Wat Sri Suphan (Silver Temple)

Wat Sri Suphan (Silver Temple) tickets and tours: which one to book

No ticket for Wat Sri Suphan is sold online. A small entrance fee is charged to foreign visitors at a table by the gate, which goes towards the upkeep of the silver ordination hall, and Thai worshippers enter free. There are no timed slots or skip-the-line options, and none are needed. The temple lies just south of the old city walls on Wualai Road, the street of the silversmiths, about 10 minutes' walk from Chiang Mai Gate, so most visitors walk or take a red songthaew shared taxi from elsewhere in town. It is a common stop on guided walks and evening tours of Chiang Mai's temples, which typically combine it with Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh, and on half-day city tours that include a guide, transport and sometimes a meal;

entry fees may be covered or paid on the spot. The temple is also known for informal evening sessions in which monks talk with visitors about Buddhism and introduce simple meditation, a good option for anyone who wants more than sightseeing; these are free or by donation, and the schedule changes, so ask at the temple. The page lists any GetYourGuide tours whose route passes the temple. Many visitors time their visit to coincide with the Saturday evening walking market, which takes over Wualai Road right outside.

Visiting Wat Sri Suphan (Silver Temple): what to see and how to behave

Wat Sri Suphan was founded around 1500 under King Mueang Kaeo of the Mangrai dynasty, in the quarter where Chiang Mai's silversmiths have worked for centuries. Of the original buildings little survives beyond some old teak pillars reused in the assembly hall. What draws visitors is the ordination hall, rebuilt in recent decades and clad entirely in panels of silver, aluminium and nickel, worked in repousse by craftsmen from the neighbourhood. Every surface, from the gables and eaves to the window frames and the doors, is covered with embossed Buddhist scenes, mythical creatures, flowers and, here and there, a few playful modern figures. Women are not allowed inside the ordination hall, as it contains a consecrated area, and a sign at the entrance explains this;

they can view it from the terrace around it, and the exterior is the real spectacle anyway. Everyone may enter the assembly hall, whose interior also carries silver decoration, and walk around the grounds. On site, a small workshop shows silversmiths hammering out new panels, which helps make sense of the techniques. The temple's old chedi collapsed after heavy rain in 2022, and many small Buddhist objects were found in its core; check what can be seen of the rebuilding. Cover shoulders and knees, take off your shoes in the halls and do not climb on the terraces for photographs. After dark the silver hall is lit up, and the effect is quite different from the daytime glitter.

Wat Sri Suphan (Silver Temple): opening hours, ceremonies and the best time to go

The temple is open daily from the morning into the evening, and the silver hall is illuminated after sunset; check the times at the gate, as the evening hours vary. Two moments are especially good: early morning, when the silver catches the low sun and only a few visitors are around, and dusk, when the lights come on. Saturday evening is lively but crowded, as the walking market on Wualai Road fills the street outside from late afternoon. Chiang Mai is most pleasant from November to February.

March and April are hot and often smoky, and the rainy season runs from June to October. Loy Krathong in November, known in the north as Yi Peng, fills the city with lanterns and candles, and Songkran in April brings processions and water fights. Allow 45 minutes, more if you join a monk chat. Combine it with the temples of the old city, Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh, and a meal on Wualai Road.