10 Best Temples in Chiang Rai

The White Temple, also known as Wat Rong Khun, is completely white and features a unique one-way access system. When you approach this temple, you'll find a singular entrance and path that takes you through the entire structure.

As you travel through this temple, you'll find several mystical figures carved into the facade and displayed throughout. The murals can be very eclectic, which only furthers the unique offerings of this temple compared with the others you'll find in northern Thailand. This temple is located a few miles southwest of the city centre.

The Blue Temple, or Wat Rong Suea Ten, is a stunning temple shining in blue and gold colouring outside and sporting traditional Lanna architecture with an inviting interior. Despite being known as the Blue Temple, this temple is predominantly gold on the exterior with intricate golden designs dominating the blue backdrop.

Inside the temple, the colour blue is visible from virtually every direction, with the sole exception being the giant white Buddha in the middle. If you want to see it for yourself, it's generally best to visit in the morning before the crowds come. It's on the north side of town just past the Kok River.

Wat Huay Pla Kang, or the 9 Tier Temple, is a stunning temple most known for its giant white Buddha that towers 100 metres high. You'll spot the Buddha long before you reach the temple, peeking over the horizon from a fair distance away.

From the top of this temple complex from the eyes of the large Buddha statue, you'll find yourself with a stunning view of the surrounding area, making it double as one of the best Chiang Rai viewpoints. It's located near Ban Huay Pla Kung on the northwest side of town.

Wat Phra Kaew is an atmospheric temple set among towering trees and local plant life that sports the iconic Lanna-style architecture while also offering a museum. The temple features red and gold colouring with intricate designs implemented on the facade.

The temple museum is entirely free to access, where a small selection of historic artefacts are on display for you to see. They focus on religious art during the Lanna Kingdom over centuries with item descriptions in Thai, English and the Lanna language. You can see it all in Old Town.

Wat Phra Sing is an old temple complex with 2 buildings with much of its structure adorned in shining gold depicting the Buddha, dragons and more. The temple dates back nearly 7 centuries with such a long history that no one is entirely sure who's responsible for building it in the first place.

Inside the temple, travellers can look upon a variety of intricate woodcarvings and murals that represent the style prominent throughout historic northern Thailand. It's located on the west side of the Old City.

Wat Phra That Doi Chom Thong is an old temple that's fairly unassuming at first glance, despite it being one of the oldest in the city with its unique pagoda. According to local legends, this particular temple has been around longer than the city itself.

When you visit this temple, one of the most iconic features is the Lanna-style pagoda. Towering several metres tall, this pagoda is adorned in gold shining brightly in the sun making it hard to miss. You can explore it on the northeast side of town just south of the Kok River.

Wat Mung Muang is a temple that's iconic not only for its unique design but also because of the alleged miracle that occurred here during World War II. During the war, the Chiang Rai province was hit by several bombing runs that decimated the city, but this temple was somehow completely unharmed, unlike several nearby buildings.

Images of Buddha are prominent throughout the temple, with one particularly iconic image being set on a lotus-shaped pedestal. Additionally, this temple is home to a massive golden Katyayana you won't want to miss. It's located on the north side of town near Wiang.

Wat Jed Yod is a particularly relaxing and tranquil temple thanks not only to its serene design and surroundings, but also due to the lack of extensive foot traffic. This temple is one of the least visited in town compared with others like the White Temple, so you won't have to worry about crowds most of the time.

Inside this temple, you'll find a large golden Buddha statue flanked by intricately adorned columns that are similarly gold. The interior also sports a red ceiling and blue floor for a satisfying contrast. It's located near the Rop Wiang Sub-District on the north side of town, but not quite all the way to the Kok River.

The Buddha Cave Temple, or Wat Tham Phra, is a stunning temple on the bank of the river set within the interior of a natural cave. Given the location of the temple, it's not accessible by car or taxi, so you'll have to get there on foot or bike.

Inside the cave, you'll find everything you'd expect from the interior of a temple including images of Buddha and monks praying. It's also populated by a sizable population of harmless bats numbering in the thousands. You can reach this temple by looking for the Buddha Stone at its entrance path near the Kok River's northern banks.

Wat Doi Ngam Muang is a relatively small temple with a main hall and ruined chedi set at the top of a long and imposing staircase. The staircase has 74 steps and continues straight upwards all the way to the top with naga handrails on each side.

Inside the ruined chedi within the temple supposedly lay the ashes of King Mengrai. In front of this, you'll be able to see a statue of the king, and it's all freely accessible. You'll find this temple in eastern Wiang on the north side of town just south of the Kok River.