Thailand
Chiang Rai
Quieter than Chiang Mai, stranger temples, and mountains that feel untouched.
Most people day-trip here from Chiang Mai and miss the point entirely. Chiang Rai rewards three or four nights: fewer tourists, better value, and a genuinely odd artistic streak.
Best time to go
November to February for clear mountain views.
What it costs
£30–£45 a day for two.
What we'd actually do
Wat Rong Khun (the White Temple)
Arrive at opening. It is a working art project, not an ancient site, and the detail is extraordinary up close.
The Blue Temple and Baan Dam
Do all three in one morning by scooter — white, blue, then the black house museum. A very strange, very good day.
Doi Mae Salong
Tea plantations in the hills settled by Yunnanese families. Stay a night if you can.
Where to stay
- Near the clock tower for the night bazaar
- Riverside guesthouses for quiet mornings
Things we wish we'd known
- The Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai green bus is comfortable and takes about three hours.
- Bring a jacket — the hills get genuinely cold after dark in December and January.
Suggested Chiang Rai itinerary
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