For our last and final day, we took a day trip to Chiang Rai which is about a three-hour drive from Chiang Mai. The drive itself is very scenic with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. The first stop was to the world-famous White Temple or Wat Rong Khun. Wat Rong Khun is a privately owned art exhibit in the unique style of a Buddhist Temple. It is owned by Khun Chalermchai Kositpipat who also designed, build, and opened it over 20 years ago. Normally this exhibit would be very busy but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it now is practically empty each day. The entrance fee of 100 THB was waived during my visit.
The next stop was the Singha Park Chiang Rai. To be honest I wasn't sure what to expect here but it was pretty nice to see the tea plantations, orchards, and the open countryside. They do have a zoo but we skipped this. You can also hire bicycles and ATVs on site.
Wat Huay Pla Kang - The big Buddha of Chaing Rai.
After the visit to the Big Buddha, we continued on to the next temple on the circuit, Wat Rong Suea Ten (Blue Temple). This is a beautifully designed and colored temple. It really is very eye-catching. Apparently it was designed by a student of Khun Chalermchai Kositpipat, the man who owns the great white temple. Admission is free to all.
Our final stop of the day was to a rather interesting place called Baandam Museum. Here you will find a beautiful collection of black wooden buildings containing artwork from the renowned Thawan Duchanee & other contemporary Thai artists. Admission was 80 THB per person. Quick suggestion - to cool down try the delicious charcoal and vanilla ice cream cone. It really is yummy.
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