Active Chiang Mai and Doi Suthep Tour

Chiang Mai and Doi Suthep Tour

Cycling the back streets of Chiang Mai

Your guide and driver will meet you at the hotel at 0800 for your Active Chiang Mai and Doi Suthep Tour. A bicycle is the best way to explore the temples, markets, and back streets in the old, walled city of Chiang Mai. We will drive to the shop where our bikes are waiting for us. After a short briefing, we are on our way. First, we will visit Wat Srisuphan, the fantastic silver temple.

We will then ride our bikes into the old walled city. Next up is the Chiang Mai Gate market where we will chat with local vendors and taste some typical Northern Thai delicacies. From there we will continue to Wat Phra Singh, the temple of the Lion Buddha through quiet back streets. Next on our bike ride is Wat Chedi Luang, the temple of the big stupa. Then we will return to the start of the ride and drop our bicycles off.

Doi Suthep, the sacred mountain

We will continue by minivan to Doi Suthep, the sacred mountain of Chiang Mai. We will drive up the mountain along the road, constructed by the followers of the “monk-engineer” Kruba Srivichai in 1935. Since 1981 the mountain is a protected area: the Doi Pui-Doi Suthep National Park. Close to the summit of Doi Pui, there is a village of the Hmong people. At first sight, this looks like a very commercial village but there is more to it than that.

We will have a delicious Khao Soi lunch here after which we will explore the village. One of our Hmong friends runs a small coffee brewery with lovely views. This village has a very interesting history. We will visit the small museum and the last remaining traditional house. You can also dress up in traditional Hmong costumes which is very nice. At the family Coffee shop, we will enjoy the fantastic views over the mountains.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai’s most famous temple

Then it is time to visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, the most famous temple in North Thailand. Almost everyone who visits Chiang Mai will travel up the mountain to visit this temple. The beautiful Naga staircase of Wat Doi Suthep has more than 300 steps. We will walk up to the temple to enjoy the serene atmosphere and the fantastic views of Chiang Mai. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is the most famous temple in North Thailand. The temple dates back to the 14th century. Your guide will answer all your questions related to the history of the temple and to Buddhism. Very few visitors leave Chiang Mai without having visited Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.

Wat Pha Lat, Chiang Mai’s forest temple

After this, we will drive to Wat Pha Lat, which is also known as the forest temple of Doi Suthep. The centuries-old sitting Buddha statues in the Ho Phra Chao Rim Nam are of particular interest. The Chiang Mai chapter of the Fine Arts Department restored this building in 2019. From Wat Phalat we will hike a short stretch of the Monk’s Trail. It is a nice and relaxing walk through the forest. A bit off the trail are the remains of an ancient temple, named Wat Sam Yod. There is not much left of it and nothing is known about its history. After this, we return to Chiang Mai and drop you off at the hotel. We hope you enjoyed our Active Chiang Mai and Doi Suthep Tour.