Wat Amphawan (Mae Raem)

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 08.00 – 17.00

 

Wat Amphawan (Mae Raem) is located in Moo 5, Ban Pa Muang, Mae Raem Subdistrict, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province 50180. It is a local Buddhist temple under the Mahanikaya monastic order and was officially granted temple status in 1887. The temple is led by Phra Samu Theerasak Ariyawongso and serves as an important spiritual center for Ban Pa Muang and the surrounding Mae Raem community.

 

Wat Amphawan (Mae Raem) is suitable for travelers who want to visit a quiet local temple in Mae Rim and understand the community side of northern Thai Buddhism. The temple is not a large commercial tourist attraction. Its importance comes from its role as a village temple where local people make merit, join Buddhist ceremonies, listen to sermons, and gather for annual religious activities.

 

The temple’s name is closely connected with the local landscape. “Amphawan” is associated with a mango grove or mango forest, while Ban Pa Muang also refers to a place connected with mango trees. This relationship between the temple name and the village name gives Wat Amphawan a distinct cultural identity. It shows how local place names in Lanna communities often preserve memories of plants, land, and settlement history.

 

Mae Raem Subdistrict is an important part of Mae Rim District, located along the route from Chiang Mai city toward Mae Sa Waterfall, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Pong Yaeng, and Mon Jam. Wat Amphawan stands within this cultural and natural landscape, making it a meaningful stop for travelers who want to combine temple visits with nature attractions, restaurants, cafés, and mountain accommodation routes in Mae Rim.

 

Wat Amphawan (Mae Raem) was officially established in 1887. This makes it one of the long-standing local temples in the Mae Raem area. In the past, village temples in northern Thailand were not only religious places. They were also community centers where villagers gathered, organized ceremonies, preserved Buddhist customs, and maintained social relationships through shared merit-making activities.

 

Ban Pa Muang is the immediate community context of Wat Amphawan. The temple and the village are closely connected. For local residents, the temple is a place for Buddhist observance days, family merit-making, robe-offering ceremonies, Kathin, and community gatherings. The temple therefore functions as both a place of worship and a social anchor for the village.

 

In 2025, Wat Amphawan (Mae Raem) had 6 resident monks during the Buddhist Lent season. The temple also participated in the nationwide Kathin Samakkhi 10,000 Temples project, with its Kathin ceremony scheduled for November 5, 2025 at 10.00. This confirms the temple’s continuing role as an active Buddhist site with monks in residence and annual merit-making activities.

 

Phra Samu Theerasak Ariyawongso, the abbot of Wat Amphawan, plays an important role in maintaining the temple, guiding Buddhist activities, and supporting the relationship between the monastic community and local villagers. In a community temple, the abbot is not only responsible for religious duties but also helps preserve the temple’s role as a spiritual center for the village.

 

Visitors should appreciate Wat Amphawan for its quiet atmosphere, local temple courtyard, prayer area, and everyday connection with village life. It is a place for making merit, paying respect to the Buddha, and observing how a northern Thai community temple continues to function in daily life. Travelers should dress respectfully, speak softly, and avoid disturbing monks or local worshippers.

 

Confirmed public information about the temple does not provide detailed architectural descriptions of an ordination hall, chedi, relic shrine, principal Buddha image, bell tower, or sermon hall. For this reason, Wat Amphawan is best presented as a community Buddhist temple with a confirmed establishment year, abbot, monastic status, annual Kathin activity, and strong relationship with Ban Pa Muang.

 

Wat Amphawan (Mae Raem) can be included in a cultural route through Mae Rim. Nearby temples and community sites can be combined with nature attractions such as Siam Insect Zoo, Mae Sa Waterfall, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Pongyang Jungle Coaster & Zipline, and Mon Jam. This route gives travelers a broader view of Mae Rim, beyond cafés and scenic viewpoints.

 

Getting There is convenient by private car, rental car, or local transport. From Chiang Mai city, travel north toward Mae Rim District, then continue into Mae Raem Subdistrict and Ban Pa Muang. Travelers can visit Wat Amphawan first for a quiet temple stop, then continue to nearby nature attractions and mountain routes around Pong Yaeng and Mon Jam.

 

Wat Amphawan (Mae Raem) is suitable for a half-day visit or as part of a one-day Mae Rim itinerary. A practical route can begin with merit-making at the temple, followed by Siam Insect Zoo, Mae Sa Waterfall, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, nearby restaurants, and accommodation areas along the Pong Yaeng–Mon Jam route. This creates a balanced trip covering Buddhism, village culture, food, nature, and mountain scenery.

 

For cultural travelers, Wat Amphawan offers a local view of Mae Rim. The temple shows that Mae Rim is not only about mountain views, cafés, resorts, and waterfalls. It also has long-standing community temples that preserve Buddhist customs and support village life. Wat Amphawan remains one of those local temples where faith, community, and Lanna identity meet.

 

In summary, Wat Amphawan (Mae Raem) is a Mahanikaya community temple in Ban Pa Muang, Mae Raem Subdistrict, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province. It was officially established in 1887, opens daily from 08.00 to 17.00, and has no admission fee. In 2025, the temple had 6 resident monks and held a Kathin ceremony on November 5, 2025 at 10.00. It is a suitable stop for travelers interested in local temples, Lanna culture, and a deeper community-based Mae Rim itinerary.

 

 

A: Wat Amphawan (Mae Raem) is located in Moo 5, Ban Pa Muang, Mae Raem Subdistrict, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province 50180, Thailand.

 

A: The temple is open daily from 08.00 to 17.00.

 

A: No. There is no admission fee for visitors.

 

A: Wat Amphawan (Mae Raem) was officially granted temple status in 1887.

 

A: The abbot of Wat Amphawan (Mae Raem) is Phra Samu Theerasak Ariyawongso.

 

A: In 2025, Wat Amphawan (Mae Raem) had 6 resident monks during the Buddhist Lent season.

 

A: The 2025 Kathin ceremony was scheduled for November 5, 2025 at 10.00.

 

A: Nearby attractions include Siam Insect Zoo, Mae Sa Waterfall, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Pongyang Jungle Coaster & Zipline, and Mon Jam.