The Best Chiang Rai Itinerary

Whether you have one day in Chiang Rai or three, it’s a great place to explore.  You’ll be able to see the top attractions and sights of Chiang Rai, and also, if you have longer here, be able to trek in the hill country too.  There are some spectacular sights in Chiang Rai, starting with the most famous, the White Temple.  Our itinerary for Chiang Rai will get you to the major attractions and sights while learning about this area of Northern Thailand.  Planning your route, and arranging the best place to stay will ensure that you maximize your time here.  Here are our Chiang Rai itinerary recommendations.

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Practical Considerations for Visiting Chiang Rai

Even if you just visit for the day, you’ll be able to get around a good number of Chiang Rai’s attractions, although you will need to plan to make the most of your time in Chiang Rai.  Here are a few of the things to organize before you arrive.

Arriving in Chiang Rai

You’ll either arrive in Chiang Rai at one of the two intercity bus stations, or in a private transfer.  And so you’ll need to take note of which bus station it is (they are different depending on whether you’re coming from Bangkok or Chiang Mai).  However many people also arrive in Chiang Rai from Laos, so I’ve included details of how to get here in my “how to get to Chiang Rai” section later in this article.

Dress Code for visiting attractions in Chiang Rai

A good few of the attractions in Chiang Rai are temples, which means that you’ll need to dress conservatively.  That means covering your shoulders and knees, nothing more.

How to Get Around Chiang Rai

The main sights that you’ll want to see in Chiang Rai are relatively close together, so it’s possible to walk between them.  However, Grab is one of the best city transport options in Thailand.  It’s usually cheaper than a taxi and really easy to use.  So download the app now and you’ll be good too.

Best Area to Stay in Chiang Rai

You’ll want to stay in the heart of Chiang Rai to maximize your time here.  As the top things to do here include eating the food, and heading to the night walking market, then I recommend the Sleepy House Chiang Rai.  It’s a great location, just 10 minutes from the Clock Tower, and about 15 minutes to the Night Walking Market.  Plus, it still gets amazing reviews.  You can check rates and book a room here.

I’ve included a map of things to do in Chiang Rai – so that you can see the logic of staying in this location.

Now that we’ve sorted out the practical details, let’s get down to what to do in Chiang Rai!

How long do you need in Chiang Rai?

This is a bit like “How long is a piece of string” – if you’ve only got one day to spend in Chiang Rai, then it’s worth coming, but if you have longer, then that’s great too.  We spent 2 days here and for us, it was long enough, but if you want to go trekking or spend time outside of the city then you’ll need 3 days or longer.

You should also remember too, that it takes a while to get here, and in Thailand, it’s always best to spend longer in fewer places, rather than all your time on a bus or a train.  Transport is very good here, (read my guide to Thailand transport), but distances can be quite long.

I’ve detailed Chiang Rai itinerary options into day trips, one-day, two-day, and three-day options and I’ve included specific details (like opening times, entry prices, and also some background information) about each of the attractions after the itineraries, so keep reading!

What to do in one day in Chiang Rai

The easiest way to plan your day trip to Chiang Rai is to just take a look at the itineraries from providers like Get Your Guide or Klook.  And most day trips to Chiang Rai come from Chiang Mai.  It’s not really feasible from anywhere else (Bangkok is just too far). Here are the best day trips to Chiang Mai.

However, if you’re freewheeling it – here’s my itinerary for just one day in Chiang Mai – we’re knocking off the out-of-town must-see attractions first, and then heading back into town. 

First, head to the White Temple, Wat Rong Khun

The first place you’ll want to see on a day trip to Chiang Rai is the White Temple (Wat Rong Khun), this is without doubt the top thing to see in Chiang Rai.  You’ll need a minimum of an hour to visit.  Entrance is free, and the earlier in the day you get there the better.  That white reflects the heat a LOT. 

Next stop, the Blue Temple, Rong Suea

Then, you’ll want to head to the Blue Temple (Rong Suea Temple) (we’re doing this in order of getting to the major sites first, then if you run out of energy, or time, the optional extras are, well, optional).  You’ll need a maximum of an hour here too and again entrance is free.  

You’ll need to either take buses or a Grab to both of these first two temples, as they’re a decent distance outside of the center of Chiang Rai, but once you get back into the center for these next stops on your Chiang Rai Itinerary, then you can do the rest of it on foot if you choose.

Lunch in Chiang Rai

Head back in towards the center of the city now, and grab some lunch.  One of the must-eat dishes here in Chiang Rai is Khao Soi – a noodle dish specific to the area and for this, I recommend the Khao Soi Restaurant.  It’s 8 minutes walk from your next stop, the clock tower.  For orientation, this restaurant is also close to Chiang Rai’s bus terminal number 1 and around the corner from where I recommend you stay in Chiang Rai, the Sleepy House, Chiang Rai.  Grab your Khao Soi, and then head off to the Clock Tower.

Visit Chiang Rai’s Clock Tower

If you’re here for longer than a day, then you’ll want to come back to the Clock Tower at night, as there’s usually a sound and light show on this Chiang Rai attraction, which was designed by Kositpitpat who designed the White Temple. 

However, as we’re trying to get this all into one day we’re seeing it now.  It’s just a quick photo stop, come back after dark if you’re still around, however, for now, we have to keep moving.

Head to Wat Phra Kaeo, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha

It’s 12 minute’s walk from here to Wat Phra Kaeo, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha – it’s a copy of the Emerald Buddha held in Bangkok and I recommend you come here at this time of day because the temple is leafy and shaded, so you’ll get the hottest part of the day in the wonderful shade of this lovely temple. 

You’ll need about 40-45 minutes here before heading onto your next stop on this one day Chiang Rai itinerary – the Hill Tribe Museum.  

Visit the Hill Tribe Museum in Chiang Rai

It’s about 20 minutes to walk here and you should try and get there by 15:30, as the museum closes at 17:00 and you’ll need a maximum of 90 minutes.  This area is the area of the Hill Tribes and if there’s one museum here that you should go to and learn a little more, then it’s here.  It’s open from 08:30 until 17:00 and entrance is 50 THB.

Dinner at the night market in Chiang Rai

By the time you slowly wander back towards Tambon Wiang and the Mueang Chiang Rai District, it’s likely to be dusk, time for a cold beer and dinner at the night market area.  If you’re staying over the night, then the Sleepy House Chiang Rai is just a few minutes away.

How to spend 2 days in Chiang Rai – itinerary

If you have another day to spend in Chiang Rai, then I don’t advise taking it easy on day one and spreading it out, there are plenty of other things to see here, but you’ll need to get out of town to see them.  And that will involve making a choice – both in terms of transport and also which attractions you want to see. 

So the first part of your two day Chiang Rai itinerary is to follow day one as above, then

Visit the Baan Dam Museum

Start by visiting the Baan Dam Museum – this is also called the Black House – this collection of art spills out from the building and takes over the entire grounds – and combines both dark colors and what appears to be dark arts.   It’s about 20 minutes in a tuk-tuk from the center of Chiang Rai to Baan Dam.

Explore Chiang Rai’s Tea Plantations

After Baan Dam (and this is where it’s probably best to be on tour, otherwise you’ll be hiring a driver for the day).  Head out to the tea plantations of the area – one option is to go to Singha Park (yes, it’s that Singha, the beer folks), and see tea plantations there, another is to go to the Choui Fong Plantation.  

Choui Fong is one of the largest tea producers in Thailand and this is the best place to understand a little more about tea in Thailand.    You can tour the plantation, understand more about growing tea in Northern Thailand, and also taste of course!

Head to the Golden Triangle from Chiang Rai

Once you’re done with the tea, head on towards the “Golden Triangle” – this area is where Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet – and while you can’t walk across the border (as at least one of the borders is in the Mekong River!), it’s a pretty neat place to come to. 

What you should visit while you’re here is the House of Opium Museum.  The opium trade drove a lot of traffic (and money) in this area, and the museum covers the history of the Golden Triangle, the origin of opium, the opium war, opium warlords, and drug smugglers.  If you’re coming up here to the meeting of the three countries, then you shouldn’t miss it.

When you’re finished with the museum it’s time to head back to Chiang Rai and the end of your second day in the province.

Attractions to put on your Chiang Rai Itinerary

Now that we’ve outlined some of the options for a Chiang Rai itinerary here are a few more details about all those attractions in Chiang Rai that you shouldn’t miss.

 1. Wat Rong Khun – The White Temple

Number one on your list in Chiang Rai is most definitely Wat Rong Khun, Chiang Rai’s White Temple.   You can take an easy local bus trip from Bus Terminal 1 out to the glorious White Temple, which is spectacular, but crowded. And seriously hot.  I learned through experience that umbrellas are not allowed in the temple area (even as heat or rain protection).

And while the temple is privately owned, with more art exhibits than temple, it is free to enter.  Chiang Rai’s White Temple is the brainchild of Chalermichai Kositpitpat, who after designing and constructing it, opened it in 1997.  Kositpitpat is a Chiang Rai artist and to date has invested more than 40 million THB of his own money in the temple.

And it does feel impossible to take a bad photograph in here, it’s so spectacular.

If at all possible avoid visiting the White Temple on a weekend.  It’s VERY crowded.  And the earlier in the day that you visit the fewer people that will be there.

• Wat Rong Khun Address: Pa O Don Chai, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand
• Wat Rong Khun Opening Times:  08:00 until 17:00 daily (Thai holidays may change this)
• Wat Rong Khun Entry Price: FREE

2. The Clock Tower, Chiang Rai

At the center of a roundabout back in Chiang Rai is the clock tower.  It was also designed by Kositpitpat, the creator of Wat Rong Khun.    The clock tower puts on a music and lights show, so we watched the 20:00 show. It does seem a shame that the traffic isn’t stopped when you are watching this.

3. Wat Rong Suea – the Blue Temple, Chiang Rai

Built by a student of the White Temple designer, Kositpitpat, this temple was completed in 2016, and well, as you can guess by the name, it is blue and just as stunning as the White Temple.   Various shades of blue and gold decorate this temple which is centered around a giant white Buddha.

• Wat Rong Suea Address: 306 หมู่ที่ 2 ตําบล, 303 Maekok Rd, Rim Kok, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand
• Wat Rong Suea Opening Times:  07:00 until 20:00 daily (Thai holidays may change this)
• Wat Rong Suea Entry Price: FREE

4. Wat Phra Kaeo – Chiang Rai

Wat Phra Kaeo – this Temple of the Emerald Buddha holds a replica of the Buddha, which resides in Bangkok.  It’s easy to find, green, leafy and shaded.  We found our way around by borrowing a guidebook (in English) from one of the monks.

The temple is one of the oldest and most revered in Chiang Rai – and was originally surrounded by a dense bamboo forest.  It was in 1434 that when struck by lightning, a pagoda fell apart and revealed a stucco-covered Buddha. The stucco peeled off and revealed an emerald Buddha.

• Wat Phra Kaeo Address: 19 หมู่ที่ 1 Trairat Rd, Wiang, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand
• Wat Phra Kaeo Opening Times:  07:00 until 20:00 daily (Thai holidays may change this)
• Wat Phra Kaeo Entry Price: FREE

5. The Hill Tribe Museum, Chiang Rai

The information here is great, it’s displayed, however, in a somewhat dry format.  You’ll need about 90 minutes to go around this museum and learn about the Hill Tribes in this area.  Many of them are actually refugees from Myanmar. If you’re planning on heading out on a trek from Chiang Rai, then I’d seriously suggest you stop by here first.  Here you’ll be able to find information about the do’s and don’ts of visiting villages, as well as your impact on the tribes.  There’s more on the museum here.

• Hill Tribe Museum Address: อาคารสมาคมพัฒนาประชากรและชุมชน Thanalai, Tambon Wiang, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand
• Hill Tribe Museum Opening Hours:  08:30 until 17:00 (hours may differ on Thai public holidays)
• Hill Tribe Museum Entrance Fee:  50 THB

6. The Night Bazaar, Chiang Rai

We love to spend time at night markets, so have visited many in the last 18 months.  There’s both a night bazaar and a walking street here in Chiang Rai and this is one of the best places to get your dinner – street food, and entertainment here will keep you occupied for a couple of hours.

• Chiang Rai Night Bazaar Address: อาคารสมาคมพัฒนาประชากรและชุมชน Thanalai, Tambon Wiang, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand
• Chiang Rai Night Bazaar Opening Hours:  18:00 until 23:00

7. Baan Dam – the Black House

This is a private museum in Chiang Rai and brings together a series of structures and buildings in the Northern Thai style about 20 minutes from the center of Chiang Rai.  It is the creation of Thai artist,  Thawan Duchanee. 

• Baan Dam Address: 333 Nang Lae, อำเภอเมือง Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand
• Baan Dam Opening Hours:  09:00 until 17:00 (hours may differ on Thai public holidays)
• Baan Dam Entrance Fee:  80 THB

8. Choui Fong Tea Plantation

Founded by Thawee Wanaspitaksakul in 1977, this is the largest tea producer in Chiang Rai. Tea types such as Assam, Green, Oolong, and Black Tea are grown here in the Thai highland plantations.  There’s a gallery, café, and tasting options here.

• Choui Fong Tea Plantation Address: 157 Moo 6 Srikham, Maechan, Chiang Rai 57110 Thailand
• Choui Fong Tea Plantation Opening Hours:  08:30 until 17:30 (hours may differ on Thai public holidays)
• Choui Fong Tea Plantation Entrance Fee:  FREE

9. The House of Opium Museum, Chiang Rai

This area, known as the Golden Triangle, is where the three countries of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet.  It used to be the center of the Opium Drug trade.  This museum details what the trade was, and the impact it had on the people here, and also on users.  It’s a fascinating look into this area, and how it impacted both people here and around the world.

• The House of Opium Address: 212, Moo1, Tambon Wiang, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand
• The House of Opium Opening Hours:  07:00 until 19:00 (hours may differ on Thai public holidays)
• The House of Opium Entrance Fee:  200 THB

Map of Chiang Rai Attractions and Things to Do

You can see the full map of Chiang Rai things to see and do here.

How to get to Chiang Rai

There are FOUR main places that people tend to travel to Chiang Rai from, and I’ve covered the details below, with more detailed posts on each of the routes, as there tend to be a variety of different transport options.

How to go from Bangkok to Chiang Rai

The quickest way to go to Chiang Rai from Bangkok is to fly.  Flights from Bangkok to Chiang Rai take about 80 minutes and you can fly from both BKK and DMK in Bangkok.  It is cheaper to take a bus to Chiang Rai from Bangkok, but this trip will take you 12 hours.  Check flight prices and bus prices to Chiang Rai from Bangkok here.   Note that the Chiang Rai bus station for Bangkok Buses is DIFFERENT to the bus station for buses that arrive from Chiang Mai, so just be careful of this if you’re doing both routes.

How to go from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai

It’s 200 kilometers (about 125 miles) from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai and this means that you can take a day trip to Chiang Rai from Chiang Mai.  (I recommend this specific day trip).  However, if you want to stay longer, then you have the option of either a bus which takes about 3.5 hours (reserve your seat here), or a private transfer, its quicker and more comfortable – and you can check the rates here. I’ve written specifically about how to go from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai here.

How to go from Sukhothai to Chiang Rai

If you’re coming into Chiang Rai from Sukhothai, then it’s overland transport only.  And the time difference between a large bus and a minivan is significant.  It’ll take you about 7 to 8 hours for this journey, depending on the bus service that you choose.  You can check the bus options here.  You’ll be better off if there’s a group of you to try and get a minivan.  It still shaves up to 2 hours off the time to take a minivan – check the options here.

How to go from Laos to Chiang Rai

The Laos border is REALLY close to Chiang Rai, and this is a popular route.  You’re only about 90 minutes from the Laotian border town of Huay Xai.  You can pre-book this route here.You’ll be coming this way if you’ve taken the slow boat up the Mekong River or if you’ve been to the Gibbon Experience in Northern Laos.

Travel Tips for Exploring Thailand

• Get Travel Insurance: Civitatis includes medical expenses, repatriation, theft, luggage delays. No deductibles or upfront payments. Get a quote here.
• Get online immediately with an eSIM for Thailand
• Read our Thailand Transport Guide here.
• Download and install a VPN BEFORE you travel to Thailand > discount coupon here
• Arriving by air? Book your airport transfer with Welcome Pickups.
• Book the best Thailand tours and guides on Klook or Get YourGuide
• Save money in Thailand with a Wise debit card
• Book Ferries, and Buses in Thailand with 12goAsia
• Book accommodation in Thailand with Booking

Final Words on Our Chiang Rai Itinerary Suggestions

Many of the attractions to see in Chiang Rai are close to the center of the city, but to see some of the other recommended sights you’ll need to get out of the city.  Planning where to stay, and how to get there is key to ensuring that you maximize your time in Chiang Rai – whether you’re here for a day, two days, or longer.

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