Chiang Mai is the second largest city of Thailand. It has an eminent past being the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lanna.
First a very brief history because this term will recur in my succeeding posts. Thailand as we know it today is not the same back in the 16-18th century. During that time, there were two not one kingdom, Ayodhya in the South and Lanna in the North. Ayodhya will eventually become Siam. Meanwhile Lanna will weaken, be overtaken by the Burmese, and eventually become a vassal kingdom of Siam. Lanna became a province of Siam in the 1890's and the honorific title Prince of Chiang Mai was abolished at the death of Prince Kaew Nawarat in 1939.
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| Chiang Mai - Rose of the North, vista from Wat Phra That Doi Suthep |
This history of Lanna being at the crossroads of three other kingdoms, Burma in the west, Lane Xang (Louang Phabang) in the East and Ayodhya in the South forms the backdrop of their very rich cultural life. While there is a genuine Lanna culture on its own, it can never be truly understood without referring it to these other cultures. Together, they form one big tapestry and one of the unifying theme in this tapestry is Therevada Bhuddism.
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
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| Wat Phra That Doi Suthep |
Chiang Mai has so many temples dotting the city scape, walking through it, one could see a different temple at almost every turn. For the traveller with limited time in Chiang Mai, there are 4 must-see temples. One of this is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, located atop Doi Suthep to the west of the city. Apart from being an important pilgrimage site, this temple has a commanding view of the entire Chiang Mai city. So this is worth a visit on your first day in Chiang Mai so you could set your bearings and situate yourself in the city.
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| 300 Steps await to those who want to see the Wat (just kidding, there is a tram for those not fit enough to climb these!) |
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| A green glass Buddha inside the complex |
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| Inside one of the halls within the complex, look at those ivory tusks! |
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| Selfie with the Main Chedi said to contain one of the twin relic from the shoulder bone of the Buddha |
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| A meditation hall inside the complex |
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| And that's me finishing the 300-step climb! |
The relic in the chedi of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is a twin relic which is believed to be from the shoulder bone of the Buddha. Legend has it that this relic was borne by a white elephant which was set free and went into the deep jungle finally reaching Doi Suthep. There the elephant carrying the relic died, and from that spot, the wat was built. The twin of the relic is reposed at Wat Suan Dok, which is featured here.
Bhubing Palace - Winter Palace in Chiang Mai
A few kilometers further atop of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is situated the Bhubing Palace, or the Winter Palace in Chiang Mai. Thai Royalty reside at the Bhubing Palace during the peak of Thai winter, somewhere between January to March. They have also received state visitors and foreign royalty in this Palace whenever they are in residence, so there is a number of chalets and villas within the complex, not mentioning functional residences for the royal household staff and their close personnel.
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| The Main Palace at Bhubing |
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| The farthest anyone could go, the palace is closed to the public. |
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| Water Reservoir of the Bhubing Palace, behind it is a chalet for one of the Princesses. |
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| Large Teakwood Outdoor Hall overlooking the reservoir. |
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| Gardens of the Palace |
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| The Princess Mother's (Princess Srinagarindra) Villa |
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| Chalet that doubles as Guest House for State Visitors |
Doi Pui-Suthep Hmong Hill Tribe
Further afield on the same road up Doi Suthep is a Hmong hill tribe. However, I did not visit this attraction and so I cannot offer any information about it, other than it can be reached in the same direction as the two already mentioned above.
Getting There and Attraction Information
Of course, there are packaged tours going to all three attractions. However, for the independent traveller, they are quite easy to reach.
1. From your guest house/hotel hail a songthaew to Chiang Mai Zoo - anywhere between 40-80 B.
2. Chiang Mai Zoo is at the foot of Doi Suthep, from here there are songthaews going in the direction of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Bhubing Palace and Doi Pui. The clincher is, they will not go unless (a) you hire them for a set rate or (b) there will be 8-10 passengers. In other words, unless you are thinking of hiring the songthaew for your own use, you have to wait. - Each attraction is 40B each way (one attraction to another). Example, if you begin your day at the wat, you pay 40B, after which you will go to Bhubing, another 40B. If you stop there and decide to head back to Chiang Mai already, then going down will cost 80B.
3. There is no need to worry about your return trip, practically in each attraction there are songthaews waiting outside eager to bring tourists either to the next attraction or going down and back to Chiang Mai zoo.
4. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep - 30B (for foreigners), FREE (for Thais), allotted time - 1hr to 1.5hrs (including the 300 step climb, it's going to take time)
5. Bhubing Palace - 90B (for all), allotted time - 1.5hrs
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