Old city
Old city temple walk, from Wat Chiang Man to Wat Chedi Luang
- Four temples and the Three Kings Monument
- On foot, no minibus
- Best for
- Four temples on foot, in a morning
Half day, late afternoon to evening
Wat Pha Lat and Doi Suthep, from late afternoon into the evening
The same two temples as the morning tour, visited from late afternoon, with a return to town once the lights are on below.
Duration
4.5 hours
Stops
2 on the route
Starts in
Doi Suthep
Price
At booking
The experience
- Best for
- The later light, and the city seen from above as evening comes
- Not for you if
- Your evenings are already spoken for, or you travel in the burning season and the view is the reason
Pickup is between about 4:00 and 4:30 pm and you are back between about 8:00 and 8:30, so this is not an afternoon trip: it is a late-afternoon departure that ends well after dark. It covers exactly what the morning tour covers, with the same operator: Wat Pha Lat, then Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, by vehicle, with an English-speaking guide. What changes is the light. What you give up is your evening.
The case for going late is the view. The listing promises views over the city in the evening, and the eastern terrace of the main temple is where you get them: the plain below, and the city that has faced this mountain since 1296. A sunset is not promised, and the view itself depends on the season. The air is usually clearest from November to February. From about mid-February to April, burning-season smoke can leave nothing below but grey.
Read the rest
Our Doi Suthep article names the last hours of daylight as one of the two quieter times on the terrace. This departure is the later of the two temple tours, but the exact time you reach the terrace can vary. Two things to plan for, though. The inclined lift is not included, and it is generally given as closing around 6 pm, so be ready for the staircase. And the listing details we checked mention no meal: with a return around 8 pm, eat beforehand or plan a late dinner.
The same two temples, seen as the day ends.
The route
-
Wat Pha Lat
The first stop, on the way up the mountain. A modest temple set over a stream that slides across wide slabs of rock, surrounded by forest. Local tradition links it to the white elephant's climb; the documented history is more recent, with a main hall rebuilt in the era of Kruba Srivichai.
-
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
The second stop, reached by vehicle. The naga staircase leads to the upper terrace and the gilded chedi, circled barefoot and clockwise. The eastern side is where the listing's evening views over the city open up.
Why this one
01
The city from above, in the evening
The view the listing promises, from the eastern terrace over the plain. How far you see depends on the season, not on the tour.
02
A late start
Pickup between about 4:00 and 4:30 pm. The morning stays free, and you are back in town by about 8:30.
03
Wat Pha Lat to begin
The small forest temple on the way up, its stream sliding over sloping rock. The first stop, before the main temple.
04
The last hours of daylight
Our Doi Suthep article gives the last hours of daylight as one of the two quieter times on the terrace. The other is early morning.
What is included
Included
- An English-speaking guide
- Transport by vehicle between Wat Pha Lat and Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
- Entry tickets, listed as included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off, if the option you book includes it
Not included
- The inclined lift at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
- Any walk on the Monk's Trail
Practical detail
- Duration
- 4.5 hours
- Pickup
- Between about 4:00 and 4:30 pm. Hotel pickup on options that include it
- Return
- Between about 8:00 and 8:30 pm, after dark
- Order
- Wat Pha Lat first, then Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, by vehicle. No Monk's Trail
- Language
- English-speaking guide
- The view
- Promised by the listing as an evening view over the city. A sunset is not guaranteed, and haze from about mid-February to April can hide the plain
- Inclined lift
- Not included, and generally given as closing around 6 pm. Plan on the staircase, 306 steps by the usual count
- Dress
- Shoulders and knees covered, for everyone. Shoes off on the inner terrace around the chedi
- Food
- No meal mentioned. Eat before pickup or plan dinner after 8:30 pm
Common questions
Will I see the sunset from Doi Suthep?
Possibly, but nothing promises it. The listing speaks of evening views over the city, not of a sunset. Whether you are on the terrace at the right moment depends on the time of year and the day's schedule; whether there is anything to see depends on the air, clearest from November to February and often hazy from about mid-February to April.
Is the inclined lift running in the evening?
It is generally given as closing around 6 pm, and it is not included in the price anyway. On a tour that picks up after 4 pm, it is safer to plan on the staircase: 306 steps, by the usual count.
How is this different from the morning tour?
Same operator, same two temples, same order, same length. The morning departure goes up closer to early morning, one of the two quieter times our Doi Suthep article names, and is back around midday. This one goes up in the late afternoon, closer to the other quieter time our Doi Suthep article names, the last hours of daylight, and brings you down after dark. Choose by which half of your day you would rather give it.
Is dinner included?
The listing details we checked do not mention a meal. With a return between about 8:00 and 8:30 pm, eat something before pickup or plan a late dinner in town.
Is there any hiking?
No. Both temples are reached by vehicle, and the Monk's Trail is not part of the tour. The effort is the staircase up to the main temple, unless you pay for the lift while it is running.
Book it
Ready when you are
Dates, times and live prices come up at the next step. Booking takes two minutes, and the cancellation terms are shown before you pay.
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