June 18, 2015

White Temple in Chiang Rai

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!

Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple

Privately owned by a famous local artist, Chalermchai Kositpipat, the temple is free for visitors although you may make a small donation if you choose. Kosipipat has spent millions from his own pocket to renovate the temple and added several buildings in the vicinity. He only accepts small donations from visitors to continue the renovations and upkeep.

If you donate a few dollars, you can write your name and message on one of these silver leaves and add it to the "trees" — If you donate a few dollars, you can write your name and message on one of these silver leaves and add it to the “trees.”

What to expect

If you arrive at noon, the temple will be closed for an hour for lunch. You can still wander around the compound but you won’t be able to go inside the temple. I found that this was the best time to take a photo of the temple sans throngs of tourists.

The temple’s design is incredibly different from all the other temples in Thailand. In addition to being all white, the architecture has a really dramatic element to it with demon-like sculptures and Western influences.

At the entrance to the temple, you're confronted with these creepy hands! — At the entrance to the temple, you’re confronted with these creepy hands!

When you cross the bridge to get to the interior of the temple, you’ll see really disturbing but fascinating sculptures along the way. Once inside, there are murals of Michael Jackson, the Terminator, Harry Potter and Hello Kitty along with demons and nuclear warfare images! Say what? Unfortunately, when I got inside the temple, it was far too crowded to stick around and observe the murals. I wish I had taken a photo!

The many sculptures hanging around the complex.

After checking out the temple, I went into the gallery to see Kosipipat’s paintings and sculptures. He has a really interesting view of what’s going on in the world, especially in terms of war, power politics and religion. You’re not allowed to take any photos but I made a mental note of two of the paintings that stood out to me. One was of George W. Bush and Osama Bin Laden riding a missile named “Love” and another was of a spaceship shaped like a penis floating in space with hundreds of sperm flying by!

The Golden Building

The second most ornate building, next to the temple itself, is shiny and gold. When we first got there, we took photos of it as did other visitors. Later we found out that it was the restroom! Gives new meaning to “the porcelain throne.”

Tips:

There are several small gift shops, a snack bar and a small outdoor restaurant in the compound. If you get hungry, you can snack on a cheap bowl of noodles. It wasn’t very good but I was starving!

Women have to be covered up when they go into the temple. If you forget your long skirt or pants, don’t fret, they have sarongs they can loan you at the entrance. I thought bare arms had to be covered but they didn’t fuss when I walked in wearing a tank top because I had long pants on.

You should visit the Black House when you’re in Chiang Rai. It’s about a 15 to 20 minute drive away from the White Temple and is equally as fascinating. It’s also built by a local artist but is not technically a temple. More on that in my next post!

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