When you arrive in Chiang Rai, the first thing you must do is visit the white temple Wat Rong Khun - with its "unique" architecture and "exclusive" white color. Wat Rong Khun is often called the White Temple, this is the most famous temple in Thailand.
Entering the temple, you will be overwhelmed by the beauty of pure white as if snow is falling everywhere. Regardless of the time of year, the temple's entrance is always crowded with visitors from all over the world .
Unlike the dominant yellow color of temples in Thailand, which is known as the “Land of Golden Temples”, Wat Rong Khun is covered in a bright white color symbolizing the purity and illumination of Buddhism. Surrounding the temple is a park with a lake and many strange hand-crafted sculptures, which can be a demon, skull, or monsters in Thai folklore.
To enter the temple, visitors must cross the “Bridge of Rebirth” over a small lake. On both sides of the bridge are statues of hundreds of raised arms symbolizing “greed, anger, and ignorance”. Once you cross this bridge and enter the main hall, you will have reached the “land of happiness”, and you will not be able to return to the old path, which is why the building has designed another exit.
About 30 minutes drive from Wat Rong Khun, you will come to the equally beautiful temple Wat Rong Suea Ten, with its distinctive blue color. Wat Rong Suea Ten was renovated based on the ruins of an ancient temple, abandoned about 100 years ago. But when it opened, it became one of the most beautiful temples in Northeast Thailand.
Right from the entrance area, the temple makes a strong impression on visitors with the sophisticated sculptures on the columns of the welcome gate.
Take a few more steps and you will be overwhelmed by the magnificence of the main hall. Not only is it a rare, magical green, the entire temple is covered with incredibly elaborate, meticulously gilded decorations.
Another attractive destination in Chiang Rai for culture lovers is the Karen long neck village. This is a small village with a sparse population, the village is simple thatched houses close together. Going deeper into the village, you will see women, young girls and even girls wearing heavy copper rings around their necks and limbs.
It would be a mistake if you did not explore the night markets in Chiang Rai. Do not miss any dish, from delicious curry served in fresh coconuts, to salads, fragrant, golden fried eggs. In this “ food paradise”, even eating needs to be planned seriously, because you will not want to go home regretting not having tried this or that dish.
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