High in the Luang Prabang Range, on the road through Doi Phu Kha National Park, the air at around 1,715 metres is cool enough to need a jacket even in the hot season, and in the cool months of December and January it can be properly cold at dawn. The road here runs along ridges and through montane forest of oaks, chestnuts and tall trees draped in moss and orchids, with views across rolling blue ranges towards Laos, only a few dozen kilometres to the east. It is one of the highest and most remote roads in northern Thailand.
The park protects one of the rarest trees in the country, a pink-flowering species known locally as chomphu phu kha, which grows wild in only a few places, and when it flowers in late winter, people make the drive up just to see it. The forest is also home to hornbills, gibbons and many smaller creatures, and in the early morning the calls echo across the valleys. Waterfalls and caves dot the park, and there are trails for those who want to stretch out from the saddle.
Below, in the valley, lies Bo Kluea, a small town whose name means salt well. For centuries, people here have drawn brine from wells in the mountains and boiled it down in large pans to produce salt, a rare and valuable commodity this far from the sea, and the practice continues today on a small scale. Visitors can watch the process and buy bags of salt as souvenirs. The area is home to several hill peoples, and the villages along the road have their own languages and traditions.
The riding is the main draw for many: Highway 1256 from Pua climbs steeply into the park, with tight hairpins, steep gradients and narrow lanes, then winds along the ridges. Potholes and gravel lurk on some bends, fog and rain make the high section slippery, and while weekdays are empty, long weekends bring a stream of Thai holidaymakers up from the lowlands. There are a few small shops and cafes along the road, but fuel is best found in Pua or Chiang Klang, about twenty-five kilometres away, so fill up before you climb.