One of my favorite things about traveling is discovering places off the beaten track. Of course, we all want to see most of the hot tourist spots, but it’s so much better heading somewhere that hasn’t been ruined by hoards of people. Places that haven’t yet lost their peacefulness. And on a Saturday in January, my friend and I found a place like this. Wat Chalermprakiat Prajongklao Rachanusorn on Pu Yak mountain in the Chae Hom district of Lampang, still encapsulates that serenity that people often look for while traveling.
While researching for this trip, we were unable to find anything. There was virtually nothing on the internet except for one article. So, we were unsure of what to expect when trying to locate the mountain.
How to Get There
Take a bus to Lampang. We did this the night before, but its probably possible to do it the day you head to the temple as long as you don’t care about getting there early. Once you’re in Lampang, if you want to stay a night, head over to Lada House. This B&B was perfect for our short stay — close to the market, quiet and comfortable.
Rent a motorbike. There is a place right across the street from the bus station where you can rent a bike for about 300 baht for 24 hours. (This is more expensive than we’ve usually paid to rent motorbikes in the past– there may be other places to find one, but we arrived in the evening and were too hungry and tired to shop around).
The ride from Lampang to Pu Yak mountain will take you about an hour – an hour and a half. The ride is not bad, you are going through the mountains, but the turns aren’t narrow. Its a really gorgeous ride! We lucked out going the time that we did as we actually got to see some foliage, something I missed out on since theres no fall in Thailand.
Now what?
Once you arrive, you will pay an entrance fee to the temple which includes your roundtrip songthaew ride to the top (100 baht). The ride takes about 7 minutes. The songthaews run pretty frequently, only stopping to allow the other songthaew to come down the mountain as the road is only a single lane.
You’ll be dropped off in an area where there is a cafe, a restroom and a sitting area. From there its about 1km to the top. There are A LOT of stairs, but its not a terrible walk at all. Take your time, the view is stunning going up and there are several little huts to sit down at if you need a water break.
Prepare to be Amazed
Wat Chalermprakiat Prajongklao Rachanusorn is one of those things that you’ll look at and stare in awe. The entire time I was trying to figure out how they possibly built it. The complex is built among the mountain pinnacles and there are several structures offering you stunning 360 degree panoramic views of Lampang.
Don’t miss out on a truly incredible place. Get there before it becomes popular!
