Wat Phra Singh stands as one of Chiang Mai's most iconic and historically rich temples. Founded in 1345 during the reign of Lanna King Phayu, its purpose was to enshrine a famous relic of the Buddha and house the ashes of his late father, King Khamfu. Also known as the Monastery of the Lion Buddha, it is still an active religious centre, attracting hundreds of monks and novices from all over South East Asia.

Wat Chiang Man is the oldest temple still standing in Chiang Mai. Founded in 1297, it was originally established by the medieval King Mengrai as a royal encampment while overseeing the construction of his new capital. As the first temple built within the city walls, Wat Chiang Man quickly became a hub for both spiritual and civic life, hosting key religious ceremonies, political gatherings and important social events at the heart of the emerging Lanna Kingdom.

Rising high above the mountains of Doi Inthanon National Park, these two beautiful pagodas were built to commemorate the 60th birthdays of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 1987 and Queen Sirikit in 1992. These monuments stand as powerful symbols of Thailand’s deep reverence for its monarchy, its enduring Buddhist traditions and the unity of the Thai people.

Wat Phan Tao is one of Chiang Mai’s lesser known yet historically rich temples, quietly nestled in the heart of the city’s ancient walled quarter. Located just beside the more prominent Wat Chedi Luang, it often sits in its shadow, both figuratively and literally, but offers a tranquil, deeply atmospheric contrast. The temple dates back to the 14th century, during the reign of the Mangrai Dynasty and originally served not as a grand site of worship but as the residence for mo

The Blue Temple, also known as Wat Rong Suea Ten, is a striking Buddhist temple, renowned for its stunning blue and gold color scheme. Built in 2005 on the site of an ancient abandoned shrine, it is a relatively new addition to Chiang Rai’s historical landscape and was funded by a local artist named Phuttha Kabkaew, who had a strong vision of fusing the beauty of traditional Buddhist art in the contemporary world.

Located among the narrow, winding lanes just south of Chiang Mai’s historic South Gate, Wat Sri Suphan stands as the dazzling centerpiece of the Haiya subdistrict, a historic residential area renowned for its traditional silver workshops. An inscription within the temple grounds reveals that the complex was originally built in 1501 during the reign of King Mueang Kaeo, the 11th ruler of the Lanna Kingdom’s Mangrai Dynasty.

Commissioned during the reign of King Saen Muangma in the twilight of the 14th century, this ancient royal monastery is one of Chiang Mai’s most hallowed temples. It was conceived not merely as a place of worship, but as a towering tribute, a sacred reliquary meant to enshrine the ashes of the king’s father, the revered King Ku Na. The centrepiece was to be a monumental stupa, ambitiously imagined to rise “as high as a dove could fly.” But fate intervened.