White Temple in Chiang Rai, Chiang Rai, Thailand

When my friend and I booked our trip to Chiang Mai, we were excited to see the White Temple, a magnificent structure that seems otherworldly. For some reason, we expected it to be in the city itself, or close by. Little did we know that it’s actually in another city called Chiang Rai and it’s a three hour drive one way!

We decided that the best way is to book a private taxi to take us to the White Temple and back. Thankfully the concierge at the hotel doubles as a tour guide on her days off, and she got us a private car that was cheaper than going on a last minute tour. If you’re staying in Chiang Mai, you should check with your hotel if a private tour is an option.

Our guide Mimi suggested that in addition to the White Temple, we should also check out the Black House that’s also in the area. That wasn’t even on our radar so we were happy that she suggested it. We really didn’t know what to expect from either place when we started our journey.

On our way to Chiang Rai, we stopped at a hot springs town for 20 minutes. It was pretty much a parking lot with a couple of small hot springs pools. It’s a place to stop and stretch your legs and also rest your racing heart. Our driver raced around the mountain road like there were bad guys with machine guns chasing us. It was slightly terrifying but we made it in one piece with time to spare! ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).