Chiang Rai is a beautiful and laid-back city in the northern region of Thailand, strategically located near the borders of Laos and Myanmar. It is known for its rich history, cultural heritage, and natural beauty.
In this article, I will cover the best things to do and see in Chiang Mai. These include the most popular temples, night markets, historical & cultural attractions, and outdoor activities.
Founded in 1262 by King Mangrai, it served as the first capital of the Lanna Kingdom, which is an ancient kingdom in Northern Thailand. The King later moved the capital to Chiang Mai in 1296. Chiang Rai became part of Siam Kingdom (now Thailand) in the 18th century.
Chiang Rai is now a popular tourist destination in North Thailand. Visitors come here to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere, trekking, explore unique temples and cultural sites, and use it as the base to explore the Golden Triangle.
Must see temples in Chiang Rai include the White Temple and the Blue temple. You can learn the history and admire the traditional Lana architecture-style buildings at the Black House Museum.
If you need recommendation on itinerary and getting around Chiang Rai, you can read these articles:
- My 2-3 Days In Chiang Rai Itinerary
- How to get to Chiang Rai and Get Around
- Where to Stay in Chiang Rai
If you love outdoor activities, you can go trekking and visit hill tribe villages such as Lisu, Chinese, Akha, and Lahu. At Night, you can visit Chiang Rai Night Bazaar or watch a light show at the Clock Tower.
Here are top attractions and activities in Chiang Rai:
14 Best Things to Do & See in Chiang Rai
Temples
Chiang Rai has lots of temples to explore. The most popular temples are the White Temple, the Blue temple, Wat Phra Kaew, and Wat Huay Pla Kang.
If you take a guided sightseeing tour, you’ll likely visit the White and Blue Temples. Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Huay Pla Kang are lesser-known temples and are easy to visit by taxi or motorbike rentals.
#1. White Temple
The White Temple, or Wat Rong Khun, is one of the top attractions in Chiang Rai. It is known for its stunning all-white temple designed by famous local artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. The temple has intricate carvings and mirror work.
The temple is located 13 km south of Chiang Rai City Center. I visited this temple as a part of a full day sightseeing tour around Chiang Rai. You can reach the White Temple independently by taking Grab, tuk tuk, or even public buses from Chiang Rai bus terminal 1.
The bus runs frequently and the ticket is 20 baht. You don’t need to book a bus ticket in advance, just check the schedule, show up, and pay the fee for the driver.
The White temple is open every day from 8am to 5pm. The temple’s ground is free to explore, but if you want to go inside the main hall of the white temple, you need to buy the entrance ticket for 50 baht.
The temple’s ground is quite big. In addition to the white temple, you can explore other buildings and attractions such as the Cave of Art, the bell, the golden Hall, the museum, and fish feeding area. I recommend spending 1-2 hours at the temple. With the guided tour, we spent 45 minutes at the site.
There are plenty of tourist amenities around the White Temple. You can find 7-11 convenience stores, a market, souvenir shops, and a food court area with lots of restaurants.
#2. Blue Temple
Blue Temple, or Rong Suea Ten Temple, is a modern and famous temple in Chiang Rai. The temple was constructed in 2005 and completed in 2016. It has beautiful architecture with blue being the main color.
Blue Temple is located 3 km north of Chiang Rai city center. I visited the temple as part of the tour and spent 45 minutes at the temple. You can access the temple by tuk-tuk or taxi. The temple is open every day from early morning to early evening. Admission is free.
When you first arrive at the temple, you will be welcomed with two huge blue sculptures. Then, you can explore the main hall with a large white Buddha statue surrounded by detailed artwork. I saw lots of locals come here to pray. The exterior is adorned with elaborate sculptures and murals.
There are toilets, and shops selling clothes, souvenirs, and ice cream. It has lots of shades, so even if you come to the temple at midday, you can still feel a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere.
#3. Wat Phra Kaew
Wat Phra Kaew is a good place to visit in Chiang Rai City Center. It is believed that the temple is the original home of the Emerald Buddha that is now houses in the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
The temple is lesser-known than the white and blue temple and is a quiet and peaceful place to visit. It is located just 10 minutes walk from the Clock Tower. You can walk to the temple, use Grab Bike, or tuk tuk.
Wat Phra Kaew is open daily from 7am to 6pm. It is free to explore. You can take a look at the new emerald buddha, observe a monk ceremony, admire the intricate carvings, and enjoy the tranquility.
#4. Wat Huay Pla Kang
Wat Huay Pla Kang is a less crowded temple, located 15 minutes drive from Chiang Rai night Bazaar. It is easily accessible by taxi and tuk tuk. The temple is known for its massive seated Buddha on the top of a hill and stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
The temple is open from 7am to 9pm every day. It is free to visit. If you take the elevator to the top, it costs 40 baht. Otherwise just walk up. I didn’t visit the temple but spotted it when driving on the road from Chiang Rai city center to Huai Kaeo Waterfall.
Historical and Cultural attractions
Chiang Rai has a rich history dating back to the 13 century. When visiting Chiang Rai, you can learn the history and culture of the region by visiting museums, and hill tribe villages. I recommend taking your time to visit the Black House Museum, Golden Triangle, Opium Museum, and Karen Long Neck Village.
#5. Black House Museum
Black House, or Baan Dam Museum, is a popular museum in Chiang Rai, located 11km north of Chiang Mai night Bazaar. The museum is home to a range of traditional wooden houses in Chiang Rai with Lana architecture style and very tall roofs.
It has lots of weird sculptures, paintings, animal skin and buffalo horn furniture to explore too. Many paintings have QR code, you can connect to the museum wifi and see these paintings in 3D.
The museum also has a nice and peaceful garden with lots of green trees. You can spend around 1 hour exploring the black House.
The admission fee is 80 baht and it is open everyday from 9am to 5pm. I visited the Black House as part of the tour but you can also take a tuk tuk or Grab taxi to get to the museum.
As it is located outside of the city center, it can be hard to get Grab back to the city center. I recommend talking to the driver if they can pick you up later. Most drivers are willing to do so.
#6. Golden Triangle
Golden Triangle is a popular tourist attraction located 70 km north of Chiang Rai City Center. It is the intersection of three countries, Thailand, Laos, and Myamnar. They are separated by the Ruak and Mekong Rivers. This area has a notorious history and is known as a major opium-producing region.
At the Golden Triangle, you can visit the Viewpoint, which offers panoramic views of the Mekong River and the point where the three countries meet. You can take photos with the large Golden Triangle sign and the Buddha statue.
Near the viewpoint, you can explore the ancient Wat Phra That Phu Khao and the Opium Museum to learn about the history of the region. You can consider taking a boat trip on the Mekong River. The pier and boat ticket counter is located within a short walking distance from the Opium Museum.
Golden Triangle Viewpoint is open everyday. The admission is free. I visited Golden Triangle on a guided tour. You can hire a private driver for the round trip to Golden Triangle. I don’t think you can get a Grab taxi to Golden Triangle and back from Chiang Rai.
#7. Opium Museum
The House of Opium Museum is located very close to the Golden Triangle Viewpoint and is a great place to learn about the history of the opium trade, its effects, and the region’s transformation.
The museum is open everyday from 7am to 7pm and the ticket is 50 baht. Most visitors visiting the Golden triangle viewpoint visit the Hall of Opium Museum. They have souvenir shops at the exit of the museum where you can buy things related to opium.
#8. Karen Long Neck Village
It is controversial whether to visit the Karen Long Neck Village or not. Some people think that it is a human zoo, not very ethical, and a tourist trap. Other people feel that it is interesting to see the unique hill tribe in Thailand.
The Karen are an ethnic group originally from Myanmar, relocated to Thailand in the late 1980s seeking refuge from political persecution. Women traditionally wear brass rings around their necks, starting from a young age. The rings push down the collarbone, creating the appearance of a longer neck.
I visited Karen Long Neck Village as a part of a sightseeing tour. If you don’t feel comfortable visiting the village, you can skip this attraction and wait for another exploring for around 45 minutes. I decided to go in to have a look. The entrance fee is 300 baht.
There are few shops inside the village selling the same souvenirs, and Thai handicrafts you would see in any tourist markets in Thailand. The atmosphere is quite intense as if you want to take a photo of them, you need to buy something from the shop.
Don’t need other people’s opinions to stop you from the visit to this village. If you’re curious, just go and see it for yourself. You might not want to come back again but at least you experience yourself not through someone else’s story.
Agricultural Attraction
#9. Choui Fong Tea Plantation
This is a popular tea plantation located 40 km north of Chiang Rai. You can enjoy the picturesque landscapes, high-quality teas, and lush greenery.
They have a building with a tea shop and cafe with beautiful views of the tea plantation. You can do tea tasting and try a diverse range of teas, including oolong, black, and green varieties. You can buy tea-products at the shop or try green tea ice cream at the cafe.
The cafe and shop open everyday from 8.30am to 5pm. It is free to enter, you just need to pay for your souvenir and drink at the cafe.
You can reach the Choui Fong Tea Plantation by rented motorbike, guided tour, or hire a private driver for a day to visit the tea plantation with surrounding attractions such as Mae Sai and Golden Triangle.
#10. Singha Park
Singha Park is a popular site located 20 km southwest of Chiang Rai City Center. Spanning over 3,000 acres, it is a huge agro-tourism park with a diverse range of attractions and activities. You can explore the tea plantation, flower fields, petting zoo, as well as adventure Activities like zip-lining.
It is a great place to visit with friends and family. You can rent a golf cart (700B for 2 hours) or take a hop-on bus for 150 baht to explore the area. As it is a massive area, you can spend 2-3 hours at the park to explore.
Outdoor Activities
#11. Full Day Trekking and bamboo cooking Tour
If you love trekking, Chiang Rai is one of the best places in Thailand to do it. Chiang Rai is full of lush jungles, rolling hills, rice paddies, and waterfalls. The treks often include stops at ethnic hill tribes like the Akha, Lahu, and Chinese where you can learn more about local cultures.
On the tour, you can learn how to cook meals using bamboo tubes. Bamboo Cooking is a traditional method in northern Thailand. You can have lunch with popular dishes like bamboo-cooked sticky rice, omelettes and green tea infused in bamboo.
I took one full day trekking tour, starting around 9am and fishing around 4pm. We trek through the lush jungle, the rice fields, rubber plantations, bamboo forest, lemongrass field, and tea plantations. We visited several hill tribe villages and had delicious bamboo-cooked lunch.
#12. Sunrise at Phu Chi Fa
Phu Chi Fa is a popular cloud hunting location at sunrise in Chiang Rai, located close to the border with Laos and is 90 km from Chiang Rai City Center.
You can stay a night in the area in Phu Chi Fa to head to the top at sunrise or wake up early around 3am in Chiang Rai to drive to Phu Chi Fa. You can reach there by a rental motorbike, car, or hire a private driver.
When I visited Chiang Rai in early December, I saw the sign that said bus to Phu Chi Fa at 1.30pm from Chiang Rai bus terminal 1. The ride is around 2-3 hours. You can stay at a guest house for a night then next morning hike to the summit of Phu Chi Fa to catch the sunrise.
The direct bus can be seasonal and it is best to go to the bus station and ask the staff. There might be more frequent buses to nearby towns such as Thoeng from where you can catch Songthaews to get to Phu Chi Fa. I recommend talking to the driver and they will let you know where to get off and how to get there.
Nightlife
#13. Chiang Rai City Center
Chiang Rai City Center is a lively area to stay in. It is packed with tourist amenities such as hotels, restaurants, bars, massage shops, and laundry shops.
You can check out the famous Clock Tower at night for the light show. this golden clock tower is a central landmark designed by the artist of the White Temple, it is a focal point of the city center.
#14. Chiang Rai Night Bazaar
Chiang Rai Night Bazaar is one of the top places to go in Chiang Rai at night. It has lots of souvenir shops and street food stalls. There is a big foot court area where you can try all Thai dishes such as mango sticky rice, khao soi, pad thai, seafood, or even Thai hot pot for one person.
The food court area has lots of chairs and tables where you can eat and watch live music performances. You can shop for clothing, jewelry, bags, and local handicrafts by hill tribes. If you are tired of walking, stop by a massage shop in front of the foot court for a foot massage.
See more: Detail Guide to Chiang Rai Night Bazaar
These are my recommendations on the top things to do and see in Chiang Rai. There are beautiful temples to explore as well as several cultural and historical attractions. If you are an outdoor enthusiast, you can consider taking a full day trekking to explore the region and the hill tribe villages.