Chiang Mai Sak Yant Options
Comparing your Sak Yant Options
Comparing the 5 Chiang Mai Sak Yant Options
Chiang Mai Sak Yant Options | Monks at Temples, Ajarns, Sak Yant Masters
Sak Yant Tattoos are traditional Thai Tattoos believed to be magical and give the bearer protection, strength, good fortune and more, depending on the Yantra (Magical Spell and Blessing) received. Getting a Sak Yant Tattoo in Chiang Mai can be a little confusing since Chiang Mai Sak Yants options are greater and more personalized than other parts of Thailand.
Following is a guide and comparision of some of the components that can be individualized for your Chiang Mai Sak Yant
Sak Yant Chiang Mai | Understanding your Types of Sak Yant Tattoo
1st Decision: Sak Yant from a Monk? or an Ajarn
What is the difference between a Monk and a Sak Yant Ajarn?
Sak Yant Tattoos are done by Sak Yant Masters, which can be either a Monk or an Ajarn. Both Monks and Ajarns must follow a lifestyle of spiritual dedication, including daily meditation, and hundreds of ethical rules. Almost always this spiritual training starts at Buddhist Monasteries as a Monk. Those Monks that show a particular aptitude or interest are able to go to special Temples where in-depth knowledge of spiritual and magical blessings are taught. Almost every Sak Yant Master, becomes a Master while they are still a Monk at a Temple.
The life of a Monk, is not something that appeals to every person as a long term profession. Some men want families, children or a life that offers fulfilling other innate potential. When a Monk decides to move on, but decides they wish to continue living a spiritual life, and one of service to the community – they can become Ajarns.
A Monk Sak Yant Master resides at the Temple and engages in other Temple duties like every other Monk. The Sak Yant Ajarn is able to rejoin the community as a Shaman, providing counseling, magical services and blessings to the Thai people. Having to follow less restrictive rules than Monk’s, a Sak Yant Ajarn can learn disciplines outside of the temple lineage, touch females, drive cars and a variety of normal tasks.
Sak Yant Ajarn
- Former Monks, now full time Shamans
- Females OK
- Less formal and more relaxed situation
- Able to take photos and videos
- Sak Yants for personal desires allowed
- Wider range of Magical skills
- Include Thai Magic as well as Buddhist Blessings
Sak Yant Monk
- Unable to preform Sak Yant on Females at a Temple (is able at our In-House Service)
- More formal approach, requiring stricter protocols
- Can not take photos of the Sak Yant getting done
- Sometimes busy preforming Monks duties at Temples
- Some designs are off limits due to personal over spiritual magical blessing
2nd Decision: Samnak or Sak Yant Temple
At Wat Bang Phra Temple in Bangkok, both Ajarn and Monk Sak Yant Masters will work together withing the Sak Yant Temple Grounds. Males are able to receive the Sak Yant Tattoo by the Monks and Females from the Ajarns in separate areas around the Temple.
Sak Yant Chiang Mai offers a similar range of services however we extend the variety of Sak Yant Options. We are the only Sak Yant provider in Thailand where a female can get a Sak Yant from a Monk or a Sak Yant at a Temple.
At Sak Yant Chiang Mai we offer a variety of options for getting a Sak Yant Tattoo and Blessing. Both the Temple Visit and the In-house options are 100% real and include the Magical Blessing.
In-House Sak Yant at Samnak
The Samnak is a holy room that has been especially created for the application of Sak Yant Tattoos, Magical Rituals and Blessings.
All Sak Yant Masters have their own Samnak where they preform the Sak Yant. Even Monks at Temples have a Samnak on the Temple grounds.
At Sak Yant Chiang Mai we have two Samnaks used for visiting Sak Yant Masters, both Monks and Ajarns. Both Males and Females can have a Sak Yant at a Samnak and this is an excellent choice for couples, females or those who prefer a cheaper service without a 3 hour tour to a Temple
Sak Yant at Temple
The Sak Yant Temple is where a Monk who preforms the traditional Thai Tattoos resides. Only Males are able to have a Sak Yant by a Monk at a Temple. Although at Sak Yant Chiang Mai we are able to provide a Monk at a Samnak and an Ajarn at the Temple (with Blessing from a Monk) for Females.
Temples that preform Sak Yants are usually doing it because they need funds for additional buildings. So all of the Sak Yant Temples are smaller and rural Temples some 35-50km outside of Chiang Mai city.
3rd Decision: Combining it all Together
Sak Yant Chiang Mai has a wide variety of different Sak Yant Tattoo experiences to suit your budget and time constraints. For those wanting the full on experience there is a 3 hour tour where you are driven to a Monk at their Temple. Or if you have found a particular Sak Yant Master in Chiang Mai that appeals to you, Sak Yant Chiang Mai will take you to the Samnak of your Ajarn of choice. It is traditional for a person to receive their Sak Yant Tattoos from the same Sak Yant Master, so we make it easy for returning guests to do this.
At Sak Yant Chiang Mai we off the In-House service and the Temple Sak Yant service both offer the same Sak Yant designs and the same , the same blessing. The Tour option exists for those who want to experience the full adventure of going out to a rural Temple and receiving the Sak Yant at the Monks home ground.
The tour option will require following stricter protocols of behavior, standard of dress, and females can not get a Sak Yant from the Monk at a Temple. At Sak Yant Chiang Mai we have two choices to remedy this, allowing a Female to get a Sak Yant from either a Monk or at a Temple.
1) A Temple Monk who works from his own Samnak (Like an Ajarn). We go to the Monks Samnak and then Visit the Temple afterwards
2) An Ajarn who can provide Sak Yants within the Temple grounds, and then has his Monk Master bless the Sak Yant Tattoo
Out at the Temples, it is physically less comfortable (concrete floors and no AC) where as In-House we have carpeted flooring and Air Conditioned rooms. A Temple tour will take about 3 hours, where as the In-house are hour long appointments. So your age, desire for comfort and time restrictions can factor on your best choice.
Different Sak Yant Options listed from Popularity and Cost
1) Sak Yant Chiang Mai In-House Thai Tattoo
Males & Females
This option is available for Men, Females and Couples; and is only available at Sak Yant Chiang Mai. This service is similar to both the Monk at Samnak and Ajarn at Samnak service but done in the old city at Sak Yant Chiang Mai – without the additional costs of the tour service.
Here females can get a Sak Yant Tattoo in Chiang Mai by a Monk, as the Samnak is not located at the Temple. Generally quicker (one hour appointments can be made rather than half day tours, more comfortable (carpet and AC rooms) and is cheaper since there is no tour or travel involved. Different Sak Yant Masters are In-House each day – usually Ajarns. Monks are only available In-House during high season when we have two rooms open.
This service costs about 2000 baht per hour which includes the donation (larger and complex designs might be more). Each booking is for one hour and one person. Two people or larger designs will require two or more bookings.
2) Ajarn and Monk at Temple | Thai Tattoo Tour
Males, Females & Couples
This option is available for Men, Females and Couples; and only available from Sak Yant Chiang Mai. Here a Female is able to get a Sak Yant in Chiang Mai at a Temple.
The Sak Yant itself is performed by a Sak Yant Ajarn and then the Sak Yant is blessed by the Monk at the Temple. While the Ajarn is perfectly capable of performing the Blessing, the Monks Blessing is an extra nice touch to the experience.
This option for for Females that really wish to experience the Sak Yant in Chiang Mai at a Temple or couples that want to share the experience together.
This service costs 3000 baht for the tour plus the donation cost of the Sak Yant (starting at 1000 baht but depending on size). Additional people can go for 1500 baht if getting a Sak Yant or 500 baht if just watching. 1 person can get a large design, 2 people small to medium size design, 3 people small to medium size
Morning Time = 2 people Max getting a Sak Yant
Afternoon Time = 3 People Max getting a Sak Yant
3) Monk at a Sak Yant Temple | Thai Tattoo Tour
Males Only
This option is available only for Men, as a Monk will not provide a Sak Yant for a female at a Temple. Females will have to consider options 4 and 5.
For those wanting the full on experience there is a half day tour where you are driven to a Monk at their Temple. Sak Yant Chiang Mai has 3 or 4 Monks who offer this service to us.
The tour option will require following stricter protocols of behavior, standard of dress. Out at the Temples, it is physically less comfortable (concrete floors and no AC) and a tour will take about 3 hours, where you may need to wait for other people who arrived before you.
We do recommend you book online a couple of weeks ahead of time to ensure availability of
4) Sak Yant Master Ajarn at Their Samnak
Males, Females & Couples
This service is provided by most independent Sak Yant guides and tour services around Chiang Mai. At Sak Yant Chiang Mai we usually do not do this service since the Sak Yant Masters are coming to our location; saving you additional costs of hiring a guide and car.
However as many of our guests are returning, it is customary to have any additional Sak Yants performed by the same Master. We will provide this service if a guest is unable to book an appointment on a day their previous Master is available or if they wish to visit a particular Sak Yant Ajarn.
Ajarns usually live closer than Monks at their Temples so this service could cost 2000 baht for the tour plus the donation cost of the Sak Yant (starting at 1000 baht but depending on size). Ajarn Deang is a little further away so the cost for him is 3000 Baht.
5) Monk Rung at Sak Yant Samnak | Thai Tattoo Tour
Males, Females & Couples
This option is available for Men, Females and Couples. In Chiang Mai, Rung Monk is a Sak Yant Master who spends most of his day at his Sak Yant Samnak providing Sak Yant in Chiang Mai for a variety of Sak Yant providers in Chiang Mai.
A Visit to Rung Monk is available from a couple of Sak Yant Providers. One of our competitors Where Sidewalks End charge 9,500 baht for a small design and lunch.
At Sak Yant Chiang Mai the same service costs 3000 baht for the tour plus the donation cost of the Sak Yant (starting at 1000 baht but depending on size). Although we do not provide a lunch and figure you could get yourself a nice meal with the left over 6000 baht you save using us.
Recently Monk Rung requested donations amounts tended to be double those asked by other Monks – preferring to keep the Sak Yant Experience affordable we usually recommend option 4.
If someone particularly wishes to go to Ajarn Rung at his Samnak, we can go there. However the donation costs will be higher than we quoted on our Sak Yant pricing page as all the other Sak Yant Masters in our co-op have agreed to price standardization.
Video comparing the In-House to the Temple Visit
Book Additional People on your Sak Yant in Chiang Mai Tattoo Experience
1500 Baht Extra per Person getting a Sak Yant (Save 1500 Baht)
500 Baht for friends just wanting to watch
Our In-house service, it is free for your friends to watch
Our job at Sak Yant Chiang Mai is to make your Sak Yant Choice Easy!
We know that making the choice of where to get a Sak Yant in Chiang Mai can be confusing. We will talk with you about your desires and intentions and choice of designs. We will make sure you understand the process and how to act when in front of a Sak Yant Master and receiving a Tattoo. We will provide you with the Rules after obtaining a Traditional Thai Tattoo and provide medicated ointment. We go above and beyond anyone else making Sak Yant Chiang Mai the best place for finding out how to get a Sak Yant Tattoo in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Talk to us about your Intentions
We understand all the options can make the choice a difficult one. When it comes time for you to make a booking just let us know ….
Temple Tour or In-house Service
If you are Male or Female (Or if both tell us in the notes)
We will take care of all the rest and ensure you have a magical experience by selecting from one of over 10 Monks and Ajarns we have available.