From Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai and back

Price per person in THB
2 persons3 persons4 persons5 persons6 persons7 persons8 persons
4,6003,5002,9002,6002,3002,2002,100

This is a private tour that starts and ends in Chiang Mai. We can customize this tour.

Many people who stay in Chiang Mai want to visit Wat Rong Khun, the famous White Temple in Chiang Rai, and return to Chiang Mai on the same day. We offer this tour for those people. Beware: this trip includes a lot of driving but it is worth it. Besides the White Temple, we will also visit the Black House, the impressive Wat Huay Pla Kang, and the stylish Blue Temple.

 

From: 4,600.00 ฿

White temple
Wat Rong Khun Chiang Rai

From Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai and back

The Black House

Your guide and driver will meet you at the hotel at 0700 for your full-day tour from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai and back. We will cover about 400 km today, so prepare for a lot of driving. We leave Chiang Mai and go to the Mae Kachan Hot Springs, where we will stop briefly. Then we continue to Chiang Rai, where we will take the bypass road to our first destination: the Black House, aka “Ban Dam.” It is the proud work of Thawan Duchanee (1939-2014), a contemporary painter, architect, and sculptor who achieved international renown during his lifetime. His work represents the darkness in humanity. The Black House is a fascinating, unique, open-air museum of buildings and exhibits.

Wat Huay Pla Kang, the Temple of Mercy

After this, we will continue to Wat Huay Pla Kang, a remarkable, Chinese-style temple with a giant statue of Kuan Im, the goddess of Mercy. This temple complex is unlike any other in North Thailand. The temple functions as a center of social welfare and raises donations that the temple uses to care for more than 500 orphans. Apart from that, donations have paid for the construction of a hospital on the temple compound that offers free medical treatment to local people. After this temple, it is time for a delicious Thai lunch.

The Blue and White Temples

Next is Wat Rong Suea Ten, aka the Blue Temple. This is also a Buddhist temple that was developed in this century. Thawan Duchanee, the Thai national artist who created the Black House, designed the dragon statues in front of the assembly hall. After the Blue Temple, we will visit Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple. Another Thai national artist, Chalermchai Kositpipat, founded the White Temple in 1997. Since then, it has become Chiang Rai province’s most popular tourist attraction. Over time they added more buildings to the White Temple. There are now large parking areas, many shops, and restaurants around Wat Rong Khun. It is a dazzling, exceptional place where we will spend at least an hour.

Besides the main building, there is much more to see at Wat Rong Khun. Several museums exhibit the works of Chalerm, an incredibly multi-talented individual.

Then it is time to drive back to Chiang Mai, where we will drop you off at the hotel at around 1800. We hope you enjoyed our trip “From Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai and back.”

End of the program

Highlights

Mae Kachan Hot Springs

The Black House aka Ban Dam

Wat Huay Pla Kang

Wat Rong Suea Ten aka the Blue Temple

Wat Rong Khun: the White Temple

Inclusions

What is included

English speaking guide

Transportation by AC minibus

Thai local lunch

Drinking water during lunch

Entrance fees

Limited medical insurance

What is not included

Other drinks except for water during lunch

Personal expenses

Tips

 

Timeline

0700 – Departure from Chiang Mai

0800 – Mae Kachan hot springs

1030 – Ban Dam aka the Black House

1130 – Wat Huay Pla Kang

1215 – Blue Temple

1300 – Lunch

1400 – Wat rong Khun

1500 – Return to Chiang Mai

1800 – Arrival in Chiang Mai. Drop off at the hotel.