Historic Walk, Samlor ride and Wat Doi Suthep

The Chiang Mai Historical Walk

Your guide and driver will meet you at the hotel for your Chiang Mai Historical Walk. Drive to the Ancient Lanna House, where we will start our walk.  The Ancient Lanna House is about 150 years old and underwent renovation recently. We will cross the Ping River via the famous Iron Bridge that dates back to the early 1990s. Your guide will tell you the story of the Ping River bridges. Across the river was the compound of the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation, a British company involved in teak logging. We continue and pass the First Christian Church and the Sri Prakad Hotel, the oldest hotel in Chiang Mai.

The Wat Ket Museum

We pass the Nawarat Bridge, which opened in 1966, and continue to the Wat Ket area. It was the main commercial area of Chiang Mai before the railway arrived in 1922. We walk past beautiful historical shophouses to Wat Ket Karaam. This temple has a small but interesting museum. After this visit, we cross the Ping River via the Chansom Memorial footbridge to the Kad Luang market. It was the location of the first bridge over the Ping River.

Your guide will show you pictures of that first bridge and the devastating 1968 fire that destroyed the Kad Luang market in 1968. Kad Luang is also known as the Tonlamyai/Warorot markets. This fantastic market never ceases to amaze us. The market is a feast for the eye and the stomach. Here we will visit the Chinese shrine Ong Thao Kong. The area around Kad Luang is the Chinatown of Chiang Mai.

Samlor ride to the Ban Haw Mosque

The market is also the last place in Chiang Mai where several samlors (bicycle taxis) are parked. We will get in the samlors for a short ride to the Ban Haw Mosque, founded in 1896. We will visit the Ban Haw Mosque and enjoy a typical Muslim snack at one of our favorite restaurants. After this, we will have a brief look at the Wongluekiat House, an old wooden house on stilts with an interesting story. We continue through Charoenprathet Road and stop at two remarkable buildings, each with its own story. Both are property of the Upayokin Family. Here our vehicle waits for us.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and Kruba Srivichai

We enjoy a typical “khao soi” lunch in one of our favorite restaurants before we head for our main destination of this afternoon: Wat Prathat Doi Suthep. It is the most famous temple of Chiang Mai, located on Suthep mountain. We stop briefly at the foot of the mountain. Here we find the shrine for the monk Kruba Srivichai, whose followers constructed the road up the mountain in 1935. After this, we continue to the temple. Walk up the famous stairway of Wat Doi Suthep. Views over Chiang Mai are stunning. We’ll spend time at the temple.

Wat Pha Lat, the forest temple

Wat Pha Lat (often spelled Wat Palat or Palad) is a small but interesting temple that has gained popularity over the past few years. We will stop here for a while and enjoy the lovely surroundings and view. If you want, you can walk part of the famous Monk’s Trail. It is only downhill and doesn’t take more than half an hour. It would help if you had good shoes, especially in the rainy season, and it is a nice walk. Our vehicle will wait for us at the bottom of the mountain. We will bring you back to your hotel after a long and entertaining day. We hope you liked the Chiang Mai Historic Walk, the samlor ride, and the temples on Doi Suthep! Look here for more historical tours of Chiang Mai.