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San Mui temple, Chiang Mai

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Things to see in Chiang Mai

Tourist information: 

TAT Information office
105/1 Thanon Chiang Mai-Lamphun
Tel: (053) 248 604.

The tourist office is on the east bank of the river, south of Nawarat Bridge. Free maps and information brochures are available from the English-speaking staff.

Chiang Mai National Museum

Chiang Mai's Lanna heritage is proudly on display in the national museum, which boasts a stunning collection of Buddha statues, artworks and historical artefacts. A number of displays cover contemporary history, but the highlight is the religious art collection. The artworks displayed here provide some useful context for the carvings, statues and ceremonial structures that you will see at the city's many monasteries and temples.

Opening Times: Wed-Sun 0900-1600.
Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: No
Unesco: No
Address: Chiang Mai-Lampang Superhighway, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Telephone: (053) 221 308.
Website: www.thailandmuseum.com
Chiang Mai Zoo

Set in pleasant grounds at the foot of Doi Suthep Mountain, this impressive gathering of more than 7,000 birds and animals began as a small collection of missionary family pets. Conditions for the animals are high by Asian standards, and the elephants, lions, giraffes and tigers have been joined by two giant pandas, on loan from China until 2013. There is also an impressive aquarium with a 133m (436ft) underwater viewing tunnel. Both the panda enclosure and aquarium are covered by an additional entry fee.

Opening Times: Daily 0800-2100.
Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: No
Unesco: No
Address: Thanon Huai Kaeo, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Telephone: (053) 222 479.
The Tribal Museum

Before visiting any of the tribal villages around Chiang Mai, drop into this interesting museum on the northern outskirts of the city. Housed in a modernist pagoda, overlooking a tree-encircled lake, the Tribal Museum has displays of handicrafts, jewellery, costumes, utensils and ceremonial paraphernalia from each of the northern Thai tribes, providing invaluable insights into the customs and culture of the indigenous peoples of the hills. Nearby are the peaceful grounds of Ratchamangkla (Rama IX) Park.

Opening Times: Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1600.
Admission Fees: No.
Disabled Access: No
Unesco: No
Address: Thanon Chotana, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Telephone: (053) 210 872.
Wat Chedi Luang

This faded terracotta-coloured temple is centred on a giant, partially ruined chedi, which was reduced from 90m (295ft) tall to just 60m (197ft) by an earthquake in 1545. Formerly covered in bronze plates and gold leaf, it was home to the famous Emerald Buddha for 80 years before the statue was transferred to Bangkok. Parts of the chedi were restored with funding from UNESCO and the Japanese government in the early 1990s, but the new additions are easy to spot amongst the original stucco-work. The restoration halted at the spire, as no records survive of what the chedi originally looked like. In an unprepossessing side building stands the revered Inthakin Post, the founding pillar of the city, which is said to enshrine the guardian spirit of Chiang Mai, and which forms the focal point for the Inthakin Festival in May/June.

Opening Times: Daily 0600-1700.
Admission Fees: No.
Disabled Access: No
Unesco: No
Address: Thanon Phra Pokklao, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Wat Chiang Man

The oldest temple in the city, Wat Chiang Man is believed to have been constructed during the reign of King Mengrai, who founded Chiang Mai in 1296. With its tiered roof and gold-encrusted façade, the wat is a stunning example of northern Thai architecture, and the roof of the main prayer hall is supported by a series of enormous columns, each carved from the trunk of a single teak tree. Enshrined inside a small chapel beside the main wiharn are two of the most celebrated Buddha images in the country. Phra Sila is a graceful marble statue originally from Sri Lanka or India, whilst the Phra Setangamani, or Crystal Buddha, was shuttled back and forth between Thailand and Laos for centuries by rival dynasties.

Opening Times: 0900-1700.
Admission Fees: No.
Disabled Access: No
Unesco: No
Address: Thanon Wiang Kaeo at Thanon Ratchaphakhinai, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Wat Phra Singh

The defining example of traditional Lanna architecture in Chiang Mai, Wat Phra Singh takes its name from the revered 'Lion Buddha' statue enshrined inside the wiharn (prayer hall) at the back of the monastery compound. The sacred statue is said to have come to Thailand from Sri Lanka, and it was previously enshrined in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ayutthaya and Sukothai before finally coming to rest in Chiang Mai.

The walls of Wat Phra Singh are lavishly decorated with stucco angels, intricate glass mosaics, gold stencil-work and murals of Thai legends, and the compound also contains an elegant raised library and an imposing chedi (the Thai version of the Buddhist stupa) which was constructed in 1345.

Opening Times: Daily 0600-1700.
Admission Fees: No.
Disabled Access: No
Unesco: No
Address: Thanon Ratchadamnoen at Thanon Singharat, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Wat U Mong

One of Thailand's sacred forest wat, this secluded temple is a haven for local Buddhists who come here to escape the hubbub of the city. Founded in the 14th century, the temple is said to have been constructed for a clairvoyant but troubled monk who was prone to wandering off into the forest to meditate. The moss-encrusted chedi stands over a maze of tunnels, decorated with paintings of flowers, animals and birds. Close to the chedi is a grisly statue of the Buddha, fasting almost to the point of death.

Admission Fees: No.
Disabled Access: No
Unesco: No
Address: Soi Wat U Mong, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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