Wat Phra Singh Chiang Mai — the Old City's Revered Lanna Temple, Wihan Lai Kham & Phra Singh 2026

Q: How much does it cost to visit Wat Phra Singh?

Entry to the temple grounds is free. To go inside the Wihan Lai Kham, the highlight building, there is a small maintenance fee of about ฿40 per person for foreign visitors. The amount can change, but it is a tiny price for the murals and woodwork you see inside, and the money goes towards the upkeep of the temple.

Q: What are Wat Phra Singh's opening hours?

The temple grounds are open from about 06:00 in the morning until around 20:00 daily. The viharns, including the Wihan Lai Kham, are usually open roughly 08:00–17:00. Early morning and late afternoon are cooler and far quieter, which makes them the best times for photos and an unhurried visit. Hours can shift on Buddhist holy days.

Q: What should I wear to Wat Phra Singh?

Wat Phra Singh is a working temple, so dress respectfully: shoulders and knees covered for both men and women, with no vests, spaghetti straps or short shorts and skirts. You must take off your shoes before entering any viharn, and when sitting inside you should tuck your feet away from the Buddha image rather than pointing them at it or turning your back to it for photos. Carrying a light shawl or scarf makes this easy.

Q: Can I visit Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang together?

Easily. Both temples are in the Old City and only about 700 metres apart — under a 10-minute walk along Ratchadamnoen Road. The classic route is to start at Wat Phra Singh in the morning, walk over to Wat Chedi Luang with its huge partly-ruined chedi, and stop at smaller temples like Wat Phan Tao on the way, making one neat half-day Old City temple walk.

What it is

Why Wat Phra Singh is the heart of Chiang Mai's Old City

There is a moment, walking into the square moated Old City at eight in the morning, when the light is still soft and monks are sweeping the courtyard, and ahead of you stands a large viharn with its entire gable sheathed in gold, naga finials curling up into the sky. This is Wat Phra Singh — the temple locals call the soul of the Old City, and where most visitors begin to understand Chiang Mai.

Wat Phra Singh Woramahawihan was founded in 1345 under King Phayu of the Mangrai dynasty, built first to hold his father's ashes and growing over time into one of the most important temples of the Lanna kingdom. It sits right at the western end of Ratchadamnoen Road — an easy landmark to navigate by as you explore inside the moat. Its full royal-temple status, the highest grade of royal monastery, reflects how much it still means to both the city and the northern monkhood.

What makes Wat Phra Singh more than another beautiful temple is the depth of genuine Lanna craftsmanship gathered in one place: the Wihan Lai Kham, its walls covered in gold-on-lacquer stencilling and storytelling murals; the Phra Singh Buddha, the city's revered image at the centre of the Songkran festival; and a gilded bell-shaped chedi behind the main viharn. One slow loop takes you through architecture, painting and living faith all at once.

Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Mai — the grand Lanna viharn with a fully gilded gable, naga finials and a golden Buddha image at the entrance — The grand viharn at Wat Phra Singh — a gilded gable and naga finials, classic Lanna architecture in the Old City

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Entry

Wihan Lai Kham ~฿40

Grounds free · small fee for foreigners at the Wihan Lai Kham

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Best time

Early morning · dusk

Soft light, fewer people, the gold gable glows

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Highlight

Wihan Lai Kham

Gold-stencilled lacquer + Lanna wall murals

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Revered image

Phra Singh Buddha

Centre of the city's Songkran water-pouring

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Opening hours

~06:00–20:00

Viharns open roughly 08:00–17:00, daily

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Dress code

Cover shoulders & knees

Shoes off before each viharn · bring a shawl

Around the temple

5 things to see at Wat Phra Singh

From the Wihan Lai Kham to the gilded chedi — work through them all on one visit.

1

Wihan Lai Kham — the heart of the temple

Entry ~฿40 · the one thing not to miss

The small viharn at the back that many people walk past is the most beautiful thing in the complex. Inside, it houses the Phra Singh Buddha, and its interior walls are covered in lai kham — fine gold stencilling on red lacquer worked by Lanna craftsmen — along with murals telling the tales of Sang Thong and Suwannahong, painted by Chiang Mai artists more than a century ago and still vivid. Come to this temple and skip the Wihan Lai Kham, and you have missed the real treasure.
2

The Phra Singh Buddha — Chiang Mai's revered image

Inside the Wihan Lai Kham · the temple's namesake

The Phra Singh Buddha is a seated, subduing-Mara image in the Chiang Saen style that Chiang Mai holds in deep reverence. It is believed to have been brought here to enshrine, giving the temple its name. Each year during Songkran the image is carried in procession around the city so that people can pour water over it — one of the most important rituals in the local calendar. Visit during the festival and you see the temple in a wholly different, crowded and devout mood.
3

The grand viharn — a gable of gold

The large hall at the front

The large viharn you see from the entrance is the defining image of Wat Phra Singh: a gable entirely gilded and carved with foliate patterns, with finials shaped as nagas curling skyward in the Lanna manner. Inside sits a large principal Buddha beneath a wooden ceiling painted in gold. When morning or late-afternoon light strikes the gable at an angle, the gold catches fire — it is the most popular photo spot in the temple.
4

The chedi — a gilded bell-shaped stupa

Behind the grand viharn

Walk past the grand viharn and you find the temple's bell-shaped Lanna chedi, gilded from top to base, its lower tier set with stucco elephants emerging from the wall in the Lanna-Sukhothai tradition. It stands at the centre of the courtyard among smaller chedis, and is where people like to walk clockwise around it three times for good fortune. In the late afternoon the golden light on the stupa is lovely.
5

The scripture library and Lanna woodwork

Around the courtyard · the details most people miss

Beyond the viharns and the chedi, look for the ho trai — the raised scripture library — with its walls of delicate stucco devata figures, and the carved woodwork over windows and door arches throughout the grounds. All of it is the work of Chiang Mai craftsmen handed down through generations. Walk slowly and notice these small details and you realise the whole temple is a museum of Lanna craft that is still very much in use, not a relic set aside to look at.

Making the most of one visit: start at the grand viharn at the front → step into the Wihan Lai Kham to see the Phra Singh Buddha (the part not to miss) → walk back to the chedi and circle it clockwise three times → finish by looking over the scripture library and the woodwork around the courtyard. The whole thing takes a comfortable 45 minutes to an hour, leaving time to walk on to Wat Chedi Luang just minutes away.

Visiting tips

Pay your respects, admire the craft — and time the Old City right

🕖 When to go

The best windows are early morning, around 7 to 9 am, or late afternoon, 4 to 6 pm. In both the sun is gentle, the air is pleasant, there are far fewer people than at midday, and the low angled light makes the gilded gable and the chedi glow. The early slot also lets you catch the monks' routines and a genuinely calm temple before the tour groups arrive.

If you can plan for November to February, you get Chiang Mai's coolest, most comfortable weather and can wander temples all day without tiring. To be honest, though, from late February into April the region often has smoke haze from agricultural burning — the sky can turn dull and photos suffer compared with the cool season. It is worth knowing before you plan.

👕 Dress code and temple etiquette

Wat Phra Singh is a working temple, not just a sight, so dress respectfully: shoulders and knees covered for both men and women, with no vests, spaghetti straps or short shorts and skirts. Before entering any viharn you must take off your shoes, and once seated inside you should sit with your feet tucked away from the principal Buddha — never point your feet at the image or turn your back to it for a photo.

Carrying a light shawl or scarf makes all of this easy, and if you forget one there are usually wraps to borrow or rent at the entrance. Keeping your voice down and photographing discreetly is a courtesy to the place and to the people who have come to make merit.

The Wihan Lai Kham and the white-and-gold chedi at Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Mai, with a naga staircase and guardian singha lions in front — The Wihan Lai Kham with the chedi behind it — the naga staircase and guardian lions, the highlight of Lanna craft at Wat Phra Singh

🚶 Keep exploring the Old City

The best thing about Wat Phra Singh is its location — inside the moated Old City, where the major temples line up within walking distance. The classic route runs along Ratchadamnoen Road from Wat Phra Singh to Wat Chedi Luang, with its huge partly-ruined chedi, only about 700 metres away. Along the way are smaller temples worth a look, such as Wat Phan Tao.

With a spare half-day, walk the whole of the Chiang Mai Old City — from Tha Pae Gate and the moat to the cafés and shops in the little lanes — so you take in the temples and the Lanna atmosphere together. Or see the full picture of Chiang Mai's attractions to plan the whole trip.

Getting there

How to reach Wat Phra Singh

Wat Phra Singh sits at the western end of Ratchadamnoen Road inside the square moated Old City. It is very easy to reach because it is right in the centre. Chiang Mai has no metro — walking and the red songthaews are how you get around.

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Walk from Tha Pae Gate

About 15–20 minutes

Straight along Ratchadamnoen Road past Wat Chedi Luang to Wat Phra Singh — the popular Old City temple walk

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Red songthaew

Shared or chartered

Red shared trucks run all over town — flag one down on the street, tell them your stop and agree the fare before you get in

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Grab / taxi

Order on the app

Grab works all over Chiang Mai with the price known up front — handy if you are coming from outside the Old City or the airport

Planning your time: Wat Phra Singh works neatly as the start or end of a half-day Old City temple walk — begin early here while it is quiet, walk to Wat Chedi Luang, stop at Wat Phan Tao, then finish with coffee in an Old City café. It all sits within walking distance, with no need for a car at all.

Nearby

Pair Wat Phra Singh with what's close by

All in the Old City or near Chiang Mai — easy to combine in one day.

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The huge partly-ruined chedi in the centre of the Old City — a few minutes' walk from Wat Phra Singh

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Frequently asked

FAQ · Wat Phra Singh practical

How much does it cost to visit Wat Phra Singh?

Entry to the temple grounds is free. To go inside the Wihan Lai Kham, the highlight building, there is a small maintenance fee of about ฿40 per person for foreign visitors. The amount can change, but it is a tiny price for the murals and woodwork you see inside, and the money goes towards the upkeep of the temple.

What are Wat Phra Singh's opening hours?

The temple grounds are open from about 06:00 in the morning until around 20:00 daily. The viharns, including the Wihan Lai Kham, are usually open roughly 08:00–17:00. Early morning and late afternoon are cooler and far quieter, which makes them the best times for photos and an unhurried visit. Hours can shift on Buddhist holy days.

What should I wear to Wat Phra Singh?

Wat Phra Singh is a working temple, so dress respectfully: shoulders and knees covered for both men and women, with no vests, spaghetti straps or short shorts and skirts. You must take off your shoes before entering any viharn, and when sitting inside you should tuck your feet away from the Buddha image rather than pointing them at it or turning your back to it for photos. Carrying a light shawl or scarf makes this easy.

How do you get to Wat Phra Singh and where is it in the Old City?

Wat Phra Singh sits at the western end of Ratchadamnoen Road inside the square moated Old City. It is an easy 15–20 minute walk from Tha Pae Gate, or less from Wat Chedi Luang. If you would rather not walk, flag down a red songthaew (shared truck) or order a Grab anywhere in town. Chiang Mai has no metro — walking the Old City is the best way to get around, since the main temples are all close together.

Can I visit Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang together?

Easily. Both temples are in the Old City and only about 700 metres apart — under a 10-minute walk along Ratchadamnoen Road. The classic route is to start at Wat Phra Singh in the morning, walk over to Wat Chedi Luang with its huge partly-ruined chedi, and stop at smaller temples like Wat Phan Tao on the way, making one neat half-day Old City temple walk.

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