Chaloem Phra Kiat Pavilion Viewpoint

If you're heading up to Doi Suthep, this is the stop worth pulling over for. It sits on the left as the road climbs, with room to park and a wide open view over Chiang Mai and the mountains behind it. The quirk that keeps people leaning on the railing longer than they planned is the airport: you can pick out planes taking off and landing across the city below.

It's an unhurried spot. There's seating, toilets at ground level, and small vendors selling grilled meatballs, boiled eggs and fruit juice, so cyclists and drivers tend to stop and eat before the climb. People are generally quiet here, which suits the place. Be aware there are a lot of street dogs along the roadside.

The pavilion looks due east, so sunrise is the shot if you can drag yourself up for it. Mid-afternoon in September and October is the other good window, when the cloud stacks over the mountains get dramatic. No hiking involved at all.