Behind the Muang Chiang Mai sports stadium, photogenic, 1631 Wat Ku Tao incorporates many Burmese and Confucian elements. The distinctive chedi is said to resemble a stack of watermelons, hence the name (tao means 'melon' in the northern Thai dialect). Contained inside are the ashes of Tharawadi Min, son of the Burmese king Bayinnaung, who ruled over Lanna from 1578 to 1597.
Wat Ku Tao
Chiang Mai
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
4.41 MILES
Overlooking the city from its mountain throne, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is one of northern Thailand's most sacred temples, and its founding legend is…
1.06 MILES
Wat Chedi Luang isn't as grand as Wat Phra Singh, but its towering, ruined Lanna-style chedi (built in 1441) is much taller and the sprawling compound…
1.04 MILES
Chiang Mai's most revered temple, Wat Phra Singh is dominated by an enormous, mosaic-inlaid wí·hăhn (sanctuary). Its prosperity is plain to see from the…
1.12 MILES
Chiang Mai's oldest public market, Warorot (also spelt Waroros) is a great place to connect with the city's Thai soul. Alongside souvenir vendors you'll…
1.01 MILES
Without doubt the most atmospheric wát in the old city, this teak marvel sits in the shadow of Wat Chedi Luang. Set in a compound full of fluttering…
Nam Tok Bua Tong (Sticky Waterfall)
19.29 MILES
Ever walked up a waterfall? An increasingly popular day trip from Chiang Mai to Si Lanna National Park's 'Sticky Waterfall' allows visitors (with no magic…
3.57 MILES
A hidden jungle temple tucked into the mountain along the way to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Old stone structures, intricate carvings, naga-flanked…
0.83 MILES
Set inside the former Provincial Court, dating from 1935, this imaginative museum re-creates Lanna village life in a series of life-size dioramas that…
Nearby Chiang Mai attractions
0.21 MILES
These two elephant statues in stucco pavilions were said to have been erected by King Chao Kavila in 1800.
0.27 MILES
The more colourful of Chiang Mai's two Hindu temples is the brightly painted mandir (traditional shrine room) and the sikhara (tower) of Devi Mandir…
0.38 MILES
Another unique local temple is 16th-century Wat Chiang Yeun, just northeast of Pratu Chang Pheuak. Besides the large northern-style chedi here, the main…
0.48 MILES
The 'Elephant Gate' is the north gate of the old city. A morning fresh market and nighttime food stalls set up daily just outside the gate.
0.59 MILES
A handsome wooden complex dotted with terracotta sculptures, this is one of the most attractive wát outside the city walls. It is thought to have been…
0.59 MILES
Chiang Mai's oldest temple was established by the city's founder, Phaya Mengrai, sometime around 1296. In front of the ubosot (ordination hall), a stone…
0.66 MILES
This large and colourful wát's name means 'shackled elephants' because it was where the king's transport elephants were kept. You'll find elephant statues…
8. Former Chiang Mai Women's Prison
0.81 MILES
The derelict premises of the old women's prison are a surprising landmark in the old city. The place was slated for demolition after the prison's closure…