Guide · Day trips

Chiang Rai day tour from Chiang Mai, stop by stop

A Chiang Rai day tour from Chiang Mai packs a hot spring, a hill village and the White, Blue and Red Temples into one long day. Here is how the main listings plan it.

Check availabilityfrom $33 · cancellation is free

Editorial team, chiang-rai-tour.comUpdated October 27, 20267 minutes to read19 sources

On this topic: the tour White, Blue and Red Temple day from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai 4.8 (7,712 reviews) 11 to 13.5 hoursThree temple entrance fees includedAudio guide in 41 languages from$33per person Check availabilityFree cancellation up to 24 hrs before

The short version

01Time it takes: Plan on 11 to 13.5 hours, with roughly 3 hours on the road each way.
02The usual stops: The White Temple, the Blue Temple and Huay Pla Kang, often with a hot spring first.
03Starting price: From $33 on the most reviewed day, which has 7,712 reviews.
04The Mekong: Only longer days reach the Golden Triangle, one with a long-tail boat ride.
05Rule of thumb: Temples are the goal: a standard day. The river border too: the longer day, or a night in Chiang Rai.

What a day trip to Chiang Rai really asks of you

Chiang Rai sits far enough north of Chiang Mai that the journey shapes the whole day. One listing gives the distance as about 172 km one way and roughly 3 hours each way, and the most booked day runs 11 to 13.5 hours from start to finish. That makes it a long outing by any measure, so it pays to know what the hours buy.

What they buy is a set of temples you cannot see anywhere else. The White Temple, Wat Rong Khun, is the work of the Chiang Rai-born artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand counted about 10,000 visitors a day there.¹ The Blue Temple and the giant Guan Yin of Wat Huay Pla Kang complete a trio that the tours bundle into one outing.

The honest trade-off is time against effort. A day trip saves you a hotel night and the packing, but you spend about half the day in a seat. If you love long scenic drives and want the temples without changing base, it works well. If you would rather linger, see the Black House or stand on the Mekong at sunset, spend a night or two in Chiang Rai instead.

The day in order

How the most booked day unfolds

Morning

Leave Chiang Mai

Meet at Burger King Thapae or McDonald's Night Bazaar, or use pickup on some options.
After 1.5 hrs

Mae Kachan Hot Spring

A stop to soak your feet; visitors also boil eggs in separate wells.²
15 min later

Hill tribe village

The Mae Kachan Long Neck village; its 300 THB fee is not in the price.
After 2.25 hrs

White Temple

Wat Rong Khun, with an optional lunch stop in Chiang Rai province.
Afternoon

Blue and Red Temples

30 minutes to Wat Rong Suea Ten, then 15 more to Huay Pla Kang.
Evening

Back to Chiang Mai

About 3 hours on the road to the drop-off points in town.

The most booked day, stop by stop

The day this site recommends has been reviewed 7,712 times with an average of 4.78, and it starts from $33. It leaves from meeting points at Burger King Thapae or McDonald's Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai, or with pickup on some options. The bus runs 1.5 hours to Mae Kachan Hot Spring, then 15 minutes on to the Mae Kachan hill tribe and Long Neck village.

From there it is 2.25 hours to Wat Rong Khun, where lunch is optional, then 30 minutes to Wat Rong Suea Ten and 15 minutes more to Huay Pla Kang Temple, before 3 hours back to Chiang Mai. At the hot spring visitors soak their feet and boil eggs in separate wells, a gentle first stretch of the legs after the drive.²

The price covers the round trip in an air-conditioned vehicle, an official guide, mandatory insurance, an audio guide and the entrance fees for the White Temple, the Blue Temple and Huay Pla Kang Temple. Lunch, earphones and the Long Neck village entrance fee of 300 THB are not included. Bring small notes for lunch and for the village if you plan to go in.

Ratings

How travellers rate the Chiang Mai day trips

out of 5

Average ratings exactly as each of the five listings shows them, from the site tour to the hot springs and café day.

Side by side

Five day trips from Chiang Mai compared

Day trip	From	Hours	Reviews	Golden Triangle
Hot spring, village & temples	$33	11-13.5	7,712	No
Temples in 4 languages	$37	12-13	4,591	No
Village optional, small group	$54	13	1,286	No
Temples, Black House & Mekong	$75	1 day	1,801	Yes, with boat
White Temple & Golden Triangle	$75	13.5	1,196	Yes

From-prices, hours and review counts as each listing states them; prices change, so the booking page shows the binding figure.

Three ways to do it

Pick the day that fits your plans

Chiang Mai:Chiang Rai White, Blue & Red Temple & Karen Tribe

Most reviewed

The classic day

Hot spring, village, temples

From: $33
Hours: 11 to 13.5
Reviews: 7,712

See this day

Chiang Mai:Chiang Rai White Temple, Blue and Red Temple Tour

Four languages

Temples only

A café break, no village

From: $37
Hours: 12 to 13
Reviews: 4,591

See this day

From Chiang Mai: Chiang Rai Temples and Golden Triangle Tour

Longest day

To the Mekong

Black House and a boat ride

From: $75
Group: Up to 12
Reviews: 1,801

See this day

Decision helper

Which Chiang Rai day suits you?

Start from what matters most to you and read across.

I want the most reviewed, cheapest option I would rather skip the village I want a smaller group I want to see the Mekong I want my own guide and car

The classic day

It starts from $33 and has 7,712 reviews averaging 4.78.

Temples only

That listing names a café break and the temples, with no village stop.

Village-optional day

It is limited to 12 and makes the village an optional extra.

The Golden Triangle day

It adds Baan Dam and a long-tail boat ride at the Golden Triangle.

The private trip

The Viator private trip starts from $149 per person and runs 13 hours.

Wat Rong Khun, also known as the White Temple is the creation of Chiang Rai-born Chalermchai. It records about 10,000 visitors per day, or over two million people per year.

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Source 1

Other days from Chiang Mai, and what changes

A close alternative runs 12 to 13 hours with guides in English, Chinese, Spanish and Japanese, from $37, with 4,591 reviews. It skips the hot spring and the village: after 1.5 hours it stops for 15 minutes at Doi Chaang Caffe in Mae Suai, then gives an hour each to the White Temple, the Blue Temple and Huay Pla Kang.

A small-group version limited to 12 takes 13 hours and starts from $54, with 1,286 reviews averaging 4.82. It passes Mae Kachan Hot Spring, makes the Long Neck Karen village an optional extra, and then visits Wat Rong Khun, Wat Rong Suea Ten and Huay Pla Kang before 3.5 hours back. It also limits each guest to one small bag of up to 7 kg.

The longest common format reaches the Golden Triangle. This full-day small group, limited to 12, starts from $75 and has 1,801 reviews averaging 4.55. It adds Baan Dam Museum and a Long Neck Karen village, drives 1 hour to the Golden Triangle for a long-tail boat ride, then spends 4 hours in the van back to Chiang Mai.

Map

From Chiang Mai to the temples of Chiang Rai and the Mekong

The road north from Chiang Mai with its stops, then the temples around Chiang Rai and the border country up to the Golden Triangle.

Map of northern Thailand from Chiang Mai past Mae Kachan Hot Spring and Mae Suai to the White Temple, Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle — Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai

Map of Chiang Rai with the White, Blue and Red Temples, Baan Dam, Doi Tung, Mae Sai, Chiang Saen and the Golden Triangle — Around Chiang Rai

1
Chiang Mai
Start of the site tour: meeting points at Burger King Thapae or McDonald's Night Bazaar for the English tour, with pickup on some options.
In Google Maps ↗
2
Mae Kachan Hot Spring
The first stop of the site tour, 1.5 hours by bus from Chiang Mai; visitors soak their feet and boil eggs in separate wells.²
In Google Maps ↗
3
Mae Suai
Wat Sang Kaew Phothiyan, a 30-minute stop on the private trip, lies in Mae Suai.
In Google Maps ↗
4
White Temple
Wat Rong Khun, 15 km from Chiang Rai city centre on Highway 1.³
In Google Maps ↗
5
Chiang Rai
The provincial capital, with the Saturday walking street on Thanalai Road and the Night Bazaar on Prasopsuk Road.⁴ ⁵
In Google Maps ↗
6
Blue Temple
Wat Rong Suea Ten, at 306 Moo 2, Mae Kok Road in Rim Kok.⁶
In Google Maps ↗
7
Wat Huay Pla Kang
The Guan Yin statue of 69 meters and the 9-story chedi.⁷ ⁸
In Google Maps ↗
8
Baan Dam
Thawan Duchanee's Black House in Nang Lae, open 09.00 to 17.00.⁹
In Google Maps ↗
9
Doi Tung
The Royal Villa at 1,630 metres and the Tree Top Walk in Mae Fah Luang Garden.¹⁰ ¹¹
In Google Maps ↗
10
Golden Triangle
More than 70 km from Chiang Rai city, where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet.¹² ¹³
In Google Maps ↗
11
Mae Sai
On TAT's Golden Triangle route from Chiang Rai to Sop Ruak.¹⁴
In Google Maps ↗
12
Chiang Saen
The district of the Golden Triangle; the green public bus runs here from Chiang Rai.¹²
In Google Maps ↗

Open the map in Google Maps

Checklist

Before you board in Chiang Mai

Pack for the day

Passport or ID card, as the listing asks
Sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
Your own earphones for the audio guide
Insect repellent and a water bottle

Plan the money

Cash for lunch, which is not included
300 THB if you enter the Long Neck village
Small notes for drinks on the road

Respect the temples

Sleeves and knee-length clothing
Shoes you can slip off quickly
Be at the meeting point on time

Price check

What the day costs your group

Pick one of the four Chiang Mai departures and type in your head count.

Classic dayHot spring & templesfrom $33 Temples onlyFour guide languagesfrom $37 Small groupVillage optionalfrom $54 Golden TriangleWith a boat ridefrom $75

People 2

Total from$65

per guest from $33

Check availabilityfree cancellation

We multiply each tour's starting price by the number of travellers you enter and convert it at the European Central Bank reference rate; the booking page shows the exact total.

Video

Is the long temple day to Chiang Rai worth it?

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The Long Neck village stop: decide before you book

Several Chiang Mai day trips include a stop at a village the listings call a Long Neck village. On the most booked day the stop is listed as the Mae Kachan Hill Tribe and Long Neck Village, and its entrance fee of 300 THB is paid separately. Another day makes the village optional for an extra fee, and a third does not list it at all.

Whether you go in is entirely your choice. If you would rather not, pick a listing without the village. If you do go, treat it as entering people's homes and workplace: ask before taking a portrait, buy something if you take a photo of someone at their stall, and keep your voice low.

The wider region has long been home to many peoples, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand describes Chiang Rai's culture as shaped by Lanna, Karen and other indigenous ethnic groups.¹⁵ A short village stop is a narrow window onto that, so read about the area before you travel and keep your expectations modest.

When to go, and how the seasons change the drive

For a long day in a seat, the cool months from November to February treat you kindest. In Chiang Rai city January averages a high of 28.6 °C and a low of 13.5 °C, and on average not even one day there reaches 2.5 mm of rain.¹⁶ Early starts can feel cool in the van, so a light layer is useful until the sun is up.

Heat builds through spring. April is the hottest month, with an average high of 34.6 °C, and walking the open courtyards of the White Temple at midday can be tiring.¹⁶ Thailand's weather service dated the start of the 2026 rainy season to May 15, and August tops the year with 374 mm falling on 18 days that reach 2.5 mm.¹⁷ ¹⁶

Wet weather can slow the roads and lengthen the queues. In the wet months pack a compact umbrella, wear sandals with a back strap that dry quickly, and accept that the long drive may run late. The upside is green rice fields along the way and softer light for photos.

Small things that make a long day easier

Be at the meeting point on time. The most booked day does not wait for latecomers, and those who miss it get no refund; the listing also advises against booking on a day you have a flight. Leave extra time for Chiang Mai traffic, especially in the early morning near the Night Bazaar.

Travel light. Luggage travels only on the Big Bus Tour option, as a 290 THB add-on, and large bags and backpacks are not allowed otherwise. The audio guide works in 41 languages by QR code, so bring your own earphones if you want it. Snacks, water and a charged phone make the long drives pass more easily.

Dress for temples from the start. The Tourism Authority of Thailand asks men to wear a shirt with sleeves and long trousers or shorts that cover the knees, and women a skirt longer than knee length and a top with sleeves.¹⁸ Shoes come off before you go inside a temple hall, so slip-on footwear saves time at every stop.¹⁹

A day trip, a private car or a night in Chiang Rai?

If you have only one free day and the White Temple in Chiang Rai from Chiang Mai is your goal, the day trip is the efficient answer: someone else drives, the temple fees are often included, and you are back in Chiang Mai for dinner. If you dislike big groups, the private trip sold on Viator starts from $149 per person, runs 13 hours and has 1,402 reviews averaging 4.95.

With two or more days, staying in Chiang Rai changes the rhythm. One day tour starting there runs from 8:00 AM to around 6:00 to 6:30 PM and advises against returning to Chiang Mai the same day. That leaves your evening free for Chiang Rai's Night Bazaar, which opens every day from 6:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.⁵

Whichever you choose, compare listings by what the hours hold rather than by price alone. Count the stops, note which entrance fees are included, check whether the village is optional, and look at the time spent at each temple. A cheaper day with a long café break can leave less time at the sights you came for.

Your temple day

White, blue and red, in one day from Chiang Mai.

Three temple entrance fees included, guides in English or Spanish, and free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

Check datesfrom $33 · cancellation is free 4.8 · 7,712 reviews, verified

You ask,we answer.

How long is a Chiang Rai day trip from Chiang Mai?

Usually 11 to 13.5 hours. The most booked day lists 11 to 13.5 hours, and one listing gives roughly 3 hours of driving each way.

Which temples does the day trip visit?

White, Blue and Huay Pla Kang. The most booked day visits Wat Rong Khun, Wat Rong Suea Ten and Huay Pla Kang Temple, after Mae Kachan Hot Spring and a hill tribe village.

Are temple entrance fees included in the price?

On the most booked day, yes. Its price includes the entrance fees for the White Temple, the Blue Temple and Huay Pla Kang Temple; lunch is extra.

Does a day trip from Chiang Mai reach the Golden Triangle?

Only the longer ones. One small-group day adds Baan Dam, a Long Neck Karen village and the Golden Triangle with a long-tail boat ride.

Can I bring a suitcase on the day trip?

Only on the Big Bus option. Luggage travels only on the Big Bus Tour option as a 290 THB add-on; large bags and backpacks are otherwise not allowed.

What happens if I am late for the pickup?

The bus leaves without you. The most booked day does not wait for latecomers, and anyone who misses it is not refunded.

Is there a guide who speaks languages other than English?

Spanish, and audio in many more. The most booked day has guides in English and Spanish and an audio guide in 41 languages by QR code.

Sources