Wat Phra That Doi Suthep — Golden Mountain Temple, the 306-Step Naga Staircase & City Views 2026

Q: How much is the entry fee for Wat Phra That Doi Suthep?

Thai nationals enter free. Foreign visitors pay an entry fee of around ฿30 per person for the inner terrace where the chedi stands. If you would rather not climb the 306-step naga staircase, a funicular tram runs up and down for about ฿20–30 each way. These prices are approximate and can change, so carry some cash.

Q: When is the best time to visit Doi Suthep?

Early morning, around 6 to 8 am, is best: the mountain air is cool, the crowds are thin, and in the cool season you often see a sea of mist hanging over the city below. Late afternoon, roughly 4 to 6 pm, is the other good window, with warm light on the chedi and the city starting to glow. The best season overall is November to February, when the air is cool and the skies are clear. Avoid late mornings on long weekends, when both the temple and the songthaews get very busy.

Q: How do I get to Doi Suthep without my own transport?

Take a red songthaew (shared pickup truck) up the mountain from around Chang Phueak Gate or the Chiang Mai University area. Shared seats cost roughly ฿50–60 per person on the way up, leaving once the truck fills; chartering a truck round trip is about ฿500–600 depending on bargaining. Alternatively, use Grab or rent a car or scooter and drive yourself. The mountain road is winding but well paved, around a 30–40 minute drive from the city.

Q: How many steps are there at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep?

The naga staircase to the temple has 306 steps, flanked on both sides by the long bodies of seven-headed serpents. At an unhurried pace it takes about 10 to 15 minutes to climb. If you cannot manage the stairs, a funicular tram runs up and down at the side for roughly ฿20–30 each way.

What it is

Why every trip to Chiang Mai goes up Doi Suthep

There is a moment near the top of the staircase, usually around seven in the morning, when the mountain air is cold enough to see your breath and the gilded chedi in front of you catches the first light of the day. Small bells under the eaves of the Lanna halls ring softly in the breeze. Then you walk to the front terrace and the whole of Chiang Mai is laid out below you — and on some cool-season mornings, a thin sea of mist still hangs over the old moat in the distance.

This is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep — the most sacred temple in Chiang Mai, set on Doi Suthep mountain at roughly 1,073 metres above sea level, about 15 kilometres from the city. By tradition the temple dates to around 1383, in the reign of King Kue Na of the Lanna kingdom. The story goes that a Buddha relic was placed on the back of a white elephant, which was allowed to wander until it chose a resting place; it climbed this mountain, trumpeted three times, knelt and died on the spot — and a chedi was raised there to enshrine the relic.

What makes Doi Suthep special is that it is two things at once: a sacred site that the people of Chiang Mai have venerated for centuries, and the best viewpoint over the city in the same visit. There is a local saying that if you have not been up Doi Suthep, you have not really arrived in Chiang Mai — and standing in front of the golden chedi, you understand why.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai — gilded Lanna chedi, golden ceremonial parasol and tiered temple roofs on the inner terrace — The gilded Lanna chedi at the centre of the Doi Suthep terrace — the heart of the temple, enshrining a Buddha relic

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Entry

Free for Thais · ~฿30 foreigners

For the inner chedi terrace

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Opening hours

~6 am–6 pm

Go at dawn for mist and few people

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Elevation

~1,073 metres

Cooler than the city all year round

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Naga staircase

306 steps

Or a tram, ~฿20–30 each way

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Distance

~15 km from the city

30–40 min drive on a winding road

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Dress code

Shoulders & knees covered

Sarongs lent at the entrance; shoes off inside

What to look for

5 things that tell Doi Suthep's story

From the foot of the staircase up to the view terrace — each spot has its own story.

1

The 306-step naga staircase

Main approach · seven-headed serpents

The staircase climbs to the temple terrace, its balustrades formed by the long bodies of seven-headed nagas, ending at the bottom in wide open serpent mouths. At an easy pace the climb takes 10 to 15 minutes and it is the most photographed feature of the temple. If you cannot manage the steps, a funicular tram runs up the side.
2

The gilded Lanna chedi

Heart of the temple · enshrines a Buddha relic

The golden chedi at the centre of the terrace is plated in gold leaf, with a five-tiered gold parasol at each of its four corners. Pilgrims walk three clockwise circuits around it for good fortune, and the surrounding terrace holds Buddha images and bells to strike. It is at its most atmospheric in the early morning, when the sun lights the chedi directly.
3

The Chiang Mai view terrace

Viewpoint · the whole city below

A terrace at the front of the temple looks down over the entire city — from the airport and the square moat to the rice fields at the edge of town. On a clear day the view runs to the horizon; on cool-season mornings a sea of mist sometimes floats over the city, and in the late afternoon you get warm light and the first of the city's lights coming on.
4

The Lanna halls and pavilions

Lanna architecture · carved woodwork

Around the terrace stand viharns with tiered Lanna roofs, gilded carved gables and ornate finials, housing Buddha images for prayer. Rows of small bells hang under the eaves and ring whenever the wind picks up — the signature sound of Doi Suthep, somewhere between wind chimes and temple gongs.
5

The Khruba Sriwichai monument

Foot of the mountain · builder of the road

At the base of the mountain stands a monument to Khruba Sriwichai, the revered monk who led local people in building the road up Doi Suthep, completed in 1935 through sheer devotion in just a few months. Many people in Chiang Mai stop to pay their respects here before driving up — a fitting way to begin the journey.

What to do here

Pay respects, take in the view and carry on up the mountain

🙏 Paying respects and circling the chedi

The heart of a visit to Doi Suthep is paying respects to the Buddha relic in the golden chedi. Locals and visitors buy flowers, incense and candles near the entrance, then walk three clockwise circuits around the chedi while making a wish. The temple is said to be the relic shrine associated with people born in the Year of the Goat, and to come and pay respects here once in your life is considered highly auspicious.

Before stepping onto the inner terrace you remove your shoes and dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered. The terrace floor can get hot underfoot in the middle of the day, so a pair of socks makes it more comfortable.

⛰️ Continuing to Bhubing Palace and the Doi Pui Hmong village

Many people who come up Doi Suthep carry on further up the mountain. Drive about 4 kilometres higher to reach Bhubing Palace, with its cool-climate flower gardens (open only when the royal family is not in residence — check before you go). Higher still is the Doi Pui Hmong village, a hill-tribe settlement with a souvenir market, viewpoints and seasonal strawberry fields.

If you have half a day, the route Doi Suthep → Bhubing → Doi Pui makes a neat loop up the mountain — a temple, a garden and a hill-tribe village all on a single trip up.

Tip: If you would rather not drive the mountain road yourself, half-day Doi Suthep and Doi Pui Hmong village tours with transport and a guide can be booked in advance through Klook. See Doi Suthep tours on Klook →

The golden chedi and a Lanna viharn at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep against a deep blue sky — The golden chedi and a Lanna viharn at Doi Suthep on a clear day — the angle that shows the gold parasol and tiered roofs clearly

📸 Where and when to photograph

The classic Doi Suthep shot is the golden chedi against a deep blue sky, best in the morning between 7 and 9 am when the sun lights the whole chedi and the sky is still clear. Two other angles not to miss: the naga staircase seen from below looking up, and the city view terrace at the front.

For the city view and a chance of mist, come at dawn in the cool season (November–February). Late afternoon before sunset gives soft golden light and the first city lights — but allow time to come down before dark, as the mountain road is winding.

Getting there

How to reach Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Chiang Mai has no metro or underground, so getting up the mountain relies on red songthaews, a rental vehicle or Grab.

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Red songthaew (red truck)

From Chang Phueak Gate / CMU

Shared seats ~฿50–60 per person going up (leaves once full); charter round trip ~฿500–600 depending on bargaining

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Grab / taxi

Hail one from the city

Convenient, but finding a ride back down can be hard — arrange for the driver to wait, or charter a songthaew round trip

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Car / scooter rental

The most independent option

Road is well paved but winds up the mountain; about 30–40 minutes. Less confident riders should watch the bends. Parking on the mountain

Timing tip: Go up Doi Suthep early in the morning — cool air, fewer people and a chance of mist — then continue to Bhubing Palace and the Doi Pui Hmong village in the late morning, and come back down to town in the afternoon to rest or explore the Old City. It all fits comfortably into one day.

Where to go next

Once you are back down, there is plenty more in Chiang Mai — Old City temples and nature beyond town alike.

Wat Phra Singh

The Old City's most revered temple, classic Lanna architecture and the gilded Wihan Lai Kham

Read →

Wat Chedi Luang

The huge 600-year-old chedi at the centre of the Old City, and the city pillar

Read →

Doi Inthanon

The roof of Thailand — twin royal pagodas, waterfalls and genuinely cold air

Read →

Frequently asked

FAQ · Doi Suthep before you go up

How much is the entry fee for Wat Phra That Doi Suthep?

Thai nationals enter free. Foreign visitors pay an entry fee of around ฿30 per person for the inner terrace where the chedi stands. If you would rather not climb the 306-step naga staircase, a funicular tram runs up and down for about ฿20–30 each way. These prices are approximate and can change, so carry some cash.

When is the best time to visit Doi Suthep?

Early morning, around 6 to 8 am, is best: cool mountain air, thin crowds, and in the cool season a sea of mist over the city below. Late afternoon, roughly 4 to 6 pm, is the other good window, with warm light on the chedi and the city starting to glow. The best season overall is November to February, when the air is cool and the skies are clear. Avoid late mornings on long weekends, when the temple and the songthaews get very busy.

What should I wear to Doi Suthep?

Doi Suthep is an active, sacred temple, so dress respectfully with shoulders and knees covered. No vests, tank tops, shorts above the knee or short skirts. If you are not dressed appropriately, the temple lends sarongs near the entrance. You also remove your shoes before stepping onto the inner terrace around the chedi. The mountain is noticeably cooler than the city, so bring a light layer for the morning and evening.

How do I get to Doi Suthep without my own transport?

Take a red songthaew (shared pickup truck) up the mountain from around Chang Phueak Gate or the Chiang Mai University area. Shared seats cost roughly ฿50–60 per person on the way up, leaving once the truck fills; chartering a truck round trip is about ฿500–600 depending on bargaining. Alternatively, use Grab or rent a car or scooter and drive yourself. The mountain road is winding but well paved, around a 30–40 minute drive from the city.

How many steps are there at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep?

The naga staircase has 306 steps, flanked on both sides by the long bodies of seven-headed serpents. At an unhurried pace it takes about 10 to 15 minutes to climb. If you cannot manage the stairs, a funicular tram runs up and down at the side for roughly ฿20–30 each way.

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