
There is a parking area for the crags, and searching "Chiang Dao" on Google Maps finds it. The Padaeng main wall sits at 19.361239, 99.046986.
Say hello to any farmers you meet. theCrag's description specifically mentions greeting them — "Sawasdee Khrap" — and it is not a formality. The crop incident closed an entire sector.
Rules to know before you go
Tolerated, not permitted
theCrag marks Chiang Dao as Tolerated, and explains it this way: National Park authorities posted signs prohibiting climbing around 2019, and those signs have since burnt down; nowadays a park ranger asking you to stop happens only very occasionally, and then you politely oblige and come back another day.
Three things need reading separately out of that:
- Prohibition signs really did exist. This is not urban legend.
- The current status is "the signs are gone and nobody has formally declared climbing legal" — not "the authorities approved climbing."
- If you are asked to stop, comply. TheCrag's wording is "politely oblige and come back another day."
A park closure is a crag closure
Covered above, but worth repeating: when the national park announces a closure, the climbing area closes with it. That is what happened from 1 March to 15 May 2025.
Bolts and routes
theCrag carries no per-route bolt information for Chiang Dao, so there is no published bolt data for this crag. That differs from Krabi's coast, which is full of 1990s stainless expansion bolts and glue, while inland crags are classed as "benign" with lower corrosion risk in the same material study (Crag Chemistry 2024-09). No data does not mean no problem — still check the hanger and nut yourself before you clip.
A few Padaeng route notes change how you should plan the day:
- Thief in the Night (6c+): theCrag calls it "one of the best routes in the sector. Very technical and balancy line that will test technique and endurance."
- Red Dragon (7b+): the extension of Thief in the Night. Lowering from the Red Dragon anchor needs a 40 metre rope.
- Once a Thief (8a+): the left extension of Thief in the Night, needs an 80 metre rope, and theCrag lists it as 0 ascents.
- Long Doo Si (8a+): was 7c until a crucial hold broke; the suggested grade is now 8a+. theCrag lists it as 0 ascents.
- Hang Over (7b+): 1 ascent.
- Baby Hercules (7a) is on the North Wall, not here — do not confuse the two.
Ascension counts across Chiang Dao are low. Every 8a-plus route (Once a Thief, Long Doo Si, Static Caravan) shows 0 ascents. That number does not mean the routes are bad; it means nobody has checked them for you.
Routes by level
YDS and V-grade conversions follow the Mountain Project international grade comparison chart and are approximate; "approx." marks grades the sources give without a/b/c (such as 4 or 5+). The original grade is the one that counts.
The lengths and ascent counts below all come from theCrag's Padaeng main wall page, read 21 October 2026 — the most detailed Chiang Dao page that exists. This guide does not list every route in the other sectors one by one; theCrag has them.
Beginner: up to 6a (YDS 5.10a and below)
Padaeng has only two routes below 6a, and I’m OK at 12 metres is the easiest thing in the area. Chiang Dao has no real beginner route — 6a already requires reading tufa.
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I’m OK | 5b | 5.8 | 12 m | Padaeng | Easiest in the area, ★★, 20 ascents |
| Lonely Sun | 6a | 5.10a | 16 m | Padaeng | ★★, 5 ascents |
Intermediate: 6a+ to 6c+ (YDS 5.10b–5.11c)
This is the densest band at Padaeng and where most teams will spend their time. Bolt spacing here is wider than at Crazy Horse, which is worth knowing before you commit to a project.
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| French man | 6a+ | 5.10b | 20 m | Padaeng | ★ |
| Longer line | 6a+ | 5.10b | 28 m | Padaeng | ★; the name and the length both promise a long line |
| Everything is awesome | 6a+ | 5.10b | — | Padaeng | ★★, 20 ascents |
| Beers and Breastmilk | 6a+ | 5.10b | 33 m | Padaeng | ★★, sustained with the crux below the anchor; opened by Jens G and Gee |
| Gan Sha | 6b+ | 5.10d | 25 m | Padaeng | ★ |
| Moo Daeng | 6b+ | 5.10d | 24 m | Padaeng | ★★, 11 ascents |
| Fong Beer | 6b+ | 5.10d | 23 m | Padaeng | ★★★, 12 ascents |
| Red Chilli | 6c+ | 5.11c | 30 m | Padaeng | ★★★ |
| Lion Queen | 6c+ | 5.11c | 25 m | Padaeng | 0 ascents |
| White River | 6c | 5.11a/b | 26 m | Padaeng | ★★★, 1 ascent |
Advanced: 7a to 7c+ (YDS 5.11d–5.13a)
Chiang Dao has few routes in this band, but each has a clear place: Thief in the Night is the defining route of the crag, and the two 7b+ routes are its extensions.
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Commitment | 7a | 5.11d | 33 m | Padaeng | ★★; clip the first 3 bolts for a safe start (crux at the beginning) |
| Ngoon / Cook Comb | 7a | 5.11d | 20 m | Padaeng | 2 ascents |
| Wrecking Crew | 7a+ | 5.12a | 24 m | Padaeng | ★★, powerful bouldery finish, tricky to read the beta |
| Fighting Beetle | 7a+ | 5.12a | 28 m | Padaeng | 1 ascent |
| Thief in the Night | 6c+ | 5.11c | 31 m | Padaeng | ★★★, 25 ascents; best route in the sector, technical and balancey; the extension is 7b+ Red Dragon |
| Red Dragon | 7b+ | 5.12c | 38 m | Padaeng | ★★★, extension of Thief in the Night; needs a 40 m rope to lower from the anchor |
| Hang Over | 7b+ | 5.12c | 28 m | Padaeng | ★★, 1 ascent |
| Key to Heaven | 7b | 5.12b | 20 m | Padaeng | 0 ascents |
Expert: 8a and up (YDS 5.13b and up)
Chiang Dao has 8a-plus records, but all three show 0 ascents and they need very long ropes. They are here so you know the band exists, not as a recommendation.
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Static Caravan | 8a | 5.13b | 12 m | Padaeng | 0 ascents |
| Long Doo Si | 8a+ | 5.13c | 29 m | Padaeng | 0 ascents; was 7c, upgraded after a crucial hold broke |
| Once a Thief | 8a+ | 5.13c | 38 m | Padaeng | 0 ascents; left extension of Thief in the Night, needs an 80 m rope |
Where to look things up
- Online databases: theCrag's Chiang Dao page has all 61 routes, the sector structure, approach and access rules. The Padaeng main wall page has 30 routes with grades, lengths, ascent counts and route notes. This is the most complete source for Chiang Dao.
- Park closure notices: Chiang Mai's burning-season closure lists are published by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the park authorities, usually announced in January–February and effective from February. The official Pha Daeng National Park page is the first place to check whether the park is closed. The 2025 closure report shows how the closure period is worded. Until the 2027 list appears, no page can tell you.
- Guidebooks: grades and route counts here come mainly from online databases; the guidebook is the authority. The northern Thai guide is A Guide to Rock Climbing in Northern Thailand (CMRCA Press, 3rd edition, 220 pages, 500 THB), covering more than 150 pitches across 18 northern sectors — but Chiang Dao is not in its contents. The guides that include Chiang Dao are The Pocket Guide – Thailand (10th edition, 2026-01, 238 pages, 1,000 THB) and King Climbers (10th edition, 2025), both regional books covering northern and central Thailand. For Chiang Dao itself, the most reliable source is asking people in Chiang Mai at the CMRCA office.
- Local community: theCrag's Chiang Dao contributor list includes several local Thai climbers (Pingpong / Danu Onkaew has the highest karma at 2,851). Finding partners and asking about conditions locally beats any online data.
References
- theCrag: Chiang Dao
- theCrag: Padaeng / Main Wall
- theCrag: Pit Stop
- theCrag: Pa Lai
- Tourism Authority of Thailand: Pha Daeng National Park
- Nation Thailand: Chiang Dao fire closure 2025
- BudgetCatcher: driving to Pha Daeng National Park
- chiangmai.net: Chiang Mai climate
- IQAir: Chiang Mai burning season air quality
- Crag Chemistry: Thailand crags (corrosion risk inland)
- CMRCA: A Guide to Rock Climbing in Northern Thailand
- justclimbthailand: The Pocket Guide – Thailand