Chiang Rai, and all of Thailand, is well known for having amazing temples. These range from older and abandoned to brand new with pops of color. Planning a trip to Chiang Rai is a must if you plan to be in northern Thailand. By giving yourself 3-4 days in the area, it is possible to see everything. Here is your comprehensive list of temples to visit during your stay!
How to Get There
Before planning activities, it’s important to know how you plan to get there. A quick list of options is below.
- Take a bus – generally from Chiang Mai or Bangkok (12 hours and ~$20). Check out 12GO to book your ticket.
- Take a flight – Airport is located northeast of town. We like Air Asia and Sky Scanner for tickets.
- Take a taxi – In roughly 3 hours from Chiang Mai you can arrive to Chiang Rai via taxi. Check out Rome2Rio for booking. A taxi will be more than a bus. If you have two people the price might even out to make the private ride worth it.
If taking a bus or flight, make sure you have the Grab app downloaded. This will help you get a ride to your next destination. We prefer to use Grab upon arrival because it reduces the confusion and stress of twenty people trying to get you to take their taxi. It also allows for a good estimate on what the price should be if you decide to take a taxi. Always get your accommodation information pulled up before stepping out to the road to avoid confusion.
Check out Expedia to rent a car for your trip! This is one place we highly recommend having your own transportation. If you plan to arrive and leave by plane, it is super easy to pick up and drop off your rental car at the airport.
Chiang Rai Temples
A big reason we recommend renting a car is that most of the places to visit are on the outskirts or actually outside of town. The city center is great for walking from your hotel to get dinner or go to a night market. During the day we recommend hopping in your car to get out to explore all the area has to offer. This includes some really awesome temples!
Wat Huay Pla Kang
The Wat Huay Pla Kang is awesome for a number of reasons. Not only is it an absolutely massive white Guanyin statue with huge dragons lining the walkway, it is also located in a temple complex. The three temples create a stunning backdrop for any photo. For a small cost you can ride up to the top of the white Guanyin to get a birds eye view. The inside is beautifully decorated in bright white with small diamonds glittering throughout. Make time to go into the other two temples as well. Plan to go a bit earlier in the morning to avoid the crowds.
Parking: Free and large
Entry: Free for basic, costs a couple dollars to go upstairs
Time: 1 hour
***Hot Tip: Plan to visit with time to stop at the Lalita Cafe. It is a stunning jungle cafe that is right next to the temple complex.***
Wat Tham Phra
Cave temples are some of our favorites. Head out to the west of town to find Wat Tham Phra. It is a very unique temple compared to many of the others. We loved it because it felt more authentic than the overly decorated style. It truly felt like a sanctuary. It was also mostly empty during our visit with only two other tourists. A few monks were sitting outside working as well. Since it is close to the river, the views are beautiful. Head around the corner to go to anther buddha statue and small cave. Don’t forget to give the temple cats a few pets too. This one also has a small bathroom but don’t expect cleanliness or toilet paper.
Parking: Free
Entry: Free with optional donation
Time: 20-30 minutes
***Hot Tip: Check out the Tu Pu Cave as well. We stumbled upon it and then researched afterwards. It appeared abandoned during our visit. Always be careful for you own safety.***
Wat Rong Suea Ten
The blue temple is another well known spot to visit. Expect quite a bit of crowds here for that reason. The area boasts being almost all blue with touches of gold throughout. The outside of the temple is absolutely stunning and bright. As a smaller temple complex area, there is a few booths selling offerings and snacks. The temple itself only takes a few minutes to walk through. We recommend making sure to walk around the entire outside as well. During our visit there was construction so hopefully they’ve added to it!
Parking: Free across the street
Entry: Free
Time: 30 minutes
Wat Rong Khun
Everyone’s favorite is often the Wat Rong Khun, the white temple. Though the entire outside is white, the inside is very colorful. You can find different movie characters from Star Wars and Disney painted on the inside. No pictures are allowed inside of the actual temple. The complex is very large and includes the gold temple. There is a beautiful waterfall area that also has characters in it. Tickets can be bought online ahead of time. We visited right at open and right before close. We recommend the latter because it is possible to be one of the last people walking through with the golden sun creating stunning colors against the white temple.
It is important to dress appropriately at this location. The people at the front will turn you away if they deem you as dressed inappropriately. There is a place across the street to buy a cover if needed.
Parking: Free across the street parking lot
Entry: 100 Baht (order here ahead of time to avoid lines)
Time: 1 hour
Doi In Cee
An off the beaten path route will take you to the Doi In Cee temple. Be prepared for a stunning view over the countryside. If you have some spare corn, you will likely get the opportunity to meet a beautiful white peacock and her chicken friends. The other peacocks are very interested in friendship as well. This is another location that feels much more authentic and truly a place of spirituality. There was one other small group visiting during our visit. If you are looking for a place of serenity, this is it.
Parking: Free but small
Entry: Free
Time: 30 minutes
General Recommendations for Chiang Rai Temples
If you plan to visit the temples, try your best to dress appropriately out of respect for entering their space. Always be kind and courteous. More often than not you will likely need to take your shoes off to enter the temples. Wearing shoes that are easy to get on and off can be helpful for this. Here is a quick list of things to have with you if you plan to visit Chiang Rai –
- Tissues – almost no where will have toilet paper
- Hand Sanitizer – they also don’t usually have soap or water
- Cover for your shoulders – I like a lightweight shawl that I can easily take off and on
- International Driver’s License – Easy to get online, relatively inexpensive and doesn’t expire for a long time
- Pack snacks and water – the heat here is no joke, getting some food and water to leave in the car is very helpful
- Go adventuring and find lesser known temples! There are tons of options outside of town and some are seriously cool!
We hope you found this information helpful! Check out our other posts for Thailand!
Want to get your trip easily planned for you? Check out the links below for guided tours —
