Chiang Mai Doi Suthep & Tunnel Temple night tour
A tunnel built in 1297 and a mountainside golden temple lit against the night sky
This evening tour visits two temples that show different sides of Chiang Mai's Lanna heritage: Wat Umong, a forest temple built inside tunnels, and Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, the iconic hilltop shrine at 1,056 meters with panoramic city views. You're picked up from your hotel, guided through both sites with an English-speaking guide, and returned before nightfall deepens. The nighttime visit means fewer crowds and the temples illuminated against the dark.
Options for this experience
2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Evening temple visits in Chiang Mai
- Pick up from accommodation
- Visit Wat Umong tunnel temple
- Visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple
- Tunnel Temple Entry included 30m
- Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Entry included 1h
What’s included
- Round-trip hotel transfer within downtown Chiang Mai.
- admission to Wat Umong and Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.
- English-speaking licensed guide.
- air-conditioned vehicle.
- travel accident insurance.
Times
- Every day 16:30 17:00
Before you book
Operated by joinusthai
Prices and times updated today
Traveler reviews
The experience
The tour starts with a pickup from your hotel between 4:30 and 5:40 PM, depending on where you're staying downtown. You'll head first to Wat Umong, a temple set deep in the forest and built entirely inside tunnels: a completely different structure from the open-air temples most visitors see. Walking through the tunnels, you encounter Buddha images carved into the stone passages. The temple dates to 1297, and the physical layout itself becomes part of the experience: the enclosed space, the quiet, the way light filters through.
From there, the van climbs to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, perched at 1,056 meters on a mountainside. This is the temple Thais reference when they say "if you haven't seen Doi Suthep, you haven't been to Chiang Mai." At night, the golden chedi is illuminated, and the city lights spread across the valley below. You'll have time to walk the grounds, see the engraved gold plates on the main structure, and take in the view without the daytime crowds. The whole tour runs about three and a half hours, ending with a return to your hotel.
Dress with shoulders and knees covered: sarongs are available if needed, and sandals are fine. Bring an umbrella if you're visiting May through October, when rain is common but doesn't stop the tour. The van is air-conditioned, and your guide speaks English throughout. Admission to both temples and travel accident insurance are included. The cable car at Doi Suthep (20 baht) is separate if you want to use it.
Is this one for you?Choose the join tour if you're comfortable sharing the van with other visitors and want the standard evening schedule. Choose the private tour if you prefer a dedicated van and guide, or if your hotel is outside the downtown pickup zone. The private option can arrange pickups from other areas.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 6 years); Infant (under 3): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What is Wat Umong and why is it different from other temples in Chiang Mai?
Wat Umong is a forest temple built inside tunnels, constructed in 1297. Unlike typical open-air temples, you walk through stone passages with Buddha images carved into the walls. The enclosed tunnel structure and forest setting make it a completely different experience from the hilltop and courtyard temples most visitors see.
Why is nighttime the best time to visit Doi Suthep?
At night, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is illuminated, and the city lights of Chiang Mai spread across the valley below, creating a view you don't get during the day. The crowds are also much smaller in the evening, so you can move through the temple grounds and take in the panoramic view in a peaceful atmosphere.
What should I wear to visit these temples?
Shoulders and knees must be covered when entering the temples. Sandals and flip-flops are allowed. If you don't have appropriate clothing, sarongs can be borrowed or purchased at the temples.
Is the pickup time exact, or could it vary?
Pickup windows are 30 minutes long (for example, 4:30–5:00 PM, 4:40–5:10 PM, or 5:10–5:40 PM depending on your hotel location), but the van may arrive at any point within that window. Since this is a shared tour picking up from multiple hotels, the exact time cannot be predicted. Be ready in your hotel lobby at the start of your window.
What's included in the tour, and what costs extra?
The tour includes round-trip hotel transfer, admission to both temples, an English-speaking guide, an air-conditioned vehicle, and travel accident insurance. The cable car at Doi Suthep (20 baht) is optional and separate. Gratuity for the guide is not included.
Chiang Mai Doi Suthep & Tunnel Temple night tour
3h 30m · EN
from US$ 18.78 per person
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