Wat Hua Wiang, Mae Hongson

Located amidst the misty mountain ranges, the beautiful city of Mae Hong Son is one of the most sparsely populated cities in Thailand that is located in the northern most part of the country.

This city is home some truly delightful religious temples that are worth a visit. Notable among these is the Wat Hua Wiang. Constructed in the year 1863, Wat Hua Wiang is the most visited tourist spot inside the city of Mae Hong Son. Also known as Wat Klang Mueang, this Buddhist temple is located on the Sihanatbamrung Road present adjacent to the morning market inside the city.

The most remarkable feature that is present inside the temple is the Phra Chao Pharalakhaeng, a beautiful image of Lord Buddha dressed in an elegant attire. This is a Burmese-styled bronze statue and is considered to be a true replica of the one present in Mandalay, Myanmar. The temple primarily contains a large compound comprising of a two-storey building with a multi-tiered tower. Due to improper maintenance, many parts of the temple are in a bit dilapidated state. Interestingly, this look adds to the beauty and elegance of the temple. Unlike other temples in Thailand, Wat Hua Wiang has a more lively appearance considering the fact that the temple houses quite a few monks. By paying a visit to this temple, one can have a complete understanding about the Buddhist customs, traditions and religious activities of Thailand.

Wat Hua Wiang is open to visitors throughout the day. Admission into the temple is free. Visitors can reach the temple either by taking the famous Thai Tuk-Tuk or by getting on top of a Songkaew. Apart from these, there are also local buses available from the airport.

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Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu

The temple atop Kong Mu hill, Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu, affords a spectacular view of the entire valley in which Mae Hong Son is nestled. The temple itself is notable for its two large white chedis and its typical Shan architecture.

The temple dates from around the time of the village's upgrade to a city in 1874. One of the huge chedis contains the ashes of a revered monk that were bought from Burma by two devotees. The other houses the ashes of Mae Hong Son's first governor, Phaya Singhanat Racha.

A steep road leads further up to the crown of the hill where the ubosot is located. In front of the ubosot is a large slender standing Buddha image. A small chedi and several cenotaphs stand next to the ubosot. In front of the standing Buddha, a boat rowed by two monks and two lay people carries the Buddhist wheel.

Reaching the temple on foot means taking one of two paths. From Wat Phra Non, a stairway leads halfway up the hill and then joins the other path which starts at Wat Muo Taw. This second path is a little easier, as it consists mostly of a zig-zag of ramps with only short stairways at the switch-backs. There are also covered rest stops at each corner.

If you don't feel like a climb, you can rent motorcycles or a car to drive you to the top.

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