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Chiang Rai Temples &
Art: A 2-Day Plan

In Chiang Rai, art and temples have always gone hand in hand — the white Wat Rong Khun by Chalermchai Kositpipat, the blue Wat Rong Suea Ten, Thawan Duchanee's Baan Dam, and Wat Huay Pla Kang with its giant Guan Yin statue. All four sit on different sides of the city, so we've sequenced them to flow smoothly across two days without driving back and forth.

🛕 4 main temples & museums🚗 A car makes it easiest📸 Photo spots everywhere
Chiang Rai Temples & Art: A 2-Day Plan

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

Chiang Rai's art isn't tucked away in galleries — it lives in temples and artists' homes that anyone can walk through. The four places people think of first are the White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) south of the city, Wat Rong Suea Ten (the Blue Temple) by the Kok River, Baan Dam (the Black House museum) to the north, and Wat Huay Pla Kang with its tall pagoda and giant Guan Yin statue up on a hill. All four are scattered across different corners of the city, so a good order saves you a lot of driving time.

The lay of the land before you set off

  • White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) — south of the city, about 13 km out. Open 08.00–17.00. Free for Thais; 100 THB for foreigners (a rise to 200 THB has been announced from 1 Jan 2026).
  • Wat Rong Suea Ten (Blue Temple) — on the north bank of the Kok River, about 3 km from town. Free entry, open through the day into the evening.
  • Baan Dam (Thawan Duchanee Museum) — to the north, about 12 km from town. Open 09.00–17.00, closed for lunch 12.00–13.00. Entry 80 THB.
  • Wat Huay Pla Kang — on a hill to the northwest. Free entry; the lift up the pagoda costs an extra 40 THB. Open late into the evening.

Getting around

These four sit in different directions and none has direct public transport. The easiest options are a rental car, a private car with driver, or a songthaew (red truck)/taxi hired for the day. If you really have no car, plenty of operators run half-day or full-day tours that bundle all four together.

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Day 1 — the south and north sides of town

Day 1

White Temple + Blue Temple

08.00
Enter the White Temple right as it opensGo early at opening — the light is still soft and the crowds thin, so the bridge at the entrance and the white ordination hall photograph far better than mid-morning. No photos are allowed inside the hall.
09.30
Walk the rest of the groundsThere's an art room (the Cave of Art), the golden toilet building, and a wishing tree hung with prayer tags. Allow about 1–1.5 hours to take it all in.
11.00
Head back into town for lunchIt's about a 20-minute drive back to the city. Stop for khao soi or northern Thai food around the town centre before the afternoon leg.
14.00
On to Wat Rong Suea Ten (Blue Temple)It's on the north side across the Kok River, about 10 minutes' drive from town. The deep-blue hall with gold trim really stands out. Free entry; allow around 45 minutes to an hour.
16.00
Café time or a rest before heading backThe riverside area along the Kok has several cafés — a good spot to rest your legs before returning to your hotel in town.

What to wear

Both the White Temple and the Blue Temple are still active places of worship, so dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered. If you turn up in shorts or a sleeveless top, the White Temple has cover-up cloths to borrow at the entrance.

Day 2 — Baan Dam and Guan Yin

Day 2

Baan Dam + Wat Huay Pla Kang

09.00
Enter Baan Dam at openingIt's about a 20-minute drive north from town. This was the home and collection of the artist Thawan Duchanee — dozens of black timber houses spread across a wide site. Take it slow and allow around 1.5–2 hours.
11.30
Leave Baan Dam before the lunch breakBaan Dam closes for lunch 12.00–13.00, so leaving before then means no waiting. Find somewhere for lunch on the way back into town.
13.30
On to Wat Huay Pla KangIt's on a hill to the northwest of the city, with a nine-tier pagoda and a giant Guan Yin statue. You can take the lift up inside the Guan Yin figure (extra 40 THB); the view over the city from the top is wide open.
15.30
Catch the high-up views and unwindBy late afternoon the light starts to angle in, which is great for shooting the pagoda and the Guan Yin statue. The temple stays open into the evening, so if you've still got energy you can hang on for the golden hour.

Adjusting the plan to your time

1 day

Only one day

Do the White Temple in the morning, then pair the Blue Temple and Wat Huay Pla Kang in the afternoon. Drop Baan Dam first, since it takes the longest to walk through.

2 days

Two full days

Follow this plan at an easy pace — there's time to stop at cafés and grab northern Thai food during the day without rushing.

Art lovers

Serious about art

Budget more time for Baan Dam and the White Temple. Both have plenty of detail to take in, and walking slowly pays off far more.

When it gets busy

The White Temple is busiest from mid-morning into the afternoon, when tour coaches arrive. For fewer people in your shots, go right at opening or close to closing time. Wat Huay Pla Kang fills up in the late afternoon, when the air cools off and the light is good for photos.

Plan a hotel that makes temple-hopping easy

See Chiang Rai hotels →

FAQ

Can you do the White Temple, Blue Temple, Baan Dam and Wat Huay Pla Kang in one day?

You can, but it'll feel rushed, since all four are on different sides of the city. If you genuinely only have one day, drop Baan Dam first — it takes the longest to walk through — and focus on the White Temple in the morning, followed by the Blue Temple and Wat Huay Pla Kang in the afternoon.

How much is entry to each place?

The White Temple is free for Thais and 100 THB for foreigners (a rise to 200 THB has been announced from 1 Jan 2026). The Blue Temple is free. Baan Dam is 80 THB. Wat Huay Pla Kang is free, with an extra 40 THB for the lift up the pagoda.

How do you visit these four without a car of your own?

None of the four has direct public transport. The easiest option is to hire a songthaew (red truck) or taxi for the day, or book a half-day or full-day tour that includes these spots — there are several to choose from in Chiang Rai.

What are the opening hours for each place?

The White Temple is open 08.00–17.00. Baan Dam is open 09.00–17.00, closed for lunch 12.00–13.00. The Blue Temple and Wat Huay Pla Kang stay open into the evening. It's worth double-checking the latest hours before you go.

Does Wat Huay Pla Kang have a giant Buddha statue?

The large figure on the hill that many people take for a Buddha is actually a statue of Guan Yin (the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara). You can take a lift up inside it for a view over the city.

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