Wat Rong Khun, The White Temple in Chiang Rai - Everything you need to know
The White Temple in Chiang Rai is on top of the ’things to see’ list of most travelers visiting Thailand. The entrance looks like the gate to heaven with all the white statues and glistening mirrors in the sunlight. But what is this structure exactly? Why is this jaw- dropping Temple here, so far north in Thailand? Read on to learn some interesting information about Wat Rong Khun, The White Temple, to make your visit even more enjoyable.
The Black House
It all started with Chiang Rai artist Thawan Duchanee, famous for his unique artistic style. Thawan was the first engraver using a new technique. He used a special ballpoint pen to create engravings containing millions of strokes. After working in this way for a while, a doctor suggested him to stop because the way he worked had a disastrous effect on his health. The unique characteristic of Thawan’s paintings included not only form and religious stories but also the color he used. After learning about Chinese, Indian, and Japanese artworks, which characteristic is monochrome painting, he was inspired to paint in black and white to precisely express the inner feeling. Thawan is not only famous for his paintings but also architecture. His architectural masterpiece is the Black House in Chiang Rai, which took him 50 years to complete. When visiting this unusual and a bit creepy structure, it feels like you are walking in a vintage fantasy movie. You will find stuffed animals, mysterious paintings, and strange buildings surrounded by peaceful gardens. Baan Dam or The Black House was the residence of Thawan for the rest of his life, Thawan Duchanee passed away in 2014.
The White Temple
What most people don’t know is that the White Temple or Wat Rong Khun in the Thai language is also an art museum built by another famous Thai Buddhist artist named Chalermchai Kositpipat. He started building this fantastic Temple 25 years ago, and they are still working on it today. His goal is to put Thai Buddhist arts on the international map and to create a place that people from all over the world admire and want to visit, a site like the Taj Mahal in India or Angkor Wat in Cambodia but then in Thailand. He did succeed with his project, as Wat Rong Khun is one of the most visited attractions in the country. From outside, the White Temple looks stunning with its thousands of small mirrors shimmering in the sunlight. Everywhere you look, you discover something interesting, like statues, murals, art, and flowers. But it is the inside of the Temple that makes the difference. Nobody expects wall paintings of Michael Jackson, Osama Bin Laden, the Twin Towers, The Matrix and Spiderman. You can look at his creations for hours and find something new every visit. Chalermchai Kositpipat is not shy about sharing his view on politics and all that is wrong with the world.
While visiting the White Temple, you will have a big chance of seeing Chalermchai and his staff working on the Temple and other buildings in the area. They are constantly renovating, painting, and cleaning the Temple, and adding new parts to this incredible project. He believes that only his death can stop his dreams but not his ideas and that the White Temple will give him eternal life. So these structures are not just Temples, and also, the atmosphere at these places will be very different than any other Buddhist Temple in Thailand. But if you are interested in modern architecture and art and want to see something completely different than anything you have ever seen before, then The White Temple and Black House will be a great experience. Insider tip: Even if you don’t have to go, make sure to go to the toilet in the White Temple. It is arguably the most beautiful toilet building you have ever seen!
The Blue Temple
Wait, is there also a Blue Temple in Chiang Rai? Yes, there is. Wat Rong Suea Ten or the Blue Temple is the latest colorful Temple in Northern Thailand. Wat Rong Suea Ten translates to Temple of the Dancing Tigers in the Thai language, and this refers to the location of the Temple. In the past, this area was teeming with wildlife. Wild tigers used to bathe in the nearby Kok River. Construction completed just a couple of years ago in 2016. The architecture and design are, apart from the color, very similar to that of the White Temple, because the designer, Phuttha Kabkaew, is a student of Chalermchai Kositpipat (Creator of the White Temple). He built the Blue Temple with the help of the nearby villagers on top of an old temple site to create a space for them to meditate and pray. For me, the Blue Temple was the highlight of the trip to Chiang Rai because it is really in use as a Temple and sees fewer foreign visitors.
Is Chiang Rai worth visiting?
If you are traveling slow, then it is a good idea to spend a few nights in Chiang Rai. You will have much more time to visit the three temples, and it will also allow you to visit during the early morning or for the sunset to avoid the crowds coming in on a day trip from Chiang Mai. Nearby tea and coffee plantations at former opium hotspots Doi Maesalong and Doi Tung are fantastic places to visit on a day trip from Chiang Rai, and the sunrise trek up to Phu Chi Fah mountain will be one of the highlights of your trip to Thailand.
One-day tour to Chiang Rai from Chiang Mai
If you are only visiting Chiang Mai but still want to visit the Temples in Chiang Rai, then it is possible to do it in one day. We offer daily tours leaving from Chiang Mai to visit all the highlights in Chiang Rai in a comfy minivan and with an English speaking guide. Please click on the button below to check out the different options.
We also offer a more extended tour that visits the Golden Triangle, the Myanmar Border Market, and a boat trip on the Mekong River to Laos. Click on the button below to read more about this tour.