Thursday 5 February 2026
Wat Phalad and hiking down the Monks Trail

It is a hot afternoon. Temperatures in Chiang Mai gradually increase through February and March, culminating in March and April being the hottest months. Because we would be going up Doi Suthep in the afternoon, and the temperature will be over 32 C (90 F), it was too hot to hike up the Monks Trail, and especially all the way to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Instead, our plan was to get a ride to the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep near the top of the mountain, and after visiting the temple, have the driver drop us at the road entrance to Wat Phalad. After exploring the temple grounds, we would walk down the Monks Trail and get a separate ride into Chiang Mai. So here we are at the road entrance to Wat Phalad, also known as Wat Pha Lat.

Wat Phalad

In the story from the 14th century about the relic which had magical powers, King Kuena ordered a temple with a chedi constructed, now known as Wat Suan Dok. When it was time for the relic to be placed in the chedi, it split into two pieces. Half of the relic was placed in the chedi at Wat Suan Dok, and the other half placed on the back of a royal elephant. The King said that wherever the elephant stops, a temple would be built with a chedi in which to inter the relic. The elephant, being followed by the King and his army on horseback, climbed up the mountain. At what is now Wat Phalad, it is said that the elephant stopped, or maybe slipped and fell while crossing the creek. That was the incentive later to build Wat Phalad at that spot. 

Wat Phalad became a resting place for monks who were walking from Chiang Mai to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. In 1935, Khru Ba Siwichai, a highly respected Buddhist monk, initiated the construction of the paved road. Wat Phalad’s primary use shifted to a meditation site for monks. Over the years, Wat Phalad fell into obscurity and was practically or maybe completely abandoned.

After a good bit of research, it is still unclear when Wat Phalad started being restored. It must have been in the last 35 years. Than another set of upgraded took place about 6 or 7 years ago.

At the road entrance to the temple grounds, there are two structures, very small viharns (worship hall), each with one Buddha statue inside. The left viharn is colorful inside unlike most viharn.

The right viharn is more typical of Buddhist temples with a much larger Buddha image inside.

We walked down to the main temple grounds, and into the relatively new sala chatummukh (four-portico pavilion, similar to a cloister in some Christian churches or monasteries). I have posted photos of this several times in the past. On the far side of the sama chatummukh is this large seated Buddha in a separate structure.

Across from the seated Buddha is the very old chedi. When I was here in December, I said:

Given all the cleaning and restoration in the immediate area at Wat Phalad, I wonder why the chedi is left in such a deteriorated state. It is a beautiful, old, rustic chedi, and (in my opinion) deserves a restoration, giving it the respect it deserves. Every year, the deterioration continues, and every year I keep hoping that a restoration is planned and coming soon. (At least pull all the weeds and foliage.)

Surprisingly, the weeds have been pulled. On the left is the chedi today, and on the right, the photo I took in December.

In the relatively recent renovations at Wat Phalad, this viharn was transformed from a dark and almost gloomy interior to this much brighter and welcoming version. Before, the viharn was always empty, now I almost always see people inside. Fairly plain, but very appealing.

There are many view points at Wat Phalad. We walked around, down what I call the Singha staircase, and I took a (actually another, I have many) photo of the staircase, old and rustic, with the large bamboo on the sides and guarded by the large Singha creatures.

Then as we were about to head down the Monks Trail, I almost always take a photo of the pool about to spill over the waterfall, and then the waterfall itself.

We hiked down the Monks Trail. Then caught a ride into the main part of the city. This was Esther’s last night in Chiang Mai, so we went to a restaurant I frequent for a quiet Thai dinner. I’ll miss Esther being here. It was fun to share some of what I have learned about the history and the sights of Chiang Mai. And, she gave me the incentive to finally take the excursion to Doi Inthanon.

Next: Final day in Chiang Mai