Wat A Day - Chiang Khong

Some post wet season beauty from wats on hills near Chiang Khong.


Chiang Khong is situated in a basin, bordered by the Mekong on the east & two mountain ranges, the Khun Ta in the west and the Doi Yao to the south-east.


South of town off R1020 & R1155, there are a couple of small wats on hills that over look the valley - Wat Phrathat Doi Jong Tong & Wat Phrathat Rattanakeree Sri Khon Nakhon; and the views from both these places are superb immediately after the wet season.

Wat Phrathat Doi Jong Tong is on R1020 2 kms south of the R1155 junction & the entrance is here


Follow the concrete village road in the direction of the big Buddha head poking up over the forest


The Wat is only 750 metres off the highway R1020






after the chedi a path leads to the stairway & the climb to the top.






The views are fabulous & worth the climb




Note that in the bright sun it is a hot climb and the stainless steel rail on the stairways is bloody hot to hold onto!



Google Maps Location

Wat Phrathat Rattanakeree Sri Khon Nakhon to come.

Wat Phrathat Rattanakeree Sri Khon Nakhon is off R1155 and you can see it from afar.



Turn off next to the school, 300 metres from the junction of R1155 & R1020


Follow the winding concrete road in


It's a total of 1.9 kms to wat car park with the turns nicely signposted



Towards the the wat, there are 350 metres of easy dirt & the village dogs may encourage you to move a long a bit quicker.


The final steep ascent to the wat is concrete & no problem.

The view from the car park.


yep that's right another climb up the steps

Hope for the sun to go under while you make the climb or hold the hot stainless rails at your own peril.

Confirmation of the temple name


The chedi is impressive


as is the tiled floor surrounding it - make sure you've got thick socks on when you take off your shoes, or just walk fast.






The views from Wat Phrathat Rattanakeree Sri Khon Nakhon are more spectacular & panoramic than Wat Phrathat Doi Jong Tong.








Well worth the hike up the stairway.


The google Maps Location

Both these wats are close to Chiang Khong & your starting point should be the junction of R1020 & R1155.
This junction is 16 kms south of Chiang Khong, just take the main highway R1020 & head south out of town to get there.
Enjoy

Wat Phrathat Doi Ha Chedi is another hill top wat 20 kms south from Chiang Khong.


It is located on R1174 and has a majestic view over looking the valley.














From a distance you can see the chedi & Buddhas



It's seems to be an going work with lots of interesting construction and Buddha images




check it out sometime.
The Google maps Location.

Wat Champa, Don Mahawan, Chiang Khong is an interesting, beautiful wat downstream, past the bridge on the river road.















And I really need to go back to get some better photos in better light.

Location: Google Maps

DavidFL said:

Wat Champa, Don Mahawan, Chiang Khong is an interesting, beautiful wat downstream, past the bridge on the river road.
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And I really need to go back to get some better photos in better light.

Location: Google Maps

Click to expand...

The Buddha image at Wat Champa is made out of a rock from the Mekong river


some information I gleaned on a second visit, trying to get some better photos, but failed yet again. Visit # 3 is planned.

DavidFL said:

Wat Phrathat Doi Ha Chedi is another hill top wat 20 kms south from Chiang Khong.
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It is located on R1174 and has a majestic view over looking the valley.
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From a distance you can see the chedi & Buddhas
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It's seems to be an going work with lots of interesting construction and Buddha images
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check it out sometime.
The Google maps Location.

Click to expand...

A return visit to Wat Phrathat Doi Ha Chedi, & the trees have grown up obstructing most of the ricefields view, but it is still a nice wat to check out.