Sunday 26 January 2025
Hike to Wat Umong via Wat Suan Dok

I typically hike with my friend Rudy from France on Sundays when he is in Chiang Mai, but he was not available today. I considered returning to the Monks Trail and hiking all the way up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, but I just was not psyched for that difficult of a hike today. Instead, I decided to return to Wat Umong, a temple that is listed on many (if not most) lists of temples to be seen in Chiang Mai. I have not visited Wat Umong for more than 10 years, and thought it might be interesting to see it again.

The route to get even close to Wat Umong is on Suthep Road, a very busy road with almost nothing interesting to see except several hospitals (they are not really very interesting) and then Wat Suan Dok, which is interesting. So I got a ride to Wat Suan Dok and started my exploration there.

Wat Suan Dok

Of more than 33,000 active Buddhist temples in Thailand, only 34 are listed as Royal Temples. And those are in classes: 1 in Special Class (Wat Phra Kaew in the Grand Palace), 19 in First Class, 6 in Second Class, and 9 in Third Class. And of those 34 temples, only 3 are in Chiang Mai. Wat Suan Dok is one of those, a Royal Temple of the Third Class. I have written many times about the importance of Wat Suan Dok in Chiang Mai history. And I always love being here. Wat Suan Dok is a grand temple with its very large viharn (assembly hall) and large gold chedi.

Apparently Wat Suan Dok was at some time past surrounded by a wall. There are old entrances on the east and north of the temple grounds. The east gate is not used much and looks worn and almost forgotten.

Over by the large viharn I noticed a garden of striking purple flowers that compelled me to photograph them.

The viharn is very large. I only spent time here today to get a photo of the inside of the viharn showing its size.

The large gold chedi is still undergoing restoration or renovation and even today, Sunday, there was a team of workers busy on the project.

Just to the south of the main part of the Wat Suan Dok “campus” is another temple, Wat Phra Chao Kao Tue, also known as simple Wat Kao Tue. This smaller temple is now considered to be part of Wat Suan Dok. All that is left is a small viharn which was completely renovated about three or four years ago since I first found it. Inside the small viharn is an important Buddha image, the Prajoe Kao Tue Buddha statue. In researching this temple, I found the following: “information at the temple itself tells us that King Muangkaew (1495-1525) ordered a craftsman from Chiang Saen to make this statue. It was his intention to bring it to Wat Phra Singh. It turned out far too heavy to move it to Wat Phra Singh so he decided to build an ubosot to house it.” That ubosot at Wat Kao Tue and the Prajoe Kao Tue Buddha statue:

After feeling ready to make the hike to Wat Umong, about 2.5 kilometers, I left Wat Suan Dok from the old, seldom used north gate.

I’m now on my way to Wat Umong. At only 2.5 kilometers, I might be there in 40 minutes if I get good traffic light karma.

Next: Wat Umong