🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Wat Rong Suea Ten is the only temple in Chiang Rai with a hall in deep sapphire blue. It was designed by Sala Nok (Phuttha Kabkaew), a local artist who once worked on the White Temple alongside Ajarn Chalermchai Kositpipat. The hall uses sapphire blue cut with gold and white detailing, and the whole thing reads almost like flowing water. It took around 10 years to build and was finished in early 2016. These days it's one of those stops almost every Chiang Rai trip ends up making for a photo.
Opening hours and entry
- Opening hours — daily, roughly 7:00am–8:00pm (in the evening the hall is lit up and the blue takes on a different look)
- Entry — no admission fee; it's free to enter, with a donation box if you'd like to make merit
- Location — Rong Suea Ten community, Rim Kok subdistrict, Mueang district, Chiang Rai — under 10 minutes from the city centre by car
Before you enter the hall
This is still an active temple, so dress modestly — skip spaghetti straps and very short shorts — and take your shoes off before going up into the hall. Keep your voice down and don't climb on the sculptures for photos.
Want more out of Chiang Rai? Book tours & activities
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
Highlights and photo spots
What makes this place stand out is the sapphire blue set against gold, a colour combination you rarely see in a Thai temple. There are several spots people like to shoot — it's worth walking the whole grounds first and picking your light.
Naga staircase out front
Two nagas with blue-green scales run the length of the staircase. It's the first spot everyone stops at, and it works for both portrait and wide shots.
Blue walls and archways
Gold stucco detailing over a deep blue base makes a seriously colourful backdrop — good for getting a person in frame with the architecture.
Upagupta in the pond
A pearl-white Buddha image sits in the middle of a fountain, ringed by blue sculpted fish — a nice contrast against the temple's main palette.
Inside the hall
Inside is the pearl-white principal Buddha, Phra Phuttha Ratchamongkol Bodi Trilokanat, with a lap width of 5m and a height of 6.5m. Photos are fine inside, but skip the flash and anything that disturbs people who've come to pray.
Getting there and when to go
- Own car / rental — easiest option. From town take the Chiang Rai–Mae Sai road; it's about 300m past the Khun Korn bridge, with parking out front.
- Songthaew / taxi / Grab — easy to grab from town, and since it's close the fare isn't much — handy if you're not driving yourself
- Pair it with other temples — it's on the same route as Wat Huay Pla Kang and Wat Rong Khun, so you can easily roll all three into one day of temple-and-art hopping
- Best time to go — mornings are quieter for photos, the afternoon sun makes the blue pop, and after dark the hall is lit for a different mood
Beating the crowds
Long weekends and festivals get packed. If you want clean shots without people, aim for early morning right after it opens, or late afternoon on a weekday.
Plan the rest of your Chiang Rai trip
See the Chiang Rai travel guide →