We set out with grand ambitions: walk 1.5 hours to the Monk’s Trail and then hike up to Wat Pha Lat. Simple enough, right? Well, by the time we actually walked to the trail, we were so wiped out from the journey and the endless temptation of temples along the way that the hike got promptly rescheduled to “some other day.”
Instead, here’s where our wandering feet (and temple-loving hearts) took us:
- Wat Chaisriphoom – The white Buddha here looked so serene, I’m convinced it was silently judging my lack of cardio.
- Wat Lok Molee – This one nailed the aesthetic: an old stupa and black-and-white temple design that felt like it was curated by a very spiritual interior designer.
- Wat Rajamontean – Instead of a Buddha inside, there’s a golden Buddha chilling outside, which only added to the temple charm.
- Wat Fai Hin – An accidental discovery that turned into a highlight! It has a stunning four-faced black wooden Buddha and an epic three-faced elephant. (Three faces! Why stop at one?) It’s near the Monk’s Trail, and somehow no tourists were there. Honestly, it felt like a hidden gem, and we really enjoyed exploring it without other people.
So, while Wat Pha Lat remains on our to-do list, at least we temple-hopped like pros!
