Up on a hill at the northwest corne

Up on a hill at the northwest corner of town is the old temple of Wat Phrathat Doi Tong. The temple was supposedly started by the Prince of Chiang Rai in 940. Its golden chedi is visible from far away when approaching the city from the north.The wiharn appears quite modern and is not very interesting. The exterior is not decorated much. Inside, the hall is decorated in the red and gold typical of northern temples. There are some nice contemporary murals on the wall.A short way down the north side of the hill, a Chinese shrine backs into the hillside under the temple. The red-and-gold sign on the porch of the shrine curiously reads (in thai) “Hall [of] the godfather [of] Doi Tong.” Yes, “godfather” is the correct translation of the Thai. There’s a good view north of Chiang Rai from the shrine, and a stairway leads down to the road that can take you across the Kok River.At the very peak of the hill, just south of the temple grounds, is the new City Pillar which was erected in 1988. Tel: 0 5371 6055