Chiang Mai Day Tour

We take a tour around Chiang Mai.

Leaving the hotel we go to Wat Chiang Man the oldest temple dated from 1296.

From there we visit the Chedi Luang Temple the tallest structure in Chiang Mai.

After enjoying this lovely temples we visit Wat Phra Singh to be dazzled by the wonderful Lanna Art examples.

We end the tour visiting Wat Taht Doi Suthep and the Wat Suan Dok.

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Wat Chiang Man:

Wat Chiang Man is Chiang Mai’s oldest temple and holds some important Buddhist images including a famous crystal Buddha. Construction on the temple started in 1306 although several parts were added in later centuries so the temple complex has lots of different styles of architecture side by side. There are two main meditation halls in Wat Chiang Man, both extensively decorated in gold and red with images of the Buddha. Inside the larger hall is Chiang Mai’s oldest Buddha image, a standing Buddha holding an alms bowl.

Close to the entrance of Wat Chiang Man is a raised throne containing two important Buddhas. The larger, standing Buddha is worshipped every April before the Songkran festival as it is said to bring the rain needed for rice growing. The smaller Buddha is carved from crystal and is also believed to have special healing powers. Despite being in the middle of Chiang Mai’s old city Wat Chiang Man is rarely busy. It has a nice, well-kept garden area to sit and reflect in.

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Wat Chedi Luang:

Wat Chedi Luang's massive chedi (pagoda) was built sometime between 1385 and 1402, during the reign of King Saen Muang Ma, 7th ruler of the Mengrai dynasty and is a distinctive feature of the Chiang Mai skyline. At its peak, the chedi measured 60 metres across at the square base and 80 metres tall and was once the home of the Emerald Buddha, Thailand's most sacred religious relic.

Damaged during an earthquake in 1545, the chedi’s height is reduced to nearly half of its original size yet it is still an impressive structure. In 1992, the Fine Arts Department finished restoration work around the chedi, bringing back the naga (water serpent) staircase on each of its faces and wonderful statues of elephants adorning the base. The actual work on the chedi itself, however, was never quite complete, leaving it in its present state.

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War Phra Singh:

Wat Phra Singh is perhaps the second most venerated temple in Chiang Mai after Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. It houses three main structures, the main attraction being the elegantly decorated Lai Kam assembly hall and its restored murals depicting the lives of locals hundreds of years ago.

Located inside the old city wall, at the western end of Ratchadamnoen Road, the temple’s signature Lanna-style roofs and glittering viharn (assembly hall) invite visitors. The walled-in temple compound is busy with visitors and worshippers all year round and is usually packed during the Thai New Year festival (Songkran) in mid-April.

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Wat Taht Doi Suthep:

Doi Suthep is a constant part of life in Chiang Mai. A Thai saying goes, "If you haven't tasted Khao Soi or seen the view from Doi Suthep, you haven't been to Chiang Mai." This regal mountain overlooks the city from the northwest, providing commanding views from its summit. Aside from its dominating presence on the horizon, Doi Suthep is the home of some of the most deeply loved symbols in the Kingdom.

In 1981 Doi Suthep, Doi Pui and Doi Buakha, along with the 161 square kilometres (62 square miles) of forest in which they are located, became Thailand's 24th national park. A year later a 100 square kilometre (38 square miles) annexe was added, bringing the park's total area up to 261 square kilometres (100 square miles). Dense forests hang from the mountain's shoulders like a cloak; deciduous at lower elevations and evergreen near the peaks of the mountains.