Wat Chaloem Phrakiat Phrachomklao Rachanuson

Wat Chaloem Phrakiat Phrachomklao Rachanuson

Wat Chaloem Phrakiat Phrachomklao Rachanuson
5
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Mery79m
Iran82 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Couples
Friends who are interested in this temple based on the photos and videos they have seen on the internet and YouTube should be aware that the entrance ticket to this temple is 500 Thai Baht, while it's only 30 Baht for Thai citizens. Additionally, since it is not located on the main routes, you will have to bear significant expenses to get there. I don't think seeing this temple is worth it, given this description. There's not much up there except for a large number of iron stairs. Be cautious about the videos posted on YouTube and don't believe them all. I must emphasize again that the ticket price has increased to 500 Baht.
Even though we went there with a rented car, we decided not to accept this high cost, maybe it will be less for other foreigners in the future, and of course because the price difference is not fair.
Written 25 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Panida K
London, UK250 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Family
This is a tough climb but definitely worth the effort. I would call myself reasonably fit but this was at times an exhausting trek up multiple layers of steps. On many different levels there are beautiful pagodas and stupas. Highly recommend you take water with you and a facecloth as you will sweat like crazy. We saw quite a few people give up on the lower levels but I am so glad I persevered and made it to the top. The views are phenomenal
Written 2 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Duncan M
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
Entry is far more expensive for Farangs compared to locals but I'm pleased to pay extra. The stairs and facilities would cost alot to maintain.

It's by far the best experience I've had at a temple in Thailand. The views are epic and the climb of 875 metres has you immersed in the spectacular forrest.

Well worth the trip, highly recommended.
Written 27 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RadioConga
Lu, Italy188 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
The journey by car is long and tortuous, the last stretch, which can only be done on board authorized vans, is very steep and narrow but still nothing earth-shattering. The van drops you off in a square where there is a bar with cold drinks and toilets. From here you set off on foot for a short walk to the beginning of the steps ... more than 600 ... but the staircase is made of iron, very solid and no one runs after it, every now and then there are spaces where you can stop to catch your breath, protect yourself from the sun and admire the landscape... anyone can reach the top, even without training.
The effort is certainly rewarded, the landscape is incredible and the sacredness of the place enhances the experience.
I recommend comfortable shoes, a light backpack with a bottle of water and a small sweat towel and a spare t-shirt :)
To enter the temples you must have your shoulders and knees well covered so it is a good idea to wear a short-sleeved t-shirt and long trousers to avoid reaching the top and not being able to enter the temples :)
Absolutely recommended
Google
Written 24 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Journey592688
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2018 • Couples
Such a peaceful place to sit and ponder life, we could of easily stayed up there all day! Getting there seemed like it was going to be difficult as there were no instructions online but it was actually fine. Here's how we did it: 1) Bused from Chiang Mai to Lampang. It cost 100 Bhart for the big bus from the Chiang Mai Arcade bus terminal 2 (or 73 Bhart from Chiang Mai bus terminal 1 for the local minivan)
2) Stayed at Jai Hug Hotel for 500 Bhart and softest beds yet in Thailand 😍
3) Caught the songtaew from Lampang to Chae Hom from the 'Chae Hom Four Wheel Vehicle Stop' in the alley just behind Jai Hug hotel (Latitude 18.2895 Longitude 99.4998) cost 40 bhart per person
4) Stayed at Leelawadee Resort on the main road into Chae Hom (ask to get dropped off here as not many taxis / people in Chae Hom itself) also 500 bhart a night but the beds are no where near soft! But they do have scooters you can borrow for free and then it's just a 15 minute ride away to the bottom of the mountain/temple.

So accomodation aside we got from Chiang Mai to the entrance for only 140 Bhart each, which is a damn sight cheaper than any taxi or tour! We also had the good luck of being charged the Thai entry price of only 80 bhart, possibly because we were dressed respectfully, possibly because we were there early, possibly for no reason at all.

Enjoy 🙏
Written 14 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mark M
Phayao Province, Thailand201 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2015 • Family
This is a must see in unseen Thailand. It is very accessible really, if you have independent transport, from Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao or Lampang, as there is excellent road access.
It is best to plan your arrival for soon after 8am as that is when the four wheel drive pick-ups start to operate. You must park in a lower car park and pay 100Baht per adult for the return journey up to the top car park. The road access between the two points is narrow and steep and the transports operate on a two way radio system to ensure safety.
From the top drop of point you can firstly take a lower road which traverses the mountain a short distance to a small temple and shrine area featuring Buddha footprints.
Then for the climb. The path and steel steps from the top point to the main view points is very well made, but quite steep and demanding. There are a number of points where you can sit and rest, but all up I think it only took our group about twenty or thirty minutes to make the climb, including plenty of photographs.
Once at the top you are greeted with stunning views, and as this is a highlight it would be best to do this trip when the air is relatively clear. The mountain tops and cliffs are dotted with a number of stupa and temple structures, the materials for which was all carried up the hill by hand. Once you've made the climb you will appreciate what this must have entailed!
Allow yourself a good one and a half to two hours up here. Make sure you take water and a hat, as there is nothing available once you get past the top drop off point (and the stalls here tend to open well after 8am.) Some of the high points are just that, very high, and may not appeal to anyone having serious issues with vertigo and heights!
Once you get back down to the bottom car park there is a truly delicious "restaurant" over the road from the transport "hub", it is the first one you will come to if you walk straight over from when you get off the 4wd pickups, the guy who runs it had a restaurant in London for many years and his food is very, very good.
But don't go without then taking the same road you crossed to get to the restaurant a short distance up hill to another small complex of temples and gardens, these are also very beautiful and worth another half hour before you head off.
This is an amazing and breathtakingly beautiful place to visit and I highly recommend it to all.
Written 20 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Out There Doing That
Seattle, WA16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2019 • Family
We spent three weeks in Thailand and Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat was not on our radar when we arrived in the country. We "discovered" it by seeing a picture on Instagram and then google revealed it wasn't too far from where we were staying at the time (Chiang Mai). However, getting there proved challenging. When you walk the streets of Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, there are many tour operators offering packages to see the top tourist sites around these two cities. However, Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat is not listed anywhere and when approached tour operators about how to get there, most have never even heard of it. This is truly one of the “undiscovered” gems to go see now before it is converted into a main attraction.

Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat is located in a National Park about 150 km east of Chiang Mai or 180 km south of Chiang Rai. There is no scheduled tour service so you will need to hire a car and driver, or rent a car yourself. I suppose you could get there via moped, but I would not want to navigate the main highway out of Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai on one. For our family of five, we tried several options before finally renting a car in Chiang Rai and driving there ourselves. For those going from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai (or vice versa), consider hiring a car and driver and visit Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat on the way - it would be a four hour side trip.

Travel Recommendation: Need a car and driver? We met Chiang (his name) in Chiang Mai and he owns a car / van service and drove us all over Northern Thailand. He spoke decent english, had reasonable costs, and good vehicles. He drove us from Pai to Chiang Rai via Chiang Mai, which was a 7 hour drive, and we did not have enough time to hit Was Chaloem Phra Kiat on the way. His phone number is +66 81-681-4940. Tell him Jason sent you.

For our specific trip to Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat, we rented a car in Chiang Rai near the night market for 1200 baht (plus fuel) that fit our family of five. We stopped at the White Temple on the way south, which worked out to see it early in the day. We then left from there around noon for Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat. You drive south on Hwy 1 then Hwy 118 (towards Chiang Mai) for about 1.5 hours before turning off on Hwy 120. At this intersection there are several good restaurants and we pulled off for lunch.

Google will navigate you easily to Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat and it takes around 2.5 - 3 hours depending on how you drive and traffic. We arrived at 2:30 pm and were one of 10 or so cars in the parking lot. Most everyone there was Thai. All five of us paid the 70 baht to see the wat and the adults paid 200 baht each for the park entrance fee, so our group was 750 baht. We hopped in the back of the Songthaew and rocketed up the steep grade to the bottom of the mountain. It’s 400 meters of stairs up to the wats on metal grates than can be slippery in the rain (it was dry for us). These stairs support the limited traffic that the site currently sees - it would need a heavy upgrade if this became a standard tourist attraction.

The views from the top are truly stunning. There’s great photos on the web. I was able to fly the drone and get an aerial perspective and included a few screen shots. You can view the video on our “out there doing that” youtube page. There were only a handful of people and that small crowd faded as it got later and later. The infrastructure at Was Chaloem Phra Kiat is consistent with its undiscovered status. Most of the platforms, which are perched on the edge of 300 meter tall cliffs, are made of worn teak that feel like they might crumble at any minute. There wasn’t a safety concern, but this place hasn’t been upgraded for industrial tourism, which is unique and what we were looking for.

We were back on the road at 5:30 pm and drove straight through to Chiang Rai, arriving around 7:45 pm. As a side note, driving on Thai highways at night is pretty sketchy with unlit people, dogs, mopeds and other vehicles traveling at different speeds in different directions. You would NOT want to be there on a moped. So consider starting earlier than we did (we left Chiang Rai at 10 am) and getting back before dark.
Written 12 January 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Crystal K
Lampang, Thailand25 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2016 • Friends
Wat Chalurmprakerp/ Prabadpopdang (วัดพระบาทปู่ผาแดง/ วัดเฉลิมพระเกียรติฯ อ.แจ้ห่ม) is a relatively new temple, only about 14 years old. They recently built stairs so people (locals and foreigners alike) can hike up to the temple that is located on the very top of the mountain. Once you arrive at the base of the temple, you can pay 100 baht to take a songtaew up to the base of the hike (plus return back down), and then you take stairs up the rest of the way. Along the way, you can see the beautiful scenery of all of Lampang.

There are about 2 temples you can visit, one "selfie point". One of the temples is very relaxing and scenic and you can meditate under the winds blowing against the chimes. This is where many photographers come and take pictures of another temple build on the mountain and of the beautiful scenery.

On the way down, you can go another direction to see the big Buddha statues and the Buddha footprint. There is also a small cafe to get a refreshing drink before continuing your hike.

The entire time spent at the temple is about 2 hours, maybe more if you're not in a hurry.

I did this hike and tour about 4 times already and loved it! You should go early in the morning when it's not as hot and you can see the skies.
Written 8 July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dao2024
Chiang Mai, Thailand1,602 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2015 • Friends
After we drove about an hour north of Lampang into the Chaehome district, we came upon a dramatic group of rugged mountain peaks jutting high above the vallery floor. There were numerous small buildings and unique monuments scattered all over the mountain top and extending into the lower cliff areas too.

We drove to a small roadside parking lot where we hired a 4-wheel drive cab truck for 100 baht per person. As the small narrow road was exteremely steep and treacherous, we were not permitted to drive it ourselves. The cap ride was a frightening 10 minute roller coaster dash to another large parking lot near the top of the mountain. From this point we walked a wide road trail for about 300 meters which led to a small trail to ascend the mountain peak. There were later a series of steel steps and bridges created to facilitate the climb. Once arriving at the top, we found a small grouping of buildings and interesting towers that provided breath taking views of the valley many meters below. Sometimes frightening as well, the grounds were very exhilararting to experience as we walked on other trails and stairways around the top of the mountain peaks. This was definitely one of the most awesome Thai temple areas that we have experienced and in many ways it was even more exciting than Doi Inthanun for me. Construction began in 2004. Definitely not for the feint of heart and older people.
Written 23 October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Howard R
Washington19 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2019
This place requires a bit of work to experience. You buy a ticket both for admission and for a ride to the beginning of the walk by 4 wheel drive pickup. The ride is 50B and the admission is 20B for Thais and 200 B for foreigners. After getting out of the pickup you walk about 400 metres on a very easy paved trail. Then the work begins. You climb a series of paths partly with stairs and ramps. There are resting places at intervals along the way. I suggest early in the day to avoid the heat. I would not call it extremely rigorous, but it isn't easy. When I went the temple at the top was peaceful, but visibility was very limited.
Written 13 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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WAT CHALOEM PHRAKIAT PHRACHOMKLAO RACHANUSON (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

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