Wat Phrathat Yoi Hong

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: Open During Regular Temple Visiting Hours

 

Wat Phra That Yoi Hong is located at Ban Phrom, Village No. 1, Nong Daeng Subdistrict, Mae Charim District, Nan Province. The sacred pagoda stands on the summit of Nanthaburi Noi Hill, southwest of Wat Ban Phrom. It is one of the most important sacred sites in Mae Charim and a respected place of worship for local people and visitors. The temple is also known as a learning site for Lanna-style religious architecture and a scenic hilltop location where visitors can admire the peaceful landscape of Mae Charim.

 

Wat Phra That Yoi Hong is not only a place to pay respect to a Buddhist relic pagoda. It is also a cultural landmark shaped by local legend, community faith, and the natural setting of the hill. The experience of visiting the temple is different from visiting a temple on flat ground because travelers must approach a sacred site located above the village. This hilltop setting creates a stronger sense of pilgrimage, leading visitors from the everyday world below to a quiet place of worship surrounded by sky, wind, and mountain scenery.

 

According to local tradition, Phra That Yoi Hong was first built around 1171 CE, corresponding to 1714 BE or Chulasakarat 633. The legend says that before the pagoda was built, a mythical swan flew over the hill while carrying a golden weighing-scale ornament known locally as yoi kham. The swan circled the summit 3 times and dropped the golden object on the hilltop before flying away toward the west. This event was remembered as a sacred sign, and the place became associated with auspicious power.

 

After the swan disappeared, a violent storm followed. Heavy rain, thunder, and lightning continued for 3 days and 3 nights. When the storm ended, a herd of about 100 wild elephants came to the hilltop and trampled the ground until the surface became flat. The elephants then walked around the summit area. Local people later called that area Lan Chang, or the elephant ground. This part of the legend gives the site a powerful symbolic character, combining the swan from the sky with elephants connected to strength, dignity, and the land.

 

After the elephant herd left, Phra Khru Mat Lom, a monk respected by the villagers for his strict discipline and deep commitment to Buddhist practice, invited elders and faithful villagers to observe the Buddhist precepts and make a solemn vow before climbing to the hilltop. There, they found the golden yoi kham resting on an anthill. Seeing this as a sacred sign, they built a small pagoda to cover the golden object. From that time onward, the pagoda became known as Phra That Yoi Hong, the pagoda of the swan and the golden yoi.

 

The name “Phra That Yoi Hong” therefore comes directly from the legend. The word yoi refers to the golden object in the story, while hong means swan. The name connects a sacred object, an auspicious bird, and a hilltop landscape into one identity. This makes Wat Phra That Yoi Hong distinctive among Nan’s sacred sites because its meaning is inseparable from the local imagination and memory of Mae Charim people.

 

Later, around 1221 CE, corresponding to 1764 BE or Chulasakarat 683, Phra Khru Pha Ariyawang Sai from Kengtung in present-day Myanmar, together with local leaders, disciples, and Buddhist devotees in Mae Charim, expanded the pagoda into a larger structure. The pagoda was enlarged to about 7 wa in width, plastered, and gilded with gold leaf. This expansion shows that the site had grown from a small legendary shrine into an important sacred monument supported by monks, community leaders, and local devotees.

 

During the gilding of the pagoda, a strong wind reportedly blew one sheet of gold leaf to a hill near Ban Nam Phang. When villagers found it, they built another small pagoda to cover the gold leaf and named it Chedi Kham Plew. This story extends the sacred geography of Phra That Yoi Hong beyond the original hilltop and connects the main pagoda with another local sacred place nearby. It also reflects how faith can spread through landscape, memory, and community storytelling.

 

Architecturally, Phra That Yoi Hong represents the Lanna tradition of building sacred pagodas on spiritually meaningful sites. In northern Thai culture, a place may become sacred through auspicious signs, unusual natural events, or legendary objects. Building a pagoda over such a place transforms local memory into a permanent religious monument. The pagoda is therefore both a Buddhist structure and a visible marker of the hill’s sacred status.

 

The hilltop location is one of the most attractive features of Wat Phra That Yoi Hong. From the summit area, visitors can appreciate views of Mae Charim and the surrounding landscape. The setting gives the temple a quiet and contemplative atmosphere. The combination of a sacred pagoda, open sky, hill scenery, and local legend makes this site especially suitable for travelers who appreciate slow cultural travel rather than crowded tourist attractions.

 

For local people, Phra That Yoi Hong is a spiritual landmark of Mae Charim District. It is a place for worship, merit-making, blessings, and remembrance of ancestral faith. The legend of the swan, the golden yoi, the storm, the elephants, and the monk who led villagers to the summit gives the community a shared story that links people to place. In this way, the temple helps preserve local identity and transmits Mae Charim’s cultural memory to later generations.

 

Wat Phra That Yoi Hong is also a meaningful stop for travelers who want to explore Nan beyond the better-known destinations in Nan town, Pua, or Bo Kluea. Mae Charim is quieter and less crowded, with mountains, rivers, agricultural communities, and forested landscapes. A visit to the temple can be combined with Mae Charim National Park, the Wa River, and local community routes in Nong Daeng Subdistrict. This makes the temple a strong cultural anchor for a Mae Charim itinerary.

 

Getting There is most convenient by private car, rental car, or local hired vehicle. Travelers can drive from Nan town toward Mae Charim District, continue to Nong Daeng Subdistrict and Ban Phrom, and then proceed toward Nanthaburi Noi Hill where the pagoda is located. Since the site is on a hill, visitors should drive carefully, especially during or after rain. A morning or late afternoon visit is recommended for more comfortable weather and better light for viewing the surrounding landscape.

 

Visitors should dress respectfully, prepare drinking water, and wear comfortable shoes. If the route requires walking uphill or climbing steps, extra care is recommended. During the rainy and early cool season, Mae Charim becomes lush and green, but road conditions may require more caution. Travelers who plan to combine the temple with Mae Charim National Park or Wa River activities should allow enough time for a half-day or full-day route.

 

Wat Phra That Yoi Hong is suitable for visitors interested in sacred hilltop temples, local legends, Buddhist devotion, Lanna religious architecture, and quiet travel in Nan Province. Its charm does not come from size or grandeur but from the depth of its story. The temple preserves a sacred landscape where a swan, a golden object, a storm, elephants, a monk, and villagers are woven together into one powerful local tradition.

 

 

A: Wat Phra That Yoi Hong Is Located At Ban Phrom, Village No. 1, Nong Daeng Subdistrict, Mae Charim District, Nan Province, On Nanthaburi Noi Hill Southwest Of Wat Ban Phrom.

 

A: It Is A Sacred Historical Site Of Mae Charim District, A Place Of Worship For Local People And Visitors, And A Hilltop Site Associated With Lanna Religious Architecture And Local Legend.

 

A: The Name Comes From The Legend Of A Swan Dropping A Golden Yoi On The Hilltop, After Which Villagers Built A Pagoda To Enshrine It.

 

A: Local Tradition Says It Was First Built Around 1714 BE And Later Enlarged Around 1764 BE.

 

A: Visitors Can Travel From Nan Town To Mae Charim District, Continue To Nong Daeng Subdistrict And Ban Phrom, Then Proceed To Nanthaburi Noi Hill. A Private Car, Rental Car, Or Local Hired Vehicle Is Recommended.

 

A: It Is Suitable For Travelers Interested In Sacred Hilltop Temples, Local Legends, Buddhist Worship, Lanna Cultural Heritage, And Quiet Travel Routes In Nan Province.

 

A: Visitors Should Dress Respectfully, Bring Drinking Water, Wear Comfortable Shoes, And Drive Carefully, Especially During Or After Rain.