4 temples to visit in Chiang Mai in Thailand for mindfulness, some serious meditation, history – and, hopefully, enlightenment

A half-day tour of Chiang Mai takes in four temples that feature beautifully carved halls, golden stupas, Buddha statues and libraries of scripture

Visiting the temples is in itself a lesson in mindfulness, but three of them offer more, from chats with monks to the chance to join courses in meditation

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Wat Phra Singh, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, is one of four temples visitors can see on a half-day tour that offers chances to practise mindfulness and join meditation classes. Photo: Ron Emmons

Published: 6:15pm, 23 Oct 2023Updated: 4:42pm, 24 Oct 2023

For anyone in need of a little enlightenment, a half-day tour that takes in four temples on a 6km (3.7 mile) route leading west from the centre of Chiang Mai to the foothills of Doi Suthep, the guardian mountain of the northern Thai city, might be just the ticket.

This self-guided tour – by bicycle, motorbike, or car and driver – is best done in the morning, as the afternoon heat can be oppressive. And remember to dress respectfully, meaning no exposed shoulders or midriffs.

1. Wat Phra Singh

At the gateway to our first temple, in the heart of Chiang Mai’s old city, let us consider what it means to be mindful.

As the term suggests, it implies that we should give the full attention of our mind to the present. This is easy when seeing something such as sculptures of celestial beings and paintings of historic events for the first time.

So take a deep breath and discover the secrets of Wat Phra Singh, founded in the 14th century.

Detail from a mural in the Viharn Lai Kham, a pavilion in Wat Phra Singh temple in Chiang Mai. Photo: Ron Emmons

Directly in front of the entrance is the viharn (assembly hall), and behind that the ordination hall and gleaming gold stupa (shrine), but it is the tall, slender building to the right that catches most people’s attention.