Activities Doi Suthep-Pui National Park
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According to legend, the temple's site was selected by a sacred elephant. The story started when there was a monk named Sumana who placed half of a Buddha relic on an elephant's back and set it loose. It was decided that when the elephant stopped walking, a temple would be built on that exact spot. However, instead of stopping at an easy spot, the elephant began climbing up to the top of Suthep Mountain, and the auspicious elephant trumpeted three times, turned around three times and finally paused and died. This was where Wat Prathat Doi Suthep was built by King Kuna in 1388.
At the base of stairs where there are number of cars and motorcycles, there is a large market of food stalls selling to the visitors.
To reach the temple, tourists need to climb up a naga staircase of 309 steps. But, for those who don’t prefer walking up or having health’s problem, there's also a funicular cable-car to the top which has just been re-built after several crashes. The fare for the new improved funicular is 20 Baht.
Once inside Wat Suthep, you can feel free to wander the grounds, appreciating what each section has to offer. The same as many temples in Thailand, there are elements of Hinduism mixed in with Buddhism and an intriguing array of statues, including the god Ganesh, peek out from corners, cubby holes and from the sides of temple buildings.
In the middle of the temple is the sacred square cloister area, where, upon shedding shoes and ascending another dozen steps, visitors can see the Lanna-style, copper-plated chedi topped by a five-tiered gold umbrella. It is considered one of the holiest areas in Thailand. Monks inside are kept busy blessing the devout with holy water and the smell of incense and burning candles fill the senses as you circumnavigate the cloister.
The lookout area is the other side from the entrance gate. Here, viewers can look down and observe the beautiful city of Chiang Mai and if the weather is appropriate, you can also see the international airport far below. Apart from seeing the Chiang Mai, viewers can clearly see the winding Ping River and the surrounding mountains.
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