Wat Umong

Wat Umong: Chiang Mai’s No. 1 temple

Last week (with my departure from Chiang Mai imminent) I made one last pilgrimage to my favourite temple in Chiang Mai – Wat Umong. Set in the jungle, nestled at the foot of Doi Suthep mountain a couple of kilometres to the West of Chiang Mai’s old city, it has a certain air of mystery about it that is absent from Chiang Mai’s other temples.

Wat Umong temple - Chiang Mai

Wat Umong was built about 700 years ago and has a several unique features. As you walk into the temple grounds firstly you’ll see that the monks have written various wise proverbs on placards attached to the trees, written in both English and Thai. Some of these never fail to amuse me. Look out for “The mad dog hates water; the sex crazy man hates Dhama.”

Underneath the grass area housing the main Chedi, are a set of tunnels which give the Wat its name. Legend has it that a king built the brick-lined tunnels for a clairvoyant but sometimes eccentric monk named Thera Jan; paintings dating back to about 1380 can still be seen decorating the walls, and if you’re female and really lucky you may find yourself cornered by a rather ‘excitable’ monk. Tina was.

Close to the temples is a curious collection of Buddha heads and other relics from various temples in Thailand. This odd collection started when one of the temple’s supporters rescued some broken images from an abandoned temple in a nearby province and bought them here. Now, apparently, when people run across such relics or have a broken Buddha they want to replace, they bring them here.

Informal Dhamma discussions are held at Wat Umong on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 1pm and 3pm, and on Sundays between 3pm-5pm.

Getting there

Wat Umong is the blue marker on the left on this map, and Chiang Mai’s old city is on the right:


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Video: Wat Umong (the forest temple), Chiang Mai

This video shows you the amazing Wat Umong temple in Chiang Mai.

Scenery: Peaceful land with lots of trees and shade on a hot day. You can feed the fish, turtles, and ducks in a large pond. The Wat is famous for its ancient tunnels and large stupa. Other attractions include a Buddha field of broken sculptures, a fasting Bodhisattva, a spiritual theatre of paintings, reproductions of ancient Buddhist sculptures from India, and a library-museum.

History: The monastery at Wat Umong is one of the oldest in Chiang Mai, dating back to 1300 A.D. The fable goes that a king built the brick-lined tunnels for an eccentric monk named Thera Jan. Once upon a time there were paintings decorated on the wall which dated back to about 1380. You can enter the tunnels to see the small shrines inside (a flashlight is useful). The adjoining stupa was constructed about 1520 over an earlier stupa (1400-1550). The monastery was eventually abandoned, though Japanese troops were said to have a stronghold here during World War 2. Since 1948, the Thai prince Jao Chun Sirorot has been active in rebuilding and reestablishing the monastery. In 1949 he invited Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (founder of Suan Mokkh in southern Thailand) to come and live in the monastery. Obligations kept Buddhadasa Bhikkhu from coming and instead he sent Ajahn Pannananda and other monks to help set up and run Wat Umong.

Tunnels at Wat Umong, Chiang Mai

Getting there: Wat Umong is located 3.5 km west of Chiang Mai. From Suandok Gate (the West gate of the old city) you drive up Suthep road (approximately 2, 5 km West) and cross Canal road. About half a kilometer after Canal road, there is a sign on your left hand side which leads you to Wat Umong. From here follow the signs south 1 km to the Wat. The easiest way is by tuk-tuk, scooter or bicycle.

Here’s a map


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Traditional Thai massage at Wat Umong, Chiang Mai

Tina, having a massage at Wat Umong, Chiang Mai, ThailandIf there is one thing Thailand is famous for it is definitely their massage parlours both erotic and non-erotic. Now I have never had an erotic massage (Thomas might – but I am sure he would not admit it) but I have enjoyed Thai massage many times. Thai massage is bodywork that is performed on a mat/futon on the floor. No oils are used, as it is performed over loose-fitting clothing, usually provided by the massage parlor. During the massage you are placed into numerous Yoga stretches that flow into one another, the masseuse (usually a woman) kneads and compresses the muscles, while intermittently applying acupressure. You are suppose to be completely relaxed while receiving a massage but that can honestly be a bit difficult sometimes when the pressure on the muscles is too hard. Then you will swiftly have to say "bao bao" which means "soft" in Thai. I usually do that every time in the beginning when I receive a massage – that saves me from saying it after it hurts too much.

My favorite massage parlor in Chiang Mai is located next to Wat Umong (please see directions in the blog A visit to Wat Umong (forest temple), Chiang Mai). When approaching Wat Umong you will see a big yellow sign on your right hand side saying "99". This means that the Thai massage costs 99 baht for one hour and is basically as cheap as you can find it in Chiang Mai. The house itself is open in the front and the roof is made from leaves which helps make the atmosphere very relaxed. There are always around 12 ladies working in this massage parlor, but in the weekend you might have to wait a little while to get a massage as the place is very popular among the Thai residents of Chiang Mai.

Thomas and I enjoy going there on the weekends when we are not working and usually get one and a half hour massage at a time enough to make you completely tranquil and forget about any stress you may have had during the week. It is definitely worth a try!