Visiting the most popular destinations in Asia is a unique journey in our travel life, but visiting some of the most underrated ones even more thrilling one. Since Asia is a kind of continent where destinations are not just offers thrilling adventures, moreover it helps us to dwell in more different cultures, traditions and lifestyles.
In the row of Asia underrated travel destinations, today we are going to discuss one of the iconic destinations of Northern Thailand town “Chiang Rai”. The city is more popular to enjoy unusual things to do and take a glimpse of rich Buddhist cultural places like White temple, Baandam Museum and natural beauties like tea plantations. So, to make your Chiang Rai trip more comfortable and convenient, this article came up with fantastic ideas about the 10 best things to do in Chiang Rai while you step into this land.
10 Best Things to Do in Chiang Rai
1. Explore the Architectural Marvel of White Temple/Wat Rong Khun
Starting your Chiang Rai travel journey through visiting the iconic White Temple or Wat Rong Khun is the greatest thing to do. We think visiting to White temple will help us to enjoy incredible architecture, especially white color exterior designs and billon mirrored chips.
Wat Rong Khun major beauty is its architectural marvelous, its exterior design contains the cycle of rebirth bridge and Pite of Hell, whereas interior design includes a three- tiered roof, Kinnara and Naga sculptures. Each of these attractions represents the rich Thai cultural heritages and strong Buddhist regions influences.
Built in 1997, by the Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat who decided to build a Thai cultural oriented temple and wish to welcome visitors through modern themes like mirrored glasses with rich Buddhist ideologies and pop culture character.
Out of many Thai temples, Wat Rong Khun is a perfect example of the country’s monochrome structure architectures reflecting confectionery facade glitting and surrounding moat. Despite its brilliant style and architecture, White temple is not finished yet, but it is open to the general public and you can visit daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Entry Fee: 200 THB (foreign travelers) and to Thai citizens, children under 120 cm and persons above 70+ age are completely free.
2. Enjoy the Unique Designs of Baan Dam Museum
Baan Dam Museum, often called the Black House or Black House Museum, it is not a dam or temple, and this one place called studio and conservatory for budding artistic works. The museum’s iconic artistic complex in Chiang Rain has unique collections of dark themed structures and painting that showcasing Thai art and cultures.
This Baan Dam totals 1,60,000 square meters, consists of 40 buildings and most of the buildings include things like covered head to toe in art, taxidermied animals and interactive installations. It’s overall planning and construction initiatives were taken by the Thawan Duchanee who purely inspired by the Buddhism philosophy and human natures.
Built in 1976, today we can see 40 different designs and sizes of art collections such as carvings, installations and sculptures. However, the museum exhibits animal bones and skins, especially displays of crocodile skins, buffalo horns and smaller animal pelts.
Museum Cathedral and Tri Phum are major attractions, Cathedral is an innovative concept which is a large central nave style of architecture with numerous artefacts and art pieces located inside such as animal specimens. Tri Phum is a Triangle house which was used as a resting house for strollers. Don’t miss to appreciate the ancient style of Thai architecture built by the wooden materials and place which try to exhibit more Thai designs and patterns.
Entry Fee: 80 THB or $2.50 per adult person.
3. Visit Class Royal Temple of Wat Phra Kaew
Wat Phra Kaew is a place where we can see 66 cm of Buddha statues. Like the White temple, Wat Phra Kaew of Chiang Rai is another popular place to find Thai culture and rich Buddhist architecture. Often called the Temple of Emerald Buddha, located in Mueang Chiang Rai District, Grand Palace complex in Bangkok.
Wat Phra Kaew is purely dedicated to the Maha Nikaya section of Buddhism. Its architecture looks like a gold leafed one, contains gilded phra Si Rattana Chedi, Ramakien mural images and some other statues, common art pieces available inside this temple.
Initially this temple was called Wat Pa Yia, during 1434 the temple name changed to a Wat Phra Kaew, when lighting was stuck in the chedi, resulting Buddha statue hiding inside. When the stucco was cracked, slowly a green gemstone beneath was revealed, this made them find an Emerald Buddha statue, thereafter this temple was called Wat Pa Yia.
Besides that, the temple offers Ramakien Mural Paintings, which includes 178 sorts of wall panels, depicting the Thai epic story style of Ramayan. Temple walls present some mythological figures like statues of Garuda, Yaksha and Kinnara, including the history of the temple. According to history and cultural sources, Wat Phra Kaew temple is the small scale replica of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat Temple, especially their Thai-Cambodian relations.
Entry Fee: Completely free.
4. Take a Walk Amidst of the Choui Fong Tea Plantation
Choui Fong Tea Plantation is an awe inspiring countryside tea plantation where visitors can spend their free time walking amidst its tranquil settings. This tea plantation is located 500 to 1,200 meters above sea level, making it one of the finest places in Chiang Rai for photographers to get the most beautiful clicks.
While you stroll inside tea plantation, you are more eligible to find sample of varieties of locally grown teas at on site cafe, its cultivation process and vast green spaces. These vast areas of tea fields stretch across the mountainous landscapes, offer more breathtaking eye catching views and help us to understand how tea plantations work including its processing.
Choui Fong Tea is known for its high quality and award winning Oolong, green tea and matcha. Its friendly geographical conditions, black soil and location, making its teas are fresher, floral aroma and smooth. Its taste and popularity are even more influenced by the mixture of Taiwanese cultivation and processing techniques and ancient Thai methods.
Nevertheless, Choui Fong is a one of the fantastic nature friendly destinations to enjoy Chiang Rai’s scenic views, luxurious ambiances and unique plantation crops. This perfect peaceful, friendly place makes us escape from the hustle and bustle of city life, and helps to spend more time with Thailand’s countryside.
Entry Fee: Free.
5. Feel the Striking Blue Color of Wat Rong Sua Ten
We just discussed the most popular and sought after Thai Temple; White Temple. Did you know that Chiang Rai has another temple called “Blue Temple”? Yes temple, often called Wat Rong Sua Ten, is a modern Buddhist temple and second famous temple in Chiang Rai.
The temple blue color is the more striking one. This blue color represents purity, wisdom, dharma and the Buddhist principle of letting go material things. To make temple name more striking, each of the temples walls, pillars, roofs and some statues are painted in blue color.
The reason behind adding this colorful temple to your things to do in Chiang Rai is the massive statue of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. This statue is considered as the most important and massive (approximately, 6.5-meters tall) among other statues inside of Blue Temple.
Designed by the local artist named Mr. Phuttha Kabkaew, from 2005-2016. Thai people believed that both White and Blue temples are spiritual siblings, one showcasing purity and another is wisdom and Dharma. Since temple free to explore, you can visit even during peak season and you’ll not feel more crowded and it is easy to explore.
Entry Free: Free of Charge.
6. Meet the Golden Triangle
While pursuing your best things to do in Chiang Rai do not miss visit the Golden Triangle. This Triangle is often recognised as an iconic region in Thailand, where visitors can see Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meeting points in one place.
This is the historic intersection of Mekong River and Ruak River, where once opium trade took place. But today it is home to popular tourist attractions like House of Opium, local craft exhibitions, an ideal place to see the meeting points of 3 major countries and take the most beautiful river cruises/Mekong River Boat rides.
Visitors need to travel 70 km north to Chiang Rai city to see this place. The Hall of Opium Museum is a major attraction here which explains wide historical incidents of opium and drug trade. Golden Triangle Park is another iconic place to spend our free time, where gigantic golden Buddha is situated. However, the viewpoint is prime point to see the meeting point of the Ruak and Mekong River.
Before leaving Triangle point do not miss to visit Sop Ruak and Long neck Karen Villages. Ban Sop Ruak is a village where people (Laotians) sell local handicrafts. “Long Neck Karen Village” is a more interesting one, you’ll see people (especially womens) wear brass rings stacked around their necks. They call it as a symbol of cultural identity, but they are not ingenious, these tribes are migrated from Myanmar and they well focused on their traditions, lifestyles and traditional attire.
Entry Fee: No entry fee.
7. Spend Your Time in Singha Park
Singha Park is a renowned and vast recreational park in the Chiang Rai region, featuring beautiful gardens, tea plantations, rubber plantations and perfect place to take adventure activities like zip lining, rock climbing, bike races, farm tours and cycling. The park is located just 12 km southwest of Chiang Rai, in Mae Kon countryside region.
The park spans over 3,000 acres of land, where a giant golden lion statue, vast flower gardens and on-site restaurants are available for us to explore. But the interesting part is that the park provides education about local farms since it is marginally family farm owned. It explains about flower fields, tea plantations, orchards and local farmers’ lifestyles, making it park called as a “Boon Rawd Farm”.
Park offers bike trails to take cycles and bikes for you to ride or visitors can simply stroll around the lawans in the park. Parks maps help us to provide an accurate route of biking and help us to walk amidst nature. Like Rothschild’s Giraffe Centre in Nairobi, feeding to Giraffe and Zebras is completely welcoming here.
Besides that, the park boasts some of the beautiful on site restaurants such as Barn House Pixxeria, Bhu Bhirom Reasturent, Farm Design and Cafes/food stalls. Try to be there during the park when host colorful events and festivals such as farm festivals, hot air balloon festivals and seasonal flower shows.
Entry Fee: Free for walking and to access lake areas, but visitors need to pay;
Bike costs in Singha Park;
1. Tandem Bike- 150 Baht
2. Childrens Bike- 50 Baht
3. Mountain Bike- 100 Baht.
Trams/open air buses (to explore nearby farm areas);
1. Adults: 100 Baht
2. Childrens: 50 Baht.
8. Spend Your Night in Chiang Rai Night Bazaar
In the list of Things to do in Chiang Rai, visiting the Night Bazaar of Chiang Rai is the perfect way to experience a bustling hub of vendors and lifestyles. Bazaar welcomes visitors from its Thai culture, bustling nightlife, vibrant cuisine options, music venues and handcrafted shops through compact lantern-lit alleyways.
The night market took place over 2 streets in downtown Chiang Rai. The streets were so busy in selling jewellery, gift stuff and handmade clothes. As a backpacker, you can walk amidst these shops and interact directly with artisans, local producers and purchase your souvenirs directly from them at very fair prices.
However, bazaars hand woven scarves, silver jewellery and bamboo crafts reflect your eye through market’s benign sign board lights. Out of 2 streets, one boasts textiles, sandblown items, Hmong makers, and indigo dyed fabrics.
Do not miss making light dinners at Kad San Ji, offering candle light dinners with the seating capacity of 400 at a time. During your dinners you can choose sai ua sausage, banana roti, khao soi and mango sticky rice from its menu option. Since the market is so bustling during night time, we can witness live music and dancing venues more in number. Lann folk dance group performances, cultural shows and Leo or Chang beer group dances are more common.
No Entry Fee to explore.
9. Visit Hill Area Long Neck Tribal Village
Until you’re not visit and exploring the cultural richness of the hill tribal areas of Chiang, your things to do in Chiang Rai won’t be complete. Such a phenomenal place in this region to see such weird culture, lifestyles, attires and traditions of the local tribes, who are living over the last 3 centuries.
In the list of tribes, we need to discuss the “Long neck Karen tribe”. You may have seen in Youtube or TV about women who are wearing brass rings to their necks. Yes they are majorly isolated in the tribal region and who are seriously following their unique culture styles. Once a child reached 5 years of age, she began to wear these heavy brass coils/rings.
The reason behind wearing these brass rings is so curious, they believe that wearing brass represents identity, status, beauty and pride according to their customs. But some historical evidence explains they started to wear these rings to protect against tiger attacks, separate from other local tribes and respect Kayan and dragon folklore.
Actually they are a sub group of “Red Karen/ Karenni people”, who migrated from Myanmar during the 1980s and 1990s, but even today there aren’t any Thai citizens. Along with cultural impression, make some shopping here, women who are selling their handicrafts and souvenirs to tourists, especially those made in their own traditional way.
Entry Fee: 200-300 THB per person.
10. Visit Wat Huay Pla Kang
Finish your journey of Things to do in Chiang Rai through visiting this massive 90 meter tall “Wat Huay Pla Kang” statue. This statue of Guan Yin is a symbol of the Goddess of Mercy located just 6km away from Chiang Rai city.
In simple words, Wat Huay Pla Kang is a 9 stories tall, 25 floor pagoda structure which is heavily influenced by the ancient Thai-Chinese and Lana architectures. Its 9 story pagoda also known as “Phop Chok Dhamma Chedi”, acts as a social and religious charity and hub of Buddhism.
However, 9 story tall building mixture of green, gold and red combinations, green and gold dragons guarding its entrance, includes more carvings and scriptures of Buddhism and deities inside. The location of Wat Huay Pla Kang is very ideal, where travelers take elevator 25th floor to enjoy views of surrounding rolling hills and forest and aerial views of Chiang Rai.
The temple is open daily from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM, visitors need to pay a single penny to explore the temple complex. But remember visiting during sunset is really an incredible idea to enjoy beautiful views over the city and rolling hills especially if you’re a photographer.
Entry Fee: Free to enter, not for elevator rides (40 THB).
How to Get to Chiang Rai
Getting to Chiang Rai is an obvious thing, its location in Northern Thailand, you need to take just a 4 hours journey from Chiang Mai. A city well connected from Thailand’s, visitors can travel through plane, car and bus.
1. Flights
The most common mode of traveling to a backpacker, and it is possible here in the Chiang too. Chiang Rai runs a small local airport where some direct flights run from Bangkok (1.5 hours of journey) with the cost of $12 including your baggage fees. Flight is the perfect travel option for those who are coming from Bangkok and not having a plan to visit other northern Thailand destinations.
2. Bus
Compared to other major getting options to Chiang Rai, choosing a bus is the most popular and recommended option to reach from Chiang Mai (185 km total distance). Due to good availability and affordable options, buses are a perfect mode of transportation, especially if you are looking to reach from the nearest city. It will take a 4 to 4.5 hours journey with a little cost of $6.
If you dislike to travel from Bangkok, then choose overnight bus options which would take 10 to 13 hours of journey within the cost of $20 USD.
3. Car
Take a rental car to enjoy the surrounding beauties and attractions. Compared to 2 buses and flights, a car is more comfortable and expensive option. There are ample private taxi and rental car services available from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai/ vice versa. Make sure about the price, check properly and compare with other rental services before booking your final rental car services.
Where You Can Eat and Drink?
1. Siam Corner Restaurant
Looking to experience authentic Thai cuisines, choose Siam Corner Restaurant as your prime option. The restaurant’s menu includes dishes that reflect Thai heritages and filled by the traditional flavours and fresh ingredients.
Siam Corner is popular for its Thai Green Curry, loved by most visitors made by the green curry paste, coconut milk and locally grown fresh vegetables. Try Tom Yum Soup, usually served with lemon grass, galangal and tomatoes. If you are looking for the best dietary restaurants, Siam Corner will also cater you, offering both vegan and non-vegan dishes including gluten free dishes.
2. Lalitta Cafe
Looking for the most picturesque and Instagrammable cafes in Chiang Rai choose Lalitta Cafe. Lalitta café you can spot while traveling to Wat Huay Pla Kang, where you can choose to drink classic espresso based drinks like hot or iced and cappuccinos coffees, if you tired.
While tasting cafes, we need to appreciate its manmade waterfalls, mist, and mossy greenery settings. This epic garden includes fairy wonderland, boardwalk, fog and lilypads, surely makes you drink more coffee. These attractions have some value, guests need to pay 60 THB or $1.70 to enter its cafe premises and need to pay extra price to coffee.
3. Dear Friends
Dear Friends unique dining option in Chiang Rai especially those who are looking to try western style Bistro salads, drinks and accoutrements. Covers cuisines options ranging from international, Italian to French inspired menus includes carrot cake and truffle soups.
Located in the heart of Chiang Rai, its ambiance and architecture welcome guests to spend more time with it. A cozy garden, outdoor entertainment areas, and a sunny terrace are ideal things to spend our time with dear friends.
