Chiang Rai 3 Temples, Karen Village & Lalitta Cafe from Chiang Mai

Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple

Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple, is the most famous sight in Chiang Rai and the high point of any White Temple tour from Chiang Mai. Rebuilt from 1997 by a Chiang Rai-born artist on the site of an old village temple, it is covered in white plaster and set with mirror glass: white for the purity of the Buddha, mirrors for his wisdom shining over the world. To reach the ordination hall you cross a bridge above a pit of reaching hands, a vision of desire and suffering that you leave behind.

Inside the hall, the murals mix traditional Buddhist scenes with surprising modern imagery; photography is not allowed there. Around it, white pavilions, a wishing tree hung with metal leaves and a gleaming golden building complete the grounds. Is the White Temple worth visiting? Without doubt: it is unlike any other temple in Thailand. You spend about 75 minutes here, and the temple is open daily from morning to late afternoon.

Wat Rong Suea Ten, the Blue Temple

Wat Rong Suea Ten, the Blue Temple, takes its name, the House of the Dancing Tiger, from the tigers said to have leapt across the river here when the area was still forest. An abandoned temple stood on the site for decades until villagers rebuilt it, and the new main hall was completed in 2016 by a local artist trained in the same Chiang Rai school as the White Temple's creator.

Everything is painted in deep sapphire blue with gold details, from the naga serpents along the stairs to the carved gables. Inside, a large pure-white seated Buddha glows against blue murals, one of the most photographed scenes in northern Thailand. The temple is compact, so about an hour is enough to see the hall, the grounds and the white figures around it with your guide.

Wat Huay Pla Kang, the Red Temple

A short drive north of Chiang Rai town, Wat Huay Pla Kang rises on a green hillside. The complex is known for its nine-tiered pagoda in Chinese style, decorated with carved dragons and rich red and gold interiors, which is why many itineraries call it the Red Temple, and for a towering white statue of Guanyin, the goddess of mercy, that can be seen from far across the valley.

Visitors can climb the pagoda and take a lift inside the Guanyin statue to a viewing level with wide views over the rice fields and hills around Chiang Rai; the lift has a small separate fee paid on site. Your guide gives you about an hour here to explore the pagoda, the statue and the calm grounds before the last stop of the day.

Phu Fah Sai Café and the Long Neck Karen Village

The first break of the day is at Phu Fah Sai, a café and restaurant on the mountain road whose terrace looks over layered green hills, a welcome stop after about two hours on the road. Here you stretch your legs, order a coffee or fruit juice and take the first photos of the northern countryside.

Near this stop you can choose to visit a Long Neck Karen village, where Kayan families live. Their women traditionally wear coils of brass around the neck, which press the shoulders down and make the neck appear longer. Many of these families came from neighbouring Myanmar. The visit is optional and its entry is paid on the day; buying the woven scarves and crafts directly from the makers is the most respectful way to support them.

Lalitta Café

The day ends at Lalitta Café, one of the most photographed places in Chiang Rai. Built like a storybook forest, it hides waterfalls, stone bridges, turrets and flower-filled paths under tall trees, with small streams running between the terraces. It is a peaceful place to walk, take pictures and enjoy a drink after a full day of temples.

Entry to the café grounds and any drinks or snacks are paid on site, and you have around 20 minutes before the drive back. Many travellers say that a Chiang Rai temples tour feels complete only after this green finale. The return to Chiang Mai takes about three and a half hours, and our driver drops you at your hotel in the evening.