Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)
Chiang Rai's best-known landmark is a dazzling white temple that is part Buddhist shrine, part contemporary art installation, designed and still being built by the artist Chalermchai Kositpipat.
Thailand
Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai is the far north of Thailand at its most artistic and most atmospheric, a small riverside city where a gleaming white temple, a blue-and-gold temple and a cluster of black wooden houses have turned local artists into world-famous landmarks.
Beyond the city, the province climbs into tea-covered mountains at Doi Mae Salong, reaches a royal villa and garden on Doi Tung, and runs out to the Mekong at the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet. This guide gives you the essential sights with honest advice on timing and getting around, plus ten hotels, from a Mekong-side elephant camp resort and riverside pool villas to budget bases within walking distance of the clock tower and night bazaar.
Don't miss
Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)
Chiang Rai's best-known landmark is a dazzling white temple that is part Buddhist shrine, part contemporary art installation, designed and still being built by the artist Chalermchai Kositpipat.
Baan Dam Museum (Black House)
A sprawling compound of dark wooden buildings filled with carvings, horns, skins and folk art, created by the National Artist Thawan Duchanee as a counterpoint to Chiang Rai's white temple.
Doi Tung Royal Villa and Mae Fah Luang Garden
A mountain-top royal villa and a landscaped garden on Doi Tung, built by the Princess Mother and linked to a pioneering development project that turned poppy hills into a thriving community.
Wat Rong Suea Ten (Blue Temple)
A free, intensely blue-and-gold temple close to the centre of Chiang Rai, built by a former student of the White Temple's creator and best seen in the soft light of early morning or evening.
Things to do in Chiang Rai
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
FreeWat Rong Suea Ten (Blue Temple)
A free, intensely blue-and-gold temple close to the centre of Chiang Rai, built by a former student of the White Temple's creator and best seen in the soft light of early morning or evening.
45-60 minutesDetails →
Baan Dam Museum (Black House)
A sprawling compound of dark wooden buildings filled with carvings, horns, skins and folk art, created by the National Artist Thawan Duchanee as a counterpoint to Chiang Rai's white temple.
Singha Park Chiang Rai
A huge working farm and leisure park on the edge of Chiang Rai, with flower gardens, tea and fruit fields, farm animals and wide lawns that suit families and slow afternoons.
Hall of Opium Museum
A serious, well-designed museum at the Golden Triangle that explains the history of opium, its trade and its human cost, founded under the patronage of the Princess Mother.
FreeGolden Triangle Viewpoint (Sop Ruak)
The riverside viewpoint at Sop Ruak where the Ruak and Mekong rivers meet and Thailand, Laos and Myanmar face each other across the water, with a golden Buddha and a long river promenade.
1-2 hoursDetails →
Doi Mae Salong Tea Village
A cool mountain village of tea terraces, Yunnanese-style food and winding roads, set high above the plains north-west of Chiang Rai.
Half day to full dayDetails →
Doi Tung Royal Villa and Mae Fah Luang Garden
A mountain-top royal villa and a landscaped garden on Doi Tung, built by the Princess Mother and linked to a pioneering development project that turned poppy hills into a thriving community.
Chiang Rai Clock Tower and Night Bazaar
The golden clock tower is Chiang Rai's central landmark, and the night bazaar nearby is the easiest place to eat, browse and soak up the evening.
2-3 hoursDetails →
FreeChoui Fong Tea Plantation
Terraced tea rows rolling along a mountain ridge, with a hilltop cafe that serves tea drinks and desserts and a rooftop with 360-degree views.
1-2 hoursDetails →
Chiang Rai Saturday Walking Street
A Lanna-style street market that fills Thanalai Road every Saturday from late afternoon until midnight, with local food, crafts and a relaxed, family-friendly crowd.
2-3 hoursDetails →
FreeWat Huai Pla Kang
A large, working temple complex outside the city, known for its tall stupa with a carved wooden Guan Yin on the ground floor and a Buddha image on every level.
45-60 minutesDetails →
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort
Golden Triangle, Chiang Saen
The splurge address in Chiang Rai province: a 61-room luxury resort at the Golden Triangle with Mekong views, a three-level spa and a rescued-elephant programme in 160 acres of grounds.
Check rates →Le Méridien Chiang Rai Resort
Kok Riverside, Robwieng
A five-star riverside resort on the Kok River with a spa, a pool, free bicycles and the Blue Temple only a few minutes away by car.
Check rates →The Riverie by Katathani
Kok Riverside, Wiang
A five-star family resort on a private riverside island with a waterslide, children's club and spa, a short drive from the clock tower and night bazaar.
Check rates →Wiang Inn Hotel Chiang Rai
City Centre, near the Night Bazaar
A long-running central hotel with a pool, a spa and free breakfast, three minutes' walk from the night bazaar and close to the clock tower.
Check rates →B2 Chiang Rai Boutique & Budget Hotel
City Centre, Wiang
A good-value, 88-room city hotel with free parking and free bottled water, seven minutes' walk from the clock tower.
Check rates →The Legend Chiang Rai Boutique River Resort and Spa
Robwiang, Kok riverside
A 76-room riverside resort of garden studios and pool villas on the Kok River, with a spa, four restaurants, free parking and the clock tower about three minutes away by car.
Check rates →The Heritage Chiang Rai Hotel and Convention
Tambon Sansai, Chiang Rai
A large, 321-room hotel with an outdoor pool, free parking, 24-hour room service and a wide choice of suites, rated 9.0 by guests and a short drive from the clock tower.
Check rates →Hi Chiangrai Hotel
Phahonyothin Road, city centre
A 70-room hotel on Phahonyothin Road with an indoor pool, free bicycles and free parking, about five minutes on foot from the night bazaar and eight from the clock tower.
Check rates →Diamond Park Inn Chiang Rai Resort
Robwiang, near the night bazaar
A 78-room inn with a garden, an outdoor pool with a children's pool and free parking, within a ten-minute walk of the clock tower and the night bazaar.
Check rates →Hotel Selene Chiang Rai
Wiang, city centre
A 67-room central hotel with an outdoor pool, a restaurant and bar, free parking and an elevator, three minutes on foot from the King Meng Rai monument and rated 9.2.
Check rates →Chiang Rai guides
First-Timer’s Guide to Chiang Rai: Temples, Tea Hills and the Golden Triangle
What to book ahead, how to get around, how many days to allow and where the headline sights fit, for a first visit to Thailand's far north.
Where to Stay in Chiang Rai: City Centre, Kok Riverside or the Golden Triangle
A neighbourhood guide to Chiang Rai hotels, from budget and mid-range bases near the night bazaar to riverside resorts and a Mekong-side luxury camp.
Chiang Rai in Three Days: A Day-by-Day Itinerary
A practical three-day plan for Chiang Rai covering the three artistic temples, the night markets, the Golden Triangle and a mountain day, with realistic pacing.
Eating and Drinking in Chiang Rai: Northern Thai Dishes, Night Markets and Mountain Tea
What to eat in Chiang Rai, from khao soi and northern sausage to night bazaar snacks, hill-country tea and where each fits into a day of sightseeing.
Best Time to Visit Chiang Rai: Seasons, Weather and Festivals
When to go to Chiang Rai, with the cool, hot and rainy seasons explained plainly, plus what each means for temples, tea hills, mountain roads and hotel prices.
Day Trips from Chiang Rai: The Golden Triangle, Mae Sai and the Tea Mountains
Four ways to spend a day beyond the city: the Golden Triangle and Chiang Saen, Mae Sai and Tham Luang, the tea hills of Doi Mae Salong, and Doi Tung.
