The Wat Rong Khun is also known as the white temple or the white immortal. It stands as a landmark of Thai culture. Several tourists and visitors flock to the temple, making it a tourist hotspot in Chiang Rai. Often featured as one of the most famous temples in Bangkok, the Wat Rong Khun is easily accessible via private taxis from Chiang Rai at very nominal rates. In addition, there are several group tours arranged for bulk booking for Thailand temple tours.
Getting to Wat Rong Khun
Placed around 15 kilometers from the south-western side of the Chiang Rai town off Highway 1, several private taxis operators will take you to this famous temple in Bangkok. The air-conditioned ride will last about 20 minutes and cost you between 250-300 Thai Baht. You can book one of these air-conditioned taxis if you reside in one of the Chiang Rai hotels.
You can even catch the public transport bus from the old bus station right in the center of the Chiang Rai town for a nominal amount of 20 Thai Baht only. The ride to the Chiang Rai Thailand white temple is about 30 minutes. The Blue Songthaew from the old bus station would cost you around 300 Thai Baht.
Entrance Fee
The entrance charges for entering the Chiang Rai Thailand white temple are 50 Baht irrespective of whether you are an adult or kid. Visitors and tourists are open to donating to help meet the ongoing construction cost for enhancing the temple services.
The Unique Architecture
White surfaces with extensive use of glass pieces in the plaster and mirror chards decorate the temple exteriors making it one of the living examples of contemporary artwork. One of the most famous temples in Bangkok, Wat Rong Khun, has continued to lure tourists and visitors ever since its inception.
Delicately decorated and a masterpiece by a popular Thai visual artist, Chalermchal Kositpipat. However, the temple construction still goes on as on date. There are multiple places of interest in the Chiang Rai Thailand white temple. The list includes nine buildings, including a hall to enshrine Buddhist relics, ubosot, an art gallery, monks living quarters, and a meditation hall. All this makes it one of the best Chiang Rai things to do. The 2014 earthquake indeed did damage the famous temple in Bangkok. But significant efforts were made to restore and further expand the white temple. Owing to its magnificence, it surely deserves a place in your itinerary, whether you are traveling for 3 days in Bangkok or a week.
The Beautiful History Of The White Temple
The Chiang Rai Thailand white temple was bad towards the latter half of the 20th century. Due to financial restraints, the restoration efforts were intermittently halted and didn’t make much progress. Finally, the Thai visual artist Chalermchal Kositpipat decided to restore and build the temple with his own money. Kositpipat focussed on the temple being a center of meditation and learning and reaped rich benefits from learning more about Buddhism. Every detail of the Chiang Rai Thailand white temple, like the bridge of the “Gate of Heaven” and “the cycle of rebirth,” carries a Buddhist message on avoiding worldly desires and temptation.
Opening Hours
The Chiang Rai Thailand white temple is open daily from 8 in the morning to 6 in the evening. Both tourists and locals visit this famous temple in Bangkok. The local Thai population uses mostly their weekends and holidays to visit the white temple as it gives them more time to relax and meditate without any hassle. So be ready to witness busy and dense grounds during your visit.
Dress Code And Visitor Guidelines
- You can expect the dress code to be modest as the white temple is a place of worship. Revealing or short attires that leave the shoulder uncovered should be strictly avoided. Before entering the temple premises, remove your footwear.
- You can shop for souvenirs and mementos at the art gallery set by the designer Chalermchai Kositpipat. Unfortunately, the gallery closes half an hour before the temple closing time.
- You can grab something to eat and drink at the temple grounds. There is an adjacent food court to catch up with something more substantial. Pets smoking are allowed only till temple grounds. Alcohol is strictly prohibited.
- As foreign tourists have displayed inappropriate behavior in the past, the temple has issued guidelines for all foreign tourists to be accompanied by a tour guide while entering the white temple.
Things To Do In The Chiang Rai
Various elements have been carefully planned here, right from the entrance grounds. Various shapes like cones and several Predator-like structures decorate the parking, which forms an instant attraction from both locals and tourists alike. You will find photos being clicked from all quarters as these elements are hardly consolidated at one place, one of the main reasons why this temple is one of the key aspects of Chiang Rai places to visit itinerary.
Key Buddhist messages are displayed at all corners, and the key guidelines are to be followed by all visitors visiting this famous temple in Bangkok. In addition, the main prayer chamber is decorated with colorful & vibrant murals referencing pop culture and hidden Buddhist messages & signages. In total, there are nine buildings, so make sure you give yourself sufficient time as you prepare the list of Chiang Rai things to do.
Exploring the murals in the Chiang Rai Thailand white temple is often referred to as one of the best activities in Chiang Rai. You can find a mural representing Buddha’s struggle and fight against the demon Mara before his enlightenment on the back wall of the central temple. A multi-tiered Buddha statue in front of the mural represents Buddha working towards obtaining a state of Nirvana through intense meditation. The modern mural placed on the front entrance of the white temple is another popular mural that you should look to explore. There are multiple depictions of superheroes like superman, batman, and spiderman, along with several other words inclining towards or promoting a world of peace.
Conclusion
Chiang Rai’s White Temple is one of the hotspots in Thailand. Its glorious architecture is a big draw to tourists across the world. If you are inclined towards exploring more landmarks, visit the best attractions in Bangkok and have a fun getaway.