Chiang Rai

[pennybridge 943]

Has anyone done a day trip to Chiang Rai from Bangkok? I'll travel to Thailand next month, and i always wanted to see wat rong khun (white temple). I saw prices on flights are extremely cheap, and a round trip is like 30-40usd from Bangkok. I'm not really interested in seeing anything else in Chiang Rai. Maybe im missing something else? Would it be possible to get a taxi straight from the airport to temple and then back to the airport? How many hours would i need? If there are other things that are a must to see or do while in Chiang Rai i could stretch it maybe to staying a night.

I only stay 3 weeks in Thailand. 1 week for Bangkok, 4-5 days Pattaya. The rest i havent figured out yet. Maybe few days in Koh Samui or Koh Samet. That's why i don't want to spend too much time in Chiang Rai, unless there is something else i really should do or see when im there.

All input is highly appreciated.

[taaseesanuk 2,983]

1 hour ago, pennybridge said:

Has anyone done a day trip to Chiang Rai from Bangkok? I'll travel to Thailand next month, and i always wanted to see wat rong khun (white temple). I saw prices on flights are extremely cheap, and a round trip is like 30-40usd from Bangkok. I'm not really interested in seeing anything else in Chiang Rai. Maybe im missing something else? Would it be possible to get a taxi straight from the airport to temple and then back to the airport? How many hours would i need? If there are other things that are a must to see or do while in Chiang Rai i could stretch it maybe to staying a night.

I only stay 3 weeks in Thailand. 1 week for Bangkok, 4-5 days Pattaya. The rest i havent figured out yet. Maybe few days in Koh Samui or Koh Samet. That's why i don't want to spend too much time in Chiang Rai, unless there is something else i really should do or see when im there.

All input is highly appreciated.

All of the North of Thailand is worthy of a visit and time spent, a whistle stop day tour just to see a temple feels a bit rushed. Is there no opportunity in the future where you can take

a proper trip up North as it's worth it. Mongering is best spent in BKK and Pattaya but the North is often where you get to see true Thailand.

[Ropey 1,982]

Yeah you can do that as you have described. Probably need only 30-45 minutes at the attraction itself, depends how photo trigger happy you are. Imo it's not worth it, from memory it's not even a working temple, just an art exhibit, at the time I went precovid it was a conveyer belt setup of tourist busses unloading and reloading tourists through it - the busiest place in CR by a long shot. The artist who made it has the whole top floor of MOCA in Bkk dedicated to his work, it is interesting and worth a visit too.

[ARI23 2,780]

Agree with Taas and Ropey.

White Temple is spectacular esthetically but hollow spiritually. 

 

Would it be possible to get a taxi straight from the airport to temple and then back to the airport? Yes, half an hour max between Chiang Rai airport and White Temple.

How many hours would i need? 1 Hour taxi + 1 Hour visit max. 

If there are other things that are a must to see or do while in Chiang Rai . Maybe im missing something else?  

1 day you have time to visit the Black Temple : Baan Dam Museum. Unconventional, weird and touristic too.

And then you'll be able to spend some time in Chiang Rai. There was a cats bar, very nice, last time I visited.

 

The Gold Triangle and its opium museums is about 60 kms/1 hour drive away from Chiang Rai.

You can do all that in a day if you are well organized.

Many flights to come back to Bangkok in the evening and go straight to CIB or Why Not for a quiet night with Angels to end this spiritual day in a good note.  

 

chiang-rai-thailand-november-05-2014-baan-dam-museum-interior_78361-6310.webp

[pennybridge 943]

Thanks a lot for the input guys. I guess i will reconsider the day trip, i wish i had longer time in Thailand. 

[mikel 2,473]

Fly out of DM early and hire a car at CR. Easy and cheap. The roads are excellent and White Temple is well sign posted. Singha Park is ok for lunch and the Opium museum is a trek but not hard to find. You'll come back via the junction of Laos, Burma and Thailand. Plenty of good quality, cheap guesthouses and streetfood. Night markrt is ok. Up a side street, short distance from the Clocktower are two bars that have Lbs on staff. 

Midday flight gets you homw in time for fun in lower Suk 

[mikel 2,473]

[flipflops 1,274]

Last time I was in Chiang Rai 3 of us went to the White Temple, Blue Temple and Baan Dam Museum in about 6-7 hours time including a quick lunch. I was driving a rental car and was staying in a village outside of CR. 

You might search for a tour company that has drivers that will pick you up at the airport and drop you off when finished that you can book ahead of time. They might also give you a good idea of how much time this would take.

The North is certainly beautiful but this time of year the air pollution can be horrible. After Songkran is best but who knows. In May the rains come and clean the air. This year the air pollution has been minimal but I don't expect it to last. Today the readings are in the Red Zone. That is 150 to 200 aqi. See the chart.

https://aqicn.org/scale/