Wat Phra Buddha Bat Takpha

Wat Phra Buddha Bat Takpha sits between the hills of Doi Mon Chang and Doi Crua in Pa Sang district, Lamphun province. Local tradition traces the site back roughly 1,200 years to Queen Chamthewi, the legendary founder of the Haripunchai kingdom, who is said to have built a mandapa over the footprint impressions to enshrine them — though as with most Dvaravati-era temple origin stories in the region, this rests on oral tradition rather than dated inscriptions. What’s documented is more recent: the temple received official recognition in 1973 and was elevated to third-class royal temple status in 1978.

The footprints that give the temple its name sit inside Vihan Jaturamook — a large pair of impressions in stone, with smaller footprint markings scattered around the grounds. The “Takpha” part of the name refers to a separate legend: a square, checkerboard-patterned stain on nearby rock is said to mark where the Buddha once dried his robe (tak pha) after crossing the area. An ubosot decorated with Thai zodiac carvings sits near the main shrine, and Phra That See Khruba — a chedi enshrining relics connected to four revered Lanna monks — stands on Doi Crua above the temple.

The temple’s blend of hilltop setting and long staircase has drawn film crews as well as pilgrims — part of the 1988 film Rambo III was shot on location here, an odd footnote for a site that otherwise functions as a working monastery with monks in daily residence. Reach it via Highway 106, with on-site parking at the base. Dress modestly, covered shoulders and knees, remove shoes before entering buildings, and keep quiet near the footprint shrine, where devotees regularly kneel in prayer. Pair the visit with Wat Pa Sang Ngam, also in Pa Sang district, for a second stop on the same short drive.