Wat Umong

Wat Umong is a forest temple at the foot of Doi Suthep and about a kilometre south of the main Chiang Mai University campus. It feels a world away from the Old City temples: the grounds cover around 15 acres of woodland, and monks live and study here among the trees.

The temple's history goes back to 1297, when King Mangrai founded it as a residence for monks invited from Sri Lanka. In the 14th century King Kue Na invited the monk Maha Thera Chan to stay, repaired the stupa and built the walking tunnels that give the temple its name, since umong means tunnel. One story says the tunnels were built so that a monk inclined to wander into the forest would stay within the grounds. Like many Chiang Mai temples it was abandoned during Burmese rule, and in 1949 a meditation centre was established here under the influence of the reformist monk Buddhadasa Bhikkhu.

The tunnels are the main draw. They run beneath the chedi, contain Buddha images and were once painted with forest scenes. Above ground, look for the field of broken Buddha sculptures, the fasting Buddha figure, and the talking trees, which carry proverbs in Thai and English. A large pond lets visitors feed fish, turtles and ducks, and there is a library and museum of Buddhist art and books, plus a Spiritual Theatre of paintings in the style of Buddhadasa's centre in the south.

Wat Umong suits anyone looking for a slower pace, and families tend to enjoy the pond and the tunnels. Visitors can also learn about meditation here. Remember that this is a working monastery: keep noise down in the tunnels, dress modestly and remove shoes where asked. In 2024 restoration work on some of the old statues drew public criticism, which is a reminder that the site is still evolving.

Allow an hour or more if you want to wander the grounds. A taxi or ride-hailing car from the Old City is the simplest way to get here. It combines well with Doi Suthep, Wat Suan Dok or the cafés of the Nimmanhaemin area.