Wat Rong Khun - White Temple

"Wat Rong Khun, also known as the White Temple, is a contemporary Buddhist temple located in Pa O Don Chai, Chiang Rai. It was designed and built by the renowned Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, who funded the project entirely out of his own pocket. The temple, which opened to visitors in 1997, has quickly become one of Chiang Rai's most iconic and visited landmarks, attracting both Thai and international tourists. The temple’s striking appearance is due to its brilliant white color and the use of mirror-like glass fragments embedded in its surface. From a distance, the temple appears to be made of porcelain, but up close, visitors can see the intricate glass designs that add to its dazzling effect. The temple is still under construction and is expected to be completed by 2070, with Chalermchai intending it to serve as a place of learning, meditation, and spiritual offering. Symbolism plays a significant role in the design of the temple. The journey to the main building, the ubosot, involves crossing a bridge that symbolizes the cycle of rebirth. The hands reaching out from the water represent human desires, and the bridge suggests that true happiness can only be reached by letting go of temptation. Upon reaching the "gate of heaven," visitors encounter guardians that symbolize Death and Rahu, who dictates the fate of souls. Inside the ubosot, visitors are greeted by murals that juxtapose traditional Buddhist imagery with modern, sometimes disturbing references to pop culture, such as Michael Jackson and characters from "The Matrix," along with representations of human suffering and the destructive impact of human actions on the earth. A notable feature of the temple complex is the Golden Building, which contrasts sharply with the white ubosot. This building, used as restrooms, symbolizes the body and material desires, while the white ubosot represents the mind and spiritual focus. The symbolism of the two structures is a commentary on the balance between worldly desires and the pursuit of spiritual merit. Despite suffering damage from an earthquake in 2014, the temple was quickly inspected and restored. Today, it remains a must-visit destination for those traveling to Chiang Rai, offering a unique fusion of traditional and modern artistic expressions with a strong spiritual message."

"To my surprise, the main attraction of the city is located totally outside of the city. If you have a scooter that is quite convenient as you can use it both for blue and white temple same day. However, there is a public bus that will take you there. It leaves every day, about every 30-60 min from the main bus terminal in city centre. You will find a blue bus with ´White Temple´ written on the side. If you are struggling ask anyone really, it's a very popular tourist bus. It might be a good idea to check the timetable when you arrive to Chiang Rai, as I noticed that is different than the ones posted online. It is especially important to take a picture of the schedule to know what time the return bus is to make sure you don't miss it. The bus is 25bath one way and you pay cash once on the bus. When you reach white temple (20-40min) the driver will let you know, once again it is popular route and they will know you don't know where to get off. You are dropped off on the main road, which you need to cross and walk a bit down the road (easy to find on the map but most likely there will be a few more tourists on the bus to team up with and follow). Once you reach the white temple make sure you are dressed appropriately, it is still a temple afterall. You will need to buy a ticket for 100 bath, as far as I am aware the whole complex is behind the pay barrier. There are few places inside that require yet again another fee but overall you can explore a lot on the basic ticket. Once you are ready to leave first be aware what time the return bus is and be there at least 10-15min. The ´bus stop´ is on the main road and the bus will not wait for you. The bus stops at ´Police box´. I struggled a lot to find it so here you go: On google maps it is called ´Rong Khun Police Kiosk Chiang Rai Police Station´. From White temple you will need to take the road to the main highway where you been dropped off. Now, once you reach it, instead of crossing it (to where you been dropped off) you turn left and keep walking. There is no obvious indication of bus stop so just wait around the police station area and wave at the bus to stop. "

"The most beautiful temple I saw in Thailand! It costs 50 baht to enter. The surrounding area also has other temples and is very green and lush. To get here I recommend taking the public bus from the Chiang Rai Bus Terminal. You can purchase a ticket on the spot, just ask for 1 ticket to the White Temple and they will point you in the right direction. Be sure to buy a roundtrip ticket. "