Thailand: The Temples (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai)
This post is part of a series on my time in Thailand, focusing not so much on chronology but various themes of our 3 week in the North, including Chiang Mai and the Northwest mountain areas. I’m currently in George Town, Malaysia, enjoying the legendary street food and cultural melting pot of the island city.
It’s easy to see why so many people visit Thailand, between the food, the temples, and the scenery. But the focus of this post will be on temples, particuarly the ones I saw in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai (two different cities, I promise!).
Temples in Thailand are as plentiful as can be — we passed by dozens in our 3+ weeks in the country. Thailand has also done a fantastic job of keeping them pristine and freshly painted. They are (almost) always Buddhist temples, and (almost) always there is at least one big Buddha for worshipers to pray to. Oftentimes there are other numerous smaller Buddhas in front, and oftentimes Naga line the front stairs on either side. The Naga are semi-divine serpents there to guard the Wat (temple in Thai).
The temples are often quite gold in color, though a numerous array of complementary colors flourish throughout the various decorations and adornments. The result is much more colorful and vibrant than one would expect from a Church or other places of worship. One rule that prevails through them is that shoes must be taken off while visiting the temple.
Doi Suthep
Doi (meaning mountain) Suthep is about 40 minutes outside of Chiang Mai, through a dizzying and carsick-inducing mountain drive. But getting there was a etherial experience. The temples are completely clad in gold, and dozens (if not hundreds of Buddhas) are in the grounds, including some cast in Jade and (what I think is) Amber.
But while looking was pretty, the most spiritual part was due to the wind, rain, and the monks. On the premises were hundreds of bells that would chime concurrently and messily, and the wind had them in a melodic cacophony that echoed throughout. During this, the monks partaked in their evening meditation and chanting rituals, emanating from the main temple. Combined with the drizzle, it was a surreal experience that I won’t forget for a long time.
And as a bonus, on the way down we saw a double rainbow overlooking the city.
Wat Rong Suea Ten (The Blue Temple)
Moving onto Chiang Rai, the city (and surroundings) are known for three temples in particular. The first is Wat Rong Suea Ten, colloquially known in English as the Blue Temple. Unsurprisingly, the temple is indeed blue. It was pretty touristed, but by many more Asians than westerners.
Baan Dam (The Black Temple)
Baan Dam isn’t a temple in the traditional sense, but actually the art project of Thawan Duchanee, one of Thailand’s leading artists. It’s sprawled over several acres, and features dark architecture and themes throughout, both in color and in tone. Baan Dam literally translates to Black House, not black temple; people don’t come here to worship.
Wat Rong Khun (The White Temple)
The most famous temple in Chiang Rai, was one that we had initially cut out of our trip. Wat Rong Khun is a marvel, and thankfully our change of plans leading us to Thailand allowed us to put it back on the itinerary. It’s about 30 minutes outside of Chiang Rai by motorbike, but is a must visit for anyone coming to (Northern) Thailand.
Like Baan Dam, it is also considered an art exhibit, but this one blurs the line much more than The Black Temple as it also prominently features Buddha like any typical temple would. However, this one incorporates pop culture images, from Pokemon to Spiderman, on the walls. Sadly, we were not allowed to take pictures of these references.
Wat Huay Pla Kung (The Goddess of Mercy)
Commonly mistaken as a Big Buddha outside of Chiang Rai, this fantastic trio of the Goddess of Mercy, the Wat, and neighboring pagoda is a sight to see. In fact, the Goddess is so big that we could see it almost a kilometer away when arriving by bike. Seemingly over 100 meters tall, she towers over the surrounding countryside, with huge, slender nagas guarding her on the massive staircase up.
Interestingly, you can even go up to the top of the Goddess of Mercy via elevator, and it has some pretty whacky sculpture art lining its walls. You can also look out through her eye slits and see the surrounding areas.
Driving home, we missed a turn on their brand new massive highway, and took a detour to another temple. It was closed but it was overlooking a hill, and it was fun to visit a Wat well off the beaten trail.
Next post — our mountain trek through the Northwesterly mountains bordering Myanmar!
