Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Doi Suthep

A historical temple. Had been through few phase of changed. To day the temple more or less had become commercial tourist attraction. Can be reach by car, local public transport, bike, bicycle if you really strong enough to climb the very steep road. Arrival at bottom of temple. On can choose the hard way to walk 370 plus steep stair or use the cable car. I recommended the stair. Enjoy the satisfaction of exhausted climb.

Extremely beautiful temple covered in the traditional gold Thai style, but being that it is so far outside of the city I would not have been disappointed to miss it. We took mopeds up the mountain to get here and the ride up made the whole experience much more enjoyable. Also, there's a huge hike up a solid set of stairs to get to the top, so plan ahead for that. I'd recommend bringing pants to slip on instead of wearing them up for the trek.

Overall I was not impressed by this place. There are so many better temples in town and the surrounding area. There are tons of tourists here as well. However, if you drive up on your own, it is very beautiful with lots of other attractions along the way. We stopped at 4 places and this was our last favorite. It is a very important site for Buddhists, but if you aren't Buddhist, I don't think it's worth it.

Wat Phrathat is a beautiful place to visit. The temple, with its 309 steps, is already an interesting thing to see, but what makes it really special is the view it offers of Chiang Mai from 700 meters (2300 feet) up. You get get there by car/songthaew/taxi or motorcycle from Chiang Mai in about 45 minutes. If you're feeling brave you can also go up there by bike, as I saw some people do. Once you arrive at the temple you can choose to walk up the 309 steps, or go by cable car if the former isn't a viable option. To enter, foreigners need to pay a small fee. I didn't mind this considering most foreigners see the temple as an attraction rather than a religious site. Also it might comfort you to know that the money is used for, among other things, maintenance, charity work and providing and improving education. It is advised to wear appropriate clothing. This mostly applies to women. If you wear sleeveless shirts or short skirts or pants, you'll have to rent a sarong (a strip of cloth) to cover the "inappropriate" parts. At the bottom of the stairs there are some food stands. Next to the temple there is also a cafe of sorts. If you are in Chiang Mai, I highly recommend you visit Wat Phrathat. It should be noted that it is mostly very crowded with tourists, so you might want to go early if you wish to avoid the business. It is one of the most important temples in Thailand and the view over the city and its airport is absolutely fantastic.

Quite impressive complex, i loved the green glass elements. Be aware, very crowded, especially while Buddhist holidays. Don't forget to dress appropriately since this is one of the most important complex where pilgrims come. Impressive view over the city of Chiang Mai. Road leading to the complex is really good. very charming place. You can also have a chat with monks on the side.