CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT IN 24 HOURS

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. When you have just 24 hours to spend in one of the most exotic and stunning locales in North Thailand, what do you do? Well, you make the most of it.

As part of the Tourism Authority of Thailand newsroom bloggers trip, we had exactly one day in this amazing city and we maximized it by going to the best places to visit in Chiang Rai. Follow our game plan if you are short on time, though, I would recommend atleast a week in Chiang Rai or more.

Top Places to Visit in Chiang Rai

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT

Doi Tung Royal Villa

Nestled on the steep Doi Tung hill at a height of around 1400 m, the royal villa was the former residence of present king’s mother, Somdej Phra Srinagarindra.

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. North Thailand flags at entry of Doi Tung

The villa is now converted into a museum which showcases life and achievements of the princess mother. You can literally walk into this royal house and enjoy the grandeur whilst taking in the history via the audio tour.

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. Entry to Doi Tung Villas

Photography is prohibited inside the villa so I could not capture the elegance. The most remarkable element of this place is the ceiling of the main hall. Princess mother was big into astrology and she had her favorite constellations engraved with light bulbs denoting the stars. The position of the planets and stars represented her date of birth – 21st October, 1900. This ceiling was professionally designed by Astronomical society of Thailand.

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. Garden of Doi Tung Royal Villas

Tip – Cover your shoulders, knees and preferable ankles when you visit the royal villa. No transparent clothing allowed. Jeans and tee would work well here. 

Entry fee and timings – Entry to the villas is 90 Baht . Opening hours are 0700 – 1700, open everyday.

Mae Fah Luang Garden

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. Lovely exhibit at Mae Fah Luang Garden

In the same Doi Tung complex, is the lovely Mae Fah Luang garden. Spread over a whopping 10 hectares, this extravagant display of plants and flowers was conceptualized by Princess mother.

The garden is maintained by local villagers and forms a stable income for them due to the ongoing revenue from tourism.

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. Mae Fah Luang Garden is filled with photo opportunities

Entry fee and timings – Entry to the garden is 90 Baht . Opening hours are 0700 – 1700, open everyday.

Baan dam Museum

Our next stop was the famous Baan dam museum, created by Thailand’s renowned national artist Thawan Duchanee.

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. Black houses at Baan Dam

It is famous for the lovely Laana style ‘Black houses’ which boast of architectural detailing. The name Baan dam is actually derived from Baan, which means house and Dam which means black.

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. Many artistic and detailed black houses at Baandam

The work displayed is controversial, to say the least and might not be everyone’s cup of coffee. However, visiting Baan dam once during your visit to Chiang Rai is a must.

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. One of the paintings on display at Baan Dam museum

Entry fee and timings – Entry to the museum is free. Opening hours are 0900 – 1200 and 1300-1700 hrs, open everyday.

Rai Boon Rawd (Singha Park)

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. The lovely colorful cottages on a clear day at Singha

Rai Boon Rawd was one of the highlights of our trip. It is spread over 3000 acres in the Thum bon Mah–Korn district. Singha park is beautiful with the iconic golden lion statue in the middle, surrounded by epic scenery, tea plantations, cute cottages and a lovely lake.

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. Bird eye view of Singha Park

The best part of Rai Boon Rawd is the zipline. Some of us adventurous souls enjoyed a lovely ziplining experience overlooking the vast expanse of Singha Park.

Ziplining at Singha Park with Svetlana @SvetlaFly

A great way to end the evening is by spending quality time at the Bhu Bhirom, fine dining restaurant. With scenic 360 degree views, it is advisable to opt for outdoor seating and watch the sun set and moon rise whilst enjoying cocktails and delectable cuisine.

Taking selfies with the golden Singha statue

Entry fee and timings – Entry to the park is 50 Baht. It is open 24 hours, daily but best time to visit is 0900 – 1600 hrs. 

Chiang Rai Walking Street

The Saturday night market at Suk Sathit, Chiang Rai is quite popular among locals and tourists. Souvenirs start at just 10 Baht each and there is a huge variety of home decor, local street food, clothing, collectibles and handicrafts to choose from. You can easily spend 3-4 hours on this bustling street so ensure you go early and shop at leisure.

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. Street food at Chiang Rai walking street. Photo Credit – TATnewsroom

Entry fee and timings – No entry. Open every Saturday night from 1700 – 2300 hrs. 

Clock Tower

The Golden clock tower in Chiang Rai is a popular landmark in the city center. This lovely tower has intricate design and lovely aura as it stands tall as a road junction.

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. Mesmerizing clock tower as it lights up! Photo Credit – TATnewsroom

The highlight is watching the 10 min sound and light show as the clock strikes 7/8 and 9 pm every night. There is a blast of colors as the tower lights up in different shades of blue, pink, yellow, white ,golden lights with music blasting in the backdrop. It is quite a stunning sight and gathers more than a handful of eyeballs.

Entry fee and timings – No entry. Open everyday but highly recommended to visit at 1900, 2000 or 2100 hrs to enjoy the light and sound show.

Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. Magnificent Wat Rong Khun aka White Temple. Photo Credit – TATnewsroom

Next morning (Still within our 24 hours), we headed to Wat Rong Khun. This was the most anticipated part of our journey to Chiang Rai and we were surely not disappointed. The white temple is simply breathtaking, in style of design it is quite similar to the golden clock tower as both structures were designed by Mr. Chalermchai Khositpipat. It mesmerizes you with the untouched beauty and stories behind it are just as interesting as the temple’s design and structure.

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. Entry to the exquisite temple. Photo Credit – TATnewsroom

CHIANG RAI 7 PLACES TO VISIT. Group picture with TATNewsroom team & bloggers. Photo Credit – TATnewsroom

From the wishing well to the heaven and hell conflict, from super heroes to do-gooders, every part of the temple has a story and a meaning behind it.

Under the wishing tree. Photo Credit – TATnewsroom

The golden toilet (umm, yes its a toilet) is definitely the world’s most beautiful washroom – there, I said it! I mean, I didn’t even want to use the amenities but I had to – how can you not indulge when this is your toilet? – (pic below)

The mighty Golden Toilet. Photo Credit – TATnewsroom

Tip – You are visiting a temple so be respectable of the Thai culture.Cover your shoulders, knees and preferable ankles when you visit the White temple. A full sleeves shirt with full pants/jeans is recommended. 

The usual “I was there” photo with the lovely temple in backdrop

Entry fee and timings – Entry is 50 Baht for foreigners (implemented from 1st Oct 2016), donations are optional. Open everyday from 0800 – 1800 hrs. 

So, have you ever been to Chiang Rai? If so, did you visit these places and how long did your stay? Or if you intend to visit, do these places interest you?

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