Wat Phra That Doi Kham
Most of the temples in Chiang Mai are influenced by Lanna architecture and characterized by curved wooden roofs facing the sky. There are a few temples not to be missed when visiting Chiang Mai, one of which is the Wat Phra That Doi Kham temple.
Not only owns many luxury shopping centers and long-standing architectural works, Chiang Mai also possesses countless of famous Thai temples. Most of the temples in Chiang Mai are styled and influenced by Lanna architecture and characterized by curved wooden roofs facing the sky, dating between the 13th and 18th centuries. There are a few temples not to be missed when visiting Chiang Mai, one of which is the Wat Phra That Doi Kham temple.
Wat Phra That Doi Kham (commonly known as Doi Kham Pagoda or Golden Temple) is located on a hill in the southwest of Chiang Mai city. The oldest structure of Wat Phra That Doi Kham is the Stupa which was built in 687. It shares many characteristics with the Stupa of the famous Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. The stupa houses a sacred relic of Buddha. A local legend tells of two giants living in the Doi Kham region of five hundred years ago specializing in cannibalism. When Buddha visited the area he persuaded the giants to stop eating people and converted to Buddhism. Buddha gave them a relic of his hair, which is now worshiped in the Stupa of the temple. When the Stupa collapsed in 1966 due to heavy rains, local people discovered some Buddha images inside the damaged structure.
Big Buddha Statue at Wat Phra That Doi Kham
The temple is mostly famous for its impressive paranormal view from the top; as tourists can observe both the city and rolling mountains on the back of Mount Doi Pui. Tourists come to Wat Phra That Doi Kham temple to admire the17-meter-tall image of the sitting Buddha. The Buddha statue can be seen from the bottom of the hill and is decorated in the golden lent, which resulted in the nickname of the golden temple.
Tourists have to walk approximately 300 steps from below to get to the temple. The staircase of the pathway is decorated with crafted snake on each side winding up to Wat Doi Kham. There is an additional elevator that can take tourists up and down the hill. Walking up the temple is very rewarding as tourists get to admire the magnificent view of the mountains as well as the city along the way to the top. Climbing up the temple, tourists will be stunned by the beauty of Wat Doi Kham as well as the breathtaking scenery of the city.
Reclining Buddha Statue at Wat Phra That Doi Kham Temple
Wat Phra That Doi Kham Temple
The best time to visit Wat Phra That Doi Kham is during the months from November to March. During this time, the weather is pleasantly cool and relatively dry, suitable for trekking up the temple. The entrance fee for tourists is 30 Baht per guest. Because Wat Phra That Doi Kham is a sacred temple, tourists have to make sure you dress up properly before visiting this site. In particular, body parts such as shoulders, knees to below must be covered up in either scarves or soft cloth. If you are not well prepared, you might have to pay some amount of money to buy cover-ups at the temple.
