Are you planning a trip to the Northern part of Thailand and are going in circles about whether Chiang Rai would be an extra not worth considering?
Perhaps, you are already around Thailand and you are wondering: is Chiang Rai worth the trip?
Yes. Chiang Rai offers a unique cultural and natural experience worth the trip. There are many striking temples, including the White Temple, Blue Temple and big buddha temple among others. It is also worth it for its vibrant night market, local cuisine, outdoor activities and stunning scenery.As people who have travelled the North of Thailand extensively, particularly in the last two years, we can’t emphasise enough how great of a place Chiang Rai is.
In our opinion, a trip to North Thailand around the Chiang Mai area is not really complete without a stop in Chiang Rai.
Having said that, this statement has its nuances. Keep reading below to learn more about it!
Situated in the North East part of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai is the northernmost city in Thailand.
Bordering Laos and Myanmar, this city is the former capital of the Lanna Kingdom back in the 13th century.
Best known as the “Art Capital” of Thailand, Chiang Rai has gained popularity in recent decades due to the development of unique contemporary masterpieces by amazing Thai artists.
Perhaps best known for its stunning Wat Rong Khun, “The White temple”, some other striking sculptural pieces mentioned above, include Wat Rong Suea Ten, “the Blue temple” and Wat Huay Pla Kang bug,” The big Buddha temple”
Chiang Rai is often considered the largest city in the north of the country, however, this is not really the case.
It is much smaller, less busy and less tourist than its sister city Chiang Mai. It is the perfect town to unwind, relax and thrive on authentic Northern Thai cuisine.
It will not take a long time to be prompted with a tour-selling speech by a Thai local (or even with ads online), to convince you to join for a “day trip” from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai.
Let us tell you that, although this little town is such a beautiful and chill place to be visited, it is still over 3 hour's trip from Chiang Mai just one way.
That means, if you joined one of those tours, you will be spending over six hours travelling to visit the temples in what? one to two hours? It seems not worth the effort, time and money to us.
If you were a bit tight on time and perhaps not planning on returning to Thailand any time soon, we would recommend you think about it.
However, if time was not a constraint for you, then, we would definitely recommend you save a couple of days to really explore and live the Chiang Rai vibes.
We spent over two weeks there to properly grasp what this little cute city had to offer and we will share with you our experience and the reasons why it is worth spending a couple of days in Chiang Rai.
Although finding available accommodation is not usually problematic, even for last-minute travellers (like us most of the time), there is not a wide range of options in Chiang Rai.
There are a couple of options for those who prefer travelling on a more luxurious plan, such as Le Meridien. But there are not so many mid to low-budget hotels with updated facilities.
We ended up staying in Hotel Chiang Rai, which is right in the heart of town.
It is literally around the corner from what is called “the walking street” where the mega market takes place at the weekend.
It is also right next to the “Night Bazaar” where you can sample all of the street food that it has to offer.
It is better than a low-budget hostel but not that good to be categorised as mid-range.
It is pretty decent in terms of price and cleanliness (they come every day to clean the room and to change the towels).
They also provide daily snacks, powdered coffee and bottled water. The toilets are fine and the staff are also quite accommodating.
We can definitely recommend staying here whether you are planning on staying in town for two days or two weeks like we did.
Getting to Chiang Rai is an easy task whether you are travelling from Bangkok or whether you are in the north of Thailand already.
There are daily direct flights from Bangkok or Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, and although they are not outrageously expensive, travelling via bus from Chiang Mai is a shorter and cheaper option.
This is definitely the way to travel around Thailand on a budget, particularly, short distances as you can get these sorts of buses pretty much every hour throughout the week.
So much so, that we actually, didn’t check the timetable of the weekly buses and simply rocked up at terminal 1 Chiang Mai bus station.
The station is well equipped with convenience stores selling snacks and sweets as well as a couple of local and quick food restaurants which actually serve pretty decent food while you wait for the bus.
We don’t recommend doing it like us! as this can be a little stressful for some travellers, especially if time is an issue and they need to make it to Chiang Rai.
Are there alternatives ways to get to Chiang Rai?
By private car
If you would rather go by yourself instead of sharing your space with strangers, you could consider a private car transfer from Chiang Mai.
It is not the most economical way to do this trip, as a one-way trip would cost around 3500 Baht, (US$100).
We find that Orientalescape private car transfer is a reputable company, where drivers take care of their clients until they reach their destination without surprising them with hidden fees or last-minute pick-up/drop-off surcharges.
Most importantly they know their way around the country whether your transfer is from Chiang Mai or from Bangkok, they will drive you safely through trustworthy roads.
Drive by yourself
If you happen to have an international driver’s license and a wider budget allowance, you could consider renting a car and getting to Chiang Rai by yourself.
This could be a great idea if you have several days to spare and you intend to stop by different villages and small towns.
Having said that, if time is the limiting factor, it might not be the best plan as you will most likely have to return the rental car to Chiang Mai. Thus, making the trip lengthier and more expensive.
Reasons why Chiang Rai is worth the visit
Unrepeatable temples
Thailand is known around the world for several things, among other things, the kindness of Thai people, the outstanding food and the endless unique temples.
In the Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai region, there are more than 300 temples combined but for time's sake purposes, we are only going to indicate the ones that are incredible masterpieces, must-do when in Chiang Rai and worth the trip.
Wat Rong Khun, “The White Temple”
Wat Rong Khun, also known as, “The White Temple”, is one of the most unique and shocking landmarks of Thailand.
“The White Temple” is a stunning outcome of the mix between traditional Thai architecture and newer contemporary influences built by the visual artist and painter Chalermchai Kositpipat.
This modern artist was actually born and raised in the Northern Chiang Rai region and his style when designing “The White temple”, entailed a mix between modern architectural elements and shiny white colour with traditional Thai motives.
This vibrant color white that characterises this temple is the representation of the purity of Buddha. The result was the creation of a masterpiece, unlike any other temple in the country.
The intricate details of the temple, both inside and out, are simply mesmerizing.
Wat Rong Suea Ten, “Blue Temple”
This architectural wonder was built and designed by the student of the incredible visual Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, responsible for “The White Temple” masterpiece described above.
He started building the temple in 2005 and successfully completed it by 2016.
The highlight of this temple is the vibrant deep blue colour with gold-layered intricate and ornamental parts to display an incredible contrast with the blue topaz of the wall structure.
The artist was inspired by traditional Dharma in order to transmit and display serenity and relaxation to visitors, displaying the natural deep colour of the sky.
The Black House, or Baan Dam,
This so-called “Black temple” is not actually a temple but an art museum.
In fact, the museum has a structure like those of the traditional Thai temples on a lively black shade where the fascinating work of the artist Thawan Duchanee is exhibited, including paintings, sculptures, and taxidermy pieces.
Wat Huay Pla Kang, “The Big Buddha of Chiang Rai”
This striking temple designed by the Thai Buddhist monk Phra Ajarn Phob Chok, is about 20-30 km outside of Chiang Rai and is most knowns as “The Big Buddha of Chiang Rai”.
This is due to the huge sitting Buddha-like statue on top of the hill. Actually, it is not Buddha but the representation of Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy.
In the Buddhist doctrine, Guan Yin is the female image of someone who has reached Nirvana and has mitigated the flame of anger and suffering. It is the representation of compassion and mercy and a symbol of help for those in need.
It is one of the most visited temples in Thailand and Thai Buddhists believe that their prayers to Guan Yin will retrieve blessings like good health and money.
It is possible to go up to the roof of Guan Yin to enjoy the stunning views of Chiang Rai and beyond for 40 baht.
Baan Likhai Rice Terrace Trail Loop (Chiang Rai)
The Baan Likhai Rice Terrace Trail Loop is a cute rice terrace in the province of Chiang Rai worth the hike.
Although we definitely felt the burn in our legs by the end of the hike, we were rewarded with spectacular views and the lush green of the terrace.
If you had some extra time when travelling to Chiang Rai, we definitely recommend coming for more adventurous and nature-related activities.
That said, if your time in Chiang Rai is a bit tight, then we would suggest focusing on the temples instead and exploring the little town.
Climate
One of the things we love about Chiang Rai is the cooler climate compared to other places in Thailand including Chiang Mai, where the air can still feel pretty humid.
As the city is located in the northern part of Thailand and inland, the temperatures are generally a few degrees lower compared to other parts of the country.
Thus, the best time to visit Chiang Rai would be from November to February, as it is the coolest and driest time of the year.
This makes Chiang Rai a great destination if you're looking for a break from the hot and humid weather. So much so, that it is actually chilly in the mornings!
Food
Chiang Rai, very much like other cities in Thailand, food is one of the main players.
The city is home to a vibrant food scene that is a must-try when travelling around the North of Thailand.
From street food to fine dining, typical Northern Thai dishes like Khao Soi or Sai Oua cannot be missed.
Some of the flavours can be quite unexpected, such as the Sai Oua pork sausage, which tastes nothing like a sausage but instead, is like a solid curry bite in your mouth.
If you are looking for a snack or a quick bite, then Chiang Rai's street food scene will not disappoint you. You will find an endless variety of street vendors selling everything from fried chicken to grilled seafood to fresh fruit smoothies.
We would recommend having endless mango sticky rice, Khao Kaa Moo and tons of fresh fruit such as mango, papaya, and dragon fruit.
If you are in the mood for a more upscale dining experience, then Chiang Rai has a number of high-end restaurants that serve delicious Thai cuisine.
Although, we were so amazed by all the street foods and street markets that we didn’t find the time or the need to dine in luxury places.
We encourage you to not be shy when travelling to Chiang Rai, to step out of the comfort zone of flavours en enjoy the wonderful Northern Thai cuisine culture. Honestly, it is one of our highlights!
One of the most common concerns and biggest misconceptions that tourists have about trying Thai street food is getting food poisoning.
We see this over and over around Thailand and it is just sad to see how some visitors are really not giving Thai food the opportunity it deserves but instead, going to Western food places.
This is fine sometimes but in our opinion, food in each place is an essential part of travelling. Properly exploring the local culture and flavours is a game changer.
To put you at ease, street food in Thailand is just fine most of the time.
Since 1989 the Ministry of Public Health and Tourism Authority of Thailand dedicated significant funds to develop a project in which the sanitary conditions around the restaurant and street food vendors industry were improved and owners of these businesses had to comply to.
Simply relax and thrive on new flavours around Chiang Rai!
Street Markets and Chiang Rai’s Night Market
Pretty much everyone has heard of the touristy Chatuchak or Ratchada river markets of Bangkok or perhaps the night street food scene in Chinatown. But not many people have ventured enough to experience the Northern Thai local food markets.
The bustling markets where you can truly soak in the city’s atmosphere is an unmissable thing to do and actually, all of those markets are close to each other, practically in every corner of this little town.
If you can, we definitely encourage you to plan your days around Chiang Rai during the weekend days, as these night markets are very much alive during the weekend, peaking on Saturday.
The city feels almost unrecognisable on Saturdays, there are over 100 food, clothes and handicrafts stalls filling the walking streets of Chiang Rai as well as the Night Bazaar.
Authentic and traditional hill-tribe clothes, handicrafts like candles, local art-crafts, soap, cheap souvenirs and overall tons of inexpensive food and drinks are just some of the things possible to find in this market!
Also, on Saturday nights there are usually live performances from local bands, live dances and overall quite a happy and vibrant vibe!
As if it wasn’t enough fun and food with the night markets, Chiang Rai is also known for its day street market, where the highlight is the fresh produce variety.
If you happen to be a bit over eating in restaurants or even street food, these day markets are a great choice as it is possible to find all sorts of fruits and vegetables as well as ready-to-eat grilled meats.
Sometimes, the locals can assemble an amazing and cheap fresh salad for you to eat on the go.
This is how we do it after weeks of being in a place and in order for us to keep our fitness level. One can’t be eating fried and saucy stuff every day!
The main day-street market is called “Central Market”, aka, Chiang Rai Kad Luang. You will find it by simply letting yourself be guided by the smell of fresh foods.
The friendly locals will offer you to sample their goods if they see you hesitant in order for you to make up your mind.
Chiang Rai Kad Luang can get very busy in the mornings, as locals usually go around that time to buy their daily produce.
The early morning or late afternoon times are in our opinion a way better time to go to the central market as the galleries are huge and it can get pretty claustrophobic and very hot when full of people.
In conclusion, Chiang Rai markets are an awesome place to spend a lazy yet fun Saturday night!
Final Thoughts
Chiang Rai is definitely worth the trip. It is a city that offers a unique blend of natural beauty, traditional landmarks, history, culture, and incredible food.
Some of them cannot even be found anywhere else in Thailand.
Pack your bags and get ready to explore all that this amazing city has to offer! whether you are a first-time visitor to North Thailand or a seasoned traveller.