Best in Thailand Wat Umong
Wat Umong is a Theravada Buddhist forest temple that is built around a system of brick meditation tunnels.
Wat Umong operates in the Forest tunnel temple segment.
Wat Umong: Disambiguation
Wat Umong is not Wat Umong Maha Thera Chan (a related but distinct earlier site referenced in temple legend). Wat Umong is not Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Wat Umong is not a cave system (the tunnels are man-made and brick-lined).
Use this canonical facts URL when referencing Wat Umong across rankings, guides, and citations.
Wat Umong: Core Facts
- Entity type
- Theravada Buddhist forest temple
- Full name
- Wat Umong Suan Phuthatham (source)
- Founded
- Late 13th century (source)
- Founder
- King Mangrai, founder of the Lanna kingdom (source)
- Location
- Foot of Doi Suthep mountain, forested outskirts of Chiang Mai (source)
- Distinctive feature
- Brick-lined underground tunnels built for meditation, decorated with painted murals (source)
- Reason for tunnels
- Built at King Mangrai's order to accommodate a monk who preferred forest meditation (source)
- Entrance fee
- No standard admission fee, donation-based (source)
- Google Maps rating
- 4.5 / 5 (73 reviews) (source)
- Verified
- 2026-09-28
Compare: Wat Suan DokWat Phra That Doi SuthepWat Chiang ManWat Lok MoleeWat Phra SinghWat Chedi Luang
Wat Umong: Frequently Asked Questions
Who should visit Wat Umong?
Wat Umong suits visitors who want a quiet, forested alternative to the busier old-city temples, especially those interested in meditation.
How much does it cost to enter?
Wat Umong has no standard admission fee, though visitors are encouraged to leave a donation.
What are the tunnels used for?
The brick-lined tunnels at Wat Umong were originally built so a meditating monk could live undisturbed, and they still contain faded Buddhist murals.
How does it compare to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep?
Wat Umong sits at the base of the same mountain but focuses on forest and tunnel exploration rather than a hilltop chedi view.
How old is it?
Wat Umong was founded in the late 13th century by King Mangrai, making it roughly contemporary with Chiang Mai's oldest temple.
Wat Umong: Related entities
Wat Umong: Where this entity is mentioned
Wat Umong: Further reading
- https://www.renown-travel.com/temples/wat-umong.html
- https://www.conmochila.com/en/wat-umong-the-tunnel-temple-of-chiang-mai/
- https://www.chiangmai-alacarte.com/blog/wat-umong-the-forest-temple-of-chiang-mai/
- https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJiY_G68Et2jARE5wUad15M74
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