Doi Suthep is the name of the hill and the temple is Wat Phra Borommathat Doi Suthep that sits on the top of the overlooking Chiang Mai. The temple was built in 1383 by King Gue Na and the legend is that an elephant was sent to search for a suitable location, it circled three times, trumpeted and fell on its knees at the place where the temple now is.

Phu Ping Royal Palace is about 4 km from Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep on Doi Buak Ha and open to the public on Fridays and publc holidays. The place is a summer vacation home for the Thai Royal Family.

Catch a songtaew taxi, hire a bike or go on an organised trip to travel the 15km to the summit. Taxis leave from Chang Puak market at regular intervals during the day, or, alternatively, you can make your way up Huay Kaew road, to the entrance of Chiang Mai University, and take a songteaw from there.

The journey up is through rainforest and halfway up, there is a lookout platform with good views. There are a number of waterfalls, the Huay Kaew waterfall at the base, and a third of a way up the Monthatan waterfall.

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