The Cultured Traveller’s Guide: Discovering Wat Pra That Doi Suthep
12 April 2023
We got picked up at the buttcrack of dawn to drive 30 minutes from Chang Mai Old City and explore one of the ~120 temples in Chang Mai, Wat Prathat Doi Suthep.
It’s a beautiful temple high up in the hills of Chang Mai at the peak of the Doi Suthep Mountains and is the most famous landmark in Chiang Mai. They say you have not truly been to Chiang Mai if you have not visited this temple.
The temple's origins are a but of a mystery. According to legend, it was constructed around 1383 and grew over time. 1935 saw the construction of the temple's initial road. It is a popular destination for Buddhist pilgrimages and is regarded as one of the holiest places in Thailand.
We did a morning tour we found through TripAdvisor which also gave us the unique experience of being guided by an ex-monk who could give us interesting insights into what we were experiencing and witnessing. You can also get a songthaew (red truck / public bus) if you want to make the journey alone and it’s easy relatively easy. If you’re brave enough to walk it, Novo Monde has a helpful guide on the trail and markings to follow.
When you arrive at the base of the temple, you can buy candles or incense which you can bring into the temple as an offering and show of respect. You then reach to top of the street and the entrance to the temple where you’re met with the famous Nagi Staircase - 306 steps flanked by mythical Naga serpents. You can also get to the top of the pagoda using a cable car but if you are able, walking the staircase wasy pretty magical.
Once you’ve gotten to the top, you purchase the tickets, take your shoes off and enter the heart of the temple where the gold chedi (monument) sits. Apparently if you walk around the chedi in a clockwise direction, it is considered respectful and good luck.
We were also given a bell to write our names on which you hang along the walls of the temple. These bells are also a symbol of good luck and fortune and offered to the temple, with blessings being received in return.
Arriving at dawn means getting to see the temple in sunrise which adds to the awe and reverence of the experience. You also get the benefit of seeing the place without crowds but even if you come in the morning, you’re unlikely to be battling people because it’s a little further away.
What’s really special though is that you get to wake up with its inhabitants - the birds in the mountains, the stray dogs who are tended to by the monks, and the monks themselves who start the morning with chanting in preparation for receiving alms (offerings from the public to the monks as a show of faith). As you enter the heart of the temple, you can enter the enclave on the left where the monks chant. Once you take your shoes off, you sit side legged. This is because feet are considered the ‘dirty’ part of the body and it’s considered a sign of disrespect to point your feet towards Buddah.
It’s really something special to listen to the chanting, but it felt somewhat emotional for me having grown up with Buddhist temples. To me, it sounded like a part of home I hadn’t remembered was a piece of me for so long.
Once you’ve walked around the heart of the temple, you follow the path out to see the view of Chang Mai. The day we went, it was cloudy and foggy so there wasn’t much to see but ideally, you’ll get a beautiful view like this one:
Source: Novo Monde
Meanwhile, our version looked a little something like this:
