Located at foothills of Mount Doi Suthep, near the University of Chiang Mai, Wat Umong is a popular Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai. It is also known as the Cave Temple and it is more than 700 years old. The temple enjoys very beautiful and peaceful natural settings surrounded by green vegetation and forests. Wat Umong was built at the time of splendor of the Lan Na dynasty which had its capital in Chiang Mai. It was constructed around 1297 on the orders of the famous King Manglai. It has all the characteristics of the wool culture of the time with clear references to its origins and roots of the North India.
Wat Umong – The Cave Temple
Posted on: 19th February 2016
What To See at Wat Umong
The temple complex of Wat Umong is spread on 15 acres of land with lots of trees. The most famous part of Wat Umong is its pillar which is the replica of the Ashoka’s Pillar which is located in the ancient city of Vaishali in India. It also has a big pond where visitors can feed fishes, ducks and turtles. It also consists numerous caves (caves are called umong in Thai) that also gave the name to the temple. The most famous cave in the temple complex is the one which houses a Buddha statue and his inscriptions. Visitors can also find many trees with inscriptions of Buddhist proverbs written in Thai and English.
Practical Information
It is located at a distance of only four kilometers from the city and easily accessible by bicycle or tuk-tuk. Car rental in Chiang Mai is the most suggested mode of transportation for travelers who want to explore the city on their own terms. The temple can be visited on any day of the week between 6 am and 5 pm. If you want to avoid the crowd, do not go on weekends. On the same day, you can also make a visit to Wat Suan Dok.