Northernmost Siam

On our second day in Chiang Rai, we had the usual hotel's complimentary breakfast.

Then our first stop for the is Wat Rong Khun, perhaps better known to foreigners as the White Temple, is a contemporary, unconventional, privately owned, art exhibit in the style of a Buddhist temple in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. 

It is owned by Chalermchai Kositpipat, who designed, constructed, and opened it to visitors in 1997. It is open all year round and admission is free.

Every detail of Wat Rong Khun carries deep religious symbolism – though admittedly most Thais will be unaware of most of the meaning as well unless they have studied up on its mysteries. 

Departing from the expected gold, Chalermchai chose to construct the temple in white, symbolizing the purity of Lord Buddha. The mirrors embedded in the structure reflect light, representing the Buddha’s wisdom shining out across the Earth and the Universe.

Have a look at the golden toilet. Remember how Chalermchai felt white was a more appropriate colour for a temple? He specifically chose gold for the restroom to indicate worldiness. An extremely opulent building — the most luxurious toilet in the kingdom — it’s apparently a comment on how people worship worldly desires and what the real value in these things is.

We also visited the art gallery, opposite the temple. This relatively small building houses a number of the artist’s masterpieces. You can also buy high quality reproductions or books and postcards if you’d like

Second and last stop was Singha Park.

Singha Park Chiang Rai, is an Agro-tourism destination focusing on the development of sustainable tourism in Chiang Rai, situated 450m above sea level and spans over 12.8km2 of fertile land. 

Bhu Bhirom Restaurant

Using freshly grown produce from the farm to create delicious foods, all guests will be treated with a variety of authentic Thai food, Northern food, and Western food, while enjoying the atmosphere and views of the beautiful tea plantations.

Opens every day from 11:00 – 22:00

Great weather with rich soil exhibits blooming flora throughout the year. Singha Park provides a large variety of fun activities and has numerous beautiful sceneries for the most memorable photos. 

Farm Tour:

Taking guests to experience the magnificence of the mountains, beautiful blooming flowers and abundant fruits. Get ready to enjoy the activities on the farm with fruit & vegetable picking, and also feed large exotic animals. Get close with acres of natural beauty to take scenic and memorable photos.

Open every day from 09:30 – 17:00

Entrance fee of 50baht. Free entrance for children under 4yrs old.