Get your Temple Fix (Lampang has some of the best in Thailand)

Wat Chal Oem Phra Kiat Phrachomklao Rachanusorn
The ‘Unseen’ Temple in Lampang

The Best Temple in Lampang (The Unseen Temple)

If you were to choose just one of the attractions in Lampang then I highly recommend Wat Chal Oem Phra Kiat Phrachomklao Rachanusorn.

Located in the north of Thailand, 112 kilometres (70 miles) from Chiang Mai, Lampang is a town where time stands still, and it’s here where you’ll find the most incredible temples. 

Head out 54 kilometers (33 miles) to one of the most bewitching Buddhist temples in all of Thailand that very few tourists get to see. I’ve seen some truly amazing sites around the world, but this one stood out as extraordinary!

Lampang Horse Carriage
Lampang Horse Carriage Festival

The White Stupas

The Chaloem Phra Kiat Phrachomklao Rachanusorn temple complex is perched high on top of a rocky hill in Lampang’s countryside, nearly 1,000 meters above sea level, offering you a genuinely unique Buddhist shrine and temple visiting experience. Apart from the temple’s location being the pinnacle of its emerging fame, here you’ll get a spectacular and panoramic view of the Thung Thung valley below.

The white stupas
The white stupas

Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Phrachomklao Rachanusorn has long been a Buddhist pilgrimage site due to a Buddha footprint believed to have been made more than 2000 years ago. The present site was upgraded in 2004 to commemorate the late King Rama IV 200th anniversary.  

The white stupas
The white stupas

Its many structures sit on three separate tiers and require different modes of transport to get to each one. The main temple hall is on the first tier which you can easily reach yourself by road. To get to the second tier where the Buddha footprint rests, you’ll need to take a local Songtaew taxi.

You could organize your own Songtaew for 600 Baht for a round trip, or you can hop on one with other locals and tourists for a 60 Baht round trip. To reach the top tier, you’ll need to go by foot.

Chaloem Phra Kiat Phrachomklao Rachanusorn
Chaloem Phra Kiat Phrachomklao Rachanusorn

The top tier is known as Doi Phra Bet, and it’s here is where you’ll see a golden Pagoda and a small bell hall on one side. And on the other side sits a prayer hall. If you look to your left of the prayer hall, you’ll see many white Stupas scattered around the hillside. They are an unbelievable sight to behold and well worth the climb!

The Golden Pagoda
The Golden Pagoda

The Golden Pagoda

Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Phrachomklao Rachanusorn represents a strong religious faith that reflects in its architectural grandeur. You’ll find this amazing Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Wichet Nakhon sub-district of Lampang which is just off Highway 1035.

The Golden Pagoda and Prayer Hall
The Golden Pagoda and Prayer Hall
The Golden Pagoda and Prayer Hall
The Golden Pagoda and Prayer Hall

Lampang Horse Carriages

Lampang is also known as Mueang Rot Ma, which means “Horse Carriage City” and is considered by the locals as the last paradise in Thailand. Here you’ll find horse-drawn carriages in regular use as transport. You can also connect to Lampang by rail and a four-lane highway to both Chiang Mai and Bangkok. 

Chaloem Phra Kiat Phrachomklao Rachanusorn

Take a City Tour of Lampang!

While you are welcome to take a Songtaew (a kind of taxi) for a few Baht to Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Phrachomklao Rachanusorn, another great attraction in Lampang is the charming city itself.

Take a Lampang city tour from Chiang Mai and back again.

Visit the historical sites, ancient temples, local markets, a ceramics museum, the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre, and the Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation.