Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep
วัดพระธาตุดอยสุเทพ
The quintessential image of Chiang Mai with its large gilded chedi, visible from the city on a clear day. Built in 1383 during the Lanna Thai period, legend has it that the temples site was selected by an elephant sent to roam the mountain side, where upon reaching a suitable spot, it trumpeted, circled three times, knelt down and promptly died, which was interpreted as a sign indicating an auspicious site. The temple offers grand views over the city, but no reward is without effort as you must accent the 200-plus steep steps of the Naga-lined stairs. The climb may be a strain in the high altitude's thin air for the less fit, so you may opt to take the cable car for 20 baht. For the Visaka Bucha holiday around May each year, it is traditional for people to walk from the zoo to the temple and vast numbers make the pilgrimage to the top, which takes around 4–5 hours.
- Getting there
- 18 km from the city, at a 1,073 m elevation on the slopes of Doi (Mount) Suthep. See Doi Suthep for details how to get there.
- Hours
- Closed · opens 7 am
Weekly hours
Mon 7 am–5 pm Tue 7 am–5 pm Wed 7 am–5 pm Thu 7 am–5 pm Fri 7 am–5 pm Sat 7 am–5 pm Sun 7 am–5 pm
Listing from Wikivoyage: Chiang Mai, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.