Visit Wat Umong

After Wat Suan Dok, continue west along the road and maybe stop by Han Teung Chiang Mai for lunch before continuing on to our next temple which is probably the most unique temple you will find in Chiang Mai. Wat Umong which translates to the Tunnel temple is, you guessed it, a temple built inside a system of tunnels deep inside a forest on the foothill of Doi Suthep, the looming mountain you can see towering Chiang Mai.

According to legends, Wat Umong was founded in the 13th Century under King Mengrai's reign who is the founder of the Lanna Kingdom. As the city of Chiang Mai grew, monks found it harder and harder to meditate so the king decided to pick a new location for a temple and dug a series of tunnels to house shrines and Buddha images for the monks to meditate peacefully. At Wat Umong, you will find 3 entrances to a connected tunnel containing several Buddha images for devotees to pay their respect to the Buddha. Above the mound where the tunnel is dug, you will find a large bell-shaped chedi constructed in a Lanna architectural style that has recently been restored.