Chiang
Mai Province
Wat Phra
Sing
Wat
Prachao Mengrai
Wat
Chedi Luang
Wat Pan
Tao
Wat Sam
Phao
Wat
U-Mong Thera Chan
Wat
Chiang Man
Wat
Mahawan
Wat
Chetawan
Wat
Buppharam
Wat
Saeng Fang
Wat Suan
Dok
Wat Chet
Yot
Wat
Prasat
Wat
Srikerd
Wat
Thung Yu
Wat
Duang Di
Wat
Chiang Yuen
Wat
Ketkaram
Wat
Muen Ngnoen Kong
Wat
Phuak Hong
Wat
Phuak Taem
Wat
Pan Waen
Wat
Sam Phao
Wat
Pan On
Wat
Muen Lan
Wat
Pha Bong
Wat
Dap Phai
Wat
Pa Prow Nai
Wat
Mon Tian
Wat
Kuan Ka Mah
Wat
Mokam Dtuang
Wat
Saen Muang Ma Luang/Hua Khwuang
Wat
Inthakin
Wat
Chai Phrakiat
Wat
Baan Ping
Wat
Puak Chang
Wat
Muang Mang
Wat
That Kham
Wat
Yang Khuang
Wat
Nantharam
Wat
Sri Suphan
Wat
Lok Molee
Wat
Ku Tao
Wat
Umong Suan Putthatham
Wat
Phra That Doi
Suthep
Wat
Pa Daeng
Wat
Sri Don Chai (Muang)
Wat
Phrathat Doi Kham (Muang)
Wat
Muen San (Muang)
Wat
Thon Kwain (Hang Dong)
Wat
Hang Dong (Hang Dong)
Wat
Nong Kwai (Hang Dong)
Wat
Khamphaeng Ngam (Hang Dong)
Wat
Pa Charoen Tham (Sam Pa Tong)
Wat
Siri Mankala Chan (Doi Noi)
Wat
Phrathat Doi Noi (Doi Noi)
Wat
Phra That Si Chom Thong (Chom
Thong)
Wat
Namtok Mae Klang
Chedi
Noppamathaneedol
Chedi
Noppaphonpumsiri
Wat
Puttha En (Mae Chaem)
Wat
Kong Karn (Mae Chaem)
Wat
Yang Luang (Mae Chaem)
Wat
Pa Daet (Mae Chaem)
Wat
Om Khud (Mae Chaem)
Wat
Ban Thap (Mae Chaem)
Wat
Buak Krok Luang (San Kamphaeng)
Wat
Bo Sang (San Kamphaeng)
Wat
Doi Saket (Doi Saket)
Wat
Po Thong Charoen (Doi Saket)
Wat
Ta Kham (Mae Taeng)
Wat
Sri Don Chai (Chiang Dao)
Wat
Tham Chiang Dao Cave (Chiang Dao)
Angkhang
Shrine (Doi Angkhang)
Ancient
City of Wiang Kum Kam
Wat
Ku
Khao
Wat Hua
Nong
Wat Phan
Lao
Wat Kum
Kam
Wat Ku
Ailan
Wat That
Noi
Wat
Kanthom/Chiang Kam
Wat
Chedi Liam
Mae
Hong Son Province
Wat
Chong Klang
Wat
Chong Kham
Wat
Hua Wiang
Wat
Phra Non
Wat
Kham Ko
Wat
Phai Doi
Wat
Mandalay (Mae Sariang)
Wat
Sri Bunruang (Mae Sariang)
Wat
Chong Sung (Mae Sariang)
Wat
Phra That Chom Mon (Mae Sariang)
Wat
Kittiwong (Mae Sariang)
Wat
Supphannarangsi (Mae Sariang)
Wat
Phra That Chom Chaeng (Mae Sariang)
Wat
Chom Thong (Mae Sariang)
Wat
To Phae (Khun Yuam)
Wat
Muay Tor (Khun Yuam)
Wat
Mae Lan Na (Mae Lan Na)
Wat
Ban Hua Na (Pai)
Wat
Nam Hoo (Pai)
Wat
Luang (Pai)
Wat
Phra That Mae Yen (Pai)
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Thailand's
North was our first trip with our own car. Thus independent from any public
transportation and therefore without much interference with other tourists.
Equipped with a huge variety of maps in Thai and English as well as
information from the web we went mainly on small roads and highways and
stopped at every place, which looked interesting. Some were planned, like
Chiang Mai, but others were discovered as we went, like Wat Phra Puttha Phat Pha Nam,
which we just happened to come across, slammed on the brakes and hiked up
the hill. My favourite was really everything outside of
Chiang Mai, which turned out to be a bit too touristy, specially the
mountain temple of Wat Phra That Doi
Suthep. We almost couldn't even
park our car, but then most of the tourists were luckily Thais. The few
Westerners we saw where rather embarrassing examples of our own kind.
Despite the many hints in tour guide books and signs posted, they arrived in
shorts and 'muscle shirts' (without having the body to wear them). They were
handed sarongs, or skirt-like looking clothes, by the temple
officials, to cover up their naked legs. Unfortunately they took them off
again and were then visiting one of the most sacred temples of Thailand
laughing, screaming and almost not even dressed. Despite
my initial fears the Elephant Training Camps proofed to be a worthwhile trip
and experience, especially due to the natural setting in the forests and
hills around Chiang Mai. It was also much less touristy than I thought and
seems to provide a good source of income for the now 'work-less' Elephants.
And then there were the places, which only Thai people go to. Cave temples
in the surrounding hills of Chiang Mai. A very special experience, walking
up the steep stairways through the forest in the hot and humid climate and
then into a cool cave, filled with Buddha Statues and smoke from incense
sticks. We were so busy seeing everything on the way up and in and around
Chiang Mai, that we had to put off our initially planned continuation to Mae
Hong Son. We'll have to come back for this!
Our
second trip to the North, in December 2004, focused on the eastern
provinces of the North with Phrae, Nan, Phayao and Chiang Rai. We also
were in Uttaradit, but could not find Wat Tha Thanon, despite looking for
it on two separate days. So, we thought it was not meant to be and left
again. We went to those provinces during the rice harvest and had some
great impressions from the hard working people of Lanna. A lot of the work
there still happens manually and not with machines. We also had to master
several roads through mountains, some of which had not even been on any
maps we brought along. Along the border of Myanmar were several spots were
we prayed that our breaks continue to work but had some really great views
into Myanmar territory. There were also a lot of police and army check
points along the way, checking for drugs and illegal goods. The
Lanna-style architecture of the temples up here is really amazing. We also
had several Burmese temples on our plan and we voted for Wat Nantharam in
Phayao province as our most favorite temple. It is located so far off the
normal track going North and the trip over the mountains consumed so much
time, that I really worried that we would miss it. Luckily we made it in
time and the eagle eye of our Thai friend managed to see the hidden sign
to the temple. All this effort awarded us with one of the most beautiful
wooden temples in Northern Thailand with a beautiful Mandalay-style Buddha
image. On
this second trip to Lanna we visited 53 temples, burned hundreds of
incense sticks, lit many candles and drove over 3000 km. The three of us
going took a combined 3500 pictures and I managed to run out of space on
my new 4GB flash card. And already on the way back we discussed going back
to Chiang Mai on one of our next trips.
In 2005
we did another extensive trip to the North, finally visiting Tak, Mae Hong
Son and new temples in Chiang Mai and Lamphun. For the thousands of curves
on mountain roads we had to buy a new car which was a very worthwhile
investment. It allowed us to see some remote country temples along the
border country.
During
Songkran of 2007 (2550) we spent almost 3 weeks in Chiang Mai and while
celebrating one of the best New Year's ever, we had the chance to
extensively visit Chiang Mai's temples in the city and other districts. It
also allowed us to take part in three important ceremonies during the New
Year celebrations with Phra
Phutta Sihing being brought outside the temple and seeing it being
carried around the city in colorful processions. We also attended the Cho
Fa ceremony at Wat Sri Suphan and
attended the ritual bathing of Phra Kaew Don Tao at Wat
Phra That Lampang Luang. 2550 started as a very good year for us! Currently
we are running out of space on the 8GB card with a 4GB card for backup but
as you will notice the quality of the pictures continues to change. When
we started this web site, digital camera's were not even on the market yet,
while in 2007 we shot with over 10 megapixels.
Having
read Carol Strattons amazing book "Buddhist Sculpture of Northern
Thailand" in 2008 we realized how many great and important temples
and Buddha statues exist in the province of Phayao, a province which we
only passed through on the way North before. We therefore planned a
special trip to Phayao to do some indepth day trips to Mae Chai, Chiang
Kham, Chun and other districts. We were amazed to see so many beautiful
temples and Buddha images and actually ran out of time but still managed
to visit over 30 temples.
From
Phayao we went further up to Chiang Rai again and visited one of the most
impressive temples we had seen in all our years of travel - Wat
Tham Pa Asha Thong, the temple of the Golden Horse. The presiding
abott Phra Khru Ba Nuachai Kosito is an unconventional but very very
powerful teacher of the Dhamma.
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Phrae
Province
Wat
Phra That Cho Hae
Wat
Phra That Chom Chaeng
Wat
Chom Sawan
Wat
Luang
Wat
Phong Sunan
Wat
Phra Non
Wat
Sri Chum
Wat
Sri Bunruang
Wat
Phra Bat Ming Muang
Wat
Chai Mongkon
Wat
Hua Khuang
Wat
Sa Po Kaeo
Wat
Salaeng
Wat
Pai Lom
Wat
Phrathat Sri Don Kam
Wat
Phrathat Laem Li
Wat
Phrathat Phu Tab
Wat
Phrathat Suthon Mongkon Kiri
Wat
Phra Luang
Nan
Province
Wat
Somdet
Wat
Phra That Chae Haeng
Wat
Phumin
Wat
Ming Muang
Wat
Phra That Chang Kham Woraviharn
Wat
Hua Khuang
Wat
Suan Tan
Wat
Phaya Wat
Wat
Phrathat
Khao Noi
Wat
Thung Meng
Wat
Mueang Chang Dtai
Wat
Bupharam
Wat
Tha Lor
Wat
Phaya Phu
Wat
Si Phan Ton
Wat
Pha Dup
Wat
Pha Singh
Wat
Thuem Dong
Wat
Hua Wiang Dtai
Wat
Nong Bua
Wat
Ton Laeng (Pua)
Wat
Nong Daeng (Pua)
Wat
Phrathat Beng Sakat (Pua)
Wat
Bun Yuen (Wiang Sa)
Phra
That Chom Chaeng (Na Muen)
Wat
Rong Ngae (Pua)
Wat
Klang (Thung Chang)
Wat
Ratcha Bamrung (Thung Chang)
Phra
That Phu Piang (Thung Chang)
Wat
Bo Luang (Bo Kluea)
Wat
Ban Na Prueang (Bo Kluea)
Wat
Nak Lum (Bo Kluea)
Phayao
Province
Wat
Nantharam (Chiang Kham)
Wat
Si Khom Kham
Wat
Si Umong Kham
Wat
Luang Ratcha Santan
Wat
Ratcha Khreu
Wat
Phra That Doi Jom Thong
Wat
Tom Klang
Wat
Analayo Thippayaram
Wat
Phra That Phu Pho (Phu Kham Yao)
Wat
Phra That Phu Kwang (Phu Kham Yao)
Wat
Bun Goed (Dok Kam Tai)
Wat
Phra That Chom Sin (Dok Kham Tai)
Wat
Phra That Saeng Kaeo Mongkon (Dok Kham Tai)
Wat
Si Bing Mueang (Chun)
Wat
Phra That King Kaeng (Chun)
Wat
Huay Kua Kham (Chun)
Wat
Saen Muang Ma (Chiang Kham)
Wat
Phra Chao Nang Din (Chiang Kham)
Wat
Chaiya Phrom (Chiang Kham)
Wat
Sri Bun Yuen (Chiang Kham)
Wat
Yuan (Chiang Kham)
Wat
Phra That Sop Waen (Chiang Kham)
Wat
Chiang Ban (Chiang Kham)
Wat
Don Chai (Chiang Kham)
Wat
Don Tan (Phu Sang)
Wat
Ko Sao (Phu Sang)
Wat
Phra That Khun Bong (Phu Sang)
Wat
Bong Mai (Phu Sang)
Wat
Sri Bun Rueang (Mae Chai)
Wat
Sri Suphan (Mae Chai)
Wat
Sri Don Tan (Mae Chai)
Wat
Sri Don Mun (Mae Chai)
Wat
Dong Intha (Mae Chai)
Wat
Dong Bun Nak (Mae Chai)
Chiang
Rai Province
Wat
Phra Kaeo
Wat
Phra Singh
Wat
Mung Muang
Wat
(Doi) Ngam Muang
Wat
Phra That Doi Chom Thong
Wat
Ming Muang
Wat
Phra Non
Wat
Klang Wiang
Wat
Chet Yot
Wat
Doi Phra Baht
Wat
Rong Khun
Wat
Noi Doi Tung
Wat
Phra That Doi Tung
Wat
Phra That Doi Wao (Mae Sai)
Wat
Kassa (Mae Chan)
Wat
Phra That Chedi Luang (Chiang Saen)
Wat
Mahathat (Chiang Saen)
Wat
Pa Sak (Chiang Saen)
Wat
Phra Chao Lan Thong (Chiang Saen)
Wat
Pha Khao Pan (Chiang Saen)
Wat
Phra That Chom Kitti (Chiang Saen)
Wat
Chom Chaeng (Chiang Saen)
Wat
Phra That Pha Ngao (Chiang Saen)
Wat
Phra That Song Phi Nong (Chiang Saen)
Wat
Phra That Chom Wae (Phan)
Wat
Phra Khong Karam (Mae Suay)
Wat
Phra Chao Thong Thip (Mae Suay)
Wat
Phra That Chom Pho (Wiang Pa Pao)
Wat
Sri Suphan (Wiang Pa Pao)
Wat
Phra That Chom Chaeng (Mae Suay)
Wat
Phra That Chom Mork Gaeo (Mae Sao)
Wat
Tham Pa Asha Thong (Mae Chan)
Phra
That Sinakarindhra Chedi (Doi Mae Salong)
Wat
Phra That Chom Cho (Thoeng)
Wat
Phra That Sri Maha Pho (Thoeng)
Wat
Phra That Chom Chai (Thoeng)
Wat
Thoeng Sao Hin (Thoeng)
Lampang
Province
Wat Phra
That Lampang Luang
(Ko Kha)
Wat
Lai Hin Luang (Ko Kha)
Wat
Phra That Chomping (Ko Kha)
Wat
Pong Yang Khok (Hang Chat)
Wat Phra
Kaeo Don Tao
Wat
Suchadaram
Wat
Chedi Sao
Wat
Pongsanuk Tai
Wat Pha
Fang
Wat Sri
Chum
Wat
Chong Kam
Wat
Si Rong Meuang
Wat
Hua Khuang
Luang
Phor Kasem Meditation Center
Wat
Phra That Sadet
Lamphun
Province
Wat Phra
That Haripunchai
Wat
Kukut
Wat Phra
Yeun
Wat
Pradupa
Wat
Mahawan
Wat
Pa Sang Ngam (Pa Sang)
Wat
Chang Khao Noi Nuea (Pa Sang)
Wat
San Kamphaeng (Pa Sang)
Wat
Phra Non (Pa Sang)
Wat
Phra Phuttabat Tak Pha (Pa Sang)
Wat
Phra Bat Huai Tom (Li)
Wat Phra Puttha Phat Pha Nam
(Li)
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