Wat Buppharam lies outside the old city walls on Thapae Road, the road in front of the Thapae Gate. The complex consists of an ubosot, two viharns, a dhamma hall, a chedi, and a holy water basin. The chedi, built over four centuries ago in Burmese and Mon styles, is white with a gold-decorated roof, guarded by four Singha lions, and features a Buddha statue on each side. The small, Lanna-style viharn with its wooden facade is thought to date from the 16th century. The large viharn is more recent, built two centuries ago, and features murals depicting scenes from one of the Jataka tales about the Buddha's previous lives. The main Buddha statue was cast approximately 500 years ago. However, despite all its historical elements, the temple is perhaps best known to most people for the small statue of Donald eating a bowl of Chinese noodles outside the main hall.

Free entry. Open from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Depending on your location in Chiang Mai, you can reach Wat Buppharam on foot. The R3 bus also stops there. Alternatively, as is common in Chiang Mai, you can take the red taxis that roam the city. You state your destination before getting in, or you can hire a tuk-tuk (more expensive) or rent a bicycle for the day.

Wat Buppharam is a temple, and when visiting a temple in Thailand there are some rules to follow: appropriate clothing (knees and shoulders should be covered), take off your shoes when entering the building, be quiet, do not hug or kiss, do not point your feet at the Buddha statue, do not smoke.

How to get there

How do you get to Wat Buppharam? Depending on where you are in Chiang Mai, you can reach Wat Buppharam on foot. The R3 bus also stops there. Alternatively, as is common in Chiang Mai, you can take the red taxis that run throughout the city. State your destination before getting in. You can also hire a tuk-tuk (more expensive) or rent a bicycle for the day.