Wat Suan Dok sits just west of Chiang Mai's old city, open to the mountains and less hemmed in than many central temples. Its great golden chedi is the visual anchor, but the field of white mausoleums for members of the former Lanna royal family is what makes the complex so memorable.
Come late in the afternoon if you can. The white stupas catch the low sun, Doi Suthep sits beyond the roofs, and the temple feels contemplative without being remote. It is easy to reach by songthaew, tuk-tuk, or a longer walk from the Suan Dok gate.