Wat Umong, Chiang Mai

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U Mong temple is one place where suite to practice of transcendental merditation. From the legend described about King Meng Rai was built this temple and he invited an important monk from Sri Lanka to stayed here. In 1910 ,King Kue Na renovated this temple and built a tunnel under small hill in temple area.This tunnel was for meditation. In this tunnel decorated with mural paintings and housed Buddha images.On the hill located the chedi which have an influence of Burmese style. On temple ground ,there 're some objects like head of Buddha images ,Naga heads and stuccos. This temple also open a Dhamma and Lanna dialect course.

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A tuktuk driver took us to Wat U Mong (which is around 10 miles out of town) where he waited on us to check out the place and then drive us back to our hotel and will cost 180 baht (less than £3).

I loved this place, it was the most peaceful place i've ever been to. The monks live here and pray in the temple and being a westerner this was very surreal and | was quite amazed to hear them. The place was empty when we were there other than us and the monks who live on the compound. It is located in a forest and it's main focus is the temple underground in a tunnel.

After the hour we went back to the tuktuk and on back to the hotel. It is probably best to get the tuk-tuk driver to wait as you may wait all day before a tuktuk turns up here.

Known as Wat Umong for short, this picturesque little meditation temple is noticeably different from Chiang Mai's other major temples and enjoys a bucolic forest setting. The ancient chedi is of particular interest as are the painted murals on the inside walls of the sim (main hall).

The forest wat is located right outside of Chiang Mai city (on Suthep Road). It is home to a different type on monks, forest inhabitants. They try and live a natural life and learn nature. This is a complete wat system in the forest. There is a wise woods where important Buddhist phrases are written in trees. There is also an old Ceylon style chedi and a lake. Go to the lake, and there you can feed huge, and I mean huge, turtles. Some of the most amazing features of this wat are the ancient tunnels. There is an old complex system of tunnels inside the grounds, which are fun to explore. There are also old Buddhist ruins here, which have been featured in several foreign movies. This wat is also a must see!

Note that there are also many resident monks here. Their lives are very different in comparison to the city monks. You should try and speak with them and see if you can see the differences...

The forest wat is located right outside of Chiang Mai city(on Suthep Road). It is home to a different type on monks, forest inhabitants. They try and live a natural life and learn nature. This is a complete wat system in the forest. There is a wise woods where important Buddhist phrases are written in trees. There is also an old Ceylon style chedi and a lake. Go to the lake, and there you can feed huge, and I mean huge, turtles. Some of the most amazing features of this wat are the ancient tunnels. There is an old complex system of tunnels inside the grounds, which are fun to explore. There are also old Buddhist ruins here, which have been featured in several foreign movies. This wat is also a must see!

Note that there are also many resident monks here. Their lives are very different in comparison to the city monks. You should try and speak with them and see if you can see the differences...

The forest wat is located right outside of Chiang Mai city (on Suthep Road). It is home to a different type on monks, forest inhabitants. They try and live a natural life and learn nature. This is a complete wat system in the forest. There is a wise woods where important Buddhist phrases are written in trees. There is also an old Ceylon style chedi and a lake. Go to the lake, and there you can feed huge, and I mean huge, turtles. Some of the most amazing features of this wat are the ancient tunnels. There is an old complex system of tunnels inside the grounds, which are fun to explore. There are also old Buddhist ruins here, which have been featured in several foreign movies. This wat is also a must see!

Note that there are also many resident monks here. Their lives are very different in comparison to the city monks. You should try and speak with them and see if you can see the differences...

The forest wat is located right outside of Chiang Mai city (on Suthep Road). It is home to a different type on monks, forest inhabitants. They try and live a natural life and learn nature. This is a complete wat system in the forest. There is a wise woods where important Buddhist phrases are written in trees. There is also an old Ceylon style chedi and a lake. Go to the lake, and there you can feed huge, and I mean huge, turtles. Some of the most amazing features of this wat are the ancient tunnels. There is an old complex system of tunnels inside the grounds, which are fun to explore. There are also old Buddhist ruins here, which have been featured in several foreign movies. This wat is also a must see!

Note that there are also many resident monks here. Their lives are very different in comparison to the city monks. You should try and speak with them and see if you can see the differences...