Located in the northern part of Thailand, Chiang Mai is a medium-sized city that’s a top spot to visit by tourists and locals alike. It’s a diverse region where you can indulge in Thai cuisine and culture, go hiking in national parks, and even learn a variety of new skills. But one of the most popular and intriguing things to do in Chiang Mai is visit its array of temples. Temples in the city are like duomo’s in Italy or sea lions on the Galápagos Islands, they are everywhere. You will spot them next to convenience stores, tucked in between souvenir shops and smack dab in the middle of bustling business sections of town.
Even though there was not a Chiang Mai temple that quite compared to the unconventionality of the White Temple in Chiang Rai, there were a few stunners. Of them, Wat Chedi Luang is one of the more impressive ones, located within Chiang Mai’s Old City district. With a long history combined with notable structures, Wat Chedi Luang is a temple in Chiang Mai that cannot go unacknowledged in your bucket list and your final holiday itinerary.
Wat Chedi Luang: A Thai Temple in Chiang Mai’s City Center
About/History of Wat Chedi Luang
The enormous chedi (also called pagoda) of Wat Chedi Luang was built in Chiang Mai between the very late 1300s and very early 1400s; there is no certainty of the exact year but it’s said to have finished building between 1385 and 1402. It’s been one of Chiang Mai’s most extraordinary components since it was built, even today, and can be easily spotted when you walk around the Old City, although since it got damaged in an earthquake in 1545 it has been standing at only half of its original height. Back in the day, it also used to be the home for Emerald Buddha, which is the most sacred relic in Thailand.
About the Structures On-Site
Wat Chedi Luang isn’t simply composed of one massive chedi, but on the premises you can actually find several different structures holding a fair bit of cultural importance. These include the city pillar Intakin, a giant gum tree that is positioned so that it guards the temple’s entrance, and the large viharn (sermon hall) that dons naga dragons at it’s doorstep—it is the home to Wat Chedi Luang’s principal Buddha image. Wat Chedi Luang is where worshippers come together for the evening candle procession during important Buddhist holidays.
My Experience: I took my shoes off, a requirement to entering this sacred temple, and stepped inside the grand building. The interior of the wat was a frenzy of flowers and gold.
After getting my fill of the gilded interior, I exited and walked to the back side of the vihran where there was a striking sight. The ruined brick chedi that sits behind the grand assembly hall was incredibly impressive with its monumental stairway, elephants standing guard and stone nagas. Stunning.
As I approached the chedi, there were locals peddling strands of flowers to leave as an offering. Of course, I bought one and walked closer to the stairs to place it close to a naga. I continued to explore the perimeter, every step being just as notable as the last: metal bells hung, sitting Buddhas peaked through archways and active worshippers gathered at the bottom of the steep, stone stairs.
The Monk Chat
An amazing way to both take a deep dive into the local culture and tap into your spiritual side is by having a chat with a monk, and in Chiang Mai, Thailand’s spiritual capital in the northern region, there’s plenty of places to do it. But, Wat Chedi Luang is amongst the best places to do it, where it’s possible to experience daily from 9am until 6pm. You’ll see a group of monks sitting at the outdoor tables on the northern side of the temple, and you can just go, possibly line up for a bit first, and have a seat and start a chat with the monk about all things spiritual.
On my last day in Chiang Mai, I went back to Wat Chedi Luang in an attempt to participate in their Monk Chat, a time that is set aside for the monks to have conversation with visitors and practice their English.
Unfortunately, on this particular day there was one guy intensely questioning the one and only monk. So instead, I spent an hour reading the blue inspirational signs posted around Wat Chedi Luang that said things like “Wisdom is the knowing what to do next”, “Better an ugly face than an ugly mind” and “Do good, receive good; do evil, receive evil”.
Some of the top temple tours in and near the city:
- Chiang Mai’s Highlights: Sightseeing Night Bike Tour with a Temple Stop
- 4-Hour Wat Umong and Doi Suthep Evening Tour
- Private Doi Suthep Temple and Sticky Waterfall Tour
Other Temples in Chiang Mai Not to Miss
Besides Wat Chedi Luang, there are several other temples in and nearby that you will not want to miss during your visit to northern Thailand’s spiritual capital. Here are the top 5 that you ought to visit to get the best of the temples in Chiang Mai:
1. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Although Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is located within the incredibly gorgeous Doi Suthep National Park, a big part of why the park is as popular as it is, is due to the temple itself, on which premises you can even find the royal family’s vacation home. Plated in gold from top to bottom, the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple is considered one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Thailand, drawing massive pilgrimage crowds across the year, especially during specific Buddhist holidays like Makha Bucha (February 13) and Visakha Bucha (May 11).
2. Wat Phra Singh
After Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Wat Phra Singh is the second highest revered temple in Chiang Mai region. It draws crowds especially for its Lai Kam assemply hall, built in 1345, due to how fine of a showcase it is of Lanna temple architecture.
3. Wat Suan Dok
Built during the same period of time as the other main temples in Chiang Mai mentioned thus far, Wat Suan Dok also houses several structures with historical significance to the region and Thailand as a whole. These structures include, but are not limited to, a garden with whitewashed mausoleums that serve as ‘home’ to the ashes of many of late Chiang Mai rulers, a big open-air assembly hall, as well as a principal pagoda contains the Buddha’s relics.
4. Wat Umong
Wat Umong is not only another temple with great amount of cultural and religious significance, but it is one that stands out in its uniqueness, as it is the only forest temple in Chiang Mai. The history of Wat Umong dates all the way back to the 13th century, consisting of a mix of old ruins and tunnels for meditation and even a large stupa that has been left unpainted.
5. Wat Phra That Doi Kham
More often referred to as the Golden Temple, Wat Phra That Doi Kham is located a little south west of Chiang Mai, at the top of a hill, housing amazing views of Chiang Mai’s cityscape as well as Doi Pui Mountain’s rolling mountains. On top of the gorgeous temple structures, there is a huge 17-metre sitting Buddha for visitors to admire.
A bonus temple is Thailand’s Wat Rong Khun: The White Temple in Chiang Rai. It is an unconventional Buddhist Temple located about 2 1/2 hours north of Chiang Mai. And it is a vision of pure white. Go figure.
The easiest way to get to the White Temple is to book a tour that leaves from Chiang Mai and here are three top-rated ones:
- Chiang Rai Famous Temples Small Group Tour
- White Temple & Golden Triangle Day Trip
- Chiang Rai and Golden Triangle Private Full-Day Tour
Now that you have been introduced to some of the most remarkable temples in Chiang Mai, you are well on your way to discovering your dream vacation in Northern Thailand. Although there are several notable temples and structures all around the city and its nearby regions, I wanted to specifically highlight Wat Chedi Luang due to its colorful history, central location and impressive temple structures.
Thanks to its location specifically, Wat Chedi Luang is an amazing temple to start discovering Chiang Mai’s historical and cultural side from. From there it’s easy to not only venture out to the other important temples listed above, as well as the other fun activities available for you to do in the city.
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More About Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Bucket List: 30 Things to Do in Thailand’s Best Northern City
Thailand’s Wat Rong Khun: The White Temple in Chiang Rai
Thailand Elephant Sanctuary: 5 of the Best Rescues in or Near Chiang Mai
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Learn to Make Handicraft Umbrellas in Chiang Mai
Get a Thai Massage in Thailand
Volunteer with Elephants at a Rescue in Thailand
The Long Neck Karen Hilltop Tribe: A Village in Thailand
Great post Annette. I’ve been feeling really drawn the Chang Mai of late. I feels like the whole blogging world has visited there over the past few months and I feel like I am missing out. It looks amazing so I am going to have to get myself there soon I think!
It does attract a lot of travelers due to its affordability. But, I also found the people so friendly, the food delicious and the foot massages heavenly!
What a stunning place to have so close to your hotel! If I were a dog, I would nap here every day, too. Beautiful photos.
It was pretty awesome that as I was eating breakfast on the hotel patio my view was of Wat Chedi Luang!
This reminds me a lot of Bali, Indonesia. They have 3 temples per capita & after a couple of days, the novelty of stepping inside them & taking photos fades away, although there are some extremely beautiful ones on the beaches. You can feel the spiritual energy of the island.
That is what I would imagine of Bali, loaded with temples!
I’ve been there! =P Living in Chiang Mai now. Even though there are hundreds of temples, this is definitely a beautiful one!
I was only there for a few weeks, but could absolutely see living there for a while. I’d eat pad thai and get foot massages every day!
hey you should come to malaysia. One of our team is a Tour Guide in Kuala Lumpur. It would be nice to meet you. We can show you around Kuala Lumpur.
I would love to, I have heard wonderful things about Malaysia!
Interesting info and photos. Thanks for sharing!
Lovely photos, great details on the statues!
I can’t count how often I’ve dreamed of visiting northern Thailand. Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai… I hope eventually I’ll set off for the great trip!
I really am a big fan of Northern Thailand, I hope you make it there one day!
I’m unable to travel at the moment (as so many of us), but that doesn’t stop me from dreaming. I am planning a return trip to Thailand and Chiang Mai is one place I would like to visit. I had never heard of the White Temple before now. It looks seriously amazing. It is now on the bucket list ;) Thanks for sharing.
Hope that we can all travel all we want soon :)
Really wonderful snaps and interesting article about Thai temple Wat Chedi Luang. The post clearly mention the history of the temple. Added to my travel bucket list.
We have just been in Chiang Mai last month and loved Wat Chedi Luang. In fact we were able to arrange a “monk chat” there with our beautiful 4 year old boy and the super friendly monks :-) With the low entry requirements Chiang Mai is a great place to travel at the moment. Happy travels
That sounds like a fun visit. Glad you enjoyed. It’s always lovely to hear stories of travels. Keep sharing :)