7 Best Temples in Chiang Mai for Immersive Travelers

“Why does Chiang Mai have so many temples?! How the hell will I decide which ones to visit?!”

Yes, the sheer amount of pretty temples in Chiang Mai gets your head spinning, doesn’t it?

But this Thai buddy of yours grew up around temples, and as always, I’ve got your back with a deeply cultural list of recommendations.

Half of this list are iconic temples that you have to see (or they say you haven’t arrived), and the other half are criminally underrated (Ahem… Wat Jed Yod). Not because they’re not pretty or important, but they just haven’t had the luck to go viral on social media.

Keeping this list very small to avoid overwhelming you, I’ll go deep into each temple’s background, cultural significance, and uniqueness, as well as logistical information for visiting.

The Significance of Buddhism in Northern Thailand

Buddhism prospered in the ancient Lanna Kingdom, and the faith was integral to its way of life. You’ll see this in all the temples I recommend visiting.

Look out for the bright red and gold inside each temple’s main hall. Red represents the flesh and blood of a person, and gold represents the wisdom and light of Buddhism.

By red, I don’t mean the darker, muted red you see on the wall paintings of Wat Pho or the temples of Central Thailand. I meant shocking, bright red. When in the capital of Lanna, soak in that bright red temple vibe.

Chiang Mai Temples On a Map

Save this map to your phone for an easier time planning your temple-hopping day. I don’t know about you, but I can’t function without knowing where things are geographically.

My 7 Favorite Temples in Chiang Mai

Below are the temples that you absolutely must visit while you’re in Chiang Mai.

Visiting the entire list can take you less than 2-3 hours if you don’t hang around for too long at each. You can do it even with a few days in the city!

1. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep: Chiang Mai’s Icon

• Opening Hours: 5:00 AM – 9:00 PM daily
• Admission Fee: 50 THB (US$1.5)
• Location: Suthep, Mueang District, Chiang Mai 50200

You haven’t been to Chiang Mai until you’ve been to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, they say. While I disagree with parts of that statement, I say you should see its golden chedi at least once.

It is one of the most sacred temples in the country for Buddhists, but as a visitor, just go because it’s worth seeing!

Legend says that in the early 14th century, a monk presented a glowing piece of bone to Phaya Kue Na of the Lanna Kingdom, suspecting it to be a Buddha’s relic.

To decide on a place to store that relic, the king tied it to a white elephant’s back and let it roam. The elephant climbed to the top of Doi Suthep, circled 3 times, and lay down.

That spot is where the golden chedi stands today.

You have to climb 306 steps of stairs to get to the temple. That may not sound like a lot, but the air is surprisingly thin up there, so pace yourself. No need to rush.

2. Wat Chedi Luang: The Massive Broken Chedi

• Opening Hours: 5:00 AM – 10:30 PM daily
• Admission Fee: 40 THB (US$1.2)
• Location: 103 Prapokklao Road, Si Phum, Mueang, Chiang Mai 50200

You’ve seen it before. I’m sure you have, but the real thing is bigger.

No photo can do it justice. Even as a Thai person, I spent years looking at it on the internet and being, “Okay, it’s a broken chedi. So?” Dear lord, was I not prepared!

Measured at 282 feet high and 144 feet wide at the time of construction in the 14th Century, the massive chedi was the biggest building in all of Lanna.

It used to house the sacred Emerald Buddha before 1553, when it was moved to Luang Prabang.

What you see is what remained after it had collapsed in a 1545 earthquake. I recommend visiting once during the day and again at night for a different feel. It closes so late for a reason!

Don’t forget to admire the ornate main hall, with its sparkling naga staircases and a beautiful interior as well.

3. Wat Phra Singh: Monastery of the Lion Buddha

• Opening Hours: 5:30 AM – 7:30 PM (Open until 11:00 PM on Sundays)
• Admission Fee: 50 THB (US$1.5) for the main hall
• Location: 2 Samlarn Rd, Si Phum, Mueang, Chiang Mai 50200

Wat Phra Singh, which means the monastery of the Lion Buddha, is one of the best examples of a classic Lanna-style temple in the city.

It has been an important temple of the kingdom since the 14th century.

Inside the main Viharn, which you’ll have to pay 50 Baht to enter, you’ll see the stark juxtaposition of the colors red and gold, Lanna’s Buddhist symbolism.

This is one of the prettiest Lanna temple interiors, in my opinion. It definitely evokes some sort of feeling. You know, like looking at art.

4. Wat Suan Dok: The Royal Cemetery of Lanna

• Opening Hours: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM daily
• Admission: FREE (Donations accepted)
• Location: 139 Suthep Rd, Tambon Su Thep, Mueang District, Chiang Mai 50200

This sounds terrifying, but no, I’m not asking you to take the classic graveyard walk under the gray sky while the creepy wind blows.

The sky may be gray (it’s the tropics, after all), but the “cemetery” is quite peaceful-looking. They’re a small village of clean, white chedis storing the ashes of old Lanna royalty.

The coolest thing about Wat Suan Dok is that you can join in on their monk chat sessions and meditation retreats!

They have half-day retreats starting at 1 PM, so do the temple-hopping in the morning, end it at noon, and meditate for the rest of the day if you want.

5. Wat Chiang Man: Chiang Mai’s Oldest Temple

• Opening Hours: 5:00 AM – 7:00 PM daily
• Admission: FREE (Donations accepted)
• Location: 171 Ratchapakhinai Rd, Tambon Si Phum, Mueang District, Chiang Mai 50200

King Mangrai, the founder of the Lanna Kingdom, established Chiang Mai as his new capital city in 1296. Can you guess where he stayed? Right here!

He called it Baan Chiang Man, and along with his friends, King Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai and King Ngam Mueang of Phayao, they ordered a chedi to be built and turned it into a temple.

You can still see the chedi behind the main hall, Chedi Chang Lom, with elephants protruding from the base, protecting it. It collapsed once in the 15th century, but what stands here is at least 700 years old.

6. Wat Umong: Underground Buddha Images

• Opening Hours: 4:00 AM – 8:00 PM daily
• Admission Fee: 20 THB (US$0.75)
• Location: 135, Suthep, Mueang District, Chiang Mai 50200

I could almost call this place my favorite Chiang Mai temple, if not for how strongly the caves smelled of bat urine.

Yes, I said what I said, so brace yourself. Bring a handkerchief or something, do what you gotta do.

You’ll sometimes see its full name written as Wat Umong Suan Putthatham. (Is it really a Thai name if it’s not ridiculously long?)

This temple was built by King Mangrai in 1297, only a year after he had built Wat Chiang Man, to host the monks he invited from the Lanka Kingdom.

Although very faded, you can still see traces of the wall paintings inside the 4-way caves if you look closely enough. They’re the oldest original wall paintings from the Lanna Kingdom.

7. Wat Jed Yod: Mystical Chedis in the Woods

• Opening Hours: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM daily
• Admission: FREE (Donations accepted)
• Location: 90, Chang Phueak, Mueang District, Chiang Mai 50300

Built in 1455 by King Tilokarat, the 9th king of Lanna, Wat Jed Yod hosted the 8th Buddhist World Council to renew the Tripitaka in 1477.

Wat Jed Yod directly translates to “The Temple of the Chedi with Seven Spires.”

I love this temple for its well-shaded, moss-covered courtyards. You really feel like you’re in some sort of mystical tale as you walk around the ancient structures protruding from trees.

A bit of cultural insight here: Notice the countless white “branches” supporting big Bodhi trees on the temple grounds?

These are called “Mai Kham.” In the Lanna way of life, the Bodhi tree represents Buddhism. To offer support to the tree means to support the faith, and thus their way of life.

Temple Dress Code in Chiang Mai

As long as you’ve been visiting churches and temples in other countries before, you’ll fare just fine with the temple dress code in Chiang Mai, too. It’s the same mindset.

• Wear sleeved tops that cover your chest and shoulders.
• Wear skirts or pants that cover at least down to your knees. No ripped pants.
• No flip flops, only covered shoes or sandals with backstraps are appropriate.
• Hats off before entering the halls.

Here’s an Itinerary You Can Use for Chiang Mai

Assuming most people like to visit cities for a couple of days, I’ve made this deeply cultural 3-day itinerary for Chiang Mai that you can use.

It doesn’t have every single temple on this list, though. Just the most important ones.

Alternatively, if you wanna make sure you see as many temples as possible, I highly recommend joining this walking tour of the old town. The focus is specifically on temples!

To combine temple vibes with an epic view of the landscape, this tour of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep includes visiting a viewpoint right when you’ll hear local monks doing their evening chants.

For cultural guides to other regions and provinces, check my Thailand Cultural Travel page.

Helpful Travel Tips for Thailand

All visitors need to fill out a Digital Arrival Card no longer than 3 days before their trip to Thailand. And if applicable, a visa.

Learn the dos and don’ts in Thai culture and some local phrases before arriving.

Don’t forget to always have cash on hand. The smaller the notes, the better!

Grab My Thailand E-Checklist

To make sure you don’t leave anything important out of your preparations, I’ve made a digital checklist to help you get ready. I leave 2 pages blank for you to customize your own checklist, too!

Find a Place to Stay in Chiang Mai

Looking for somewhere to stay? Use the map below to browse for the best option for you! Keep in mind that as long as you stay inside the city walls or around the outside of it, most places will be walkable.

FAQs About the Temples in Chiang Mai

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