Northern Thailand · CHIANG RAI DAY TRIPS

Chiang Rai from Chiang Mai: The 15 Best Day Trips

30 tours  ·  from $24

Three hours of highway each way makes this the longest day most people do from Chiang Mai. The 15 below differ on how many temples they fit in, whether the Golden Triangle and the border are included, and how much of the day is spent in the van.

Chiang Mai: Chiang Rai Temples, Karen Tribe and Hot Springs - Mae Kachan Hot Springs: a gentle first stop
Chiang Mai Hill Tribe Village Tours, Chiang Rai Day Trips, Spa & Hot Springs, Tour Reviews

Chiang Mai: Chiang Rai Temples, Karen Tribe and Hot Springs

1.Chiang Rai Temples, Karen Tribe and Hot Springs

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 5,401 reviews · 11 hours - 810 minutes · from $35Our pick

Travel from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai with an English-speaking guide such as Benz, Ruby, or Kwan. Visit Mae Kachan Hot Springs, a Karen long-neck village, the White and Blue Temples, and Huay Pla Kang Temple. Bring lunch money, modest clothing, and your own earphones for the 41-language audio guide.

“Having Benz as a guide was a pleasure, he’s really friendly and truly passionate about what he does, he’s constantly making sure everyone is enjoying the tour and giving great tips for pictures, the information he brings is clear and easy to understand. 10/10 highly recommend guide Benz!”

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Chiang Rai White Temple and Blue Temple Day Tour - The long road from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai Day Trips, Chiang Rai White and Blue Temple Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Chiang Rai White Temple and Blue Temple Day Tour

2.Chiang Rai White Temple and Blue Temple Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,366 reviews · from $27

Travel from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai in an air-conditioned van with a guide such as Avi, Banana, or Sunni. Visit the White Temple, Blue Temple, and Temple of Light, with a coffee break and lunch stop. Expect a long but well-organized day, plus time to explore each temple independently.

“Our guide Wasta was an amazing guide. He had a lot of knowledge about the temples and even though the trip was long he made very smooth and entertaining. I highly recommend this tour was full of culture and the food at the buffet was delicious. We love Thailand and its people they are very warm and welcoming. Thank you!”

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Chiang Rai Temples: Private Tour from Chiang Mai - The three-hour ride from Chiang Mai
Chiang Rai Day Trips, Private, Tour Reviews, Tours

Chiang Rai Temples: Private Tour from Chiang Mai

3.Chiang Rai Temples: Private Tour from Chiang Mai

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,267 reviews · from $144Top rated

Spend about 13 hours visiting Wat Rong Khun, Wat Sang Kaew Phothiyan, Wat Rong Seur Ten, and Wat Huay Pla Kang from Chiang Mai. A private guide such as O, Yut, Tong, or Poon handles the long drive, temple explanations, photos, rest stops, lunch, and hotel transfers.

“Fantastic day and a tour I would highly recommend if you’re looking to visit the Chiang Rai temples in comfort and at your own pace. Our guide, Pom, and our driver, Chan, were excellent. We were picked up from our hotel at 7am, and the minivan was very comfortable — wide seats, plenty of leg room, and a smooth ride, which made the long journey very pleasant. The tour closely followed the itinerary, and Pom was knowledgeable at each stop. He provided just the right amount of information and was always happy to answer our questions when we wanted more detail. He also helped with photos and with buying souvenirs,…”

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From Chiang Mai: Chiang Rai's Temples Exploration Day Trip - The Blue Temple brings a different mood
1-Day Tours, Chiang Rai Day Trips, Tour Reviews

From Chiang Mai: Chiang Rai’s Temples Exploration Day Trip

4.Chiang Rai’s Temples Exploration Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 871 reviews · 1 day · from $51

Travel from Chiang Mai in a group of up to 12 to see Chiang Rai’s White, Blue, and Red Temples. English and Thai-speaking guides such as Bee, Goi, Phone, and Nine explain the sites, with lunch, hotel transfers, a hot spring stop, and possible extra stops included.

“Great trip , Nine was a very good and funny guide full of fun and knowledgeable , we were a group of 10 and he looked after us very well. The driver was a very good driver by the name of Tony I would certainly recommend this trip”

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Chiangmai to Chiangrai: 3 Temples, Hot Springs& Lalitta Cafe - Longneck Karen Village and the ethical question
Chiang Rai Day Trips, Spa & Hot Springs, Tour Reviews

Chiangmai to Chiangrai: 3 Temples, Hot Springs& Lalitta Cafe

5.Chiangmai to Chiangrai: 3 Temples, Hot Springs& Lalitta Cafe

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 659 reviews

Travel from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai with an English-speaking guide, stopping at the White and Blue Temples, Mae Khachan hot springs, and Lalitta Cafe. Depending on your booking, add the Red Temple and Longneck Karen Village. Expect an early start, a long drive, lunch, and a return around 8 to 9 p.m.

“We started at the longneck village which was kind of just looking around a market. The people there were very happy to have pictures taken with them though. The hot springs was next which were pretty cool, like Wells that exploded with hot water every couple of seconds. The white temple was stunning and had plenty of information around to explain pieces aswell as two art galleries. The inside of the white temple was very surprising but spectacular. The blue temple was smaller in comparison but still very detailed and cool. The red temple we got a lift up to the Buddha then hopped into the lift to get all…”

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Chiang Rai White Temple, Blue Temple and more from Chiang Mai - Lunch and the Blue Temple
Chiang Rai Day Trips, Chiang Rai White and Blue Temple Tours, Tour Reviews

Chiang Rai White Temple, Blue Temple and more from Chiang Mai

6.Chiang Rai White Temple, Blue Temple and more from Chiang Mai

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 605 reviews · from $39

Spend about 12 hours visiting Chiang Rai’s White Temple, Blue Temple, and Wat Huay Pla Kang with an English-speaking guide such as Jackie, Popcorn, or Atikama. Hotel pickup, transport, bottled water, and White Temple admission are included. Expect a beautiful but demanding six-hour round trip.

“Excellent day with a fantastic tour guide Peter. The temples are all breathtaking. Very knowledgeable guide”

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Chiang Rai Day Trip from Chiang Mai City with Golden Triangle - Chiang Saen adds an older, quieter layer
1-Day Tours, Chiang Rai Day Trips, Golden Triangle Tours, Tour Reviews

Chiang Rai Day Trip from Chiang Mai City with Golden Triangle

7.Chiang Rai Day Trip from Chiang Mai City with Golden Triangle

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 531 reviews · from $81

Travel from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai in a small group of up to 18 people. See Wat Rong Khun, ancient Chiang Saen, the Golden Triangle, and the House of Opium, with a Mekong long-tail boat ride, Thai lunch, bottled water, and hotel transport included.

“It’s a long day but certainly worth it. The White Temple was truly amazing. Visiting the Golden triangle very interesting being able to see all 3 countries at the same time. Our guide Ekky & driver Tai were very good. Lunch was beautifully cooked vegetarian food.”

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Chiang Mai: Chiang Rai Temples, Golden Triangle & Boat Tour - The 7 a.m. departure and the road north
Chiang Rai Day Trips, Cruises & Boat Tours, Golden Triangle Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Chiang Mai: Chiang Rai Temples, Golden Triangle & Boat Tour

8.Chiang Rai Temples, Golden Triangle & Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 518 reviews · 15 hours · from $70

Travel from Chiang Mai in a small group of up to 12 to visit Wat Rong Khun, Wat Rong Suea Ten, Baan Dam Museum and the Golden Triangle. Guides such as Anna, Bee and MM explain the sights in clear English. Choose Long Neck Karen admission or wait outside while the group visits.

“Really appreciated how much we got to see in one day, hitting all the highlights of the region. It never felt rushed though; I felt we had more than enough time at all sites, both the temples and Golden triangle. The guide was friendly, informative, and enthusiastic. Really appreciated her offering (without me asking!) help with photos as a solo traveler. The driver was both efficient and safe. Would recommend.”

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Chiang Mai: White, Blue & Big Buddha Temples in Chiang Rai - Long Neck Village: Choose the Option Carefully
Chiang Rai Day Trips, Chiang Rai White and Blue Temple Tours, Tour Reviews

Chiang Mai: White, Blue & Big Buddha Temples in Chiang Rai

9.White, Blue & Big Buddha Temples in Chiang Rai

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 364 reviews · 12 hours · from $51

Travel from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai in a small group of up to 12, stopping at a hot spring, the White Temple, Blue Temple, and Big Buddha Temple. Guides such as Goi, Bee, MM, and Paul are praised for clear explanations, humor, and helpful photo tips. Choose to include or skip Long Neck Village.

“We had the best time!! We loved our guide, she was awesome! The day was planned out perfectly. Thank you!!!”

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Chiang Mai: Long Neck Village & Chiang Rai’s Iconic Temples - The road from Chiang Mai to Mae Kajan Hot Springs
Chiang Mai Hill Tribe Village Tours, Chiang Rai Day Trips, Tour Reviews

Chiang Mai: Long Neck Village & Chiang Rai’s Iconic Temples

10.Long Neck Village & Chiang Rai’s Iconic Temples

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 338 reviews · from $55

Travel from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai with a Thai and English-speaking guide such as Andy, MM, Maxi, Mit, or Yoyo. Visit Mae Kajan Hot Springs, the White Temple, Black House, Blue Temple, and Karen Long Neck Village. Lunch, transport, entrance fees, water, and fruit are included.

“Blue and white temples are beautiful and worth to see. Also long neck women are friendly and you can take picture with them. I give 4 stars because our guide was drinking beer all trip and was drunk. He was making not funny jokes about my partner’s weight. At the end he forgot to take us to our hotel - we were like few minutes from it but he didn’t inform the driver. I had to tell them about that, we turned to our hotel but wasted about 30 min for that. The seats in bus are not comfortable, should be better for such long trip (about 3 hours driving…”

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Chiang Rai White, Blue, Red 3 Temples Tour - Mae Khachan Hot Springs: useful stop, modest attraction
Chiang Rai Day Trips, Chiang Rai White and Blue Temple Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Chiang Rai White, Blue, Red 3 Temples Tour

11.Chiang Rai White, Blue, Red 3 Temples Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 237 reviews · from $46

Spend a full day traveling from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai with an English or Thai-speaking guide. See Wat Rong Khun, Wat Rong Suea Ten, and Huay Pla Kang Temple, with guides such as Koi, Goi, Bee, MM, and Anna adding history, photos, and local insight.

“Great trip. Great guide. Great driver. Great lunch. Great everything. Highly recommended.”

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Chiang Mai: Chiang Rai Famous Temples & Hot Springs Day Trip - Mae Kachan Hot Spring gives you an early break
1-Day Tours, Chiang Rai Day Trips, Spa & Hot Springs, Tour Reviews

Chiang Mai: Chiang Rai Famous Temples & Hot Springs Day Trip

12.Chiang Rai Famous Temples & Hot Springs Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 129 reviews · 13 hours · from $24Best value

You’ll leave Chiang Mai early for a full day in Chiang Rai, with hotel pickup, a shared van for up to 12 people, and stops at Mae Kachan Hot Spring, Wat Rong Khun, Wat Rong Suea Ten, Baan Dam Museum, Lalitta Café, and Huay Pla Kang Temple. Package choices change the included tickets, lunch, café visit, and Karen village stop.

“From the outset, the transport was completely unsuitable. The bus was extremely cramped, with no air conditioning. My partner is currently recovering from a broken leg and had absolutely no space or support during the journey. The entire trip was uncomfortably hot, overcrowded, and caused significant discomfort. The buffet lunch was equally unacceptable. The venue was overcrowded, food was either stone cold, not heated properly, or had completely run out. As a result, I was unable to eat anything at all. When raising this with the tour guide, they were unhelpful and showed little concern. We were also disappointed with what was described as a “snack,” which consisted only of…”

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Chiang Rai Full Day Tour with Boat Trip and Longneck Village - Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple, is the star of the day
Chiang Mai Hill Tribe Village Tours, Chiang Rai Day Trips, Cruises & Boat Tours, Full-Day, Tour Reviews, Tours

Chiang Rai Full Day Tour with Boat Trip and Longneck Village

13.Chiang Rai Full Day Tour with Boat Trip and Longneck Village

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 112 reviews · from $55

Spend 13 to 14 hours traveling from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai by air-conditioned minivan. Visit the White Temple, Black House, Blue Temple, Karen Longneck Village, Mae Khachan Hot Spring, and Golden Triangle, with lunch, a guide, and a short boat ride included.

“The long neck tribe was the most memorable and amazing experience! The temples were interesting, the boat trip also a load of fun! Our tour guide Apple was the best! My only suggestion would be to ditch the black museum to make the day not as long. As nice as it was, I felt it a little unnecessary.”

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Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai:White-Black-Blue Temple-Golden Triangle-Keren-Boat Trip - Lunch keeps the schedule moving
Chiang Rai Day Trips, Chiang Rai White and Blue Temple Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Golden Triangle Tours, Tour Reviews

Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai:White-Black-Blue Temple-Golden Triangle-Keren-Boat Trip

14.Chiang Rai:White-Black-Blue Temple-Golden Triangle-Keren-Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 96 reviews · from $79

Travel from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai with an English-speaking guide, visiting the White, Blue, and Black temples, Mae Khachan Hot Spring, a Karen Long Neck village, and the Golden Triangle. Lunch, entrance fees, and a Mekong boat trip are included, but expect a very long day.

“Well organized and lots of information. Khun Oy was very knowledgeable and was able to provide us with a lot of information throughout the trip. It was a long day. 13 hours however we did so much and the time past by quickly.”

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Chiang Rai and Golden Triangle Day Tour from Chiang Mai - Mae Khachan hot spring is a brief stop
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Chiang Rai and Golden Triangle Day Tour from Chiang Mai

15.Chiang Rai and Golden Triangle Day Tour from Chiang Mai

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 92 reviews · from $122

Set out from Chiang Mai at 7:00 am for a long northern Thailand day. Visit the White Temple, Mae Khachan hot springs, Baan Dam Museum, Mae Sai, and the Golden Triangle. A guide, lunch, and hotel transport are included. An optional Mekong boat trip to Laos costs extra and requires your passport.

“Chiang Rai was definitely worth seeing. However, the golden triangle part was ok, but not worth the extra drive.”

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New in Chiang Rai Day Trips

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