Wat Chiang Man
Chiang Mai's oldest temple, founded by King Mangrai in 1297, with an elephant-buttressed chedi and two revered small Buddha images.
- Category
- Temples (Wat)
- Entrance fee
- Free (donations)
- Hours
- Daily ~06:00-18:00
- Best time
- Morning
- Time needed
- 30-45 min
About Wat Chiang Man
This is Chiang Mai's oldest temple, founded by King Mangrai back in 1297, and it still carries that sense of history. The chedi here is held up by a row of elephant buttresses, and inside are two small Buddha images considered especially sacred by locals.
It's free to enter, tucked into the northeast corner of the Old City, and small enough that it doesn't need a huge chunk of your day. Morning is the best time, before the heat and crowds elsewhere in the city pick up.
If you care about the history of Chiang Mai specifically, this is the temple tied directly to the city's founding, which makes it worth the short visit even though it's less dramatic than some of the bigger temples.
Highlights
- Elephant-buttressed chedi
- Two revered ancient Buddha images
- Chiang Mai's oldest temple
- Founded by King Mangrai in 1297
Tips
- Go in the morning when it's quieter
- It's an easy walk within the Old City
- Entry is free, though donations are welcome
- Keep it brief, this is a quick stop rather than a half-day outing
How to get there
Walkable within Old City; red songthaew ~30-40 THB