Doi Suthep: Temple of the White Elephant
Highlights of Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai
In the Northern Thai language, doi means mountain. Doi Suthep claims its fame as one of the most well known mountains in the entire country. From the city of Chiang Mai, you can see the green giant soaring overhead. If you have a keen eye, you might even be able to spot the glimmer of the holy chedi at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, its celebrated temple.
While you need to look carefully on a clear day to see the glittering from the city, when you’re at the hilltop temple, the shining golden chedi, or Buddhist stupa, will be the centre of your attention. Topped by a five-tier umbrella, the main chedi at Doi Suthep glows with the sunlight. Statues of the Lord Buddha surround. Standing, reclining and seated beneath snakes, he stares out serenely offering peace to the many Thai worshippers who come here to pay their respects at the holy site.
Along with the Lord Buddha, you will discover a number of Hindu deities and mystical creatures from the Buddhist scriptures and local lore. The elephant-headed god Ganesh is one of the most important holy images on site. You will also pass a four-faced Brahma (the Hindu god of creation), a hermit statue, a sacred bodhi tree and a replica of the Emerald Buddha.
To reach the temple, you climb a 309-step staircase. The banisters are bejewelled nagas, or mystical serpents. At the base, they rear their heads – all five of them. The long body of each five-headed naga continues its way up the slope. Green and golden scales cover their surface. If the thought of climbing so many stairs is too much to deal with, a tram is on hand to carry you up to the temple.