What travellers said after their morning or evening on the mountain, criticism included, across every Doi Suthep evening tour and sunrise departure. The ratings and review counts further down are each operator's own figures, shown as they appear on their booking pages.
★★★★★
An afternoon trip that dodges both the heat and the crowds. Tom handed us fish food for the carp in the Wat Umong ponds, then candles and flowers for the offering at Doi Suthep. We stayed late enough to hear the monks' evening prayers, and Jerry drove us back down in the dark.
Dave · United Kingdom · couple · August 2026
Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep and Wat Umong Enchanting Evening Tour
★★★★★
Jin knew an extraordinary amount about Buddhism and told it well. The tunnels at Wat Umong were worth the stop on their own, and then the temple high above the city. The day would have been half as good without him.
Beate · Germany · couple · June 2026
Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep and Wat Umong Enchanting Evening Tour
★★★★★
The meeting point took us a while to find and we missed the shuttle. The guide sorted it out within minutes and got us to the rest of the group. Knowledgeable, friendly, and I would still recommend it.
Giorgia · Italy · first-time visitor · June 2026
Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep and Wat Umong Enchanting Evening Tour
★★★★★
The evening slot means you see the temples without the heat and with the views. Pornphan answered everything I asked about the temples, Thai history and Buddhism.
Georgia · France · solo traveller · June 2026
Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep and Wat Umong Enchanting Evening Tour
★★★★★
A short walk through the forest and two temples on Doi Suthep. Maggie explained the sites and the Buddhist traditions as we went, and never rushed us.
Arthur · United States · couple · June 2026
Chiang Mai - Doi Suthep Temple & Wat Pha Lat Hike
★★★★★
We took the sunrise version and got lucky: it was the Buddha's birthday and there were 800 monks on the terrace. The walk down to the second temple was the part we keep talking about.
Bonnie · United States · couple · May 2026
Chiang Mai - Doi Suthep Temple & Wat Pha Lat Hike
★★★★★
Walking up the Monk's Trail was a proper way to arrive, and the forest is beautiful. Bring insect repellent. We went at sunset and would do it that way again.
Madysen · United States · family · May 2026
Chiang Mai - Doi Suthep Temple & Wat Pha Lat Hike
★★★★★
Take the funicular if you are unsteady on your feet, because the steps are steep. The walk itself is only mildly challenging and the guide set an easy pace.
David · United Kingdom · senior traveller · March 2026
Chiang Mai - Doi Suthep Temple & Wat Pha Lat Hike
★★★★★
Saman took his time over the rituals and the temple grounds. We had two young children with us and both were looked after the whole way round.
Katharine · Canada · family · April 2026
Chiang Mai - Doi Suthep Temple & Wat Pha Lat Hike
★★★★★
Our guide was a former monk who took Buddhist practice apart for us in detail. Three temples, Doi Suthep at dawn and nobody else there. Walking it while the monks begin their morning is the best thing we did in Thailand.
Ettore · Italy · couple · August 2026
Spiritual Sunrise Wat Doi Suthep, Pha Lat, Alms & Meditation
★★★★★
Non was funny, knew his subject, took lovely photographs and answered every question we had. Worth the 4:30 alarm, and he is on first-name terms with every temple dog.
Danielle · United Kingdom · friends · August 2026
Spiritual Sunrise Wat Doi Suthep, Pha Lat, Alms & Meditation
★★★★★
Inspiring and impressive in equal measure. Non shared what his years as a monk were like and told us a great deal about Buddhism. The early start is repaid in atmosphere and empty terraces, and nothing was oversold.
Nicole · Austria · solo traveller · July 2026
Spiritual Sunrise Wat Doi Suthep, Pha Lat, Alms & Meditation
★★★★★
James was excellent and knew the subject inside out. I would recommend it to anyone, though it suits adults more than teenagers.
Vicki · United Kingdom · family · July 2026
Spiritual Sunrise Wat Doi Suthep, Pha Lat, Alms & Meditation
★★★★★
An early start means an empty, calm terrace. We watched the monks chant and meditate at Doi Suthep, then the sunrise from the viewpoint. Three temples before breakfast and not one of them crowded.
Sriparna · India · couple · June 2026
Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep, Wat Umong and Pha Lat Sunrise Tour
★★★★★
Peter was knowledgeable and patient. The view from Doi Suthep held up even in the rain, and the glass water bottles were a nice touch. The forest temple was the highlight; the Wat Umong stop could have been shorter.
Adelina-Mihaela · United Kingdom · couple · May 2026
Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep, Wat Umong and Pha Lat Sunrise Tour
★★★★★
Picked up at 4:40 in the morning and three very different temples later we were still glad we came. Nuttaya was energetic in contrast to our sleepy selves.
Svetlana · United States · couple · May 2026
Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep, Wat Umong and Pha Lat Sunrise Tour
★★★★★
Very glad the lift was there. It meant we could see everything without the climb, and we still had time on the terrace before the group moved on.
Nikki · Belgium · senior traveller · May 2026
Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep, Wat Umong and Pha Lat Sunrise Tour
★★★★★
Mr Deng was on time, cheerful and showed us the easiest way into each site. Excellent value and a good day out for the family.
Jonathan · United Kingdom · family · July 2026
Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep & Wat Pha Lat by Local Red Truck
★★★★★
The driver was punctual and attentive and even produced a cooler with ice. The temples are splendid; the waterfall is less impressive but pleasant enough.
Sandrine · France · couple · May 2026
Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep & Wat Pha Lat by Local Red Truck
★★★★★
One trip with several stops, temples and a waterfall, and enough time at each to actually look around rather than photograph and leave.
Joanna · United Kingdom · friends · May 2026
Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep & Wat Pha Lat by Local Red Truck
★★★★★
Saman knew the history, the plants and the insect life and cared about all three. I cannot recommend the 5 a.m. slot enough.
Anna · United States · solo traveller · August 2026
Chiang Mai - Doi Suthep Temple & Wat Pha Lat Hike
★★★★★
We left very early for the temple. Saman was kind and told us a great deal about Buddhism on the way up.
Silvia · Italy · couple · July 2026
Chiang Mai - Doi Suthep Temple & Wat Pha Lat Hike
★★★★★
Peaceful, and the mountain views over Chiang Mai made it memorable. The forest temple is hidden among the trees; Wat Phra That Doi Suthep at the top has the architecture and the panorama.
Gayatri · United Kingdom · couple · July 2026
Chiang Mai: Wat Pha Lat & Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Tour
★★★★★
PonPon is a former monk and went into real depth on Buddhist culture at two places you should not skip in Chiang Mai.
Claudia · Spain · friends · August 2026
Chiang Mai: Wat Pha Lat & Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Tour
★★★★★
Four temples at a sensible pace, about four hours, back in time for lunch. Enough to see the range without the temple fatigue that a full day brings.
Darren · United Kingdom · couple · July 2026
Chiang Mai Best City Tour with Doi Suthep, Pha Lat & Chedi Luang
★★★★★
Som showed us grace when we were unsure what to do and helped us join in the prayers and offerings rather than stand and watch.
Mark · United States · couple · July 2026
Chiang Mai Best City Tour with Doi Suthep, Pha Lat & Chedi Luang
★★★★★
Six important and very different temples, one of them with the view over the city from the mountain. Our guide filled in the history as we went and took the photographs so we did not have to ask strangers.
Christina · United States · friends · October 2025
Chiang Mai Instagram Tour: Most Famous Spots (Private and All-Inclusive)
★★★★★
We had to shorten the day at short notice and the company reworked the route to keep the best of it. The communication before pickup was the best we have had.
John · United States · couple · March 2026
Chiang Mai Instagram Tour: Most Famous Spots (Private and All-Inclusive)
★★★★★
The temple was the highlight for me. The sticky waterfalls are great fun for families with young children and rather less so for adults.
Fabio · Italy · family · August 2026
Doi Suthep Temple, Wat Phalad, BauThong Waterfalls Private Tour
★★★★★
A private day meant we could set our own pace, and the company was flexible about the pickup and drop-off times.
Michaela · United States · couple · August 2024
Doi Suthep Temple, Wat Phalad, BauThong Waterfalls Private Tour
★★★★★
Remember water shoes, a swimsuit and sunscreen. We were able to speak with the monks at the temple, and lunch and the butterflies were good too.
Denise · United States · family · February 2026
Doi Suthep Temple, Pha Lat Temple, Sticky Waterfall, Orchid farm
★★★★★
The temples are the draw and the waterfall is the relief when it is 38 degrees in April. Bird answered every question we had, all day.
Daniel · Israel · couple · April 2025
Doi Suthep Temple, Pha Lat Temple, Sticky Waterfall, Orchid farm
★★★★★
Tony was enthusiastic and knew his material, and with Aek driving nothing was too much trouble. The minivan was a welcome break from the heat between temples.
Lynette · Australia · couple · April 2026
Private Chiang Mai Temple Tour with Doi Suthep and Wat Umong
★★★★★
If you are in Chiang Mai on business with one free day, this is the way to see the temples. Mr Tong's explanations were professional and to the point.
Mario · Italy · solo traveller · June 2025
Private Chiang Mai Temple Tour with Doi Suthep and Wat Umong
Three themes recur across every operator. The first is the guide: names come up again and again, and what earns them is not commentary but the ability to explain what is happening when the chanting starts. The second is the hour of the day. Feedback on the 5 a.m. and the late-afternoon departures is warmer than on anything that arrives at eleven, and travellers say so in almost the same words each time. The third is the walk — anyone who arrived by the Monk's Trail mentions it before they mention the temple.
The recurring note is pace rather than place. On the sunrise circuits that take in three temples, travellers praise how much they saw and then wish the last stop had been shorter, which points at a different itinerary rather than a bad one. On the unguided red-truck run, the thing worth knowing in advance is that there is no commentary at all: the fare buys the ride and the free time, and travellers who booked it knowing that rate it well. Which departure suits which traveller is sorted in the guide to choosing a Doi Suthep tour.
The other consistent theme is the staircase. Several travellers who took the funicular say plainly that they were glad it was there, and one recommends it outright for anyone unsteady on their feet. That is a solved problem rather than a warning: the cable car runs beside the steps and costs 20 baht.
Each figure below belongs to that tour's own operator and is reproduced as published.
| Tour | Rating | Reviews | Operator | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doi Suthep Temple, Wat Phalad, BauThong Waterfalls Private Tour | 5.0 | 119 | Pagoda View Tours | From $109 |
| Private Chiang Mai Temple Tour with Doi Suthep and Wat Umong | 5.0 | 65 | Pagoda View Tours | From $137 |
| Doi Suthep Temple, Pha Lat Temple, Sticky Waterfall, Orchid farm | 5.0 | 32 | Chiangmai Siam Travel | From $78 |
| Spiritual Sunrise Wat Doi Suthep, Pha Lat, Alms & Meditation | 4.9 | 828 | Elephant Welfare Sanctuary | From $55 |
| Chiang Mai - Doi Suthep Temple & Wat Pha Lat Hike | 4.9 | 721 | WanderSiam | From $24 |
| Chiang Mai Instagram Tour: Most Famous Spots (Private and All-Inclusive) | 4.9 | 44 | ForeverVacation Thailand | From $121 |
| Chiang Mai: Wat Pha Lat & Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Tour | 4.8 | 1,321 | Chiangmai Siam Travel | From $22 |
| Chiang Mai Best City Tour with Doi Suthep, Pha Lat & Chedi Luang | 4.8 | 86 | Sightseeingbangkok.com | From $40 |
| Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep, Wat Umong and Pha Lat Sunrise Tour | 4.7 | 1,499 | TripGuru Thailand | From $25 |
| Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep and Wat Umong Enchanting Evening Tour | 4.6 | 1,896 | TripGuru Thailand | From $22 |
| Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep & Wat Pha Lat by Local Red Truck | 4.6 | 888 | Discova Thailand | From $17 |
| Chiang Mai - Doi Suthep Temple & Wat Pha Lat Hike | 4.6 | 872 | CanalTour x ExploreSiam | From $24 |
See what travellers loved, then pick the departure that fits your trip on Doi Suthep Tours.