Thailand Trip Itinerary 2014 - Part 7 Chiang Rai to Chiangmai

Day 8 – Visiting Wat Rong Khun [White Temple] and leaving Chiang Rai to Chiangmai.

Had early lunch after visiting Wat Rong Khun [White Temple] before leaving for Chiangmai.

[Click here to see Wat Rong Khun].

Back to the hotel after lunch which allowed us late check out at 1.00 pm since our bus to Chiangmai departs at 2.15 pm. Journey was good as bus was punctual and arrived at Chiangmai Chang Klan Bus Station at 5.15 pm even though the bus does stop at several places on the way.

Since we weren’t sure of the location of Chiangmai’s hotel which we had booked earlier through Agoda.com, we took the Red Song Thaew which charges 80THB [bargainable] which is cheaper than the Tuk-Tuk to locate the hotel.

Pachkit House B&B

8/1 Arak Road, Soi 7 T. Phrasingh

Amphoe Muang

Old City Chiangmai

Hotel Rim, Arak Road, Suan Dok Gate

This hotel is located next to Hotel Rim side lane, Arak Road and behind Wat Phrasingh. Hotel doesn’t look new but the room is very spacious and clean inclusive of good Western breakfast. The rate per night is less than USD25 which is good price for location, room and food. Free Wifi at the dining area and in the room.

Along Arak Road, there are several good food outlets like Jelang Fish Ball Noodles Shop, Korean BBQ and Steamboat and a Chu Char Stall in the Teochew Association compound.  All these places are within walking distance. The SP Chicken outlet is also within walking distance along one of the adjacent roads near Wat Phrasingh and the hotel.

The hotel collects a deposit for the room key and you can also rent a motorbike through the hotel for 250THB per day. This rate is higher than the one near Thapae Gate area but it is more convenient to rent one through the hotel. 

We took the Red Song Taew from hotel to Thapae Gate that charges 40THB for 2 person to Thapae Gate in the late afternoon.

Before visiting the Sunday Walking Street Night Market, we went to Moon Muang Road [Wendy Tour’s agent] to book a day tour to Doi Inthanon, the highest point in Thailand. The rate is 900THB per person. The tour van will pick us up at the hotel at 8.00 am. The tour package includes lunch and visiting the King Inthanon Memorial [highest peak of Thailand], Twin Pagoda, 2 waterfalls [Wachirathan and Sirithan Waterfalls], Royal Market and a Karen village.  It's a good fare.  We enjoyed the trip.

The Sunday Walking Street Night Market opens at 16.00 till midnight. This market starts at Thapae Gate and runs along Ratchadamneon Road for around 1 Km. Temples on either side of the road become food courts. There are a wide variety of food from Khao Pad [fried rice] to deep fried crickets, pancakes, grilled meat to numerous refreshment stalls [Click here to see map].

Items offered here are handcrafted products and usual assortment of tourist trinkets. Prices are bargainable but that depends on quantity.

The walking street market is packed with people and quite difficult to move around especially around Thapae Gate area.    Beware aware of pick-pockets, too.  We tried several street foods and the prices are higher than in Chiang Rai.

We had the spring rolls [2 rolls for 25THB], Passion Fruit Ice Shake [25THB per cup], chicken satay [20THB per stick], Pad Thai [30THB per plate] and bought 6 pencil box at 20THB per piece.

What To Eat in Chiang Rai - Night Market Street Food

Location - Thanalai Road, from Tung Garden to Chiang Rai Vocational College, Chiang Rai
Opening Hours - 16.00 till midnight [every Saturday evening]

Unlike Chiangmai’s markets, that’s full of mass-produced items made specifically for tourists, a lot of what you can buy at the night market in Chiang Rai are unique items made by hill tribe people such as antique bags, masks, some hill tribe silver earrings, handmade traditional Thai dolls, carved wooden bowl, embroidered bag etc.

Hill-tribes of Thailand produce beautiful products, all unique and of lovely quality. The best places to buy these products are from the stalls the hill tribe people set up by just placing a blanket on the street and selling from there. 

Prices are cheap here. You may find the same items elsewhere or in Bangkok but the price may rise to many folds. Another highlight is a string of cultural performances which re-enact scenes from the local way of life and traditions of the ancient Lanna people. There are also live folk music and dancing.

Apart from the inedibles, the night market street food also has a lot of food stalls and most of them offer Thai food that are cooked a little less spicy to cater to tourists’ taste and there’s even live music and dancing girls to keep you entertained while you eat. The stretch of stalls is unbelievably with about 4 rows of stalls along the stretch. Look at the some of the photos here and these are just a small portion of it.  Prices range from as low as 10THB for a stick of Miang Kham [5 pieces] or a stick of grilled meat.

10THB per stick of 5 pieces of miang kham

10THB  per piece of Crispy Basil Small Prawns Fritters

20THB fruit smoothie per smoothie cup of various combinations, cheapest here in Chiang Rai

You can skip dinner and nib at the various food offered here. They are more than enough to fill your stomach. As you walk along, everything looks so tempting that you love to try. Best of all the prices are very, very reasonable.

Popiah Skin Maker

Braised Pig Trotter

10THB per stick of Grilled Meat Stick

Fried Rice Cake and Pad Thai [20-30THB]

Chiang Rai’s night market street food really is a must see event.

Aren't these Awesome?

Click here to see Wat Doi Ngam Muang, Chiang Rai

Click here to see Wat Phra Kaew, Chiang Rai

Click here to see Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Rai

Click here to see King Mengrai's Monument, Chiang Rai

Click here to see Wat Rong Khun [White Temple], Chiang Rai

Click here to see Chiang Rai Night Market Street Food

Click here to see Chiang Rai Must Try Food

Chiang Rai - Places to Visit - Wat Rong Khun [White Temple]

Day 8 - Chiang Rai Wat Rong Khun [White Temple]

As we arrived Chiang Rai late afternoon the day before, we visited Wat Rong Khun the next morning before leaving Chiang Rai for Chiangmai after lunch.

Location - About 15km south of town on Phahonyothin Road or drive north along Asia Highway or 20 minutes from City.

How to get there: Hire a songtaew [250-300THB/hour] or rent a motorcycle

Opening Hours: 08:30 – 17:30

Admission fee: None

Wat Rong Khun is also known as the White Temple. Wat Rong Khun is the place to be visited throughout the year. Whereas most temples visited by tourists have a history going back many centuries, this magnificent place of worship was built only recently. It is the realization of a dream for Thailand's noted/popular artist, Mr Chalermchai Kositpipat, who designed and supervise the construction of this beautiful white temple and its many statues of figures based on religious beliefs.

The construction started in 1998 and was completed in 2008 and there are still on going additions until today. In addition, there is a gallery nearby exhibiting his paintings. Today, the white temple of north Thailand“ is a national landmark and one of the most popular temples of Thailand and Chiang Rai.

This White Temple is completely unique and greatly differs from other temples. The whole building is held in white and consists of many mirror glass mosaics which are embedded in cement. The white colors of these temples are a symbol for “Buddha’s purity“.

Silver leaf plates are also available at 30THB as a collection to contribute to further development of the place which is a good idea.

Specially noted the toilet which is the only building that looks like a temple and its golden in colour. Very clean and you don't have to pay for using it.

Click here to see Chiang Rai Trip Itinerary

Click here to see Wat Doi Ngam Muang, Chiang Rai

Click here to see Wat Phra Kaew, Chiang Rai

Click here to see Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Rai
Click here to see King Mengrai's Monument, Chiang Rai