Legend has it that a piece of the Buddha's shoulder bone was mounted to a white elephant, and the elephant climbed through the jungle up the mountain outside of Chiang Mai. Upon reaching the top of the mountain, the elephant trumpeted three times and died. The temple was built on the site to house the relic, and is one of the most sacred pilgrimage locations in Thailand.
A short drive up the steep mountain and we were there.
© 2026 Ryan Harrison