Chiang Rai Day Trip from Chiang Mai: White & Blue Temples

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/50

Duration13h–14h

GroupUp to 25

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Northern Thailand tour, temple visits, hot spring dip, scenic long drive experience

This day trip from Chiang Mai takes you to Chiang Rai Province to see the White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) and Blue Temple (Wat Rong Sear Tean), two modern Buddhist temples that break from traditional Thai architecture, plus Mae Kachan Hot Spring and your choice of either the Black House Museum or the Red Temple with its towering Guan Yin statue. Round-trip transport, guide, lunch and water are included; the full day runs 13 to 14 hours with a 50-minute drive each way. Temple dress codes apply (no tank tops, no short pants, no flip-flops). You can choose to stay at Central Plaza in Chiang Rai instead of returning to your hotel, though bags must be small.

13h–14h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Chiang Rai's highlights

Pickup from Chiang Mai hotel
Travel to Mae Kachan Hot Spring
Visit Mae Kachan Hot Spring
Visit White Temple (Wat Rong Khun)
Visit Blue Temple (Wat Rong Sear Tean)
Choose Baan Dam Museum or Wat Huay Pla Kang
Optional visit to Karen Long-neck tribe
Return to Chiang Mai hotel

The Experience

The day starts with pickup from your hotel in Chiang Mai's Old Town or Nimman area, then a 50-minute drive north to Mae Kachan Hot Spring. This natural hot spring reaches 90°C (194°F)—hot enough that locals boil eggs in the water in minutes—but you can only dip your feet briefly. The spring sits in the landscape as a stop between Chiang Mai and the temples, a place to step out and feel the heat before moving on.

The White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) comes next. Designed and opened in 1997 by artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, it's a privately owned art exhibit built in the style of a Buddhist temple, all white with intricate carved details. The Blue Temple (Wat Rong Sear Tean) follows—monumental and modern, distinguished by vivid blue coloring and elaborate carvings that set it apart from the golden temples most visitors expect. Both require casual dress: no tank tops or short pants, no flip-flops or sports shoes. At one of these temples, you'll have time to walk and photograph before moving to your second choice.

You pick between two options at checkout. The Baan Dam White Blue Temples option adds the Black House Museum (Baan Dam), a mix of traditional northern Thai buildings with unconventional contemporary architecture created by artist Thawan Duchanee. The Red White Blue Temples option instead includes Wat Huay Pla Kang, home to a towering red Guan Yin statue; you can ride an elevator inside the statue and take in panoramic views over the countryside. Lunch, drinking water and seasonal fruits are included with both. The return drive to Chiang Mai takes around three hours and arrives between 8:30pm and 9:00pm.

An optional visit to the Karen Long-neck tribe village is available (300 THB per person admission, paid separately). If you skip it, the guide will ask you to wait about an hour while others visit—you can spend that time at a nearby market. Alternatively, you can choose to end the day at Central Plaza in Chiang Rai instead of returning to your hotel, though your bag should be small if you do.

What’s included

Round-trip air-conditioned transport from Chiang Mai's Old Town or Nimman area.
English-speaking guide.
lunch and drinking water.
seasonal fruits.
life insurance.
admission to Mae Kachan Hot Spring, the White Temple and Blue Temple, plus either the Black House Museum or Wat Huay Pla Kang depending on which option you choose.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Oh-Hoo

Is this one for you?Book the Baan Dam option if you want to see how a contemporary artist reimagined traditional Thai architecture; book the Red White Blue option if you'd rather ride inside a towering statue and see countryside views. The long drive—13 to 14 hours total—is what makes visiting two contrasting temples and a hot spring possible in a single day from Chiang Mai, so plan for an early pickup and a late return.