It was as digital nomads living in northern Thailand, rather than world travelers, that we discovered the beautiful city of Chiang Mai. For 5 months, we mostly worked (let's be honest!), but we still managed to explore Chiang Mai properly. This time, we laced up our hiking boots to visit one of Chiang Mai's must-see sites: Doi Suthep mountain! Plus, we had the wonderful surprise of stumbling upon a little-known temple hidden in the jungle. In short, exactly the kind of hike we love! Ready to visit Doi Suthep? We'll share all our practical tips with you!
We made this visit to Doi Suthep back in 2016, but this article has been completely reviewed and updated in May 2025. If you notice any price changes or have additional information that might be helpful, please don't hesitate to leave us a comment!
How to get to Doi Suthep and Wat Pha Lat from Chiang Mai
The Buddhist temple Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is located about fifteen kilometers west of Chiang Mai's old town, within Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. As you might imagine, there are plenty of ways to get up there! For our part, we decided to get those leg muscles working and climb on foot! We highly recommend this option, but we understand it's not everyone's cup of tea… So, being the helpful folks we are, we'll list all the possible ways to reach the heights of Doi Suthep.
With a guided tour
Since we decided to explore Mount Doi Suthep on our own, we didn't try any guided tours. You'll find plenty of half-day tours that include transport and a guide. We recommend booking this one for its excellent value for money. To experience the magic away from the crowds with the first and last light of day, some tours will take you to Wat Phra That temple at sunrise or sunset. We passed through Wat Pha Lat as the day was beginning to fade, and it was absolutely beautiful!
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By motorbike
Probably the option most often chosen by backpackers! Renting a motorbike in Chiang Mai doesn't cost much - between 150 and 250 baht per day - and you're completely free to move around as you please. The downsides: you need to master "Thai-style" driving, and obviously, it's not the most athletic option! To get to Wat Pha Lat and Doi Suthep by scooter, follow the 1004 (Huay Kaew Rd) that passes in front of the zoo.
By public transport
If you don't feel like channeling your inner Valentino Rossi and prefer not to challenge Thai traffic laws, then another way up is to take public transport - the songthaew. These red truck-like vehicles could almost deserve an article all to themselves!
Some drivers will probably try to negotiate to rent you their taxi for the day. For a price ranging from 400 to 700 baht, they'll give you a private ride where they take you to Doi Suthep, wait an hour and a half, and bring you back. Basically, the more people you have, the better the deal! The most economical option for solo travelers or couples? Shared songthaews!
There are 2 spots in Chiang Mai where songthaews depart exclusively for Doi Suthep and wait until their vehicle is full before leaving. The one-way trip costs 50 baht when the car is full (10 people). The departure points are located next to the north gate as well as north of the zoo. You'll find it on the map below!
To get back down to Chiang Mai, ask any of the many drivers waiting at the top to drop you off in town. Given the competition, you should also be able to negotiate the return trip for 50 baht.
By bike
Hmm… 700 meters of positive elevation gain, Thai traffic rules, exhaust fumes from songthaews… Personally, I'm not sure I would have chosen this option, but we did meet several people doing it! However, make sure you have a good bike with gears! Those little bicycles rented for 25 baht a day that creak definitely won't cut it… In Chiang Rai, we went to see the White Temple by tandem bike, but believe us, we definitely would have left it in the garage to go all the way to Wat Phra Doi Suthep temple!
On foot
Hehe! If you read our blog from time to time, you shouldn't have trouble imagining that this is the option we chose! Besides being the most economical, it's also the one that allows you to be most flexible (and work those glutes at the same time). From start to summit, plan for just under 2 hours of hiking on this trail, the Monk Trail. Well, we won't hide the fact that it's not exactly next door, especially if you get lost along the way like we did!
But to prevent that from happening to you, we've prepared a tip-top map and itinerary with directions in this article. Promise, it'll be impossible to get lost with that!
We're repeating ourselves a bit, but hiking up is really worth it! The Monk Trail is marked (which is rare enough in Asia to be noted), there's not a soul around, and you'll pass by Wat Pha Lat temple! OK, you can get there by scooter too, but it's not the same 😉.
Here's an overview of the hike on a map:
The hike from Chiang Mai to Doi Suthep
Getting to the hiking trail start
First, don't do what we did! We knew we had to pass the Chiang Mai University, then the zoo to find the start of the hiking trail... The road that passes in front of our place (the 1004 or Huay Kaew Road) happens to pass in front of these. So, without thinking further, we set off!
Yeah... Well, we found it surprising to be climbing, climbing, and climbing without seeing a TV tower, but we persevered for a while! Until the moment when yours truly decided we should open Google Maps... Yep... Well, unpleasant surprise: we had to take Suthep Road, which passes BEHIND the university and the zoo!
What a nice little 12 km detour before finally arriving at the trail start!
If you feel sporty enough to hike up but the idea of following Suthep Road for more than 4 km doesn't thrill you (we admit, it's not the most glamorous part), then we recommend parking your scooter at the end of Suthep Road or taking a songthaew from the old town to this point. From the center, the trip shouldn't cost you more than 30 or 40 baht (even 20 if you're a negotiation ninja and the taxi is full).
Once at the end of Suthep Road, it's easy - just follow the orange flags! But since these flags are sometimes well hidden at the beginning and also because we're pretty awesome 😉, here's a little visual guide of the route to follow:
Hiking trail map
Here's the detailed map of the Monk Trail hike, which you can download so you can have it offline and not get lost ;).
Visiting Wat Pha Lat Temple
The trail to enter Doi Suthep-Pui National Park starts at the foot of the TV tower, and you quickly find yourself right in the heart of the jungle! And jungle means humidity and crushing heat! About a good half hour later, right when you start thinking it's not normal for a normally constituted human being to sweat this much, you cross a small bamboo bridge and find yourself facing a little paradise: Wat Pha Lat temple!
You climb the stone steps, lulled by the sound of waterfalls, and watch the site gradually reveal itself. Time seems to have stopped...
Originally, we knew there was a temple along the way, but honestly, we thought it would be a quick 5-minute stop before climbing to Doi Suthep... Yeah... Well, in the end, we stayed more than an hour on the way up and more than an hour on the way down. Wat Pha Lat became our favorite temple in Thailand!
Judge for yourself:
We would have loved for Wat Pha Lat to be accessible only on foot (muahaha), but if you've decided to go with the scooter option (promise, we don't hold it against you), know that it's possible to access it via road 1004.
However, if you come by songthaew, it will be difficult to make a stop there unless you've hired a private vehicle. Unless you go up to Doi Suthep by songthaew and come back down on foot 😉?! #JustSaying
If you have the chance, try to come to Wat Pha Lad temple when the sun starts to set (between 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. in November, roughly). The low light filtering through the jungle and illuminating the temple creates an absolutely incredible atmosphere at this place!
How to get from Wat Pha Lat to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
When you leave Wat Pha Lat, this is probably the longest and also steepest portion that begins... To leave the temple, you simply follow the river for a few meters while following the orange flags, then tackle a short but steep climb that will bring you to the road.
Careful, here's a little suspense! The path to take is somewhat hidden, and you'd quickly tend to follow the wider trail located a few meters further. So, no, it's well before the road sign that you need to turn.
After that, there are no more big questions to ask - you simply follow the trail… A little hour of climbing later, you arrive back on the road, just below Doi Suthep temple. Apparently, it would be possible to continue on a trail and arrive directly in the temple, but it's also said that this path is guarded by a pack of not-so-friendly dogs. Not particularly wanting to get devoured, we preferred to follow the road for a few hundred meters to reach the official entrance of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.
Visiting Wat Phra That Temple
After a quick snack at one of the many stands, we paid the entrance fee of 30 baht. We went up toward the temple using the wide staircase of 305 steps leading to the top! For 20 baht, you can take the funicular to avoid climbing the steps.
Finally, we dodge a selfie stick and slip into the temple.
Before entering the actual grounds of Doi Suthep temple, we take a little tour to enjoy the view of Chiang Mai and the many flowering trees all around...
Honestly, the temple is sublime! The colors, the details, the numerous Buddha statues, and the panoramic view of the former capital are truly worth their weight in gold. However, be warned - this temple is nothing like a secret little spot... There are crowds (even too many for our taste).
Try to come early in the morning (the temple opens at 5 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m.) or during lunch break. We were there at noon and noticed the temple was a bit emptier (relatively speaking).
For the return, after going down the stairs from Doi Suthep, follow the road before taking the trail at the sharp turn. Once on the road a bit lower, follow it a few meters to the left to find the trail that leads to our favorite temple, Wat Pha Lat.
If you want to find all the addresses of absolutely all the accommodations in Chiang Mai, we invite you to discover Mike Hughes’ excellent guidebook, sold for $15. In this guide (400 pages long), you will find all the information about Chiang Mai that a person who is moving in could need.
We bought his book before the departure, and it has helped us a lot! You can find everything you need to settle down here: how to move around, find an apartment, where to eat, which SIM card to buy, how to install internet at home, how to withdraw money, visa issues, health in Chiang Mai, dangers, Thai culture, legal issues, etc. Above all, you have access to an online map that contains all the addresses mentioned in the guide!
There you go, you're now ready to visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and Wat Pha Lat from Chiang Mai! Does this little hike up tempt you 😉? We're continuing the adventure in northern Thailand, next stop: the Mae Hong Son Loop… by motorbike! #OnTheRoadAgain
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