Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Doi Suthep

Really nice must do. Have amazing view of not clouded or raining. Very reasonable entry fee (50) and the vibe is chilled. There is even a yoga meditation center if you follow the arrows. Spent a few minutes in their and felt very laid back after. Recommend doing by scooter! Really nice drive.

A 15km winding mountain drive to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and the 300 intricately carved mythical Naga Serpent steps leads to near the top of the“Doi Suthep/Mount Suthep". Included in our tour was the cable car ride and before seeing the pagodas, statues, murals, bells, a museum and shrines, we were reminded on appropriate dressing and removing footwear. So, I wrapped the scarf I always carry while travelling around my waist and walked into the temple - a must see iconic tourist destination, built as a Buddhist monastery in 1383 and is still a working monastery till today. This site is well maintained, the entrance fee is reasonable and "Lo And Behold" the Chiang Mai view/mountain scenery. The golden spire which decorates the centre of temple was the first sight, next the Emerald Buddha beautiful copy statue whereas the real statue I have seen in Bangkok as well. Outside this area there's the shrine to the White Elephant, the story on how the temple was founded and the world’s largest gongs, lines of bells and orchids are within the wide walkway.

Go by scooter. The winding route through the mountain and jungle to the top was my favourite part. Also loads of interesting stops on the way up. The temple is very nice also but we had a special treat due to their being hundreds of monks there

It is a beautiful temple but cost 50thb for the entry fee and lift ticket if you don't want to walk 200 steps up hill. It Is a large temple on the mountain hillside. So many large and gold Buddha status, very impressive place but also very crowded even in the weekday. It looks like a city of gold and you can see the view of Chiang Mai below. You may want to check the weather because the rain could damping your trip and less enjoyable when you have to walk outside in barefoot and wet.

To reach Doi Suthep, one may need to take a minibus at the foot of the hill next to Chiang Mai Zoo. Just tell any red cab driver "Doi Suthep" and they usually will drop you at the minibus station. The moment we jumped onto the minibus which was basically a modified pickup truck, the nightmare started. Due to fast driving and windy road, we found ourselves get dizzy faster if we were to sit facing side instead of facing front of the vehicle. You may need to bring along some motion sickness pills. To reach the temple, one can either climb 309 steps or take a tram. We opted for the first option and was almost exhausted the moment we reached the top. The result was pretty rewarding as you will be able to have an overview of Chiang Mai town from the top. We recommend readers to spend at least 1 hour here. After all, it will be another 309 steps for you to go back to the car park area. If you are not sure how to worship or make a prayer, just follow the crowd. A minor drawback is perhaps the place can be overcrowded. Also, watch out for your shoe as you need to take it off before entering Gold Chedi compound. The floor can be dirty as well due to the crowd and we recommend readers to prepare a pack of wet tissue to clean your foot before wearing back your shoe.