A great day trip from Chiang Mai, Thailand is to the Buddhist temple Wat Prathat Doi Suthep. This is a very sacred temple to the Buddhists. It holds the sacred Buddhist relic believed to be Buddha's shoulder bone, that was carried to the site by the White Elephant. After carrying the relic to the top of the mountain, the elephant died at the site. It was decided that a wat should be built on the site and that it should hold the relic.
Wat Prathat (wat means 'temple') is located 15km outside of Chiang Mai, in Chiang Mai Province. You must travel along a winding road before reaching the wat. Once there, to reach the entrance to the wat, you must climb 309 steps up the side of a mountain. There is also a tram that can take you to the top, but it comes with a cost (50 Thai baht return).
Just inside the entrance, there is a shrine at which Buddhists make offerings including lighting incense candles and offerings of lotus flowers. Inside the temple there was a room called Tan Jan Viara in which people, both tourists and Buddhists alike, were receiving strings from monks and former monks. Men received theirs from a monk, women received theirs from a former monk. I received my white string from the former monk. It symbolizes purity.
Unlike Christian monks, Thai Buddhist monks can leave the brotherhood up to three times, they can even get married, before ultimately deciding that they do want to be a Buddhist monk.
I really enjoyed visiting Wat Prathat. It is a really beautiful wat and I learned a lot about Thai Buddhism. I especially appreciated that I was welcomed and not made to feel awkward, despite the fact that I am a western Christian.
If you get a chance to visit Chiang Mai, make the journey to see Wat Prathat. It is definitely worth the trip!
~Angie
 |
| At the bottom of the 309 steps |
Wat Prathat (wat means 'temple') is located 15km outside of Chiang Mai, in Chiang Mai Province. You must travel along a winding road before reaching the wat. Once there, to reach the entrance to the wat, you must climb 309 steps up the side of a mountain. There is also a tram that can take you to the top, but it comes with a cost (50 Thai baht return).
 |
| Lotus Offering |
Just inside the entrance, there is a shrine at which Buddhists make offerings including lighting incense candles and offerings of lotus flowers. Inside the temple there was a room called Tan Jan Viara in which people, both tourists and Buddhists alike, were receiving strings from monks and former monks. Men received theirs from a monk, women received theirs from a former monk. I received my white string from the former monk. It symbolizes purity.
Unlike Christian monks, Thai Buddhist monks can leave the brotherhood up to three times, they can even get married, before ultimately deciding that they do want to be a Buddhist monk.
 |
| Thai Buddhist Monks |
I really enjoyed visiting Wat Prathat. It is a really beautiful wat and I learned a lot about Thai Buddhism. I especially appreciated that I was welcomed and not made to feel awkward, despite the fact that I am a western Christian.
If you get a chance to visit Chiang Mai, make the journey to see Wat Prathat. It is definitely worth the trip!
~Angie
