Charming Small City in Northern Thailand, with Over 300 Temples, Supported by Chinese Tourists
In recent years, more and more Chinese tourists have chosen to travel to Thailand, as this Southeast Asian country has deep cultural heritage and endless charm.
Do you know which city in Thailand has the most temples?
It is Thailand's second largest city, Chiang Mai, located in the north. Chiang Mai was formerly the capital of Lannathai, with a population of approximately 1.7 million. In China, this volume would only be considered a fourth-tier city, despite the city being small, it has over 300 temples, and Chinese tourists often jokingly say when visiting here that 'temples are more than shops'.
The temples in Chiang Mai are distributed both inside and outside the ancient city, and there are several temples within a 100-meter range on most roads. They are diverse in style but overall characterized by gold and splendor.
Wat Chiang Man, located inside the ancient city, is the oldest temple in the city and has existed simultaneously with Chiang Mai, witnessing the city's joys and sorrows. It was formerly a royal temple.
Wat Phra Singh, also located inside the ancient city, is equally revered. In a few decades, it will be over 700 years old. Wat Phra Singh is the largest temple in Chiang Mai, housing the ashes of King Mueang Lha.
The night view here is particularly beautiful. When the night falls, with the remaining light, the lights illuminate the golden temple and pagodas, creating a majestic and solemn effect, with a dreamlike visual effect.
Wat Songtham is located outside Chiang Mai city, not far from Chiang Mai University and Nimmanhaemin Road. This temple receives relatively few tourists, but the Chinese tourist rate is still high.
Wat Songtham was originally built in the royal gardens of the 14th century, housing Thailand's largest bronze Buddha image. The surrounding large copper pagoda and the surrounding white pagodas complement each other, creating a spectacular effect.
Wat Shuang Long is not located inside Chiang Mai city, but on Suthep Mountain in the suburbs, the entire temple building and Buddha image are golden and shimmering, presenting the ultimate luxury. Regardless of the time of day you visit this temple, you will have a palace-like feeling.
Wat Shuang Long is one of the coolest places in Chiang Mai, it is a resort place in the Thai temple world. When the weather is clear, tourists can also enjoy the view of Chiang Mai city here.
Wat Shuang Long was built by the ancient Lannathai royal family and is one of the few temples in Chiang Mai built on a mountain top.
Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chiang Man are all free to visit, and Wat Shuang Long and Wat Songtham require entrance fees. In addition, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Potaeng, Wat Bupparam and Wat Ramphaeng are also worth visiting.
The various popular temples in Chiang Mai have Chinese tourists' shadows no matter how remote, and the local tourism industry mainly relies on Chinese tourists. Many places have Chinese, many staff on Nimmanhaemin Road and at the night market will speak Mandarin and Chaozhou dialect.
