Wat Rong Khun, known to most visitors as the White Temple, stands about 13 km south of Chiang Rai city. Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat began rebuilding it in 1997 and is still adding to it. The main hall is finished in white plaster set with small pieces of mirror glass, so it glitters in the sun. The decoration mixes Buddhist symbols with demons, reaching hands and, inside, murals that pull in characters from films and pop culture.
From Chiang Mai it’s a long but doable day: around three hours on the road each way, so roughly six hours of driving for one to two hours at the temple. This guide covers the visit, the drive and what to add in Chiang Rai.
The details below were checked in October 2026. Ticket rules and hours change, so check before you go.
What to see at the White Temple
The grounds are compact. Visitors follow a one-way route: across the bridge, through the main hall, then out into the rest of the grounds.
The bridge and the reaching hands
You reach the main hall (the ubosot) by a narrow white bridge. Below it, hundreds of sculpted hands reach up from a pit. They stand for unchecked desire, and the bridge, often called the Bridge of the Cycle of Rebirth, for the way past it.
The queue moves slowly here. Signs ask you not to stop and pose on the bridge, and the flow only goes one way, so take your bridge photos from the front before you cross.
The main hall (ubosot)
Shoes come off at the door. Inside, the murals move from calm white into flames and demon faces, with figures such as Michael Jackson and Neo from The Matrix painted into the scenes. Photography isn’t allowed inside the hall, and staff watch for phones. One recent report says some buildings close for a lunch break, so if the interior matters most to you, don’t plan to arrive right at midday.
The golden building, the gallery and the Cave of Art
The ornate gold building on the grounds is the restroom building. Its gold stands for worldly desire and money, the opposite of the white hall. There’s also a gallery of Chalermchai’s paintings, and the Cave of Art, a walk-through passage of sculptures.
The temple is unfinished by design, with nine buildings planned and work expected to run for decades.
Dress code and etiquette
The dress code is enforced, for men and women alike:
- Cover your shoulders and knees. Avoid see-through or very tight clothes.
- Cover-ups are available at the entrance, but it’s simpler to arrive dressed for it.
- Take off your shoes before entering the hall, and your hat and sunglasses inside it.
- No photos inside the main hall. Photos outside are fine. Signs prohibit drones.
- Don’t touch, climb or lean on the sculptures.
Opening hours and tickets
The temple is open every day. The most recent sources give 08:00 to 17:30 with last entry around 17:00, while others say it closes at 17:00, so plan to be through the gate before 17:00.
Foreign visitors buy a ticket at the entrance. The temple changed the rate on 1 January 2026, and the ticket now also covers the Cave of Art. Check the current price at the counter, and bring cash.
How to get to the White Temple from Chiang Mai
It’s about 180 km, mostly on Route 118, which crosses the hills between the two provinces. The temple sits beside the main road into Chiang Rai, about 13 km before the city.
Bus and Grab. Green Bus runs from Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3 (the Arcade) to Chiang Rai in 3 h 20 min to 3 h 45 min. Buses pass the temple without stopping, so ride into Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1, then take the local bus marked “White Temple” from platform 8 (20–30 minutes back south) or a Grab. As a day trip, this leaves little time on site.
Shared minivan day trip. Sold by agencies in Chiang Mai, usually combining several Chiang Rai sights on a fixed schedule.
Your own or a rental car. An easy road, but six hours of driving in a day, with winding hill stretches.
Car with driver for the day. Convenient for families: pickup at your hotel, breaks whenever someone needs one, and nobody in the group has to drive. Arrange it in advance and agree the stops and hours beforehand.
On the way: Mae Kachan hot springs
Roughly halfway, on Route 118 between the 64 and 65 km markers in Wiang Pa Pao district, the road passes the Mae Kachan hot springs. It’s a roadside rest stop with steaming pools, foot-soaking areas and separate wells for boiling eggs, plus food stalls and shops. Fifteen to thirty minutes is enough. The water is very hot, so keep small children close to you by the pools.
What to add in Chiang Rai
The Blue Temple (Wat Rong Suea Ten). About 3 km north of the city centre, across the Kok River. Completed in 2016 and designed by Phuttha Kabkaew, it’s deep blue and gold inside and out. Listings say it opens from early morning into the evening. The same dress code applies.
The Black House (Baan Dam Museum). About 13 km north of the city, this is the life’s work of National Artist Thawan Duchanee (1939–2014): more than 40 dark-stained buildings filled with his art and collections. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours. Listings give 09:00 to 17:00 with a break at lunchtime, so check before you go.
The White Temple is south of the city and the Black House north, so on a day trip from Chiang Mai, the White Temple plus one or two others is realistic.
Day trip, or a night in Chiang Rai?
A realistic day: leave Chiang Mai early, stop at the hot springs, reach the White Temple in the late morning, have lunch in Chiang Rai, see the Blue Temple or the Black House, and start back mid-afternoon. You’ll be in Chiang Mai again in the evening.
If you only have one day, that works. If you have more time, a night in Chiang Rai lets you see the White Temple at a quiet hour and splits the driving over two days. And if six hours in the car is too much, Doi Inthanon is about 1.5 hours each way, and Doi Suthep is a half-day trip from the Old City.
When to go
Time of day. Early morning and late afternoon (roughly 15:00–17:00) are quieter and cooler; midday is the busiest and hottest. Coming from Chiang Mai, you’ll arrive mid to late morning with the day-trip vans. To avoid them, see the Black House or Blue Temple first and the White Temple in the afternoon, before last entry around 17:00.
Day of the week. Weekends and Thai public holidays are busier.
Season.
- November to February: cool, dry and the busiest months.
- March and April: hot, and Chiang Rai gets burning-season smoke haze too. Check the air quality before you set off.
- May to October: green season, with frequent showers. Pack a rain jacket.
White Temple tips
- Sunglasses and water. The white walls and mirror glass reflect a lot of light, and there’s little shade on the grounds.
- Cash. Handy for tickets, the hot springs and food stalls.
- Car sickness. Route 118 has winding hill sections. Sit in front, eat light and take breaks. For older parents, the drive is the tiring part, so break it at the hot springs.
FAQ
How long is the drive from Chiang Mai to the White Temple? About three hours each way by car, roughly 180 km. By bus it’s 3 h 20 min to 3 h 45 min to Chiang Rai, plus a local bus back to the temple.
What should I wear? Clothes that cover your shoulders and knees. Shoes come off inside the main hall.
Can I stop on the way to Chiang Rai? Yes. The temple is beside the main road about 13 km south of the city, so if you’re heading to Chiang Rai anyway, you can stop on the way in.
Questions before you go?
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