Wat Umong, Chiang Mai
A forest monastery below Doi Suthep, built around a network of brick meditation tunnels.
Wat Umong, Chiang Mai
Wat Umong lies in woodland at the foot of Doi Suthep, west of the old city, and is unlike any other temple in Chiang Mai. It was founded in the fourteenth century and its distinguishing feature is a set of brick tunnels cut into the base of the hill - vaulted passages, dim and cool, with niches holding Buddha images, built as meditation cells.
Above the tunnels stands a large weathered chedi, and the grounds run on into forest where a lake, feeding pigeons and turtles, and a scatter of broken Buddha images collected from elsewhere give the place a deliberately unrestored feel. Sayings of the Buddha in Thai and English are hung from the trees along the paths.
It is a working forest monastery with resident monks and a meditation programme, and it is markedly quieter than the old city temples.
- Three Kings Monument — The Three Kings Monument honors Chiang Mai's founding rulers with a striking bronze statue, drawing visitors keen on local...
- Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Mai — The most revered temple in the old city, and the best surviving example of classic Lanna architecture.
- Doi Inthanon National Park — The highest mountain in Thailand, with cloud forest, waterfalls and the twin royal chedis near the summit.
- Tha Phae Gate, Chiang Mai — The restored eastern gate of the old city walls, and the square where Chiang Mai holds its festivals.
- Warorot Market, Chiang Mai — Chiang Mai's main covered market - northern food, textiles and the city's Chinatown around it.
- Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai — The ruined brick chedi at the centre of the old city, once the tallest structure in the Lanna kingdom.
