Chiang Rai Day Trip from Chiang Mai City with Golden Triangle
Recommended by 91% of travelers
Chiang Mai, Thailand
- 13 to 14 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Take a day trip to Chiang Rai and see the modern architectural marvel of Wat Rong Khun (White Temple). Explore the ancient royal city of Chiang Saen, take a long-tail boat ride on the Khong River, and explore the Golden Triangle. Your full-day itinerary includes a restaurant lunch plus round-trip hotel transport from Chiang Mai. Numbers are limited to a maximum of 18 people to ensure a fun group experience with your professional guide.
- Visit Wat Rong Khun, aka the White Temple
- See remnants of the 7th-century Thai kingdom at Chiang Saen
- Take a boat on the Khong River and stop by the Golden Triangle
- Enjoy hotel pickup and drop-off by air-conditioned minivan
What's Included
- Professional English Speaking Guide
- Thai set lunch
- Bottled water
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels)
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan
- Boat trip along Mekong River
- Entrance Fee to House of Opium
- Entrance Fee to Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)
- Travel accident insurance
- Extra food and drinks
- Tipping for tour guide and drive
- Pick-up/drop off surcharge for hotel outside city centre(THB500/way; 6-15Km & THB1,000/way; 16-30Km)
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Operating hours.7:00 am
Itinerary
Start your day trip with hotel pickup in Chiang Mai and hop aboard an air-conditioned minivan departing for Chiang Rai Province. En route, your guide makes a brief stop at Mae Khachan Hot Spring for a break.
Continuing on, visit the privately owned Wat Rong Khun, known as the White Temple. Admire its unique decor made of glass, sculptural pieces and murals all designed by a famous Thai artist.
Afterward, head to Chiang Saen, a river town strewn with the ruins of ancient temples. Listen as your guide shares the history of the former Thai kingdom. Then savor lunch at a local restaurant specializing in Thai dishes or an international buffet—your choice.
Next see the view point of the Golden Triangle where the Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand meet by hop aboard a long-tail boat for a ride on Mekhong River. Visit the House of Opium, a private museum on the former opium trade, before a return and transfer to your hotel in Chiang Mai
Continuing on, visit the privately owned Wat Rong Khun, known as the White Temple. Admire its unique decor made of glass, sculptural pieces and murals all designed by a famous Thai artist.
Afterward, head to Chiang Saen, a river town strewn with the ruins of ancient temples. Listen as your guide shares the history of the former Thai kingdom. Then savor lunch at a local restaurant specializing in Thai dishes or an international buffet—your choice.
Next see the view point of the Golden Triangle where the Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand meet by hop aboard a long-tail boat for a ride on Mekhong River. Visit the House of Opium, a private museum on the former opium trade, before a return and transfer to your hotel in Chiang Mai
1
Mae Khachan Hot Spring
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Wat Rong Khun
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
3
Wat Phra That Chedi Luang
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
Golden Triangle
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
5
House of Opium
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infant rates (children under 2 years) apply provided they do not occupy a seat
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
- Stroller accessible
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- The duration of hotel pickups is approximately 30 minutes; the exact duration will depend on the time of day and traffic conditions
- The trip duration can reach maximum of 14 hours depending on the traffic along the way and the road conditions
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.6
based on 534 reviews
Penny_M, Apr 2026
Our guide Poong Kie is excellent. She is very friendly and incredibly knowledgeable. She speaks English well and shared a wealth of information about Thailand’s culture, history, and religion. Our driver was also excellent. It was a long drive, but he was always smiling and provided a cold wipe and a chilled bottle of water every time we returned to the car. The lunch was delicious, and Poong Kie provided snacks along the way. I really enjoyed the trip despite it being a long day. I highly recommend it.
Bilal_C, Feb 2026
A really nice experience, would recommend to anyone visiting Chiang Mai. Very interesting to see the different borders.
Highlight of the trip was our guide Pae! He made it so enjoyable and was a really nice and friendly person.
Ching_Y, Sep 2025
Our guide, Tui, was very friendly and attentive. He provided lots of information at each of the stops and answered all our questions. We saw the white temple, golden triangle, enjoyed a boat ride on the Mekong and stopped by the opium museum. Our lunch was ready as soon as we arrived at the restaurant and we also had an included coffee break on the drive back to Chiang Mai. It was a wonderful experience!
Emma_P, Aug 2025
The trip was excellent. Our guide was very knowledgeable and spoke very good English so we felt we learnt a lot about the Chiang Rai region.
Ed_C, May 2025
Great tour with excellent tour guide. Saw loads and enjoyed the temples, the lunch and the boat trip on the Mekong. Would recommend the trip.
Timothy_T, Apr 2025
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.
lauriebauer, Mar 2025
We are so happy we chose this tour. Yes, it is a full day. However, the pacing and stops made the time fly by. Each was interesting and we had just enough time to enjoy. The boxed breakfast with coffee, restocked water supply, delicious lunch and coffee stop at end were all top notch and made for a relaxing outing ( we felt pampered!). The driver was terrific….. polite and handing cold water and towels after stops. Ms. Pookie was an OUTSTANDING guide. She truly went above and beyond in her explanation of not only our stops, but Thai history and culture. What a great tour. The best in town!!
Pamela_R, Mar 2025
Long but rewarding day White Temple magnificent, geographically interesting , well chided comfort stops, guide helpful and informative, very safe driver. Highly recommend.
Haley_M, Mar 2025
Excellent tour experience! Our very small group made for a comfortable and spacious ride in the van, allowing for a more personalized and engaging experience. The tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable, providing insightful information and answering all of our questions. The itinerary was well-paced, and we had plenty of opportunities to take in the sights without feeling too rushed. Provided lots of water so you never got dehydrated. Arrived at White temple before the crowds got too bad. Highly recommend!
Muhammad_W, Mar 2025
Great guide, tour was good, food was good overall a worth visiting tour
Great sees places and the trip was made wuite comfortable
Beatriz_L, Feb 2025
A very long day but well worth it. Each way us about 4 hours
However, there are stops along the way to use facilities.
Paula_J, Feb 2025
We had a great experience. Our tour guide was awesome and very friendly, was supposed to be a small tour but we ended up on it alone. The van was very comfy.
Diane_W, Feb 2025
I can’t say enough about this amazing tour!! We loved every aspect of it & the lunch provided at a local restaurant was NEXT LEVEL! Our guide was Tui & he spoke great English. He was extremely knowledgeable & we loved him. Highly recommend booking this tour!!
Leonardo_L, Feb 2025
Great experience with our very good guide Toi and the driver (we forgot his name but he did a great job). The tour combined the view of the stunning and modern White temple with important Thai history, including an ancient temple and the Golden Triangle. Toi gave us great info about the temples, the Buddhist and Thai traditions, the Golden Triangle and the commerce of Opium. It was a very long drive, but it was worth it. The places where we stopped for food and drinks were also very good.
Paul_P, Feb 2025
Very long but worthwhile day with an excellent informative guide. Kept us moving but didn’t feel too rushed. The white temple is the real highlight but other aspects were enjoyable and interesting as well. Really good meal part way through and comfortable transport with an experienced driver.
WaiKan_C, Jan 2025
White temple was beautiful and sparkling especially when under the sun. Golden triangle had an interesting history. The tour guide Nong and the driver Richard did a great job in making a long day interesting and manageable. Lunch spot and coffee spot were both great.
adriana_g, Jan 2025
Our tour with Tui was an absolutely wonderful experience! From start to finish, it was thoughtfully planned and executed. The highlight of our day was visiting the stunning White Temple – its intricate details and breathtaking beauty left us in awe. Tui shared fascinating insights about the temple’s history and symbolism, making the visit even more meaningful.
We also visited another serene Buddhist temple, where Tui’s extensive knowledge of Buddhist traditions and architecture truly shone. Along the way, the tour included well-timed stops that allowed us to relax, enjoy the scenery, and stay comfortable throughout the journey.
Tui was an exceptional guide – incredibly well-informed, friendly, and attentive. He answered all of our questions with patience and enthusiasm, and he even offered us excellent tips for exploring the area further.
If you’re considering this tour, I wholeheartedly recommend it, especially with Tui as your guide. His expertise and warm personality made this experience unforgettable!
Patricia_D, Jan 2025
Everything was wonderful. Our guide Toy was delightful and knowledgeable… you must appreciate all of the guides on every tour. Working with tourist is like “herding cats”.
Itay_S, Dec 2024
Condensed day with a lot of driving, but includes all of the best experiences in the area. Nothing is redundant.
Guide was wonderful.
Gabrielle_B, Dec 2024
This was a great day trip, but a very long one - about 13 hours. It was worth it to see all the things we saw. Aom was a very good guide. I loved the boat trip and being in the water between Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. The Opium Museum was interesting. I would have liked more time at the Hot Springs as there was a lot of good shopping opportunities with local jewellery etc. The White Temple was very interesting and a contrast to the many old temples we saw during our time in Thailand.
Titus_C, Nov 2024
Overall great vibes, got to see a large part of the region in a day. We felt taken care of and learned many things about this part of Thailand
David_V, Nov 2024
It's a long day. But worth it. The white temple is amazing. The staff very knowledgeable and friendly.
The lunch was typically thai....delicious.
Great tour
Brian_E, Oct 2024
It was a long day but seeing the White Temple was fantastic. The boat ride on the Mekong river was fun and fascinating seeing Laos and learning all about opium. Our guide was excellent. He was very knowledgeable There was ample bathroom breaks, plenty of water and a very delicious lunch. Highly recommend.
Brenda_D, Aug 2024
The temple was beautiful and amazing designs. We had a great tour person with great information about the temple.
Devin_D, Aug 2024
Very glad we did the tour out to the white temple. Loved it and also loved seeing so many of his other paintings in the gallery there. The tour guide was very kind and clear, offering good information to go along with the tour. The 1,300 year old temple after the white temple was a great experience, even learning basic tenets of a prayer. Lunch at the local restaurant was good, with things being ready when we arrived. We enjoyed the golden triangle and boat tour, learning about the intersection with Laos and Myanmar, the optimum museum was interesting. The drive back really is about 4-4.5 hours. They stopped about halfway for bathroom and coffee, which was great. If that drive back would be a challenge for you, maybe choose a debite temple tour that doesn’t also add on the golden triangle. Overall, we enjoyed the day!
Michaela_G, Aug 2024
We loved our Chiang Rai day trip! Although the van ride was long, it was worth it to experience Chiang Rai while having Chiang Mai as our "home base." Our guide Aom was fantastic!!! She was very knowledgeable, provided lots of great info about every part of our trip, and kept us on schedule. I would highly recommend this tour.
Alberto_B, Aug 2024
A lot of time in the van but we've seen some real gems! Shout out to Mr Tui who added great great value to this tour!
Rachel_W, Aug 2024
It was a very long day. The White Temple is amazing to see and we had a good amount of time there. But the rest of the tour was a bit lackluster. Golden Triangle is interesting but underwhelming. Biggest issue was with the guide. It was Ms. Nut. She was hard to understand and did not look after the group. She would just start walking quickly to the next thing without looking back or telling us where we were going. There were a few elderly women in the group who struggled to keep up. We even lost her for 5 minutes because we didn’t know what direction she had gone. Took her that long to realize we weren’t with her and come back. She also would tell us where a bathroom was and then say there wasn’t enough time for us to go to it. We were constantly confused and frustrated by her as a guide.
Eriq_L, Jul 2024
Excellent tour!!! The guide Nong was amazing and so insightful. The driver was kind and provided water and a cooling wipe after each destination. The White Castle was beautiful but The golden triangle/ boat trip was nothing special.
Katherine_B, Jun 2024
If you’re strapped for extra time, definitely take this tour: white temple, hot spring, golden triangle, boat ride on the Mekong, and opium museum tour. It’s definitely a long day with a lot of driving, but Pae and Mr. Thai were great!
From $82.92
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Chiang Rai Day Trip from Chiang Mai City with Golden Triangle
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