Gateway to the Golden Triangle
Chiang Rai is a relaxed northern town best known for its striking modern temples. Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple, is an all-white fantasy of mirrored glass and sculpture designed by the artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, while Wat Rong Suea Ten glows in deep blue. The dark wooden halls of Baan Dam, the Black House, complete the trio. North of town lie tea plantations in the hills of Doi Mae Salong and the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet on the Mekong.