Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is the gold-spired temple on the mountain west of Chiang Mai. Most people go up by red songthaew or Grab in about half an hour, climb the naga staircase (about 300 steps) or take the lift, pay a small foreigners' fee at the top and spend an hour or two there. Fitter visitors can walk up through the forest on the Monk's Trail instead.
The temple sits roughly 15 km by road from the old city, high on Doi Suthep, the mountain you see from almost everywhere in town. It is one of the most important temples in northern Thailand, and Thai pilgrims come to make merit at the gilded chedi that, according to tradition, holds a relic of the Buddha. For a visitor, the attraction is a mix of that atmosphere, the Lanna temple art and, on a clear day, the view over the whole Chiang Mai plain.
This page is about the practical side: how to get up, when to go, what to wear and what it costs. Our Chiang Mai city guide explains what the mountain means to the city, and the day trips from Chiang Mai page covers the Hmong village at Doi Pui further up the same road.
Doi Suthep temple at a glance
- Full name
- Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Ratchaworawihan
- Distance
- About 15 km by road from the old city; 30–40 minutes up the winding road
- Temple fee
- A small fee for foreign visitors, paid at the top of the stairs (reported as 30 or 50 baht; no official price list published)
- Stairs or lift
- Naga staircase of about 300 steps (306 is the number usually quoted), or a lift/funicular for a separate small charge
- National park fee
- Not charged on the main road to the temple; 100 baht for foreign adults on the Pha Lat (Monk's) Trail since 1 October 2025, cash only
- Dress
- Shoulders and knees covered; shoes off inside the inner cloister
By red songthaew from Chiang Mai University
The cheapest way up is the shared songthaew, the red pickup trucks with two benches in the back that serve as Chiang Mai's buses and taxis. Trucks that go only to Doi Suthep wait near the main entrance of Chiang Mai University and the zoo on Huay Kaew Road, at the foot of the mountain. Others collect passengers at the north gate of the old city (Chang Phueak Gate).
The system is simple, but it is not a timetable. The driver leaves when the truck is full, usually around eight to ten people, and charges each passenger a fixed amount for the trip up, or for up and back with a waiting time at the temple. Prices are not published anywhere official, so agree on the fare, the return and how long the driver will wait before you get in. If the truck is half empty and you are in a hurry, you can offer to pay for the empty seats.
Settle the return trip and the waiting time before the truck leaves the university. A one-way ride can leave you looking for a seat in a full truck at the top. If you want to continue to Bhubing Palace or Doi Pui, say so at the start, because some drivers only do the temple run.
From the old city to the university gate, take a red songthaew going in that direction or a short Grab ride. Red trucks inside town work like shared taxis: you stop one, say where you want to go, and the driver nods or shakes his head.
Grab, a hired driver or your own scooter
Grab lists Chiang Mai among the cities where its car service runs, and a GrabCar to the temple car park is the easiest option for families or anyone who does not want to wait for a truck to fill. Getting a car back down can take longer than getting one up, especially late in the day, so some people ask the same driver to wait. Our guide to using Grab in Thailand covers payment and pickup points.
Riding a scooter up is popular, and the road is paved all the way. It is also steep, with tight bends, tour vans overtaking and wet patches under the trees in the rainy season. If you have not ridden on mountain roads before, this is not the place to learn. Read our article on safe scooter riding in Thailand first, and remember that riders and passengers must both wear helmets and that insurance may not pay out without the right licence.
Walking up on the Monk's Trail to Wat Pha Lat
The Monk's Trail is a forest path that starts at the top end of Suthep Road, behind the university, and climbs to Wat Pha Lat, a small, quiet temple built around rocks and a stream. It is called the Monk's Trail because monks used it to reach Doi Suthep before the road existed. Most fit walkers reach Wat Pha Lat in about an hour, and many stop there. A steeper, rougher continuation leads on up to the road near Doi Suthep temple.
The trail is part of Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, and since 1 October 2025 the park charges for it. Thai PBS reported the park chief as saying that the main road to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and to Wat Pha Lat stays free, while the Pha Lat nature trail, Huay Kaew waterfall, Doi Pui summit and some other spots now cost 100 baht for foreign adults and 50 baht for foreign children. Payment is in cash only, and you get a park ticket as a receipt.
- Start early. The lower trail is shaded, but the air is still and humid by mid-morning.
- Wear proper shoes. Roots and rocks are slippery after rain, and parts of the upper section are steep.
- Bring water, cash for the park fee and a covering layer for the temples.
- Plan your way down. Many walkers take a songthaew or Grab from the road rather than walking back in the heat.
The naga staircase, the lift and the temple fee
The road ends at a car park with food stalls and souvenir shops. From there, the temple is reached by a long staircase whose balustrades are shaped as two nagas, the serpent guardians of Buddhist temples, their scaled bodies running all the way to the top. Counts vary between sources (300, 306 and 309 all appear), so treat it as "about 300 steps". The climb takes ten minutes or so at a steady pace, with benches on the way.
If stairs are hard for you, a lift (often called a cable car or funicular) runs up from beside the stairs for a separate small charge. Foreign visitors pay an entry fee at the top. Different sources give 30 or 50 baht, and the temple does not publish a price list online, so carry small notes and expect something in that range. Thai visitors do not pay.
Inside the upper terrace, you take off your shoes before entering the cloister around the golden chedi. Thai worshippers walk around it clockwise with flowers, candles and incense; you are welcome to watch quietly or join in. Keep your feet pointed away from Buddha images when you sit, and give monks room. Our article on the role of monks in Thai life explains why. The viewing terrace on the east side looks straight down over Chiang Mai and the airport.
What to wear, and why the temple will turn you away
This is a working royal temple of high rank, and the dress rules are applied. Cover your shoulders and wear trousers or a skirt that reaches below the knee. Sarongs are sometimes available to borrow or rent at the entrance, but do not count on it. Our guide to temple etiquette and dress covers the general rules; at Doi Suthep the practical point is that it is usually several degrees cooler than in town, so a long-sleeved shirt is comfortable rather than a burden.
Sunrise, evening or midday: choosing your time
Opening hours are not published officially. Travel listings commonly give 06:00 to 20:00, and the temple is busy with worshippers from early morning, but times can change on religious days. We would aim for one of two windows.
Early morning. Arriving soon after sunrise means fewer tour groups, cooler air and the sound of monks chanting. Songthaews do not run on a timetable at that hour, so a pre-booked Grab or your own transport is more reliable. In the cool season, mist can hide the view completely until the sun burns it off.
Late afternoon into the evening. Many tour groups have gone by about 16:00, and the chedi glows when the lights come on at dusk. The view of the city lights is the reward, but arrange your ride down before you go up.
Midday is the worst time: the most coaches, the hottest stairs and the haziest light. In the smoky season, roughly February to April, the view can disappear altogether; read our article on Chiang Mai's smoky season before planning a trip just for the panorama. The clearest air usually comes just after the rains, in late October and November. Thai Meteorological Department records for Chiang Mai (1991–2020) show about seven hazy days a month then, rising to 13 in December and 27 in March.
Combining the temple with Bhubing Palace and Doi Pui
The road continues uphill past the temple to Bhubing Palace (Phu Phing Ratchaniwet), the royal family's winter residence in the north, whose gardens are open to visitors when no member of the royal family is staying there. The palace's former website no longer works and the closure dates change from year to year, so ask your hotel or check locally before you go. When it is open, expect a strict dress code like the temple's and an entry fee.
Beyond the palace, a smaller road leads to the Hmong village at Doi Pui and the national park's higher areas, where the 100-baht park fee applies at the checkpoints. A half-day loop of temple, palace gardens and a quick stop at the village is easy with a hired songthaew or car. With public trucks it takes more planning.
Back in town, the obvious next step is a walk around the temples of the old city, and on a weekend evening the Sunday Walking Street and Saturday market. If you have not booked a bed yet, our guide to where to stay in Chiang Mai compares the old city with Nimman, which is the closest neighborhood to the start of the mountain road.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Chiang Mai to Doi Suthep cheaply?
Take a shared red songthaew from the stand near the main gate of Chiang Mai University and the zoo on Huay Kaew Road. Trucks leave when they are full. Fares are not officially published, so agree on the price, the return trip and the waiting time with the driver first.
How many steps are there at Doi Suthep?
About 300. The figure most often quoted is 306, but sources also give 300 and 309. If the stairs are difficult for you, a lift runs up beside the staircase for a separate small fee, so you do not have to climb.
Is the Monk's Trail free?
Not any more. Since 1 October 2025 Doi Suthep-Pui National Park charges foreign adults 100 baht (children 50 baht) for the Pha Lat nature trail, payable in cash. The main road up to Doi Suthep temple and Wat Pha Lat remains free.
What should I wear to Doi Suthep?
Cover your shoulders and knees: a shirt with sleeves and long trousers or a long skirt. You remove your shoes before entering the inner terrace around the golden chedi. It is cooler on the mountain than in town, so a light long-sleeved layer is useful.
Is sunrise at Doi Suthep worth it?
It is the quietest time, with chanting monks and cool air, but the view is often hidden by morning mist in the cool season or by smoke from February to April. Go for the atmosphere rather than a guaranteed panorama, and book your transport in advance.
Sources
- Thai PBS – Doi Suthep-Pui National Park starts charging for trails from 1 October (checked October 2026)
- The Nation – Full list of Thailand's new national park entry fees (checked October 2026)
- Grab Thailand – Transport services by region (checked October 2026)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – Thailand travel advice: health (seasonal smoke haze) (checked October 2026)
- Thai Meteorological Department – Climatological data for the period 1991–2020 (Chiang Mai station 48327) (checked October 2026)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – Thailand travel advice: safety and security (motorbikes) (checked October 2026)