Thailand Wat Chaloem Phrakiat: a temple suspended on top of the mountains of Lampang Lampang, Northern Provinces, Travel to Thailand 5 (15)Le Wat Chaloem Phrakiat (วัดเฉลิมพระเกียรติ) is a temple located north of the city of Lampang, in the district of Chae Hom. It is a temple that is divided into several areas and whose major asset, making it a popular attraction in the region, is its rocky summit, where a set of stupas and structures at the base intended for meditation are distributed but offering a spectacular view of the valley below. Summary hide Wat Chaloem Phrakiat, a name among others A modern perched temple The lower part of the temple The upper part of Wat Chaloem Phrakiat Price to access the top of the temple Getting to Wat Chaloem Phrakiat Wat Chaloem Phrakiat, a name among othersWhere it is sometimes complicated to find your way around Thailand is in the names given to places, whose transliteration and names given can vary depending on the sources. This is the case here where originally, I had heard of this temple as being the Wat Phra Bat Pu Pha Daeng (วัดพระพุทธบาทปู่ผาแดง), a name that still appears on the map, because it refers to the name of the promontory on which the upper part of the temple is built, the Doi Phra Bat, itself having another name, the Doi Pu Yak.If we look at the map on Google Maps, it is now listed as Wat Chaloem Phrakiat (spelled by its full name Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Phrachomklao Rachanuson…), and as if that were not enough confusion, it is also known as Wat Phra Phutthabat Sutthawat although the latter is clearly less dominant.If we add to the fact that the main term "Wat Chaloem Phrakiat" remains a fairly "generic" expression, we find several temples across Thailand bearing the same name, including a fairly famous one in Nonthaburi, a neighboring town of Bangkok to the north.A modern perched templeIt was originally built by local monks and villagers to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of King Mongkut (better known by his dynastic name Rama IV). The king was born in 1804, so work began around 2004. It took 10 years to add all the buildings overlooking the valley at a height of 815 m. The confusion over the name led a French-speaking website to write that the temple dates from 1850, when in fact it is the one in Nonthaburi… but if you look at the buildings, you will quickly notice that it is of modern design.To enjoy it at its best, avoid going there from February to May because otherwise you will have a very foggy view due to the heat and especially the burning that perfumes the plains (this was the case at the time of my first visit, in March, in the photo on the left below). Also note that if the weather is really bad during the rainy season, it can happen that the temple is inaccessible (this remains rare even if it happened to me once, the top of the hill was then under the clouds).The lower part of the templeWe can actually distinguish two parts. The first, not far from the parking lot, constitutes the main area of the temple, at the foot of the Doi Pu Yak mountain, the other name for the small mountain. There is a first small viharn, all sober, which contains a small bronze statue of Buddha.The second one is more interesting in terms of architecture since it has a large façade mixing wooden panels painted in red, which is already rare enough to be noted, and the main door is decorated around a tower-shaped sculpture with some gilding.The interior leaves the framework visible, with a fairly sober ensemble and the tiling is also of a fairly unusual style.Main viharn of Wat Chalerm Phrakiat.The interior of the viharn.Located just behind this viharn, we find the inseparable chedi, with a golden upper part and whose stairs at the entrance are guarded by lions in the Khmer style. During my first visit (it dates back to 2016), I was entitled to a visit to the private quarters of the monks (normally not accessible to the public).There were still few foreigners who knew about this temple and one of the least surprised by our presence, was happy to show us their relaxation area. Monks were then in the middle of cleaning. There is a terrace there with a superb view of the mountain.The large chedi of the temple in the lower part.Private area for monks.The mountain seen from the lower part of the temple.From the parking lot, you can clearly see the small chedis and part of what constitutes a separate area of this temple, the upper part. The latter is only accessible via a local pick-up, I detail this below. At the departure/arrival point of the 4x4s, you will also find a small café, restaurant, which is also a mini-market, you will also have toilets if ever.Reaching the summit is just as unprecedented and rather folkloric.View of the temple from the foot of the mountain.The upper part of Wat Chaloem PhrakiatOnce parked in the car park, you have to pay a ticket that includes a return trip with a pick-up truck, because access by yourself by car is not possible. Given the climb, this is really essential, because you really need a good 4x4 when you see how steep the slope is.This pick-up ride is a bit bumpy, it feels like a thrill ride and the 3,5 km are covered in a few minutes. Once at the car park at the top, you can take a toilet and coffee break while admiring the view of the valley behind. You will still have 200 m before arriving at the foot of the stairs and finish the last 800 m on foot to reach the summit.Metal steps lead us along the hill, the slope of which is quite easy on the first half, but gets a little steeper on the second part. But the reward is worth it!Immediate boarding.We'll soon arrive at the parking lot.The starting point of the stairs.The first part, quite soft.Halfway there is a nice viewpoint overlooking the valley on the west side, towards Chiang Mai (50 km away as the crow flies). You can see a row of mountains with the valley filled with rice fields and surrounding villages at its foot.Here we are facing Chiang Mai, somewhere behind the mountain range facing us.The light and atmosphere vary greatly depending on the month.The 2nd part is steeper. Signs tell you to watch out for hornets, a nice touch, but I have never come across any despite coming here several times… I forgot to mention that at regular intervals, you will have bamboo shelters if you ever want to sit down for a break (this is usually the case just after the steepest climb, before finishing the last 50 meters…)The vegetation around is mostly made up of bamboo, although there are also a few trees on which you might be able to spot a lizard or caterpillars as fauna.On the 2nd part of the stairs.You think I didn't see you!At the top, 2 soldiers, rangers, were there as a "welcome", with a first aid kit... The first time I was able to drink from a tap that comes out of large tanks that filter the water, practical if you don't have a water bottle like me... But it's better to have your own bottle of course.You can ring the big gong as a "victory" after this rather epic climb. Just enough time to catch my breath and I climbed the stairs on the right to go to the platform next to a white chedi on the right. This is without a doubt one of the most spectacular viewpoints in the region. Be careful for those who are afraid of heights, but it would be a shame to deprive yourself of this view, even if foggy part of the year (from February to April), it is not unpleasant since it overlooks the entire temple at the top and the entire valley around.Victory, it's the finish!We can see the parking lot and the other part of the temple further down.I spent quite a bit of time looking at this view, and even though I've been here several times, I never get tired of it. The valley below is full of rice fields (in the right season), and you can see villages. In the distance, another mountain range looms. It's still clearly more spectacular with the right light and weather, so it's something to take into account (the first photos were in March, hence the drier appearance).Once you are well-imbued with this landscape, you can go to the other platform that can be seen from the main chedi, accessible via a small platform. This time you have to go to the left after arriving. There is a small steep path leading to this space. It is a place of prayer mounted on a wooden platform, with its inseparable Buddha statue and a gong.Next to it, sits a group of small pagodas scattered on the sharp rocks that form the summit of this mountain. This particularity also earns this temple the nickname of temple with "floating" pagodas, or Chedi Loy Fah (เจดีย์ลอยฟ้า) in Thai.From this platform, the viewpoint is slightly different, you can overlook the valley in front but you can also see the valley behind. I often take the time to sit there for a few minutes, it's an ideal place to clear your head a little.I usually arrive here towards the end of the afternoon, the sun is then starting to set and if it is around 17pm, the soldiers may encourage you to go back down, while they themselves go to join the pick-up waiting at the bottom of the 800m to return to the parking lot.On the way back down, I noticed signs indicating a "cave", in fact cavities, which remains inaccessible inside, but one could see a ladder and some religious objects placed there in natural niches on the rock.Once back at the bottom of the stairs, you either have to walk back up to the drop-off area with the coffee, or if it's late enough, the pickup should be waiting for you right at the bottom of the stairs. Just like the driveway, it's quite bumpy and the ride feels a bit like a roller coaster, and you're soon back in the main car park.Price to access the top of the templeWhile the lower part of the temple is free to access, the entire upper part has become subject to a fee. From 2017, after 200 m of climbing, an entrance fee of 200 Baht for foreigners, the pick-up being then at 80 bahts, this brought the bill for this visit to 280 bahts. This was already an increase of almost x3 because in 2016, the temple was free and only the pick-up, then at 100 Bahts was to be paid.The increase is due to the pretext that this mountain is part of a national park (Chae Son, 15 km as the crow flies north of the temple). And since then it has increased again because to date (2023 update), you are entitled to a package including the entrance fee to the national park, now at 400 baht, a tax for foreigners of 55 baht, a maintenance fee of 25 baht and a tax supposed to serve the local community of 10 baht, for a total of 490 baht!That was before…Get to the Wat Chaloem PhrakiatFor this kind of rather isolated place, the easiest way is to get there by your own means. You have to take road 1035 from Lampang for about 60 km, the temple is normally indicated at a fork at the foot of the mountain, 5 km before the parking lot.Temple Mountain seen from Route 1035.It is possible to get there from Chiang Mai, but you will have to take a small road cutting through a mountain and count 120 km.Open Monday to Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 16:00 p.m. (for ticket sales – possible to stay until 17:00 p.m.)On weekends and public holidays, it normally starts earlier with the following schedule: 6:30 a.m. – 16:00 p.m.Price: 80 Bahts for the pick-up and drop-off + 200 Bahts as entrance fee for foreigners.Did you like the article? share on Pinterest! Did you like the article? Vote on the article Note globale 5 / 5. Number of votes: 15 No votes yet. Be the first to rate this article! Did you like the article? Follow me on social media Off the beaten track Mountain Point of view Buddhist temple 0 4 Roman 08/10/2018
