Doi suithep - Suthep temple and national park
When first entering the city of Chiang Mai, you are taken aback by the beauty of the mountains that surround the city, with the western suburbs of the city shadowed by Doi Suithep and the higher summit of Doi Pui which looms behind it. Since the founding days of Chiang Mai, Doi Suithep has acted as a spiritual guardian to the city and the much revered temple that sits atop the mountain has gazed down on the valley for more than half a millennium.
On a clear day you can easily see the shimmering gold of the temple's chedi. It was built in the 14th century and, according to legend, a relic of the Buddha was placed on the back of an elephant that trundled up the mountain and came to a halt at the place where the temple now stands, symbolically auspicious. Until a road was built up the mountain by the famed monk Khru Ba Srivichai in the 1930s, people walked up to the 1680-metre high summit to make their merit; today it is a 20-minute ride and Thais come from all over the country to visit this particularly important temple.
The meandering journey up is lovely, heading through lush rainforest and passing several waterfalls, so hiring your own bike (a Honda Dream 100cc will do, perhaps a 125cc if you have a passenger) is a good option. Some even tackle the ascent on a bicycle (about one hour of riding). If riding a motorcycle isn't to your liking, then you can take a red 'songteaw' taxi. Taxis leave from Chang Puak market at regular intervals during the day, or, alternatively, you can make your way up Huay Kaew road, to the entrance of Chiang Mai University, and take a songteaw from there.
Tours are also widely available. Halfway up, there is an excellent view provided by a lookout platform. There are also several wonderful waterfalls, most notably Huay Kaew waterfall at the base, which has free entry, great picnic spots and a number of simple rustic outdoor restaurants with fabulous views. Monthatan waterfall, a third of the way up, is equally impressive but has an entry fee of 400 baht. It’s not worth the exhorbitant fee, but the gatekeeper disappears at 5pm and you’ll have enough time to hike up to the various falls before night fall.
The temple sits upon a distinctive peak and supports a community of souvenir vendors and restaurants. Entry to the temple is via an exhausting 300-step stairway lined with two elongated nagas (protective serpents). There is also a funicular rail. The centrepiece of Wat Pratat Doi Suithep is the magnificent gilded chedi and a peaceful courtyard. Take note that you should dress respectfully when entering the temple. This means no skirts or shorts, and no singlets; however, fisherman pants can be hired for a minimal fee.
Here you will notice plenty of Thais making merit and walking clockwise around the chedi, clasping a lotus bud and incense for making merit. This temple is considered one of the most pious in all of Thailand. There are also a number of religious antiques and symbolic icons on display, as well as a humbling view of the Chiang Mai valley.
The Doi Suithep/Pui national park, which encompasses the entire area, has other attractions as well. A 20-minute ride farther up the mountain will take you to the Phuping Winter Palace, which is a popular residence for the current Royal family. Although entry to the palace is restricted, you can admire the lovely gardens.
Not far beyond the palace, if you bear a left at a T-junction, you descend sharply into a Hmong village, nestled in an isolated valley. While this is perhaps a commercialised version of a hill tribe settlement, it nonetheless is an accessible glimpse into such a community, and boasts its own superb waterfall decorated with nice gardens.
If you backtrack up the hill to the T-junction and then head in the opposite direction, you will climb steadily through a wonderful forest environment and chance upon a great lookout point with a sweeping view of the mountains, and a hill tribe village immediately below you. Continue on the road, however, and you eventually reach a national park entrance to the summit (access sometimes restricted).
From here, there is a sharp dirt road descent which takes in a campsite, forest station (with simple coffee shop and huts for hire), and remote Hmong village, before winding its way down through incredible scenery. Mountain bikers love this route and we've seen a few brave people tackle it on a Honda Dream motorcycle. The road eventually pops out at the Huay Tung Tao reservoir, at the base of the mountain, from where you can find your way back to the city.
There are also plenty of roadside spots to stop and go walking into the wonderful rainforests that become increasingly lush as you ascend the mountain. Those who are really energetic can walk up by finding the trail path beside a hidden temple behind the zoo; ride up Suithep road and take the last turn to the right and then turn left at the sign for the temple.
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