The Monk’s Trail to The Hidden Temple!
Of all the stunning temples I’ve been fortunate to visit (and I’ve been to countless), Wat Pha Lat temple would have to have the most beautiful personal story attached to it. Now, I’ve seen a few blog posts about The Monk’s Trail and Hidden Temple, but I haven’t read about anybody having a remotely similar experience as I.
How I found out about Wat Pha Lat
The Silver Temple
It all began at the Silver Temple (Wat Sri Suphan) back in 2017. I had taken a friend there & was invited to come back that same evening for meditation around the temple in candlelight, which was to be led by chanting monks. We returned later that night for this incredible opportunity and I was later approached by one of the monks who introduced himself as Roengrit.
He had been a monk for 13 years at the silver temple ever since he was 13 years old. He was very warm & friendly and had asked me how I enjoyed my meditation experience. We chatted for a short time and he asked if we could exchange contact details as he thought we may be able to help one another someday. I saw him sooner rather than later; attending another meditation class that he had invited me to the next week
About a month afterward, I received a surprise message from Roengrit, inviting me to join him on a New Year’s Eve hike to the hidden temple (Wat Pha Lat)! I had no idea where that was, but I was not about to miss an opportunity like this! A family member back home in Australia had suddenly fallen terminally ill at that time, and I was emotionally spent, especially living so far away and not having family by my side.
Celebrating my recent birthday and the new year were absolutely out of the question. But, a spiritual journey to a hidden temple with the guidance of a monk? That was a different story! I strongly believed this was the Universe’s way of taking care of me. My intuition told me that Roengrit was not just here for a reason or a season; he was here for my lifetime, and my intuition would later prove me right.
I was instructed to meet at the silver temple where I would be accompanied by Roengrit, his fellow monk and another girl called Ugne (A young Lithuanian tourist travelling through Chiang Mai at the time). We were provided with water bottles from the silver temple before jumping into a uber and driven to our starting point; the monk’s trail.
About Wat Pha Lat
Built on the top of a rock, Wat Pha Lat is a temple concealed in the depths of the Chiang Mai jungle; a serene, spiritual sanctum for meditating monks who also reside there. This location originally served as a stop-over for pilgrims on their holy expedition up the mountain to Doi Suthep temple. It is only 15 mins from the old city, but to get there, you need to hike along the monk’s trail. Wat Pha Lat translates to ‘Monastery at the Sloping Rock.’
How do I get to the monk’s trail?
To get to the monk’s trail, we travelled past the Chiang Mai University to the end of Suthep road. When we reached the crossroads, we turned right and kept travelling past the zoo until we saw a white and red antenna up ahead to the right. We walked a few minutes until we saw the map of the trail escorting the way to the temple. This is your starting point.
Is There a Map to the Monk’s Trail?
We gathered round the map whilst Roengrit presented us with the route we would be navigating. Once he had explained our course of action, both monks shared with us a pile of their orange monk robes they had cut into strips that we would each carry with us.
Why Are There Orange Cloths Around the Trees?
It was explained to us that if you see a tree with orange monk clothes wrapped around them, it was forbidden for anybody to take that tree down or even pick the fruit from it. In other words, it was untouchable, protected from any potential greed or harm. Just wow! I instantly thought of all things precious to me that I wished I could wrap in old monk robes. We were given permission to select our own trees to wrap along the way, and even share the robes with some passersby after explaining their purpose.
How do I get to Wat Pha Lat?
The four of us were well prepared and set off on our journey of a lifetime! I was so excited! Parts of our hike were walked in silence, appreciating the quiet and the glorious nature we were surrounded with; butterflies sprinkling the pathway with colour whilst we listened to a natural soundtrack of exotic insects and birds.
Is The Monk’s Trail Easy to Walk?
The trail is narrow and much wider in other areas. It is very rocky and rough with a testing incline at times. I wondered how the monks had been hiking masterfully in their sandals, all the while maintaining an excellent pace with no evidence of a sweat-out or breathlessness. I’ll be honest, I was sweating profusely at one point and wrapped my scarf around my head in substitute of a sweat band.
The majestic site of trees clad in orange monk cloths will lead the way; you Just need to follow them. Wrapping the robes around the trees was quite a spiritual and therapeutic act for me. I somewhat felt as if I was walking a wellness labyrinth; experiencing a taste of true peace, away from all noise and thought.
Arriving at Wat Pha Lat
We were led up the pathway where we were welcomed with a breathtaking scene of statues, jungle and free-flowing water over rock. It is up here that we were met with a view overlooking Chiang Mai city between the trees. I remember just standing still, looking around in utter awe of the sheer size of this place, inhaling all of its magic.
We ventured off into different directions, exploring this holy playground. I wish I’d had a proper camera for this adventure as I was only using my phone. There are many religious statues, Elephant statues and otherworldly monuments around the temple. Refreshments can also be purchased from the coffee shop in the centre.
Meditating at Wat Pha Lat
Roengrit decided to meditate and propped himself on the rock overlooking Chiang Mai. Watching him, I remember thinking I had never witnessed a peace like that in someone before. He looked weightless, far from this world. I really wanted to capture what I was witnessing and attempted to get up close for a photo. Beware, the rocks can be extremely slippery with moss and I found out the hard way by falling very quickly and very hard- in fact, I also witnessed others falling.
Be Careful On the Rocks!
I swear, I sincerely thought I broke my forearm, but Roengrit was so deep in his meditation that he hadn’t heard a thing! Unbelievable! There I was, stumbling & staggering for what seemed to be an eternity to get back up. I was desperately trying not to wake the sleepy atmosphere where everything echoes; my mouth silently wide open and my brain imploding with screams… and Roengrit still hadn’t been disturbed! Oh, how I would’ve loved to be a gecko on the rock, watching that all unfold. It makes for a very funny story to re-enact and tell!
Leaving Wat Pha Lat
We had all found each other and re-grouped to begin the trek back. You’ll be humbled to know that this hike is far easier! We spoke of our experience and got to know each other a lot more before heading back to the silver temple. That was the best New Year’s Eve I’ve ever had! Everybody deserves a day of learning, sharing, giving and meditating.
I am still in touch with Ugne who resides in Lithuania, and Roengrit became like family to me. He has since left life in the temple for married life and is now a father to two beautiful young girls. When Roengrit was a monk, he had painted a picture that attracted fame. He was then granted a scholarship by the Princess of Thailand to learn English at the University in Chiang Mai. I was invited to his celebrate his graduation at The Royal Radjapruek Garden.
A couple of years later, I was especially invited to attend Roengrit’s wedding and I got to experience an authentic Thai wedding in a village in Pon Phisai district, Nong Khai province (but that’s for another blog post!)
What to wear/bring to Wat Pha Lat
- Bring a cold bottle of water!
- Bring sunscreen and mosquito spray if you have it.
- Wear comfortable sneakers and preferably long pants to protect your legs.
- DO NOT wear sleeveless tank tops or skirts above the knees. Temples require your shoulders to be covered and traditionally, also your legs past your knees. There is also a sign post with the rules of entering.
