Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai – Thailand’s Northernmost Gem

Chiang Rai sits at the northern tip of Thailand, where the borders of Myanmar and Laos converge in the region known as the Golden Triangle. Less visited than its southern neighbour Chiang Mai, it rewards photographers with a concentration of extraordinary temples, mountain scenery, and hill tribe culture within a compact and unhurried city.

Wat Rong Khun – The White Temple

Wat Rong Khun, universally known as the White Temple, is one of the most distinctive pieces of architecture in Southeast Asia. Designed by local artist Chalermchai Kositpipat and still under construction, its surfaces are encrusted with millions of mirror fragments that catch the light and shimmer against the surrounding moat. The approach across a bridge flanked by reaching hands is dramatic from any angle — early morning before the tour groups arrive is by far the best time to photograph it.

Wat Rong Suea Ten – The Blue Temple

A short ride from the city centre, the Blue Temple offers an equally striking palette — deep cobalt and electric turquoise both inside and out, with a colossal white Buddha seated within. The interior is particularly rewarding for photography: the coloured glass high on the walls casts pools of refracted light across the floor in the late afternoon.

The Golden Triangle and Beyond

The confluence of the Mekong and Ruak rivers — where Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet — makes for a compelling landscape image at dawn, with the mist rising from the water and the hills of three countries visible simultaneously. The road north of Chiang Rai passes through the Doi Tung Royal Project, where mountain coffee estates and highland gardens sit at 1,200 metres above sea level.

Getting There

Chiang Rai has a small international airport (CEI) with connections to Bangkok and Chiang Mai. It is also reachable by bus from Chiang Mai in approximately three hours along a mountain road that offers scenery worth photographing in its own right.

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