Wat Phra That Doi Suthep: how to visit Chiang Mai's mountain temple
Chiang Mai's golden mountain temple — the naga staircase, the view over the city, and the easiest, most scenic way to get up there.
Tap a numbered stop for details. The route line is indicative — grab an offline map for turn-by-turn.
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is the temple you've seen on every Chiang Mai postcard — a golden chedi perched on the mountain that watches over the city. Most people get there by minivan or red songthaew, but honestly? Riding up yourself is half the fun.
It's a short hop — about 15 km from the old city — but it's all twisty mountain road through cool forest, with viewpoints over Chiang Mai the whole way up. You can be at the temple in under an hour, or make a proper half-day of it by carrying on to the royal gardens and a Hmong village near the summit. Here's how the ride goes.
The route at a glance
- 1Chiang Mai Start. Head out on Huay Kaew Road, past Maya and the zoo, to the foot of the climb.
- 2Wat Pha Lat A quiet, mossy jungle temple most day-trippers skip — and the top of the famous Monk's Trail hike.
- 3Wat Phra That Doi Suthep The big one. 306 naga steps (or a funicular) up to the golden chedi and a huge view over the city.
- 4Bhubing Palace The royal winter residence — beautiful gardens, open when the family isn't staying.
- 5Doi Pui A Hmong hill-tribe village near the summit: cool air, coffee, handicrafts. Then back down the same road.
The ride, stop by stop
Chiang Mai → the mountain base
Head out on Huay Kaew Road past Maya and the zoo. At the foot of the climb you pass the Kruba Srivichai monument — the monk whose volunteers hand-built this road in 1935. From here Route 1004 starts winding up.
The climb → Wat Pha Lat
The road tightens into forest switchbacks. Partway up, pull in at Wat Pha Lat — a quiet, mossy jungle temple most day-trippers miss. It's also the top of the Monk's Trail if you fancy the hike another day.
→ Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
A few more kilometres of curves brings you to the big one. Park up, climb the 306-step naga staircase (or take the funicular), and the golden chedi and a huge view over Chiang Mai are your reward — 15 km from the city, 1,073 m up.
→ Bhubing Palace & Doi Pui
Keep climbing. Bhubing Palace has immaculate royal gardens (when the family isn't in residence), and a little higher, Doi Pui is a Hmong village with cooler air, coffee and handicrafts. Then it's the same road back down — easy does it on the brakes.
What you'll see at the top
The heart of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is its gleaming golden chedi — a 24-metre stupa said to enshrine a relic of the Buddha, first built in 1383. You reach the temple terrace up a long staircase lined with mythical naga serpents (just over 300 steps — there's a funicular tram to the top if you'd rather not climb), and a walkway beside the shrine opens onto a sweeping view over the whole Chiang Mai valley. Go early and it's cool, quiet and clear, before the midday haze rolls in.
Why ride up instead of taking a songthaew
A red songthaew will get you to the temple and back for a few hundred baht, and there's nothing wrong with that. But the road up Doi Suthep is genuinely lovely — cool, green and full of curves — and on your own scooter you can pull over at the viewpoints, duck into Wat Pha Lat, and carry on past the temple to Bhubing Palace and Doi Pui whenever you feel like it. No timetable, no waiting for the truck to fill up.
Just respect the road. It's short but steep, the curves are tight, and the songthaews and vans will overtake you on them. The descent is where most scooter trouble happens — long downhills cook cheap brakes — so take it slow on the way down and feather the brakes — short, gentle squeezes rather than dragging them the whole way.
What bike to take
This is the one ride around Chiang Mai where the bike genuinely matters. The climb is steep enough that a small 110–125cc — especially two-up — will be working hard, and you want brakes you can trust for the way down. Our pick is an ADV 350; a PCX 160 or ADV 160 are great too. A 125cc, even a little Click, will still get you up there solo and light — just take it easy. Whatever you ride, give the brakes a squeeze before you set off. We run new models only, delivered anywhere in Chiang Mai. (You can see the whole range here.)
Good to know before you go
- Dress respectfully. It's a sacred temple — cover your shoulders and knees, and slip your shoes off in the inner shrine.
- Go early. Mornings mean fewer crowds, cooler air and the clearest views over the city. By midday it's busy and hazy.
- Bring small cash. Around 30–50 THB to enter the temple (plus ~20–50 THB for the funicular if you'd rather skip the steps); Bhubing Palace is about 50 THB and closes at 4:30pm.
- Easy on the brakes downhill. The single most important tip — keep your speed right down and pump the brakes gently rather than holding them the whole way, so they don't overheat. If they start feeling soft, pull over and let them cool.
A bit of history
Legend has it a relic of the Buddha was loaded onto a white elephant, which climbed Doi Suthep, trumpeted three times and lay down to die — and that's where the first stupa went up, back in 1383. For centuries the only way up was a hard forest trek, until 1935, when the revered monk Kruba Srivichai rallied villagers from across the north to hand-build the road in just a few months. At the top, the 306-step naga staircase — its banisters two long, scaly serpents — leads up to the golden chedi and that postcard view.
Quick questions
How do I get to Doi Suthep?
It's about 15 km from the old city, straight up Route 1004 (Huay Kaew Road). On a scooter that's 30–45 minutes of winding mountain road. You can also catch a red songthaew from near Chiang Mai University or the zoo — but riding up yourself means you can stop where you like and carry on to Bhubing Palace and Doi Pui.
Is the road to Doi Suthep hard to ride?
It's short and fully paved, but steep and curvy, and songthaews overtake on the bends, so a little riding experience helps. The trickiest part is the descent — take it slow, keep your speed down and pump the brakes gently — don't hold them the whole way — so they don't overheat.
How many steps are there at Doi Suthep?
306 — the famous naga (serpent) staircase. If stairs aren't your thing, a small funicular runs up to the temple for around 20–50 THB.
What does it cost and when is it open?
The temple is open daily from about 6am to 8pm; entry is around 30–50 THB for foreigners. Bhubing Palace, 4 km further up, is about 50 THB and open 8:30am–4:30pm — but it closes when the royal family is in residence.
When's the best time to go?
Early morning: cooler, quieter, and the views over Chiang Mai are clearest before the midday haze rolls in. Avoid riding up in heavy rain (slippery curves) or after dark.
