The legend behind Doi Suthep is that the site was chosen in 1371 by an elephant carrying a piece of holy relic that had split from the original at Wat Suan Dok in the city. The elephant took three days to climb the mountain then he circled the spot three times before it knelt down and died. The central gold-leaf chedi, now 16 meters tall covers the hole where the relic was buried. The original copper plated chedi is the most holy area of the temple grounds. There are beautiful pagodas, statues, bells and shrines within the site. The wat has both Hundu and Buddhist characteristics and symbols. There is a model of the Emerald Buddha and a statue of the Hindu God Ganesh. You can climb the mountain by foot up the naga stairway (309 steps) or use a cable car. There are beautiful views of Chiang Mai city once you get to the top too. Doi Suthep is our favorite temple in all of Thailand because of its uniqueness and amazing design.  It is close to the city, but far enough away that it feels like a nice little road trip.  Doi Suthep is located northwest of the city on Huay Kaew Road that merges into Route 1004.

Blogger: Aubrey & Parker