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I’ve been to Chiang Mai several times, and I had never heard of Wat Pha Lat even after living in Thailand for a while. It’s a beautiful temple on the way to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Although the temple and trail are now a bit busier than they used to be, it’s still a really nice hike and experience.
Yes, Doi Suthep is the most famous temple and among the most beautiful in Chiang Mai; but Wat Pha Lat, while smaller and less opulent, has a setting that rivals Doi Suthep’s overall beauty.
It’s nestled in the forest just a few kilometers down the road from Doi Suthep. There are no crowds, no shops or food stalls, and no unwanted distractions.
This Buddhist temple is as peaceful as it can get, sitting next to a waterfall and hiding under the tree’s canopy. It might be completely out of sight, but it has a stunning overview of the city of Chiang Mai that is worth admiring.
When I was doing my research on hiking the trail, I found it hard to find a good guide, so here I tell you how you can hike it step by step.
How To Reach The Wat Pha Lat Temple and the Monks’ Trail
To find the start of the Monk’s Trail, you need to head to the end of Suthep Road, just by Chiang Mai University. You can take a songthaew (the red shared “taxis”) to this point.
From here, you will walk forward and turn right at the intersection, heading towards the rear entry of Chiang Mai Zoo.
As you head this way, you’ll see a big red and white radio/TV antenna in the distance to your right – this is roughly the start of the Monk’s Trail.
Update: Now Google Maps has a marker at the beginning of Wat Pha Lat Monk’s Trail. If you type “Wat Pha Lat Hike” into Google, it should appear on your map. Also, if you’re a user of AllTrails, they have the trail to Wat Pha Lat, and the trail up to Doi Suthep fully marked on their free app.
Once you pass the zoo, you’ll walk slightly uphill for about 3 to 5 more minutes until you see the trail sign at the end of the road, slightly towards the left. It’s next to the big antenna.
For this hike, it’s highly recommended to wear closed shoes or hiking boots, as the trail is rough and quite rocky sometimes. But hey, monks do it in sandals!
It’s also recommended to take mosquito repellent since there are a lot of mosquitoes in the forest.
Plus, be mindful that you’re hiking to a Buddhist temple, so wear proper clothing or carry some pieces of clothing in a daypack to cover your shoulders and/or thighs.
The Monk’s Trail has a mild incline of moderate difficulty and takes about 45 minutes from this point to Wat Pha Lat. Once you enter the trail, follow the trees wrapped in the customary orange cloth monks use to dress themselves.
Update: It seems like the trees are no longer wrapped with the orange cloths, but the monks’ trail is still easy to follow.
There are points at which the trail itself becomes a picturesque scene full of trees wrapped in orange.
It’s beautiful by itself, but once you come across some of the monks who use the trail, the scene becomes something completely surreal and even enchanting.
At points, I was mesmerized by the monks walking effortlessly along the trail, making their way to the first shrine just at the base of Wat Pha Lat.
Exploring Wat Pha Lat
Once in the temple grounds, you’ll see that the 45-minute hike was well worth it. It’s hard not to be amazed by the sight of the stair adorned with two dragons and ending abruptly at the edge of the waterfall.
When I arrived, I sat on the dry rocks where the river tends to flow during the rainy season. It was like experiencing pure serenity.
I watched a few groups of monks emerge from the trail, stop to pray at the shrine, and continue forward to the temple or onwards to Doi Suthep Temple.
Sculptures of dragons, elephants, and mystic creatures mix the worldly with the otherworldly in a beautiful way.
The temple is well kept, yet you can see how nature creeps in and overflows in certain areas, making you feel like you’re in a forgotten land or time, surrounded only by the modesty and peacefulness of the monks.
Wat Pha Lat, which means “Monastery at the Sloping Rock”, was originally used as a resting place for people walking up Doi Suthep Mountain to worship at the temple that sits atop it.
But once the road was built in 1935, making Doi Suthep much more accessible; Wat Pha Lat, in turn, became a monks’ residence.
Should you decide to stop your hike here, you can easily walk to the street and take a songthaew back to the city (around 60 bahts), but should you decide to hike up to Doi Suthep, you can continue on the trail along the river until you reach the road.
Hiking To Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Once at the road, you will turn to the left and cross to the opposite side of the road, where you will enter the first path on your right.
From here on, the trail is not marked with orange cloths, but it’s easy to follow. You’ll often see the power lines that go up to Doi Suthep parallel to the trail.
This part of the trail is more challenging, though, as it’s steeper and longer. It takes about 1:15 hours to reach Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.
Once you reach the road again, you’ll hike up until you reach the Naga staircase, leading you upwards to the temple. Here, you won’t feel the serenity and peace found at Wat Pha Lat, but this temple is worth seeing.
It shines thanks to its extravagant golden Chedi and its several holy shrines. The view of Chiang Mai city is also a highlight.
Going Down From Doi Suthep To Chiang Mai
You can either hike down if you have the energy. Again, you can refer to the trail to/from Wat Pha Lat and the trail to/from Doi Suthep on AllTrails.
Or, you can get a songthaew for 60 Bahts to the west or north gates or 80 Bahts to the east or south gates.
There’s always a queue of Songthaews just at the end of the steps, so it’s easy grabbing one at any time.
From Wat Pha Lat, just stand on the road and wait for one of these songthaews to pass by to signal them you want to reach the city. It should cost about the same as mentioned above.
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