Thailand – Temple Hopping in Chiang Mai
I read that there are a lot of temples in Chiang Mai. Yet, I was not prepared to see one every time we left our Airbnb in the downtown area. There are an estimated 300 temples in Chiang Mai and if you are walking around the central historic square, you will see one on practically every street. I highly recommend you go “temple hopping” and take in the marvelous and beautiful temples. Please remember that most of the temples are active places of worship with 95% of the population in Thailand practicing Buddhism. To be respectful, I’ve detailed out some behavior items we learned along the way and the two temples that you must visit in the historic center of Chiang Mai.
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Temple Hopping in Chiang Mai: Wat Pra Singh
This temple was my favorite to visit in the center of the Chiang Mai old city center. It is one of the most popular to visit, but we went in the middle of the afternoon and did not find it crowded. In the back, there is a gold-covered chedi (a Buddhist stupa used to hold relics). Not just gold, but a vibrant gold metallic color that reflects the light with elephant statues coming from the sides. It is both difficult to look at because of the glare and difficult not to look at. I’ve never seen anything like it before and another there are other beautiful decorations, this vibrant gold still stands out.
While we were admiring the gold chedi, a call to meditation/mantra singing happened in the gardens next to the chedi in an outdoor pagoda. We got to watch the monks take up spots on pillows located in the pagoda and listen to the chants while exploring the garden.
The gold chedi is located behind the main temple building, which is ornately decorated. This was our first close up look at the Nāga – the serpentine figures on either side of the entrance. Nāga is a semi-divine, demi creatures with supernatural powers. I found the outside of the building to be more impressive than the inside.
At a Glance:
- Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars, the
- Intensity: Casual clothes covering your shoulders and knees
- Location: Throughout the central area of Chiang Mai
- Cost: Free, donations welcome
- Restrooms: Unclear if there were some open to the public.
- Timing: .25 – 1 hour at each temple
Highlights:
- Marveling at the incredibly ornate, golden, or historical temples
Lowlights:
- Difficult to decide which temples because there are so many!
Temple Hopping in Chiang Mai: Wat Chedi Luang
The other temple that we enjoyed in Chiang Mai was Wat Chedi Luang. Built in the 1400s, the temple collapsed in 1545 and withstood cannon fire in 1775, but was rebuilt in the 1990s. It is impressively large and old-looking. There is a 40 baht/per person fee, but it was completely worth being able to look around this enormous chedi and surrounding temples. By far the tallest thing in the city at the time, I can only imagine what it would have been like for someone to come into Chiang Mai in the 1400s. We loved seeing the elephants coming out of the sides, which is a symbol of how important they were even then. Wat Chedi Luang was famous for housing an emerald Buddha, which now resides in Bangkok. Surprisingly, this is not the oldest temple in Chiang Mai.
The side temples were interesting to peak into. There were temples with different styles of decoration, which I didn’t quite understand why. There was also an Araksa tea shop that have a cup of tea at! If you haven’t read my tea plantation post, go take a look.
After walking around the giant chedi, we went into the temple. It was surprising to see what looked like a monk school. An adult monk was at the side/front of the temple and talking to young monks in front of him. All of the monk students sat on their feet with the souls of their feet pointing away from the Buddha. There were a few very young monks in the very back that looked to be around 8 years old. Some of the youngest listened, while others wiggled a bit or fell asleep. It must be so difficult to learn to meditate at such a young age!
Other Notable Temples
Although we didn’t get to all of these temples, I know we walked by some of these or had marked them to look into:
- Wat Phra That Doi Suthep: This is Chiang Mai’s most famous and important temple. It is located in the mountains, about an hour from the old city. It is a pilgrimage site and looks out over the city of Chiang Mai. We decided against going due to the burning season, which we saw on Instagram would completely obscure our view of the city. See the next section for more information on the burning season. While researching I saw in most reviews, except for those who arrived for the sunrise that the site is incredibly busy with people. Try going to arrive at sunrise for peace and quiet.
- Wat Chiang Man: The city of Chiang Mai and its first temple were founded in 1297, making this temple the oldest in town. There is a chedi that has a base made of 15 elephants, giving it the nickname “Elephant Chedi”.
- Wat Inthakin: Black temple at the side of the road. We walked by this temple on accident and loved how ornate and striking the gold on black decorations were. There is no grand courtyard with garden at this temple, so cars pass by within feet of the exterior.
How to be respectful while Temple Hopping
Although I don’t think the monks expect visitors to know everything about Buddhism modesty, there are some general rules of thumb that we followed to show our respect while temple hopping in Chiang Mai.
Clothing
- Dress: Like Catholic churches in Italy, it is important to have your shoulders and knees covered. This is specifically detailed out on signs at some of the major temples. We also tried to make sure nothing was too tight or sexy. It’s hot in Thailand, so it feels strange to cover up, but we were sure to pack a few long skirts/dresses. We usually would wear them with a tank top and bring a scarf to cover our shoulders. I am unclear if it is necessary to cover your shoulders outside the temples, so there were a few pictures where I have bare shoulders. After seeing some monks walk around, I decided that it is more respectful to have my shoulders covered at all times.
- Shoes: It is important to remove your shoes if you are entering homes, some businesses and especially temples. Feet are the most unclean part of the body, so shoes must be even worse. There will be racks for you to place your should outside most temples.
Actions
- Avoid the threshold: Now that you have your shoes off, when you enter the temple doorway, be sure to avoid touching or stepping on the raised threshold. This raised section keeps out evil or bad spirits, so touching it is bad luck. Check the signs on the outside of the temple to see if photography is permitted.
- Inside the temple: Once inside, it is important to keep quiet to allow those who are worshiping to remain focused. Keep to the sides of the temple and avoid doing anything obnoxious. It is also important that you do not turn your back on the central Buddha statue. If you are close, walk backward until you are further away, then turn around. Definitely, do not take a selfie with the Buddha!
- Photos of monks: So during the trip, I was unsure about taking photos of monks. Out of respect, I did not take photos when the monks were meditating in the temples. Outside the temples, when I saw monks walking around, I nearly took some photos. I decided against it to remain respectful of the religion, but also to respect them as humans who may not want photographs taken while practicing a religion that advocates giving up worldly possessions. However, I do see photos of monks everywhere on social media. Let me know in the comments if you know for sure!
- Other behavior: Do not touch monks. We never got within 10 feet of a monk, so it was never an issue for us. Although this warning is primarily for ladies because a monk will have to go through an extensive cleansing process if touched by a woman. But probably a good idea in general not to touch a monk or anything in the temples you visit.
Burning Season
I hadn’t read anything about the “burning season” in Chiang Mai until we arrived in late February to experience for ourselves. I noticed immediately that there was a haze when we were landing in Chiang Mai. The burning season occurs in February, March, and April each year. The rainy season ends in November, so the trees in the jungle area become increasingly dry. Controlled and uncontrolled burns of forested areas as well as crop burns accumulate in the sky for a smoky-hazy effect in the northern part of the country. It happens every year, but the severity depends on several factors. I found this helpful article in understanding the burning season.
The smoky haze outside dampened our excitement to go temple hopping in Chiang Mai. Our first and second days, it didn’t really bother us. But on the third day, both Rebecca and my throats ached and I started to have allergy-like symptoms with a runny nose and itchy eyes. We picked up lozenges and noticed that every convenience store had lozenges prominently displayed at their cash registers. Yes, I am disappointed that we didn’t go to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, but I know that I would have also been bummed not to see the view of the city while having a sore throat in a crowd of people.
Bring these things to Thailand
Overall Thoughts: Temple Hopping in Chiang Mai
The temples in Chiang Mai were mesmerizing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like the beautiful decoration and architecture of these temples. As much as I loved seeing the temples, I have to admit I got temple-fatigue. I think this is primarily from not understanding the Buddhist symbolism of each of the elements. I attempted to recall my Zen Buddhism class that I took during my junior year of college at UC Berkeley (it was an incredible class!), but couldn’t remember enough detail. Even without remembering, the visual spectacle was still enjoyable to visit. I recommend going to one or maybe two temples per day to draw comparisons and get a little more of a taste of Buddhism.
In writing this post, I mentally compared some of the aspects of the Buddhist temples we visited to European churches. Both with such history, I find it interesting how both temples and churches became more ornate over the years, relying on visual imagery and intricate gold details to communicate core values and captivate the public’s attention. Also, how the public interacts with the holy places is similar in modest dress and expected respectful behavior. Although vastly different religions, it is interesting to see the commonalities.
What temples have you been to in Thailand or elsewhere that were absolutely stunning? I am curious to explore more. Let me know in the comments so I can plan a trip!
Happy Travels,
Hanna
