Historic Temples and City Guided Walking Tour in Chiang Mai
Description
Discover Chiang Mai's fascinating history, future World Heritage temples, local legends, and architectural wonders on 3-hour walking tour. Your journey begins at Wat Chiang Man, Chiang Mai's oldest temple. Continuing West, Three Kings Monument, a large open square in the heart of the walled old town. After that head to Wat Phra Singh which is one of the finest examples of classic Lanna style temple architecture in Thailand. Then, explore Wat Phan Tao, a temple constructed almost entirely of teak wood. The main hall features an enormous teak throne once used by Chiang Mai's rulers, and the building itself was originally part of a royal palace. Your tour concludes at the impressive ruined chedi of Wat Chedi Luang. It’s a highlight in and of itself, as is the majestic standing Buddha in the main prayer hall. This tour offers a sustainable way to explore Chiang Mai, focusing on low-impact experiences, discover the city while minimizing your environmental impact and carbon footprint.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your journey begins at Wat Chiang Man, Chiang Mai's oldest temple. As you step through the ancient gates, you'll immediately notice the elephant-surrounded chedi, where 15 stone elephants appear to carry the structure on their backs. Inside the main worship hall, you'll encounter the dazzling Crystal Buddha (Phra Sae Tang Khamani) and the Marble Buddha, two of Chiang Mai's most sacred artifacts.
Learn the history behind the statue and its cultural significance. Dig and construct this masterpiece.
After that head to Wat Phra Singh which is one of the most beautiful temples out of the 300-plus temples found in Chiang Mai area. It’s one of the finest examples of classic Lanna style temple architecture in Northern Thailand.
Wat Phan Tao is a Buddhist temple (wat) located in the old city of Chiang Mai, Thailand. Built in the 14th century, it was originally used as a palace before being converted into a monastery. The temple is particularly notable for its wooden ordination hall (viharn) made entirely of teak wood, which is unusual as most Thai temples are constructed from brick and concrete.
Explore the impressive chedi of Wat Chedi Luang. It’s a highlight in and of itself, as is the majestic standing Buddha in the main prayer hall.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(8)
We did this walking tour of Chiang Mai's old city and it was a highlight of our trip. Our guide Jane was friendly, patient, and clearly knew the history inside and out. She walked us through several temples, including Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang, explaining the meaning behind the Buddha images, the murals, and the temple architecture in a way that was easy to follow and genuinely interesting. Jane explained the story of King Mangrai founding Chiang Mai in 1296, the significance of the city's five gates, and the symbolism behind details like the Garuda figures and the offerings people bring to the temples. She was happy to answer all our questions along the way and made sure everyone in the group felt included. This is a great tour for anyone wanting real context and history behind the temples rather than just snapping photos. We left with a much deeper appreciation for Chiang Mai's old city. It's a good way to get a solid historic introduction to the temples before exploring further on your own, though be aware there is a fair amount of walking involved, so wear comfortable shoes. Highly recommend Jane as your guide if you book this tour.
I must admit that I wasn’t sure how I would fare walking for three hours on a hot day for this walking tour, but with our wonderful tour guide, JJ, it was a breeze. She was so knowledgeable and informative, and kept us engaged during our walking tour that the time flew by! Thank you, Jane (JJ) for this experience that we will be sure others know about.
TwoTwo was a great guide. He provided a lot of information about the temples and was able to answer our many questions. This was a nice way to hit the highlights of a few major temples in Chiang Mai.
Two Two was very informative and knowledgable, but building some good humour too. He was able to answer all questions asked and checked we understood.
Santi was amazing: so knowlegble about Thailand, Buddhism, and Chaing Mai! He was able to answer all my questions and really made me reflect too. Wonderful tour!
This was a really fun and interesting orientation to the city and Northern Thailand. Because I went on a Sunday, we even got to see some ladies doing traditional dances at the main temple. Highly recommend!
Great tour with Jen the guide! She was very knowledgeable, with great English and attitude. It was a great start to know Chiang Mai. Recommend!
Pang and Tin were excellent tour guides and hosts for the morning. The historical information they talked through plus all the Temples they showed us was first class.
