Charming Small City in Thailand: 1.7 Million People with Over 300 Temples, Filled with Chinese Tourists
In recent years, more and more Chinese tourists have chosen to travel to Thailand. 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. Chiang Mai was formerly the capital of Lannathai, with a population of approximately 1.7 million. In China, this is considered to be a fourth or fifth-tier city, despite the city being small, it has over 300 temples, and Chinese tourists often jokingly say that 'temples are more abundant than shops' when visiting it.
Chiang Mai's temples are distributed both inside and outside the ancient city. Many streets within 100 meters have several temples, they are of different styles, but their overall characteristic is golden and magnificent.
Wat Chiang Man, located inside the ancient city, is the oldest temple in Chiang Mai, existing simultaneously with Chiang Mai, witnessing the city's winds and rains, it was formerly a royal temple.
Wat Phra Singh, also located inside the ancient city, is equally revered. It will be over 700 years old in a few decades. Wat Phra Singh is the largest temple in Chiang Mai, housing the ashes of King Mueang Lho.
The night scenery here is particularly beautiful. When night falls, with the last rays of light, the lights illuminate the golden temple and pagodas, majestic and solemn, but also creates a dreamy visual effect.
Wat Santi Rat, located outside Chiang Mai city, is not far from Chiang Mai University and Nimmanhaemin Road. This temple attracts relatively few tourists, but Chinese tourists still visit it frequently.
Wat Santi Rat was originally built in the royal gardens of the 14th century, housing Thailand's largest bronze Buddha statue. The giant copper bell tower outside and the surrounding white Buddha statues complement each other, creating a spectacular effect.
Wat Shuang Long is not located in Chiang Mai city, but on Suthep Mountain in the suburbs, the entire temple and Buddha statues are gilded, showcasing extreme luxury. No matter what time you visit this temple, you will feel like you are entering a royal palace.
Wat Shuang Long is one of the coolest places in Chiang Mai, it's a popular resort for Buddhist monks during the hot season. On a sunny day, visitors can also enjoy the scenery of Chiang Mai.
Wat Shuang Long was built by the ancient Lannathai Royal Family, it's one of the few temples in Chiang Mai built on the top of a mountain.
Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chiang Man are all free to enter, while Wat Shuang Long and Wat Santi Rat require entrance fees. In addition, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Pothong, Wat Boparn and Wat Ramphaeng are also worth visiting.
The temples of Chiang Mai, no matter how remote they are, have the shadows of Chinese tourists. The local tourism industry mainly relies on Chinese tourists. Many places have Chinese language support, and many people on Nimmanhaemin Road and the night market can speak Mandarin and Chaozhou dialect.
