Wat Chet Lin

Hours (Open/Closed) Monday 4:00 AM - 6:00 PM Tuesday 4:00 AM - 6:00 PM Wednesday 4:00 AM - 6:00 PM Thursday 4:00 AM - 6:00 PM Friday 4:00 AM - 6:00 PM Saturday 4:00 AM - 6:00 PM Sunday 4:00 AM - 6:00 PM

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About Wat Chet Lin

The temple grounds are a serene and tranquil oasis, a perfect escape from the bustling main walking street. Visitors can purchase a bag of fish food and spend a leisurely afternoon feeding the fish, while soaking in the natural beauty and rich history of the place. The temple grounds are a sight to behold, with their lush greenery and peaceful ambiance.

This small, less frequented temple holds a significant place in history as it was used for the coronation of Lanna kings in the 16th century. Today, it houses a beautiful golden Buddha statue in the prayer hall, a large collection of giant gongs, and an intriguing white stone Buddha head outside.

Despite the guidebook's claim of a collection of gongs, visitors may find only two. However, the temple itself is quite charming, with the grounds being the main attraction. The temple grounds are adorned with benches placed along a pond and colorful flags, giving it a park-like atmosphere. It provides a much-needed respite in the heart of Chiang Mai. While it may not be a must-visit for those with limited time, it is definitely worth a stop for those passing by.

The temple, also known as 'Wat Jedlin' on Google Maps, boasts traditional Thai Buddhist design, with a large ancient Wat towards the rear of the main temple. The grounds also feature a large pond at the rear. To see the catfish in the pond, visitors can head to the rear of the site and walk over the bamboo bridge. A new temple is also under construction at the site.

The temple offers peaceful and scenic views, making it a picturesque experience. A short visit here is well worth the time. Unlike some larger temples in Chiang Mai, there is no entry fee, however, visitors are welcome to make a donation.

The temple compound is one of the most interesting in the city, with a large Buddha head mounted beside a pipal tree and a chedi being the only original components left from its 14th-century construction. The rest was destroyed during the Burmese occupation and was only restored in 2002. The viharn dates from that time. Inside, in front of the altar, visitors will see a few very realistic statues of the temple’s most famous monks, along with a Chinese Buddha in the front, a Burmese one in the middle, and a large Lanna-style Buddha in the back.

Next to the Buddha head outside is a statue of a strange, furry animal with four ears and five eyes, created by a local devotee. This statue symbolizes Buddhist precepts, with the four ears representing the four virtues of loving kindness, compassion, empathy, and equanimity. The five eyes stand for the five taboos against killing, stealing, unlawful sex, harmful speech, and using intoxicants.

Just beyond this statue is a shrine with a skeleton dressed in a white suit with folded hands. When a donation is dropped into the box beside it, the skeleton bows and recites a prayer. To the right, behind the viharn, is the structure that gives the temple its name. Chet Lin means ‘seven gutters’ and refers to the seven, naga-headed, connected red channels that carry water down from the platform above. A Buddha statue sits below the last gutter. In the past, Lanna’s kings sat here for a ritual bath. At the base of the chedi are nine large round stones, called lukminit in Thai, which indicate the boundaries of a planned restoration. Until that time, devotees honor them by applying gold leaf to their surfaces.

A pond lies in the rear of the compound and a colorful bridge crosses the water to the monk’s quarters. Visitors can buy a bag of food to give to the fish and on the other side of the pond have a conversation about religion with a resident, English-speaking monk as part of the wat’s Monk Chat program. In April, devotees build a huge sand chedi in the front courtyard, which stays up until after Songkran.

This temple is unique in that visitors can pay 10 baht and get some food to feed the enormous catfish! However, visitors should be wary of the pigeons, who also enjoy the catfish food. This temple is not just a place of worship, but also a place where visitors can interact with nature and enjoy a peaceful and serene environment.