Wat Pha Lat
Wat Pha Lat
4.5
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Religious Sites
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
551 reviews
Excellent
442
Very good
87
Average
10
Poor
3
Terrible
9

Rajender
Ghaziabad, India64 contributions
Sep 2022 • Friends
The journey from chiang mai to this temple it takes about 40 minutes from city.the tuktuk or whatever u call charge about 500 baht for taking you and bringing back.he will wait for you for whatever time u take.flowers and candles are free if u wish u can donate.the city view from the hill is fantastic. The local shops are selling everything there.
The other way to climb is Rodeway lift takes 3 minutes and charge 100 baht for both way
Written September 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Arie
Los Angeles, CA18 contributions
May 2023 • Solo
Wat Pha Lat is one of my favorite temples that I visited in Chiang Mai. It may not have all the splash and “bling” of the better known wats, but this is exactly why I liked it so much. It is in a forest setting with a stream flowing near it and fewer tourists than the more famous wats. Make sure you don’t just look at the first two shrines when you pull off of the road; definitely go down the hill to where most of the temples are located.
Written May 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Danjiro
Lake Forest, CA246 contributions
Nov 2022 • Solo
This temple is easy to overlook. I hiked up the monk's trail, and was delighted to come across this temple complex, located in the woods on the hill on the way up to Doi Suthep Temple. The other way to go is by vehicle, pulling off the main road up to Doi Suthep. The hiking trail emerges on the lower portion of this temple grounds, with an overlook deck, a river, some falls and a large serpent staircase on the other side. The temple structures on the grounds have a range of styles; some with western influence, (the white building with arches that covers a cave with a reclining Buddha) others are more simple, and some stupas looks ancient. All blend well into the natural environment. The designs are much more understated, I find appealing. The grounds have a bamboo tunnel stair case, a nice grass courtyard and other interesting landscaping details and figures. I was caught in a sudden burst of rain and seeking shelter there in the area around the courtyard, allowed me to appreciate some details I might have missed just hiking through.
Written January 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gloria K
Berlin, Germany152 contributions
Feb 2019
We stopped at Wat Pha Lat before going to Doi Suthep and it is the best temple we visited in Chiang Mai. It's really peaceful and beautiful. It is complete out of sight in the mountains so not a lot of people know about it. There are many statues and artifacts on the grounds and there were even two beautiful peacocks in the area. We heard that it is possible to hike the trail called the Monk's trail to this temple but I'm almost sure that at that time it was closed and there were also some small renovations going on. I highly recommend people to visit this temple, it is typically overshadowed by the popular Wat Doi Suthep but it shouldn't be.
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sychim
Singapore, Singapore2,646 contributions
Jul 2022
Wat Pha Lat is not the grandest temple you will find in Thailand. There are no golden stupas and no high ceilings . But what it lacks in scale and grandeur, it makes up for in setting. Out of a lush green hillside overlooking Chiang Mai city sprouts a temple compound, a collection of buildings, next to a gentle stream, with quaint bridges, peaceful courtyards and beautiful sculptures. Some buildings date back centuries, others look like new additions. Yet, together, they all work. Walking around, you feel a sense of peace and tranquility. It really does feel like discovering paradise in the middle of a jungle. Absolutely gorgeous.
Written July 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lisa S
Batam, Indonesia217 contributions
Jun 2022
My husband and I enjoyed this temple very much as the gardens were as much a part of the experience as the temple itself. It had a peaceful simplicity that we thought was very fitting, perhaps easier to feel the spirituality of the place. Not as crowded as some of the larger temples, a real plus.
Written July 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

melkeet
Ipoh, Malaysia1,362 contributions
Jan 2020
We reach this wat after visiting Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and is about 7 km from it. It is hidden within the forest, off the road leading up to Wat Doi Suthep. Our Taxi driver informed us, the tale of the white elephant, carrying a Buddha relic up the Doi Suthep, had rested here on its way up the hill. Wat Pha Lat was built at the sites where the elephant had rested on its way up.
There are a number of buildings in this hidden temple. It includes, an old Chedi in its ground and a Wihan with a Buddha sitting on a platform. All this structure are within well landscape grounds, in the forest. The place is quite and serene and is meant to be such, as it is a place of meditation for the monks. We spent about two hours exploring this place and relaxing at this site. Since the temple is a bit out of the way, it can be difficult to find a ride for the return trip, so it would be advisable to book a round trip and have the driver wait.
Written December 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

The Outlander
10 contributions
Jan 2020
Has to be experienced, words do not describe. Can reach from a hiking trail below, or be driven to the temple area. Location is on Doi Suthep mountain and the more popular temple can also be reached by short hike or vehicle from this location. I suggest the hike up as it is beautiful. Wear hiking boots, it's rocky. Not too difficult, but will require some strength and balance. I'm not in great shape and I did it in sandals, however. The temple area looks like a place from a fantasy movie. Do not be discouraged by warnings about dogs. Yes, some are there and yes some may seem aggressive if you bother them. This is true for nearly every temple in Thailand though. Just ignore them if you are not good with dogs. Don't pet stray dogs anywhere in Thailand. I love dogs and had no problem though, they seemed to like me. A few are English Bull Terriers, so I suppose their appearance is scary to some people. But they seemed calm and minded the monk that takes care of them. Any temple in Thailand should be avoided at and after sunset if you are scared of dogs; they get more territorial and protective at this time. Overall, this was one of my favorite places in all of Thailand. Please be quiet and respectful if you visit. I saw many tourists dressed quite improper and behaving obnoxious and loud, which tarnishes the experience, and our image.
Written January 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Eleonora D
18 contributions
Dec 2019
One of my most favourite temples in Ching Mai. It may not be the most beautifully decorated temple but the sense of peace, tranquility and n that one get when visiting this temple is worth every cent! You have to take your time at this beautiful temple - the grounds are big and you can get drawn into the amazingly beautiful landscape around it. The waterfalls, the forest and you could spend hours just being! I have visited it and I will visit it again every time I go to Ching Mai. Beyond words beautiful place.
Written November 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sumith D
Ernakulam, India675 contributions
May 2019
It is off the beaten track. Around 30 minutes from Chiang Mai town, the temple has maintained an old world ambience. It is a monastery. You get some great views of the city and the whole place has a very traditional peaceful setting. Could be maintained much better. But a good place to visit so as to get an idea of the monastic life.
Written January 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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