Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai, Thailand

I knew I would be spending my birthday alone on this trip, and really had no problem with it. Sure I’d rather be with my boy eating cake, but hanging in Thailand doesn’t happen every day for me and the trade-off was well worth it. So it came as a bit of a surprise to me to find myself a little glum the day before the big day. Enter my new-found friends from Bangkok, Larraine and Rick! They happened to be in Chiang Mai at the same time I was with their daughter Alexis in tow. They had a driver planned for a trip to Wat Phra That, the temple on the mountain, and invited me along. I jumped at the chance to hang with great company and see another beautiful Thai temple.

After a ridiculous 30-minute, 15 km ride, with hairpin turns up a mountain, blowing past traffic on blind curves, and gripping the seats in front of us just to stay upright, we finally made it to Wat Phra That. How there are not more Thai traffic fatalities, I don’t know. It is already the number two country for traffic deaths, which is not at all shocking given the recklessness of some of the drivers. They lay on the horn and overtake traffic on dangerous roads with reckless abandon. It’s the first time I can say I had an adrenalin rush in a minivan.

We happily piled out of the van and got in a very long line for the funicular up the mountain. There is also a 309-step stairway to climb, flanked by jewelled nagas, if you’re feeling active, and after coming down the stairs on the way out, I can say that it would only take a slightly moderate fitness level to do it. If you’re able, I would recommend it to avoid the long lines. Coming down takes no effort at all.

Wat Phra That is one of Thailand’s most sacred temples, dating back to the 1380s. Considering the road up the mountain was only installed in 1935, the building of it would have been a gruelling task– trekking supplies through dense jungle up a mountainside.

There is a fanciful legend behind the building of Wat Phra That. I have read several versions of this tale, but the general idea of the story is the same. A monk from Sukhothai was in possession of a shoulder bone relic of Buddha. The bone possessed magical powers, so the monk brought the bone to the Lanna King. When it became time for the bone to be enshrined, they discovered that it had miraculously replicated itself. The new relic was enshrined in a temple in Chiang Mai, and the King wanted to build a new temple for the original relic.

To find the place to build this new temple, the relic was placed on the back of a white elephant who was then set free to wander. The elephant climbed Doi Suthep, and just near the summit, trumpeted three times, turned around three times, then laid down and died. It was proclaimed a sign, and this is where the new temple was to be built. The first chedi was built to house the relic, and over the centuries, the complex has been expanded extensively.

You will find a statue of this sacred elephant in the temple complex. There are also several pagodas, statues and viharns. Pavilions house the monks’ living quarters. There is a museum with ancient relics and photographs. On a clear day, an excellent view of Chiang Mai can be enjoyed. You can even make out the walls of the old city. One of the largest gongs in Thailand is housed here, as is a replica of the Emerald Buddha, the original kept in Bangkok. Several Hindu gods can also be found on site.

As with all Thai temples, appropriate dress is required, so come prepared if you want to visit the entire complex.

At the bottom of the stairs, you will find several souvenir shops with rather eager saleswomen, as well as some hill tribe children who charge for photos of them. I snapped a few shots of this bored girl just being a kid. I don’t imagine it’s a very fun day for any child hanging out on the steps, hiding their faces unless given money.

We spend about an hour looking around the temple complex, then after another nail-biting adventure down the mountain, Larraine, Rick and Alexis and I wandered around Chinatown, found the flower market during delivery time, and then they treated me to dinner and drinks. It was a wonderful birthday, and any glumness I was feeling was long forgotten.

Information

• Open from 6 am to 8 pm.
• To get there, take a shared songthaew from Chiang Mai for about 200 Baht roundtrip, bargaining necessary, or hire a driver for about 400 Baht.
• Cost for entry is 30 Baht for non-Thai’s and another 20 Baht for the funicular.
• Dress appropriately for a Thai temple.