The famous "Buddha on the mountain". If you only have time to visit one wat in Chiang Mai, this is the one you should not miss. Free admission. Shorts / skirts not allowed inside the wat, but don't worry if you forget to wear long pants, like me, they have FREE sarong for you to borrow.
Introduction: High in the hills above Chiang Mai is Doi Suthep temple, a spectacular shrine commissioned by King Kuena, ruler of Chiang Mai from 1367-88. According to an old legend, the king was persuaded to build the temple when the monk Sumana presented him with a bone relic of the historical Buddha. The king searched far and wide for a suitable spot to build the temple, but none could be found. Finally, he resolved to let fate decide its location, and he tied the relic to the back of an elephant and set it loose. For days the elephant stomped through the jungle, shadowed by the king's men, until it reached the mountaintop of Doi Suthep. The elephant made a good choice because the king readily agreed to the spot. Construction began 1386 and was completed within a few years. Doi Suthep sits a good thousand meters above the surrounding landscape, so it is a great place to view the countryside. Once the difficult ascent had to be made on foot, but a motor road was added in 1935 and a funicular (lift) was recently installed as well. Who saw the hardship of the climb and initiated a plan to construct a road up Suthep Mountain to the monastery. The man and therefore the monument are highly popular among the local Thais who frequently come here to make wishes. If the wishes come true, the wisher will return and present flowers or wooden elephants in thanks for the bounty provided.
Until the road was built in 1935, pilgrims had to walk up the mountain and then up more than 200 steps on the long naga stairway to reach the temple. This stairway was originally constructed in the mid-16th century. The inner walled sanctuary is surrounded by a lower terrace. From this level there is an excellent view over the city and valley. The faithful like to ring the bells and gongs round the base of the sanctuary. A statue of the elephant commemorates the founding of the temple. The inner sanctuary is one of the classic sights of Chiang Mai. A gold plated chedi lies in the middle of a square marble tiled courtyard. The chedi reached its present height of over 16 meters in 1525. A railing surrounding the square base of the chedi encloses a walkway for devotional rounds of the chedi (women may not enter this). Parasols, symbols of royal regalia, have been placed at the four corners of the chedi. The courtyard took its present shape in 1805. It is lined by a cloister which contains Buddha images and murals depicting the life of the Buddha. In the middle of the east and west sides of the cloister are two ornate viharn. The inside walls of both are covered with murals. The murals of the eastern viharn show the legend of the elephant and the relic, while those of the western hall show the Vessantara Jataka. Devotees go to the western viharn to receive blessings and lustral water from monks sitting on a dais. On the south and northern sides of the cloister, smaller shrines are the subject of much veneration. Thais prostrate themselves and then shake a holder with 28 sticks to see which one falls to the ground first. A fortune reading for each of the numbers may be found in a cabinet nearby.
Introduction: High in the hills above Chiang Mai is Doi Suthep temple, a spectacular shrine commissioned by King Kuena, ruler of Chiang Mai from 1367-88. According to an old legend, the king was persuaded to build the temple when the monk Sumana presented him with a bone relic of the historical Buddha. The king searched far and wide for a suitable spot to build the temple, but none could be found. Finally, he resolved to let fate decide its location, and he tied the relic to the back of an elephant and set it loose. For days the elephant stomped through the jungle, shadowed by the king's men, until it reached the mountaintop of Doi Suthep. The elephant made a good choice because the king readily agreed to the spot. Construction began 1386 and was completed within a few years. Doi Suthep sits a good thousand meters above the surrounding landscape, so it is a great place to view the countryside. Once the difficult ascent had to be made on foot, but a motor road was added in 1935 and a funicular (lift) was recently installed as well. Who saw the hardship of the climb and initiated a plan to construct a road up Suthep Mountain to the monastery. The man and therefore the monument are highly popular among the local Thais who frequently come here to make wishes. If the wishes come true, the wisher will return and present flowers or wooden elephants in thanks for the bounty provided.
Until the road was built in 1935, pilgrims had to walk up the mountain and then up more than 200 steps on the long naga stairway to reach the temple. This stairway was originally constructed in the mid-16th century. The inner walled sanctuary is surrounded by a lower terrace. From this level there is an excellent view over the city and valley. The faithful like to ring the bells and gongs round the base of the sanctuary. A statue of the elephant commemorates the founding of the temple. The inner sanctuary is one of the classic sights of Chiang Mai. A gold plated chedi lies in the middle of a square marble tiled courtyard. The chedi reached its present height of over 16 meters in 1525. A railing surrounding the square base of the chedi encloses a walkway for devotional rounds of the chedi (women may not enter this). Parasols, symbols of royal regalia, have been placed at the four corners of the chedi. The courtyard took its present shape in 1805. It is lined by a cloister which contains Buddha images and murals depicting the life of the Buddha. In the middle of the east and west sides of the cloister are two ornate viharn. The inside walls of both are covered with murals. The murals of the eastern viharn show the legend of the elephant and the relic, while those of the western hall show the Vessantara Jataka. Devotees go to the western viharn to receive blessings and lustral water from monks sitting on a dais. On the south and northern sides of the cloister, smaller shrines are the subject of much veneration. Thais prostrate themselves and then shake a holder with 28 sticks to see which one falls to the ground first. A fortune reading for each of the numbers may be found in a cabinet nearby.
ELEPHANT CAMP
Introduction: First visit. to Elephant Camp Thai elephant used to be the symbol on the red Thai flag before the three-coloured flag that we are using right now. Elephant has an important relationship with Thai people long time ago. Man and elephant closely live together since then. All Thai kids know Elephant Song very well. They sing in harmony that………… Mae Ta Marn Elephant Barn was located on Amphur Mae Tang. It has the area of 25 rai. It has been opening for tourists to visit and join the activities with kind Thai elephant since August 17, 1987 . On that day, we had 10 elephants but right now we have totally 60 elephants to serve both Thais and foreigners who come to watch the elephant performance, ride the elephant, experience the way of life of Thai Lee Saw hill tribe, have bamboo rafting, and take a short jungle trek.
Program take about 3 hours
1. Elephant Show Show time is 09.40 a.m. Start the show with the troop of elephant stars holding "Welcome" sign and salute the audience.
Showing the relationship and communication between mahout and elephant by elephant obey the commands of mahout such as sit, lay down, or crouch for mahout to ride on the neck.
Show playing an instrument and dancing along the music. Show playing basketball and football.
Show their intelligent by walking with 2 legs, use their snout to put the hat on their mahout’s head, keep things into the basket, massage human by using their feet and snout softly.
Show working by collect the elephant chain by themselves and drag logs by arranging in order.
Show painting the picture of tree with flowers on elephant dung paper. Close the show with the troop of elephant stars holding "Thank you" sign and after that the audience can go see to elephants closely.
Riding elephant To learn the nature, Mae Ta Marn Elephant Barn had arranged the route for learning nature in short jungle trekking from guidance who is a skillful villager in jungle trekking. You will get to know many plants, see the jungle birds, colorful bugs, subterranean course of water, You can feel the atmosphere of woods just like you are holding by beautiful nature which it takes 1 hours.
Ox - Cart Riding After enjoyed the elephant show, there is an elephant taxi for you to across Mae tang river and go through the green wood to get some fresh air.Then experience Mae Ta Marn villager's way of life for 1hour or have sightseeing along the way to
Lisu hill tribe Lisu hilltribe. The women wear long multicoloured tunics over trousers and sometimes black turbans with tasels. Men wear baggy green or blue pants pegged in at the ankles. Lisu hilltribe with 30 minutes more. After that return to Elephant Barn by riding a bullock cart, you can hear the wheel of the cart switching with the sound of cowbell about 15 minutes. 12.00 a.m. take buffet lunch,
Thai buffet lunch at Restaurant in elephant cam Open air restaurant with high roof for getting cool breeze and the customer can see the view of stream and nature closely.And after lunch you can experience a more exciting adventure – a bamboo rafting trip on peaceful Maetaeng River ,
Bamboo Rafting along Mae Tang River about 30 minutes or 1 hour with 2 storeys of big bamboo raft that wide 7.5 m. You can enjoy the stream and the scenery along the river with trees, jungle flowers, including with butterfly and birds that sing along the current of the river that hit the rock.
