Looking for the best temples in Chiang Mai?
Boasting almost 300 temples, the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, Thailand is the most densely populated temple city in the Kingdom. So, I think it’s pretty safe to say, unless you are a superhero, it will be impossible to visit all 300 temples during your holiday in Chiang Mai. For this reason, I have curated a Top 3 list of the best temples in Chiang Mai that you can visit in just one day! My Top 3 temples list includes three temples that couldn’t be any more different than one another. Visiting these 3 temples will give you the best variety in style, size and age. So what are you waiting for? Let’s go temple hopping in Chaing Mai!
1. Wat Sri Suphan – “Silver Temple”
Located just outside the Old City walls, the Silver Temple in Chiang Mai is the least known temple in this Top 3 list. Originally built in the 1500’s, the temple itself is a small decorative structure that served as a main place of worship for a silversmith village. In 2008, the village decided to adorn the temple in decorative silver, aluminum, and metal plates resulting in one of the most uniquely designed temples in the world. Although the Silver Temple is my favorite on this Top 3 list, women are not allowed to enter the inside of the temple based on old Buddhist rule. I know this may be upsetting for some. However, it’s important to remember that you are a visitor in Thailand, therefore respecting the tradition and culture of this rule is very important. Wat Sri Suphan also offers weekly Monk Talks where tourists can speak with Buddhist Monks to ask questions about Buddhism. This also gives the monks a chance to practice their English: a win win! Monk talks happen on Tuesday nights around 6 or 7pm.
Entrance Fee: 50 THB which includes a bottled water
2. Wat Chedi Luang
Wat Chedi Luang is an incredibly impressive, massive temple relic that was built in the late 1300’s. This temple is often regarded as one of the most unique and best temples in Chiang Mai. It’s proximity in the center of Old City makes it a great temple to visit anytime during your stay in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Although the temple once stood around 90 meters tall, an earthquake in the 1500’s destroyed the top half of the temple: now standing at only 50-60 meters. The temple appears as beautifully ancient architectural ruins, similar to the large temples found outside of Bangkok in Ayutthaya. In 1992, UNESCO and Japan began efforts to restore the temple. However work halted when the city couldn’t decide on what the style of the top pagoda once looked like. You can visit this temple, along with surrounding temples within the grounds, until 5pm.
Entrance Fee: 50 THB which includes a banana
3. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Arguably THE best temple in Chiang Mai, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is a sight to behold. Located on the top of the Doi Suthep National Park, the temple overlooks the entire city of Chiang Mai Thailand. The Doi Suthep temple is one of the holiest buddhist sites in all of Thailand. It is also a major pilgrimage site for Buddhists throughout the Southeast Asian region, since it is said to hold the shoulder bone of Buddha himself. To get to the temple, hire a GRAB or take a red songthaew 45 minutes up the mountain to the base. Once you arrive up to the temple grounds, you are greeted with a lookout point, meditation center, and a stunningly gold temple. This is the most grand temple in my Top 3 list and I recommend coming here around 4pm so you can explore and stay to see the sun set over the entire city of Chiang Mai.
Entrance Fee: 30 THB for the temples, 70 THB for the cable car up. You can also climb 306 stairs as an alternative to the cable car
So that’s it for our list of the Top 3 best temples in Chiang Mai, Thailand. We spent 4 months living and working in Thailand, two of which were in Chiang Mai. If you have any questions about the best temples in Chiang Mai, living expenses, or things to do in Chiang Mai Thailand leave a comment down below. Also, don’t forget to check out our other travel blogs and cinematic YouTube channel showcasing high quality travel vlogs across the world. Happy travels!