Phu Chi Fa Forest Park

This is a sunrise place, and everything about a trip here should be built around that. The gates open at 05:00 for a reason. In the cool season, roughly November to February, the valleys below the ridge fill with mist and the sun comes up over it. Turn up at midday and you'll get a hill, a view, and a fair bit of wondering what the fuss was about.

The climb to the viewpoint is short but steep in places, so wear proper shoes rather than flip-flops. It's high, it's rural, and it's genuinely cold before dawn, colder than anything you'll feel down in Chiang Rai town. Bring a jacket you'd actually wear at home in winter. On a clear morning the view runs east over Laos. Outside the mist season the forest and the walking are still pleasant, just don't set your alarm for it.