CHIANG RAI
Updated August 2026: This article describes our pre-pandemic trip. Entrance fees, tour prices and timetables quoted below are historical. The White Temple, Blue Temple, Baan Dam Museum and Golden Triangle remain visitor attractions, but verify current opening hours and prices directly. Visits to Kayan villages remain ethically controversial; choose community-led experiences and confirm how admission revenue benefits residents.
Chiang Rai is usually mentioned alongside Chiang Mai, 180 km away. It is a very touristy city, yet surprisingly little known. The main reason is that most visitors come here on day trips from Chiang Mai. Despite having border crossings with both Laos and Myanmar, it has not quite become a mass-tourism destination.We also came to Chiang Rai on a day tour from Chiang Mai, but instead of returning with the group, we stayed overnight and flew to Phuket the next day. The flight from Chiang Rai was cheaper than the one from Chiang Mai, so we avoided another four-and-a-half-hour road journey and saved money too.
Chiang Rai is one of the oldest cities in Thailand
THINGS TO DO IN CHIANG RAI
KAREN LONG-NECK VILLAGE
The Karen villages, home to the women often described as the ‘long-neck’ or ‘giraffe’ women, became internationally famous after appearing in National Geographic. Today they are among the most intriguing attractions in northern Thailand.
The Padaung, or Kayan, people fled Myanmar’s military regime in the 1980s and settled in villages that functioned much like refugee camps. Our guide said conditions had improved, that children could attend school and that citizenship was being granted. Perhaps this was also meant to justify the tourism around the villages; critics often describe them as ‘human zoos.’
Girls begin wearing the brass coils at around five years old, and the coils are replaced or extended as they grow. Contrary to a common myth, removing them does not cause death, nor are they a religious obligation. The weight pushes the shoulders and collarbone down, creating the appearance of a longer neck. Some women also wear coils on their arms and lower legs.
There are many theories about the custom: that it protected women from tiger attacks, made them less attractive to slave traders, made them more attractive to men, or helped them resemble dragons from local folklore. The women themselves simply say they find it beautiful.
We paid 300 THB to enter, though I later read accounts from visitors who paid 500–600 THB. The price appears to vary by village. Our guide said half of the fee went to residents and half to the government. The women also earn income by selling souvenirs.
WAT RONG KHUN — THE WHITE TEMPLE
The White Temple is Chiang Rai’s best-known attraction, and it is anything but ordinary. Designed by Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, it opened to visitors in 1997 and combines Buddhist symbolism with surreal contemporary art.
Every surface is packed with provocative detail. Among the hellish murals you can spot pop-culture figures such as Wolverine and Captain America, Michael Jackson, the Twin Towers entwined with oil pumps, the Terminator, Neo and Optimus Prime.
Our guide explained that these images represent the anxieties and confusion of modern life. Even superheroes are part of that confusion; in the end, it is the Buddha who brings enlightenment and salvation.
This was the hottest, most crowded and most rushed stop on our tour. There was so much to examine and photograph, but the queues made it the hardest place to enjoy at leisure.
Photography is not allowed inside, and staff react sharply to people trying to sneak pictures. A nearby building displays an image of the original mural for free, while reproductions are sold in the shop.
Even the golden building housing the toilets has a meaning: gold represents worldly greed and materialism. I could not help thinking of Bangkok’s 5.5-ton Golden Buddha.
You can buy a small metal wish plaque for 30 THB. Our guide said all proceeds support art scholarships. Similar offerings are common at temples; at temples in Penang, for example, visitors can buy roof tiles and write their names on them, leaving a lasting mark on the temple while wishing for good luck and prosperity.
THE BLUE TEMPLE
The Blue Temple is about 15 km from the White Temple. Its designer, Phuttha Kabkaew, studied under the artist behind the White Temple, and the influence is easy to see. We simply found it a pleasant place to visit.
Photography is allowed inside. As at other temples, remove your shoes and dress modestly.
The temple is filled with beautiful artwork and sculpture, inside and out. Some of the murals reminded us of European palaces, while the entrance and exit doorway is portrayed as a gateway to hell.
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BAAN DAM MUSEUM — THE BLACK HOUSE
This is not a temple but the former home and workshop of Thai artist Thawan Duchanee. Known as the Black House, it feels a little like a waiting room for hell, yet the garden and dark wooden buildings are genuinely beautiful—and very photogenic.
See exhibit 1A ↓
See exhibit 1A ↓
Unless it is included in your tour or you have plenty of time in Chiang Rai, I would not make a special trip solely for this stop. Admission was 80 THB when we visited.
THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE
Here the Mekong River forms the meeting point of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. Our guide told us the name came from drug deals once being settled in gold, although Wikipedia says the CIA coined the term because of the region’s opium trade.
The main activity on the Thai side is a boat trip on the Mekong. We were travelling with our parents and skipped it because we expected to take a Mekong tour in Vietnam the following month. Although we had obtained our Vietnam visas and booked our flights, we cancelled the trip for the second time when the first COVID-19 restrictions appeared. A reminder, once again, not to postpone the journeys you really want to take.
CHIANG RAI CITY CENTRE
Most day-trippers return to Chiang Mai, while some travellers continue toward Laos or Myanmar. We stayed for one night. After paying a small supplement to keep our luggage on the tour vehicle, we were dropped at our hotel, walked around town, watched the Clock Tower light show and headed to the airport the next morning. The hotel owner even made us a sweet little hand-drawn guide.
There is not a huge amount to do in central Chiang Rai.
The Clock Tower used to host a light-and-sound show every evening at 7, 8 and 9 p.m. It is no Singapore , but it is still fun :D
We missed the free sightseeing tram because departures were only at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
There is also a fruit market as well as the night market, though it may not impress anyone arriving from Bangkok.
Super Rich exchange offices usually offered some of Thailand’s best rates. As always, be alert to counterfeit notes and scams.
The Clock Tower used to host a light-and-sound show every evening at 7, 8 and 9 p.m. It is no Singapore , but it is still fun :D
We missed the free sightseeing tram because departures were only at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
There is also a fruit market as well as the night market, though it may not impress anyone arriving from Bangkok.
Super Rich exchange offices usually offered some of Thailand’s best rates. As always, be alert to counterfeit notes and scams.
HOW TO GET TO CHIANG RAI
The best option depends on where you are travelling from.
Regular buses run between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.
We arrived on a Chiang Mai day tour and paid a small supplement to be dropped at our Chiang Rai hotel instead of returning with the group.
There are also regular flights between Bangkok and Chiang Rai.
If you are comfortable driving on the left, renting a car is another option.
Regular buses run between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.
We arrived on a Chiang Mai day tour and paid a small supplement to be dropped at our Chiang Rai hotel instead of returning with the group.
There are also regular flights between Bangkok and Chiang Rai.
If you are comfortable driving on the left, renting a car is another option.
WHERE TO STAY IN CHIANG RAI
We stayed for just one night, so cleanliness was our main priority. We chose the hotel after checking Booking.com reviews. The owner of Baansilp Hotel was almost obsessively careful about cleanliness. This was early in the coronavirus outbreak, before restrictions began, and we even saw room keys being washed with detergent. Based on our stay at the time, we were happy to recommend it.
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