Short answer
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is a gilded hilltop temple about 15 km from Chiang Mai. From the car park you climb 309 steps, according to Wikipedia, or take the cable car. The Nation reported in 2022 that foreigners paid 50 baht for the temple ticket, while Chiang Mai Citylife said in September 2025 that the new national park fee of 100 baht for foreign adults does not apply to the temple by the main road. A shared red songthaew from the city is the usual cheap way up. Cover your shoulders and knees, and take off your shoes inside.
Doi Suthep is a mountain; the temple on it is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Travellers say "Doi Suthep" for the temple, but Wikipedia points out that this is really the name of the mountain. The temple is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a Theravada Buddhist temple that Wikipedia places 15 kilometres from the city of Chiang Mai, at an elevation of about 1,073 metres. The Tourism Authority of Thailand gives 1,056 metres and an easy half-hour drive from downtown. It is a sacred site for many Thai people, and its gilded chedi is the image most people have of Chiang Mai.
Wikipedia says the temple is said to have been founded in 1383, when the first stupa was built, and that a road to it was first built only in 1935. Legend says a white elephant carrying a relic climbed the mountain, trumpeted three times and died on the spot, and the king ordered a temple built there. From the terrace you can see the city spread out below.
The steps and the cable car: who should climb and who should ride
From the car park at the base of the temple, Wikipedia says visitors can climb 309 steps to reach the pagodas or take a tram. The Tourism Authority of Thailand's May 2021 feature says over 300 steps or a funicular cable car. Wikivoyage's Chiang Mai guide describes 200-plus steep steps and says you can take the cable car for 20 baht if the thin mountain air is a strain. The counts differ, so treat the climb as roughly 300 steps.
The staircase is lined with naga serpents, and Wikipedia calls its balustrade the longest naga balustrade in Thailand. The climb is short but steep, so the choice between stairs and cable car is about comfort, not time saved. Wikipedia adds that the temple can be reached without stairs by a funicular railway and a series of very steep ramps, which matters for wheelchairs and for anyone with bad knees. For the Visakha Bucha holiday around May, Wikivoyage says many people walk up from the zoo, which takes four to five hours.
What it costs: the temple ticket and the national park fee
The temple ticket is the part sources disagree on. The Nation reported in November 2022 that tickets cost 20 baht for Thais and 50 baht for foreigners. Chiang Mai Citylife reported in September 2025 that, from 1 October 2025, Doi Suthep-Pui National Park charges foreign visitors 100 baht per adult and 50 baht per child, and that there is no entrance fee for tourists visiting Wat Doi Suthep and Wat Pha Lat by the main road.
Read together, the park fee is charged at the trails, the waterfalls, Doi Pui and Suan Son Resort, not on the road to the temple. Whether a separate temple ticket is still sold is something to check at the gate. Budget up to 50 baht for the temple plus the cable car, and keep small notes in your pocket, because the fee list can change from one season to the next.
Getting up the mountain: songthaew, Grab or your own bike
The usual cheap way is a red songthaew, a shared pick-up truck. Wikivoyage says marked songthaews leave from the 7-Eleven at Chang Phuak Gate, that prices should be 80 baht or less as of 2025, and that drivers wait until they have about five passengers. The alternative is Huay Kaew Road near the zoo, where songthaews wait on the way up. Wikivoyage warns that the winding road is hard on anyone prone to motion sickness.
The same guide quotes 50 baht for a one-way ride to the temple and 180 baht for a round-trip tour that adds Bhubing Palace and a hill-tribe village, though those figures are undated. Songthaews that are not waiting for passengers can also be hired outright, with the price agreed before you leave, which suits a small group that does not want to wait. Our red truck guide explains fares and bargaining.
Opening hours, dress code and what is inside
Sources differ on the hours: The Nation said in 2022 that the temple is open from 6am to 6pm, while Wikivoyage lists 07:00 to 17:00. To stay safe, plan to be inside by mid-morning and out well before 17:00. Wikipedia says visitors must be appropriately dressed and must remove their footwear on the temple grounds.
Wikivoyage's Thailand guide advises covering your shoulders and knees at sacred sites, and a light scarf in your bag solves most dress-code problems. Inside, Wikipedia lists pagodas, statues, bells, a museum and shrines, with a model of the Emerald Buddha and a statue of the Hindu god Ganesh. The gold-plated chedi, 24 metres high according to Wikipedia, is the holiest part of the grounds, and the best views of Chiang Mai are on the far side of the temple.
Beyond the temple: Bhubing Palace, Wat Pha Lat and the Monk's Trail
Wikivoyage lists Bhubing Palace, the royal winter palace, further up the road, with gardens open to the public when the royal family is not in residence. The listed hours are 08:30 to 11:30 and 13:00 to 15:00, the entry is 50 baht, and the dress code is strictly applied. A sign near the zoo shows when it is closed, so check before you ride up.
Wat Pha Lat sits on the Monk's Trail, the jungle path that climbs to the temple. Wikivoyage describes about an hour to Wat Pha Lat, then roughly an hour and a half of steeper walking to Doi Suthep, and says the trail fee is 100 baht as of December 2025. It suggests going in the morning for the heat and for the chance of meeting monks. This trail is where the new park fee applies.
Doi Suthep or Doi Inthanon: where our mountain day fits
Our Chiang Mai mountain day goes to Doi Inthanon, not Doi Suthep. The elephant sanctuary and Doi Inthanon tour is from $40 per person and lasts 10 to 12 hours. It combines a sanctuary with no riding, a drive up Thailand's highest mountain, at 2,565 metres, to the King and Queen pagodas, and a guided waterfall hike. On our tour the Doi Inthanon park fee, 300 baht per adult and 150 per child, is paid on the day unless your quote says otherwise.
That is why Doi Suthep is best planned as a separate morning or afternoon. Our mountain day starts with a hotel pickup in the morning and lasts 10 to 12 hours, so there is no room for a temple stop. Our Chiang Mai three-day plan shows how to space the two, and the Doi Inthanon guide explains what the longer day involves.
Practical checklist
- Wear clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, or carry a scarf, and shoes that slip off easily.
- Be inside the temple by mid-morning and out well before 17:00, the earliest closing time listed.
- Carry small notes for the temple ticket (up to 50 baht) and the cable car (20 baht).
- Bring 100 baht per adult if you add the Monk's Trail, Huai Kaew Waterfall or Doi Pui.
- If you get car-sick, plan for the winding mountain road before you board a songthaew.
Questions and answers
How many steps are there at Doi Suthep?
Wikipedia counts 309 steps from the car park to the pagodas, while Wikivoyage describes 200-plus steep steps. Plan on roughly 300 steps, or take the cable car, which Wikivoyage lists at 20 baht.
Do foreigners pay to enter Doi Suthep temple?
The Nation reported 50 baht for foreigners in 2022. Citylife said in September 2025 that the 100-baht national park fee does not apply to the temple by the main road. Check the ticket booth when you arrive.
Is there a dress code at Doi Suthep?
Yes. Wikipedia says visitors must be appropriately dressed and take off their shoes. Wikivoyage advises covering shoulders and knees at sacred sites, so shorts and sleeveless tops are a poor choice.
Can you visit Doi Suthep and Doi Inthanon on the same day?
Not on our tour: the Doi Inthanon day lasts 10 to 12 hours from a morning hotel pickup and does not stop at Doi Suthep. Plan the temple for a separate morning or afternoon.
Can you walk up to Doi Suthep from Chiang Mai?
Yes, by the Monk's Trail through Wat Pha Lat. Wikivoyage describes about an hour to Wat Pha Lat and 1.5 hours more to the temple, with a 100-baht trail fee as of December 2025.