What is a TripGuru Signature Experience? Unique itineraries crafted alongside famous travel bloggers and local guides Small groups only: no buses, no crowds, 8 travelers maximum Solo travelers don’t pay more – flat rates per person Quirky, charming, and creative are the words used to describe Chiang Rai by travelers and locals alike. The sights to be found here are by no means anything like the ones you’ll see in Chiang Mai, the city’s more popular sister. Before we begin temple sightseeing, we’ll break up the long three-hour drive at the Mae Khachan Hot Spring to relax, dip our feet in the steaming mineral water, maybe eat a snack, or walk around the surrounding gardens. We’ll then move on to the main attraction: the White Temple. If you’re looking for ancient ruins, you might be surprised to find a modern architectural masterpiece designed and built by local artist Chaloemchai Khositphiphat. He was rumored to have spent over THB 40 million of his own money to create this unconventional art exhibit to gain immortal life! After exploring this local wonder, we’ll have a quick lunch before heading to our next stop... The Blue Temple or Wat Rong Seua Ten literally translates to ‘temple of the dancing tiger.’ It was built on a site where tigers were said to have jumped over the river. If the White Temple was meant to be a stairway to heaven, the Black House has been called a “dark, mysterious, and almost sadistic” representation of hell, complete with preserved animals and a collection of bones. Built by Thailand national artist Thawan Duchanee (who incidentally was the mentor of Chaloemchai, the White Temple guy), the Baan Dam Museum (Black House) is a cluster of nearly 40 small shadowy structures exhibiting art dating back to the Ayutthaya period. This is truly something the likes of which we’ll never see anywhere else! Looking to make your road trip to Chiang Rai even more comfortable? You can choose to upgrade your transportation to a premium and more spacious Alphard. This ensures bigger and more comfortable seats, less people in one van (maximum of 6 people), and free snacks, cool towels, and soft drinks. You can opt for a private tour option to visit the White Temple and Golden Triangle (instead of the Blue Temple and Black House). The Golden Triangle is a triangular piece of land in which the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar all meet. The nickname was coined by the CIA in reference to this region, whose trading posts’ top product was opium. Dive deep into the wild history of this area and learn how it became one of the most notorious narcotrafficking spots in the world. This itinerary option also includes a cruise down the Mekong River.

Take a visit to the Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai. Start with a convenient pick-up from your hotel in the city center of Chiang Mai and take a drive to Pon Elephant Thailand. Learn how to make healthy snacks for elephants and see the rescued animals. Go for a swim at Mae Wang Waterfall. Relax as you are picked up from your city center accommodation in Chiang Mai. Sit back as you are driven southwest of the city on a scenic 1.5-hour drive. Encounter local farms, hill tribe villages, and rice fields. Receive a warm welcome when you arrive at the Pon Elephant Thailand. Put on your traditional Karen Hill tribe clothes to look like an elephant caretaker. Listen to a briefing on Asian elephants and the background of the sanctuary. Gain new knowledge as you are taught how to make healthy snacks for the elephants. Feed the rescued elephants as you walk up a hill in the deep jungle. Watch the elephants foraging for food and see elephant families interacting with one another. Bathe in the river with the elephants and walk them back to the sanctuary, where you will be taught how to make elephant medicine balls. Take a shower and pack up your belongings. Eat a traditional Thai lunch and fresh fruits. Leave Pon Elephant Thailand and stop at the Mae Wang waterfall for a quick swim before transferring back starting point after the tour.

Depart Chiang Mai for a day tour blending cultural insight, history, and natural beauty. Explore the vibrant temples of Chiang Rai including the White Temple and Blue Temple. Visit the unique Long Neck Karen tribe, and finally enjoy a scenic cruise at the historic Golden Triangle. Your journey begins with pick-up from your hotel. A comfortable air-conditioned vehicle drives you to your first stop, the Mae Khachan hot spring, a perfect place to stretch your legs after a long drive. Next, marvel at Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple. This unique temple will captivate you with its radiant structure reflecting off the surrounding pond. A set menu lunch follows, ready to recharge you for the upcoming exploration. Your tour continues to Wat Rong Suea Ten, also known as the Blue Temple, with its striking hues and intricate design. From here, proceed to Baan Dam, the Black House, a museum gallery showcasing an intriguing blend of traditional and contemporary art. Continue your day trip with a visit to the Long Neck Karen Village. Learn about the tribe's traditions and lifestyle, including their distinctive practice of elongating their necks with brass coils. The grand finale of your tour is the historic Golden Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet. Experience a scenic boat trip that allows you a closer look at this geographical marvel. As evening falls, head back to Chiang Mai, arriving at your hotel around 10:00 PM.

Get picked up from your hotel in Chiang Mai city center for a day to explore one of Thailand’s original national parks and highest mountain, Doi Inthanon. This tour will feature picturesque landscapes, remote villages, and incredible viewpoints. After getting picked up from your hotel in Chiang Mai, head to your first stop, one of the largest and most beautiful waterfalls in the country, Wachirathan Waterfall. Over 80 meters high, the power of this waterfall creates a refreshing mist that feeds the surrounding vegetation. Next, stop at the stunning 50-meter cascade, Sirithan Waterfall, which is fed by the Mae Klong River.  Then, stop at the famous twin pagodas: the Napamatanee Don and Napaphon Bhumisiri. Built for the Royal King and Queen, they are located at the highest point in Thailand. Round out the tour with a visit to the Karen Tribe locale. Learn a bit about the hill tribes people’s culture and way of life in their village of Sobhad. The road trip to Doi Inthanon will have you spending a lot of time on the road. You can choose to upgrade your transportation to a premium and more spacious Alphard. This ensures bigger and more comfortable seats, less people in one van (maximum of 6 people), and free snacks, cool towels, and soft drinks.

Learn how to make authentic Thai dishes with this fun, small-group cooking class in Chiang Mai as you prepare classic dishes using ingredients from a local market. Choose between a half-day class during the morning or the evening and cook three or four dishes, or go for the full-day class to cook an extra two courses! Get picked up at your hotel in Chiang Mai, then meet up with the rest of your group and choose what you want to cook from the menu. Visit a local market and buy the necessary ingredients. The highlight of this trip is the organic farm tour. Our instructor will take you to walk through the farm to get to know Thai herbs and vegetables, pick some fresh vegetables and collect eggs for your dishes, feeding the chicken. Once you're done, head to the classroom and prepare your individual cooking stations for the lesson. Follow the instructions of your professional English-speaking guide as you cook a variety of authentic Thai dishes such as mango sticky rice, pad thai, and curry, and make curry paste with your own two hands! Enjoy the fruits of your labor by sharing a meal with your group. Exchange stories as you sample each others' cooking before you head back to your accommodation.

Immerse yourself in a fascinating journey from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, visiting its famous, colorfully distinct temples and taking a restful pause at a natural hot spring. This day-long adventure is a harmonious blend of spirituality, culture, and relaxation. The adventure begins with a convenient pick-up from your hotel, setting the stage for an exploration of Chiang Rai's most iconic landmarks. Our trip begins with a visit to Wat Rong Khun, more commonly known as the White Temple. Covered in white with shimmering mirrors, this temple looks like something out of a dream, its image reflecting in the calm pond nearby. The peace you feel at this place and the Buddhist lessons it embodies will touch you deeply, all shown through its stunning design. Next, we'll visit the Blue Temple, also known as Wat Rong Suea Ten. It's painted in deep blues and covered in detailed designs. This temple was built where an old temple used to stand, a place once thought to be home to roaming tigers. Next, we head to the exciting Red Temple. It's full of bright colors and intricate artwork, and it brings to life Thai spiritual stories and folk tales. Every part of the Red Temple has a story to tell, which makes it a highlight of our tour. Lastly, before we conclude our tour, we make a brief stop at a natural hot spring. Here, you'll have a chance to observe the steam rising from the mineral-rich water, adding a soothing and calming interlude to your journey. As our expedition concludes, we drop you back to your hotel in Chiang Mai, leaving you with treasured memories and a deeper understanding of Thailand's spiritual and cultural heritage.

Experience the Sticky Waterfall Climbing Chiang Mai well-known in local named Bua Tong Sticky waterfall or Namtok Bua Tong-Nam Phu Chet Si National Park Waterfalls. The unique waterfall and surrounding by the rain forest mountain view. Visitors can climb up this waterfall that sees fast running waters passing over limestone rocks. This is one of the most unique places waterfalls are not only impressive and gorgeous, but a special feature allows you to climb directly up the rocks into the oncoming cascading water. The Sticky Waterfalls get their name from a mineral deposit that is incredibly grippy. In fact, the rocks feel like a hardened sponge. Having enjoy lunch picnic before be transfer back to hotel.

Exploring the most 3 icons in Chiang Rai, white&-blue temples, black house museum and hot natural spring. Pick up from Chiang Mai about 07:00-07:30 a.m. driving roughly 01:30 hour visiting the natural hot springs at Mae Kajan Hot Springs along the way. Forwarding more 01:30 hour to The White Temple well known as Wat Rong Khun, is a privately owned art exhibit in the style of a Buddhist temple, Chiang Rai Province. Designed and constructed by Chalermchai Kositpipat, a famous Thai visual artist. Forwarding to Wat Rong Khun is a unique temple that stands out through the white color. The Blue Temple also well known as Wat Rong Suea Ten, is a Buddhist temple that stands out from the others because of its sapphire blue color. The Black House or well known as Baan Dam is one of the strangest and most interesting landmarks in Chiang Rai. Exceptional entrance fee 300 THB/ adult,150 THB/ child to visiting long neck Karen village. Returning back to Chiang Mai about 18:00-18:30 p.m.

Begin your private experience with pickup from your hotel in Chiang Mai. From there, take a scenic journey to a private elephant estate where you will be their caretaker for half a day. Upon arrival, walk to the main base camp to get changed into an elephant caretaker outfit and prepare yourself for a day of fun. Hear about Asian elephants' long and fascinating history as you learn to cook healthy herbal treats for them to eat for a snack. Afterward, feed the handmade treats to them and walk along their side through the beautiful lush forest. Following that, your tour continues with elephant bathing in the river before you say farewell to your new friends and set off on the next part of your tour. Following the sanctuary, take some time out of your day to enjoy a delicious Thai lunch. Savor local dishes accompanied by rice, and finish off your meal with a selection of fresh tropical fruit. After lunch, continue to the Buatong Sticky Waterfall. Whilst there, enjoy some walking and climbing from down below the falls to all the way up to the very top. As the waterfall is constructed from natural limestone, you can walk and climb easily to the top, enjoying the clear water to cool down. As your tour concludes, depart from the waterfall to return back to Chiang Mai.

Explore Doi Intanon National Park, home to Thailand’s highest peak, on this full-day tour from Chiang Mai. A member of the local Karen hill tribe will be your guide during the hike. Walk through the jungle and spot exotic birds and butterflies. Reach the hill tribe village after about 2 hours of hiking. Drive through Baan Khun Klaang, the largest karen community in the park, and then see the beautiful Wachirathan Waterfall. Take a break for lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, drive to the summit of the mountain and explore the Ang-Kha Nature Trail. Continue to the twin pagodas built in honor of the King and Queen of Thailand. Admire the royal flower garden surrounding the site.