Wat Chedi Luang: Entry Fee, Hours, Monk Chat and History

Foreigners pay THB 50 at the ticket window, cash only, and Thai nationals enter free. Foreigners use a separate entrance, left of the main entrance. The upper part of the chedi collapsed after an earthquake in 1545. The city pillar, Sao Inthakin, is on the temple grounds.

By Vincent Nguyen

On this page
  1. Wat Chedi Luang entry fee and opening hours
  2. What to see at Wat Chedi Luang
  3. Who Wat Chedi Luang suits (and who should skip it)
  4. How to get to Wat Chedi Luang
  5. When to go and how long
  6. Nearby and how to combine it
  7. Before you go
  8. Common questions

On this page

  1. Wat Chedi Luang entry fee and opening hours
  2. What to see at Wat Chedi Luang
  3. Who Wat Chedi Luang suits (and who should skip it)
  4. How to get to Wat Chedi Luang
  5. When to go and how long
  6. Nearby and how to combine it
  7. Before you go
  8. Common questions

The thing to get right is the entrance: foreigners use a separate entrance, left of the main entrance.

Path through the temple grounds with flags, a white hall on the right and the brick chedi in the distance
The chedi seen from the grounds.

Wat Chedi Luang entry fee and opening hours

Foreigners pay THB 50, and Thai nationals enter free.

What to see at Wat Chedi Luang

The chedi was 82 m high with a base diameter of 54 m. In 1545, the upper part of the structure collapsed after an earthquake.

Brick chedi with a broken top rising above a stepped base and a central staircase flanked by statues
The brick chedi seen from its front steps.
Ornate carved temple front with a steep roof and stone steps, with flowering plants in front
A Lanna-style hall on the grounds.
Hall interior with gilded columns, a red patterned ceiling and a golden Buddha on a stepped altar
Inside the main hall.
Small silver-and-white spired shrine inside a room with painted walls and flower offerings
A small shrine room on the grounds.

History in short

Construction started in the 14th century, when Saenmueangma planned to bury the ashes of his father at the place. In 1468, the Emerald Buddha was installed in the eastern niche. After the earthquake, the chedi lay in ruins until 1991-92.

For the 600th anniversary in 1995, a copy of the Emerald Buddha made from black jade was placed in the eastern niche.

City pillar

The city pillar of Chiang Mai, named Sao Inthakin, is on the temple grounds. A festival in honor of the city pillar is held every year in May and lasts 6-8 days.

Monk Chat

Tourists can ask them anything about Buddhism or Thailand.

If nobody is sitting out, go to the university’s own programme. It opens Monday to Friday, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, at the Monk Chat office at Wat Suan Dok.

Who Wat Chedi Luang suits (and who should skip it)

  • Good for: practising English with monks, because Monk Chat runs Monday to Friday, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

How to get to Wat Chedi Luang

Wat Chedi Luang
QXPP+QCQ, 103 Prapokklao Road Old City Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

Open Wat Chedi Luang in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

The red songthaew guide explains how to flag one and pay. For app cars, see Grab vs Bolt in Chiang Mai.

When to go and how long

Hall with a golden gable lit up at night, white columns and hanging lanterns
A hall lit up in the evening.

Nearby and how to combine it

Read the Wat Phra Singh guide for its fee and hours.

For a hilltop temple on another day, see Doi Suthep.

Before you go

  • Foreigners use the separate entrance, left of the main entrance.
Photo credits

↑ Contents

Not confirmed: Official tariff: not fetched, because the national tourism site blocks bots. The fee.

Common questions

How much does Wat Chedi Luang cost for foreigners?

Foreigners pay THB 50. Thai nationals enter free.

Can I talk to monks at Wat Chedi Luang?

Yes. The university's own programme meets Monday to Friday, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, at the Monk Chat office at Wat Suan Dok. Tourists can ask the monks, usually novices, anything about Buddhism or Thailand.

Why is the Wat Chedi Luang chedi broken?

In 1545, the upper part of the structure collapsed after an earthquake.

What is the Sao Inthakin pillar?

The city pillar of Chiang Mai, named Sao Inthakin, is on the temple grounds. A festival in honor of the city pillar is held every year in May and lasts 6-8 days.

Places in this guide

General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.

Spotted an error? Report it.