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Best Things to Do in Chiang Rai

If you are interested in religious activities to do in Chiang Rai, Wat Rong Khun is one of the places that you must visit. Dedicated to Lord Buddha, this temple is known for its striking art and intricate architecture.

It is a masterpiece by one of the Thai architects, Chalermchai Kosipipat who has created many sophisticated murals and meticulously crafted a number of exquisite pieces in the architecture of this temple.

Highlights - The place symbolizes many philosophical meanings through its artwork that to reach heaven and attain nirvana, it is necessary that one overcomes the cycle of life and death. Also, the main hall of the complex is painted which symbolises Buddha’s purity. 

Location -  Donchai sub-district, Mueang district, Chiang Rai

Timings - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m

Price - INR 110/THB 50

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Boasting of a gorgeous landscape, Golden Triangle is a fabulous place to visit in Chiang Rai. If you are interested in exciting things to do in Chiang Rai that help you enjoy photography, visiting the Golden Triangle should be on your list.

The place is best explored on a boat where you can soak in the beautiful scenery of the surroundings and have a thrilling time.

Highlights - The place is a striking attraction as it is the meeting point of three countries namely Thailand, Myanmar and Laos and it is from here that the River Ruak flows into the mighty Mekong.

Location - 590/3 Chang Wat Chiang Rai

Timings - 7 am to 6 pm

Price -  Starts from INR 45/THB 20

A surreal escape among the popular things to do in Chiang Rai, Blue Temple is a great tourist attraction to enjoy on your visit to Chiang Rai. With an eye-catching architecture, Blue Temple is a magnificent temple where you can admire the art and also soak in some quiet moments with your loved ones when you are in Chiang Rai.

Highlights - For those who want to escape the crowds, this temple is a nice getaway as it has not caught up a lot on the tourist's radar and lets you cherish some tranquil moments.

Location - 306 Maekok Rd, Chang Wat Chiang Rai 

Timings - 8:00 am to 8:00 pm

Price - Free

Hailed as one of the most exciting things to do in Chiang Rai, visiting the Hill Tribe will leave you ecstatic on your vacation. The experience is a must-try for all the culture lovers in Chiang Rai as it lets you become friends with local families and villagers and take back home some beautiful memories.

Some of the famous tribes of Thailand which you should try to see are Karen Hill tribe and Hmong Hill Tribe.

Highlights - Visiting this place offers you an authentic experience of Thai life where you interact with the locals and get to their lifestyle closely from their daily ways of earning bread to having the simplest home-cooked dinners.

Location - Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai

Timings - 7 am to 7 Pm

Price - Free

Add new flavours to your experience in Chiang Rai by letting your taste buds savour a variety of authentic Thai food at Chiang Rai Night Market. It is a bustling market that comes alive as the sun goes down, and amuses visitors with its dynamic atmosphere filled with pleasant aromas. Countless number of street vendors and restaurants make this market a pilgrimage for foreign and local foodies in Chiang Rai.

Taking a food tour of this night market will not only please the gastronome in you but will also bring you face to face with the local culture. In addition to food options, the market is also famous for other products that can be bought here. Come with family or friends, and spend an unforgettable evening discovering another rich side of Chiang Rai here.

Highlights: The market is best known for its food options and shopping opportunities.

Location: Wiang, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai

Timings: 6 pm to 11 pm

Price: Free

Also called the Fish Cave Temple, the Monkey Temple is one of the prominent places to visit in Chiang Rai. Named so because of the presence of a number of monkeys in the premises, visiting here is one of the must-do activities in Chiang Rai.

With towering limestone walls and verdant greenery on all sides, the place will leave you with a bunch of good memories of Chiang Rai.

Highlights - It is a delightful visit for adventure lovers as it is pitch dark inside the caves and one can see a breathtaking view of the jungles of Northern Thailand from here.

Location - Pong Ngam, Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai 

Timings - From morning till 5 pm

Price - Free

If you want to unravel and embrace the real essence of Chiang Rai, a stroll on Chiang Rai Walking Street markets is what you need. Swarming with visitors during Saturday nights, this street cum market area features a pleasant mix of locals and tourists, all gathered to dine, drink,  shop, and enjoy the moment. Toothsome local delicacies, traditional goods, handicrafts, and clothes – everything is available here at prices too cheap for the quality.

Most importantly, the street remains active with the movement of food junkies and shoppers even after the midnight, so spending a few hours here comes highly recommended for those who want to experience nightlife in Chiang Rai. This experience is a proven stress buster, so do not skip it while you are here!

Highlights: Liveliest market area in Chiang Rai with lots of options in terms of restaurants, shops, and street hawkers.

Location: Thanalai, Tambon Wiang, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Rai, Chang Wat Chiang Rai

Timings: 7 pm to 12 am (only saturday)

Price: No Entry Fee

Chiang Rai, though a relatively small island in Thailand, is home to many adventure activities. Hiking is one of them. There are exclusive and trained operators who introduce guests to thrilling and unexplored areas in the island.

Highlights - Trekking & hiking enthusiasts believe that the hiking trails in Chiang Rai are one of the best in the world.

Location - Mae Salong Ban Santi Khiri, Bamboo Nest, Akha Hills & Waterfalls, Khun Korn Forest park, Lanna trek, Hill tribe trekking

Best Season - December to February.

Price - INR 1739/THB 800 approx. 

Difficulty Level - There are various trails (easy, medium and difficult) available and people can choose the ones based on their comfort levels.

Hours of travelling, walking, and adventure in Chiang Rai may tire your body. And whenever you reach that point, know that a visit to Huay Mak Lium Hot Spring is your remedy. A picturesque site located along Kok River with a range of natural attractions nearby, Huay Mak Lium Hot Spring is a popular getaway for rejuvenation among locals and foreigners.

Arrive here and take a dip into the hot water here that will magically rob you off of your tiredness and fill you with a sense of calm. The hot spring is surrounded by dense forests and has an extremely pleasant environment which makes it an excellent place for family picnics too. It is also a good idea to bring your camera along as the landscapes around will inspire the artist in you.

Highlights: Hot springs, dense jungle, and a few waterfalls nearby.

Location: Lam Nam Kok National Park, Chiang Rai

Timings: Information Unavailable

Price: Free Entry

Expressing an innovative and imposing design, Clock Tower is one of the prominent places to visit in Chiang Rai designed by Thai artist Chalermchai Khositpipat. Serving as a roundabout, it is one of the unmissable tourist attractions in Chiang Rai.

Famous for its spectacular nighttime scene with laser lights and music, this place will blow your mind away when you are in Chiang Rai.

Highlights - One of the best times to witness the clock tower is during the night when it looks very adorable with laser lights-cum music show as the sky changes colour during the evenings.

Location - Suk Sathit, Tambon Wiang, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Rai, Chang Wat Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand

Timings - Open all through the day

Price - Free

The northern part of Thailand is blessed by brilliant natural elements, which includes a large number of waterfalls. Chiang Rai is no exception to this rule. As you drive past the town, you can spot waterfalls at every 50th kilometre or so.

Khun Korn Waterfalls, located in the Khun Korn Forest, is the highest, most powerful and most famous waterfalls in Chiang Rai, falling from a height of 70m.

Highlights - This waterfall creates a loud noise and the force of water is very high here, so you should expect to get completely soaked as you hike through the forest to get to these falls. You can have a relaxing cool-off session at the foot of the falls; however swimming is impossible as there are lots of rocks around.

Location - Highway 1208 , Mae Kon , 57000 Mueang Chiang Rai , Chiang Rai, Thailand

Timings - 8 am to 4:30 pm  

Price - Free

For those looking for adventurous activities to do in Chiang Rai, visiting the Tree Top Adventure Park is a nice getaway. The Tree Top Adventure Park is a brilliant getaway to enjoy a number of nerve racing activities like tree climbing, zip lining, crossing rope bridges, etc.

Along with offering you a dose of thrill, the place is a wonderful getaway to enjoy some beautiful natural scenery.

Highlights - It is a great place to visit with your friends and family as it allows you to have a fun-filled day with many thrilling activities.

Location - Huai Khrai, Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai

Timings - 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Price - INR 325/THB 150

Nature-friendly getaway, Singha Park is a place where you can enjoy the countryside of Thailand. If you wish to spend your mornings or afternoons amidst the fruit orchards and tea plantations, Singha Park is the place that you must visit.

The park boasts of sustainable tourism and replete with a beautiful landscape comprising of trails, lakes and green meadows.

Highlights - Singha Park is most famous for its production of oolong tea and offers the tourists a pleasant tour where they can witness how tea is grown and picked.

Location - Mae Kon, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand

Timings - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Price - Free

Surrounded by a wonderful landscape, Wat Huay Pla Kang is a serene retreat for the tourists in Chiang Rai. The temple is a representation of Guan Yin who is the Goddess of Mercy and renowned for its gigantic complex with a big Buddha statue, a 9-floor pagoda and a gorgeous white temple.

It is where you can enjoy the peace and admire some interesting pieces of architecture like Naga shaped handrails, Goddess Guanyin statues and other Chinese statues.

Highlights - The most fascinating attraction of this temple is its 9 storied chedi which is inspired by Chinese Art. Boasting of superb architecture and beauty, this is something that you will not be able to stop yourself from clicking great pictures at Wat Huay Pla Kang.

Location - 553 Moo 3, Rimkok, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand

Timings - 8 am to 5 pm

Price - INR 85 /THB 40

This is one of the lesser travelled destinations in Chiang Rai and therefore, its beauty is yet to be explored. Located at a good 993m above sea level, this point is perfect for people who love camping and having a solitary time with nature.

Though it is quite scenic and provides an excellent view of the island and its surroundings, the road that leads to this point is quite risky. Roads can get slippery due to water canals passing through and guests are recommended not to travel through these roads unless they are highly skilled drivers.

Highlights - As the point gets near, roads get sloppier, riskier and tougher to navigate through, especially in the evening hours. However during the day, you can see through almost the entire northern Thailand from here.

Location - Mae Yao, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai

Timings - Can be accessed any time. 

Price - Free of cost.

This is an absolutely breath-taking cliff in Chiang Rai, which provides a scintillating view of the island, its beaches and mountains. The path that leads into this cliff is filled with dense mangroves and greenery that keep you spell bound all through the journey. The peaks in this area vary in between 1200 m and 1628 m above sea level.

Highlights - The sight of colourful flowers and sprawling meadows will make you go weak in your knees, especially when you come here during the season between November & January.

Location -  Located in the National Forest Reserve of Pa Mae Ing and Pa Mae Ngao.

Timings - Open from 8AM to 5PM. Post this, the area gets dark and risky to travel through.

Price - Free

Housing the iconic statue of Guan Yin, Wat Huay Pla Kang is a popular Buddhist complex claiming a huge religious reverence among locals and Buddhists travelling from other parts of the world. The beautiful architecture, intricate designs, and the presence of the statue of Guan Yin – the Goddess of Mercy – are the major factors why this temple is one of the most sought after tourist places in Chiang Rai.

Spend some moments breathing in the air of divinity and capture the beauty on your camera to immortalise the memories of this place. A visit to this temple to see the glorious statue must be a part of your itinerary if you are interested in embellishing your memory with architecture or culture of Thailand.

Highlights: Architectural brilliance, 9-floor pagoda and a giant statue of Buddha.

Location: Mueang Chiang Rai District

Timings: 8 am to 5 pm

Price: INR 90/THB 40

If you are a water sports lover, you will love Chiang Rai for more than one reason. First and foremost, you get wonderful private beaches to enjoy adventure activities like jet skiing. Secondly, you will tbe hrilled to see that they are priced quite reasonably.

Highlights - The lakes are neat and warm and guests are given private access based on the terms and conditions of the resort where they stay in. You can contact Planete Wakeboard for exciting jet skiing offers.

Location - All the beaches and lakes in Chiang Rai.

Best Season - Jet Skiing can be enjoyed all through the year at Chiang Rai.

Price - Skiing charges are applied on per minute basis. You can take up the courses by paying THB 165/THB 75 per minute.

Difficulty level - Medium.

A wonderful royal villa located in Chiang Rai, the Doi Tung palace, is one of the major landscapes in the quiet island. The simple yet elegant interiors of the palace are a pure blend of magnificent Swiss and Lanna architectural styles.

This was the residence of Late Princess Mother, who contributed immensely for uplifting the living conditions of the tribal people in this area.

Highlights - The elegant interiors of the palace are made from recycled wood, thrown away teak trees and pine trees. Do not miss the excellent wood work of constellation on the ceilings in the interiors of the palace. This depicts the star positions when the Princess Mother was born.

Location - Located in the Mae Fah Lung District, where sprawling and scenic gardens surround the palace. 

Timings - The Royal Villa is open from 8AM to 5PM whereas the gardens are open from 7AM to 6PM.

Price - INR 175/THB 80 each for the villa and gardens (per person).

With the help of ATVs or 2-seater buggies, tourists, coming to Chiang Rai, located towards the extreme north of Thailand, can get a close look at the mountains and rivers of the island.

As you move along these vehicles, you can stop for photo-shoots, swim sessions or for just absorbing nature in its prime form.

Location - At the mountains located on the North East side of Chiang Rai. There are 3 tours arranged in Chiang Rai – one for beginners, one covering mountains, jungle & waterfall, and one covering aspects like mountains, jungle, waterfall, valleys along with lunch.

Highlights - You get to cover all the mountains, swimming pool at the top of the mountains and various other tourist highlights through this tour. 

Best Season - Winter season, which is usually from October to February.

Price - INR 4345/THB 2000 to INR 8692/THB 4000 for adults.

Difficulty level - All levels are available on these tours

Chiang Rai is a small island that has its heritage values intact in the form of its temples, monuments and natural extravaganza. Wat Klang Wieng is one such temple that is perfect proof for the brilliance of Lanna architectural style. The temple was constructed during 1432; however during 1903 a huge storm affected the temple, post which it was renovated fully.

The temple boasts of massive shades of gold and red relief decorations and contains a ubosot, viharn and a stupa that have decorative elephants at the base. The grill work, detailed descriptions to all intricate designs and the patterns on the roofs, make this temple a huge tourist spot in Chiang Rai.

Highlights - Do not miss the intricate images of Buddha carved on all the three levels of the temple.

Location - On the Uttarakit and Rattanaket Roads.

Timings - Open all through the day.

Price - Free

One of the must visit places in Chiang Rai for the tourists, Mae Fah Luang Art and Culture Park is known as an art and cultural haven. An initiative under the Youth Leadership Project by the late princess mother, this place is one of the hubs to see the Lanna culture or Tai culture in all its glory.

It is a storehouse of many antique artifacts and has many prominent attractions like Haw Kham which is the golden pavilion and Haw Kaew which has a permanent exhibit of teakwood.

Highlights - The place is renowned to have a number of trees, a botanical collection of indigenous plants from the northern region and a wonderful collection of Lanna artifacts.

Location - 313 Moo 7 Baan Pa Ngiew | Rop Wiang, Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand

Price - INR 435/THB 200

Timings - 08.30 am to 4.30 pm

Kayaking and Canoeing are two famous activities that can be undertaken when you come to the northern island of Chiang Rai in Thailand.

Highlights - These boat trips take you through to the rich orchards and rich grass lands of Chiang Rai, where you will see exciting birds like swallows from a close distance. You can take long tail boats or bamboo rafts as per your convenience to enjoy the farms and hills of this island.

Location - Mai Kok River, village of Mae Salak, village of Ruammid, Tha Ton and almost all the rivers and villages of Chiang Rai Island.

Best Season - Winter season, preferably between November and February is the best time to take up canoeing tours in this island.

Price - Long tail boats costs around INR 4150/THB 1900

Difficulty level - Easy.

Take a spiritual retreat by visiting the Wat Phra Kaew which is often regarded as the most significant Buddhist temple in Thailand. The place is located in the Grand Palace and has one of the highest revered images of Buddha dating from the 15th century AD.

The temple is one of the spectacular places to visit in Chiang Rai and always bustling with tourists.

Highlights - The biggest attraction of Wat Phra Kaew is the miniature statue of Emerald Buddha which is kept high above the heads of all the worshippers and tourists and considered to be the holiest image in the country.

Location - 1 19 Trairat Rd, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai

Timings - 7 am - 6 pm

Price - Free

Built during as early as 10th century, this temple is located at the tallest point in Chiang Rai and hence provides a scintillating view of the entire island. The temple was constructed even before the island was made the Lanna capital.

As the temple contains sacred relics and images of Lord Buddha, this is an important place of worship for the locals of the island and for people all over Thailand.

Highlights - The chedi or stupa which is in the shape of a hexagon is made of pure gold and attracts viewers to a great extent. This 14 metre stupa, also known as the Golden Pagoda is a perfect example of the phenomenal Lanna and Burmese style of architecture.

Location - ArjAmnuay Rd, Wiang, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Rai, Chang Wat Chiang Rai 

Timings - 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

Price - Free.

Do not miss out on visiting Doi Din Dang Pottery to admire a fine amalgamation of art, architecture and culture. Surrounded by a beautiful natural landscape, this place is known for producing ceramics out if local materials and offering you an offbeat respite.

Shopping lovers can look forward to by many handmade ceramics which are both functional and decorative.

Highlights - Doi Din Dang Pottery is known for producing original pieces which are produced using primitive techniques and boast of very high quality. The handmade ceramics have a very popular market and also displayed in various five-star hotels and resorts of Northern Thailand.

Location - Nang Lae, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand

Timings - 8:30am - 4:30pm

Price - Free

Given its proximity to the extreme northern side of Thailand and the presence of large number of lakes in it, the small and quiet island of Chiang Rai is an absolute delight for ornithologists. There are lots of regular and seasonal birds that can be found in thousands at the lakes, when visited during the right season.

Highlights - On your lucky days, you can spot some extremely rare kinds of birds here like special ducks, Purple Swamp Hens, Ruddy Shelduck, Spot-billed Duck, Ferruginous Duck, Falcated Duck, Baikal Teal, Baer’s Pochard, wildfowls and many more.

Location - Chiang Saen Lake,Thong Dum and Nong Sa Lab.

Best Season - November to January.

Approximate Price - No specific charges for bird watching. These are offered as part of various Chiang Rai packages.

Difficulty level - Easy.

If there is one place in Chiang Rai where you can see Thai culture in its fullest form, it is the night market or the night bazaar. Close to the Walking Street types of Thailand, this night bazaar is where you can shop for exclusive handicraft items made of wood, scarves, bags, jewellery and many kinds of souvenirs that reflect Lanna culture and other hill tribal communities, at reasonable prices.

After you have shopped till you dropped, satiate your hunger with awesome grilled dishes along with a variety of beers.

Highlights - Do not miss to try out the authentic Thai massages from experts, folk music performances and other cultural displays that are exhibited here.

Location - Quite close to the bus station, right on the Prasopsuk Phaholyothin Road.

Timings - Open in the evenings from 6.30pm and goes on until 11 PM.

Price - Free

Mae Khachan Hot Spring is one of those interesting places in Chiang Rai that amuse the visitors irrespective of their age and interests. Rent a bike or car, and drive to this hotspot where you can enjoy soaking your feet in hot water and also relish on delicious eggs cooked in the hot spring. You read it right, you can buy chicken eggs from the vendors here, and dip them into the hot water of the spring until they boil and you can devour them.

For bonus, there is a Buddhist temple and a garden nearby you can visit. All in all, after touring natural and man-made marvels of Chiang Rai, Mae Khachan Hot Spring is a nice place to spend some light moments with your family and friends.

Highlights: Nice picnic spot where you can soak your feet in hot mineral water and cook eggs in the water.

Location: Tambol Mae Chedi Mai

Timings: Always Open

Price: Entry is Free

Chiang Rai, though a relatively small island in Thailand, is home to many adventure activities. Hiking is one of them. There are exclusive and trained operators who introduce guests to thrilling and unexplored areas in the island.

Highlights - Trekking & hiking enthusiasts believe that the hiking trails in Chiang Rai are one of the best in the world.

Location - Mae Salong Ban Santi Khiri, Bamboo Nest, Por Las calles de Mueang, Akha Hills & Waterfalls and Frontera con Birmania are some of the best hiking trails that you can find in South East Asia.

Best Season - December to February.

Price - INR 1735/THB 800 approx. 

Difficulty Level - There are various trails (easy, medium and difficult) available and people can choose the ones based on their comfort levels.

As the name indicates, Art Bridge is the place which bridges all kinds of gaps that artists might face in Chiang Rai. Set up by local artists from the island during 2012, Art Bridge contains a gallery to showcase brilliant art forms, restaurant, café, library, art school and souvenir shop. In the local dialect, this place is known as Khua Silapa which means bridge of art.

Highlights - Upcoming talented artists from the island of Chiang Rai, find this to be the perfect platform to launch their works and get noticed by the external world. From the art school, interested people can learn the nuances of art. Do not miss the reasonably priced dishes at the restaurant here.

Location - Easily accessible from the main town of Chiang Rai.

Timings - Open from 10AM to 7PM all through the week.

Price - Free

One of the strangest activities that you must try out when you come to the quiet little island of Chiang Rai, is to ride on an ostrich. This is probably something rare and you should make use of the same when you come here.

The farms that provide these facilities also have accommodation and good dining options so that guests don’t have to travel too far.

Highlights - The farms that provide ostrich rides also provide horse rides as well, which you can enjoy during your vacation here. Ostriches are quite familiar with the guests, so you can be assured of a lovely time when you come here.

Location - Thoeng road, T.Tha Sai, A. Muang, Huai Sak, Chiang Rai 

Best Season - December to February.

Price - INR 435/THB 200 

Difficulty level - Easy.

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How about going on a fishing trip and getting your fresh catch cooked at the restaurants just the way you want it? Sounds too good to be true? Not if you are in the northern most island of Thailand, Chiang Rai. There are some great fishing parks here which house a decent number of marine species for you to catch.

Highlights - Resorts that have fishing parks provide fishing rods on rent and also sell baits at affordable rates so that guests can have a good time. You can get to catch interesting species like giant Mekong catfish, common snakehead, carps, Tilapia, Striped catfish and pacu.

Location - Khiengdoi Fishing Park, Chiang Rai Fishing Park, Dao Daeng Fishing Park, Nong Bung, Mae Chan Resort & Fishing Park and a few more.

Best Season - November& December.

 Price - INR 175/THB 80 to INR 220/THB100 per day.

Difficulty level - Easy.

Learn everything about opium by visiting the Hall of Opium Museum when you are in Chiang Rai. One of the most educative yet recreational things to do in Chiang Rai, visiting this place will allow you to know everything starting from the history of the notorious drug trading zone of Golden Triangle, the origin of opium, the opium war, opium warlords, drug smugglers, effects of opium, the battle against opium to rehabilitation of the people who live in the Golden Triangle area.

Highlights - This museum is divided into different zones which characterize different things. For example, Entrance Zone is where you can learn about the different species of poppy, Siam Zone is a mock-up of a Chinese tea house, Magic Medicine Zone showcases the science of morphine and heroin and Opium Effects Zone represents the harmful effects of drug addiction.

Location - Wiang, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 

Timings - 08:30 am - 4:00 pm

Price - INR 650/THB300

Cherish a taste of history at Oub Kham Museum in Chiang Rai. One of the best things to do in Chiang Rai to observe various historical artifacts and history of Lanna culture, visiting here will not leave you disappointed. With both indoor and outdoor exhibitions, Oub Kham Museum is sure to offer you a nice time.

Highlights - One of the striking attractions of Oub Kham Museum is the wonderful collection of luxury ornaments, costumes, silverware, ancient collections, utensils, from the royal palace in the past.

Location - 1/1 Nahkhai Rd, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Rai, Chang Wat Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand

Timings - 8 am to 5:30 pm

Price - INR 435/THB 200

Gear up for an exciting day by visiting the Naval City Pillar in Chiang Rai. It was built in 1987 on the eve 60th birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and boasts of an imposing monument.

It comprises of one main pillar and 108 other pillars where the outside area covers with river and land and the inner part represents the 6 tiers of heaven.

Highlights - This place presents a fine mixture of Buddhist and Hindu theology as it was built in the Khmer style in accordance with traditional Lanna beliefs.

Location - Rop Wiang, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand

Timings - Open 24 hours

Price - Free

A two-tiered waterfall with a pool of crystal clear water below, Huay Mae sai is a pure beauty set in the middle of thick foliage of Mae Kok National Park. Serving as a weekend getaway spot to the locals, this visual treat gushing in the form of a waterfall is also frequented by numerous tourists on a daily basis.

Whether you are searching for photograph opportunities or you just want to surround yourself with nature and cool your body down with a swim, a visit to Huay Mae Sai Waterfall is always a good idea. Even though the site does is not packed with visitors even during the peak hours, you must visit here early in the morning to have the entire place to yourself and bathe in a serene calm.

Highlights: The site of this waterfall is picturesque and and the atmosphere is peaceful. Perfect for picnicking, swimming, and nature walks.

Location: Sai, Mae, Mae Yao, Mueang Chiang Rai District

Timings: Open 24 hours

Price: Free

One of the most unique places to visit in Chiang Rai, Baan Dam is known for its peculiar display of artwork. It has on display the works of famous Thai artist Thawan Duchanee.

Representing the darkness inside man, there are many artifacts here like skulls of dead animals, aged teak constructions etc. which will leave you totally astounded.

Highlight of the place: The place is famous for its dark and grim interiors which often justifies its name. One can see a wide array of displays comprising of dead animals parts like elephant bones and tusks, leopard pelts, buffalo skulls etc.

Location: 414 Baandam Nanglae Moo 13 Tumbol Nanglae, Mueang, Chiang Rai 57100 Thailand

Price: INR 175/THB 80

Timings: 9 am to 5 pm

Chiang Rai claims some of the most popular hot springs in Thailand, and Pong Phra Soet is one of them. If you are planning to visit Lam Nam Kok National Park, you must spend a few hours here, soaking in the lavishness of nature. There is a big pool of hot water that can be used by the public for taking dips and relaxing their body. 

However, if you would like to enjoy a natural spa with an air of solitude and seclusion, there are 8 private spa rooms available here. The natural surroundings and the fresh air are the extras you get to relish while you are here.

Location: Lam Nam Kok National Park

Timings: 8 am to 5 pm

Price: INR 45/THB 20