Day Trip To Chiang Rai White Temple From Chiang Mai

I’ve wanted to see Chiang Rai’s White Temple for ages. Everyone I met on my travels recommended it, and showed me the most incredible pictures they’d taken of it. So I started looking into how to plan a day trip there from Chiang Mai.

I know there’s much more to do in Chiang Rai than just the White Temple, but I was strapped for time so I couldn’t spend a few days in Chiang Rai like most people do. Instead I got up at 6am and set out for a day trip to Chiang Rai’s White Temple.

Traveling to Chiang Rai from Chiang Mai

I planned on getting the first bus at 7am, but after taking a little too long at breakfast (what can I say, I got distracted by food), I had to get the second bus at 9:15am. The bus was super easy to get, I just went to Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3, and got my ticket from the Green Bus ticket counter. It only cost 245 baht each way (about $7 each way).

The bus took longer than I expected (about four hours) and the road was a bumpy one. In fact, in some places the road wasn’t even built yet, and we had to wait for the road to be laid before we could drive on.

I was expecting to get off at Chiang Rai bus station and then get a bus to Wat Rong Khun. But about thirty minutes before we were due to arrive at the central bus station, it stopped just outside the White Temple. I quickly grabbed my things and jumped off with a few other passengers.

Arriving at the White Temple

The road towards the temple was lined with market stalls and coffee shops. Normally, I would have said the street vendors ruined the atmosphere, but after four hours on a bus, I was thrilled to see a coffee shop right in front of the temple. I grabbed a surprisingly reasonably priced brownie and smoothie and sat directly opposite the temple to get a time lapse of the hundreds of tourists.

At first I was a little disappointed at how busy it was. There was a queue to get into the temple, and people EVERYWHERE with selfie sticks. I guess that’s what I get for arriving in the afternoon, rather than early in the morning. But despite the crowds, the White Temple was still an incredible sight to behold.

Understanding the White Temple

I quickly learnt that all around the temple was contrasts between good and evil. The White temple was symbolic of purity and the tiny mirrors all over the temple were tactically placed to reflect the teachings of Buddha.

And to contrast the pure and good of the White Temple, there was a golden temple, and a golden toilet building. The gold of these buildings symbolises man’s desire and greed for money.

But there were lots of other, smaller contrasts between good and evil all around the temple complex. Just before the ticket counter there were trees with heads hanging from them (not real ones, obviously). Some were smiling, others were simply terrifying. It would be a great place to go at night, if you’re a fan of creepy stuff that is.

Underneath the bridge to the temple were hundreds of hands reaching up, apparently symbolising desire. The bridge represented rising above desire on the journey to purity.

I know there are lots of people who would probably disagree with me, but I found the small details around the temple just as impressive and interesting as the White Temple itself.

Each face, each statue and colour represented an emotion, a quality or a vice. I must have spent at least five minutes admiring each tiny detail.

Entering the White Temple

I’d hoped to get a perfect picture of the White Temple from the start of the bridge, but I should have realised that would be completely impossible with so many crowds.

But despite the hundreds of people rushing to see the temple, it was still incredibly impressive. First you have to walk over the bridge, over the sea of reaching hands, but each tiny part of the bridge was covered in sequin details, or more faces. So it’s safe to say, no one was moving very quickly.

We got to the White Temple entrance, and had to take off our shoes and carry them with us. Normally at temples you leave your shoes outside, but there’s no way that would have worked here, there were just too many people.

The inside of the temple was a little underwhelming compared to the outside, but still it was good to see. And walking around the temple’s veranda I got to admire the temple from different angles.

I even saw a couple of people that I’d met on Cat Ba Island (Ha Long Bay), so stopped for a catch up inside one fo the most impressive temples in the world.

Exploring the rest of Wat Rong Khun

Wat Rong Khun has so much more to offer than just the White Temple. The theme of good and evil continued throughout the rest of the complex, with modern figures like Spiderman, and Predators dotted about in trees or on benches.

There was also another impressive white temple-like building in the same style of the White Temple, but nowhere near as crowded. This was a great spot for pictures and selfies without massive crowds in the background.

Then there was the golden temple, which I don’t actually think was a temple at all. It had a bridge leading over a lake, and then a walkway around the building. Inside I think was a small art gallery.

And I’ve got to say, a highlight of the rest of the Wat Rong Khun grounds was the toilet. The golden toilet building might have symbolised greed, but still, I felt like a royal whilst going for a wee.

Lunch at the White Temple

After the long bus journey and the excitement of exploring the White Temple, I’d worked up an appetite. There were a couple of coffee shops directly opposite the temple, and luckily there was one with a couple of seats free outside, facing the White Temple.

I wasn’t expecting much from the food, I was just pleased to have such a perfect seat. So I set up my camera and tripod and started a time lapse of the busy crowds.

The food was also surprisingly good. They didn’t have much on offer, apart from a few pastries, cakes and brownies, and some great smoothies, but it was all delicious.

Wat Rong Khun Art Gallery

Outside the temple complex there was a gallery which was well worth visiting. There was information about those that designed the White Temple, as well as small pieces from the original temple. There was also some weird and wacky paintings that I can definitely recommend to any conspiracy theorists.

Getting back to Chiang Mai

My bus back was from Chiang Rai bus station, so I had to get to the town centre. I could have got a public bus, but after a long day, to be honest, figuring out the timetable and waiting around for one seemed like too much hassle. So I ordered a grab, and got to Chiang Rai with time to kill.

When my driver heard I was early for my bus, he recommended his favourite cafe, so I thought I’d give it a try. And I’m glad I did. It was one of the best meals I’d had in Thailand, and it was right opposite the bus station.

The bus ride back was just as bumpy and long, and I got back to Chiang Mai at about 10pm. It was a long day, but so worth it.