Chiang Rai from Chiang Mai: the White and Blue temples and the Black House

What a day includes

Tours to Chiang Rai from Chiang Mai usually combine the town’s best-known places: the White Temple, Wat Rong Khun, the Blue Temple and the Black House, Baan Dam. Some programmes include the Red Temple and a visit to a long-neck Karen village. The day lasts from 8.6 to 9.5 hours including the road.

Chiang Rai is a northern town 190 kilometres from Chiang Mai, visited for three buildings unlike anything else in Thailand: the White Temple, Wat Rong Khun, the Blue Temple, Wat Rong Suea Ten, and the Black House, Baan Dam. You can see all three in one day only with an early start.

How to get there and how long it takes

The road between the cities takes three to three and a half hours one way, so the excursion lasts from 8.6 to 9.5 hours and starts at about 7:00 in the morning. On your own you can go by bus (Green Bus and other companies take about three and a half hours), but then you have to take a taxi or songthaew around Chiang Rai to reach the temples, and the day stretches out. The best choice is either a tour with a hotel transfer or a private car with a driver.

• The White Temple. It was built by the artist Chalermchai Kositpipat: a white facade with mirror fragments, a bridge across “hell” made of reaching hands. It is better to arrive at opening, as bus groups turn up by 11 in the morning. Entry for foreigners is paid and small.
• The Blue Temple. A bright blue hall with a white Buddha sculpture; it was built quite recently, so it looks fresh. It is located not far from the town centre.
• The Black House. The museum estate of the artist Thawan Duchanee, made of black wood, hides and horns. It is not a temple, so the dress code is softer.
• What else. Some programmes include the Red Temple, the Golden Triangle on the border with Laos and Myanmar, and a visit to a long-neck Karen village. The village divides opinion: before choosing, ask how the visit is organised.

Which tickets and tours are available

Prices are as of 10 October 2026. Check the contents, language and conditions on the page of the offer you choose.

What else

Combine it with the elephants of Chiang Mai. All offers: excursions in Chiang Mai.

Restrictions and tips

• Dress code. In the White and Blue temples shoulders and knees are covered, and clothing must not be see-through. It is best to carry a scarf with you; rental is not available everywhere.
• Footwear. You enter a temple without shoes, so light slip-ons are more convenient than laces.
• Photography. Filming inside the White Temple is banned, and this rule is strict. Drones are banned.
• The road. The winding road north makes people carsick, so sit at the front of the bus and take a tablet in advance.
• Passport. Bring your document if the programme includes the Golden Triangle and a boat ride to the Lao bank.
• Season. The best time is November to February; in summer the roads are flooded in the rain and routes are changed.

The description is based on Trip.com cards; opening hours and the contents of offers may change.