“A family is like a puzzle. The pieces may split and break, but once collected and assembled, they fit together perfectly.”
Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai means "Northern Thai" is the northernmost major city in Thailand, with a population of about 200,000 people. The city was founded by King Mangrai in 1262 and became the capital of the Mangrai Dynasty. The word 'Chiang' means 'city' in Thai, so Chiang Rai would mean 'the city of (Mang) Rai'. Subsequently, Chiang Rai was conquered by Burma and remained under Burmese rule for several hundred years. It was not until 1786 that Chiang Rai became a Chiang Mai vassal. Siam (Thailand) annexed Chiang Mai in 1899, and Chiang Rai was proclaimed a province of Thailand in 1933. Chiang Rai has a tropical wet and dry climate that winters are fairly dry and warm. Temperatures rise until April, which is hot with the average daily maximum at 34.5 °C. The monsoon season runs from late April through October, with heavy rain and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, although nights remain warm.
Wiang Pa Pao Hot Spring
The location of this geyser hot spring is at a pitstop to me.
Here, drivers can catch a break from long journey, have a toilet break, grab a bite or even some shopping!
As times goes by, this location becomes a common stop for coach buses as the location is very convenient.
The hot springs are conveniently located next to the main Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai Highway 118, making it a popular stop for travelers.
There is a stream of hotspring here where visitors can take a dip on their feet freely at no cost.
We could smelt Sulphur coming from the stream, it is the same one we had in Taipei Yangmingshan.
Love the facts that Sulphur has good benefits for health.
The hot springs feature natural hot water wells where visitors can soak their feet and even boil eggs. The water temperature is around 80°C and not everyone can withstand the heat.
The public toilet here is clean, there is a staff maintaining the cleanliness, there is a fee of THB5 per person to use.
Sabuy D Coffee
Located at the corner of Wiang Pa Pao Hotspring.
Sabuy D Coffee is a popular coffee shop located in Chiang Rai, Thailand. It's known for its cozy atmosphere and delicious coffee blends.
The hit of the cafe is: it decorated with a "flowing river" where customers can have a seat while taking a dip over a drink.
Surrounded by lush greens that comes with occasional "chirpings" from nearby birds, this place
gave me a peace feeling.
Not far from this cafe is the above mentioned "pit stop" with toilet and some shops.
Here we had a break in a cozy cafe, having a cup of nice drink and dipping our legs in the hot spring.
The cafe is very thoughtful that they even offer visitors towels to wipe our legs after soak.
The shop offers a variety of coffee drinks, as well as some snacks and light bites. It's a great spot for both locals and tourists to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee.
There are no other customers in this cafe except for the 9 of us at the time of our visit, so we have the place by ourselves and lauded with our talks and laughter.
The water is really hot, we cannot really dip our legs in at all, the maximum we could do it to "kick" water via our soles.
Something caught my eyes, located right opposite of Sabuy D Coffee, this very pretty temple is very mesmerizing but looked "abandoned ‘. I did a check in google and discovered the name of this temple is Wat Angkor Replica. It was intended to be a tourist attraction replicating Angkor Wat, but the project was never completed. The site is now somewhat of an eerie, unfinished structure located near a couple of hot springs along Highway 118.
Wat Saeng Kaeo Phothiyan
I must say, this is a bonus temple for us as this temple was never in the itinerary at all.
The name "Saeng Kaew Phothiyan" translates to "a lotus that sprouts and emits light like a sparkling gem".
We were telling Khun Chai that we wish to "power up" our Thai amulets so he brought us here.
Wat Saeng Kaew Phothiyan is a beautiful and unique temple located in Mae Suai district of Chiang Rai.
The temple is known for its stunning architecture, intricate decorations, and large statues, including those of Hindu deities like Ganesha and Shiva.
The temple is still under construction but has already become a popular destination for both local Thai visitors and some foreign tourists.
However, we did not manage to the reverend as they are away for other duties. Though, we were not managed to "power up" our amulets, but we collected one more temple to the trip.
While on the road, a giant statue caught our attention: we are near to our destination.
Wat Huay Pla Kang
This is a temple complex sitting on a mountain top, surrounded by many green hills.
The complex consists of a Giant statue of the Goddess of Mercy, The Phop Chop Dhamma Chedi (Nine stories Pagoda) and a White temple. There is many parking lot here but at the day of my visit, most lots were taken. There is also a hospital located in the vicinity too.
Giant Goddess of Mercy
Known as "Kuan Im" to the Chinese, this deity is very well known in the Asia, including my family.
The Goddess is one of the most venerated figures in East Asian Buddhism and Taoism. She is revered as a compassionate deity who hears the cries of the world and comes to the aid of those in need.
She is often depicted in a white flowing robe, holding a vase of pure water and a willow branch, symbolizing her ability to cleanse and purify. She is also sometimes shown with a thousand arms and eyes to help all who are in need.
All of us climbed up these high stairs to reach the next level of the statue.
It was quite a challenge for Mrs Ng and Mrs Lee but nevertheless, they were sincere and won the challenge with pride.
As I reached the top of the stairs, this is the view I received when I turned my back. The white building is the hospital that is affiliated to Wat Huay Pla Kang.
There is an open hall right under the "lotus seat" of the Goddess, it is decorated with various Buddha statues. To enter this hall, everyone has to remove shoes and place them at the entrance.
There are seating points for people to rest, booths selling Buddhist ornaments and a donation point where people can donate rice to the needy.
The Goddess of Mercy statue at Wat Huay Pla Kang is 23 stories high. To reach the top, visitors can take an elevator, which makes it accessible even for those who might find climbing stairs challenging. We paid THB40 per person to take the lift up for a "WOW" experience.
Once the lift opened, we were greeted by various statues and architects that are in white color. White means "purity" and is a represented color of Goddess of Mercy.
There is a red dot located on the forehead of the Goddess, it is a traditional symbol found in many depictions of Buddhist and Hindu deities.
This dot, often referred to as a bindi or third eye, symbolizes spiritual awakening and the ability to see beyond the physical world. It's believed to represent inner wisdom, enlightenment, and the ability to perceive truths that are not visible to the ordinary eye.
Standing right here on the location of the bindi, it is also another window.
Wat Huay Pla Kang offer free service tram for visitors, the tram provides free ride from the base to the next level of the compound. We took the ride downhill instead of walking down the long flight of stairs which relieved my 2 mothers. There is a donation box in the tram where riders can donate any sum of money.
The Phop Chop Dhamma Chedi (Nine stories Pagoda)
the Phop Chop Dhamma Chedi is a magnificent nine-story pagoda at Wat Huay Pla Kang is a sight to behold. Each tier of the pagoda is adorned with intricate details that reflect a blend of Thai and Chinese architectural styles. Visitors often climb to the top to experience the serene ambiance and to enjoy the stunning panoramic views of the surrounding area. We did not manage to visit this chedi due to time constraints.
The White Temple
Here is another temple here, very beautiful white walls and red roof. Though we did not enter due to time constraints, I admired the structure from a short distance and found that the designs of this temple is very elaborated.
Wat Hua Pla Kang Hospital
The Wat Huay Pla Kang hospital is a charitable initiative within the temple complex in Chiang Rai, Thailand. It's still under construction but is already partially operational. The hospital aims to provide free medical services and vegetarian meals to local people and pilgrims. This addition highlights the temple's commitment to social welfare and community support, ensuring that visitors and residents alike can receive care and nourishment. It's heartwarming to see such a holistic approach to spirituality and community care. Below photos are from google for your understanding.
Lalita Cafe
A very beautiful cafe that is located just 3 minutes' drive from Wat Huay Pla Kang.
We are here today for a late lunch as we spent too much time on earlier attractions.
Entry fee is THB60 per person, but you can offset with the bill you spent on the food.
Lalita Cafe is a magical, fairytale-like café located in the Mueang Chiang Rai district. It's known for its enchanting forest setting, complete with vast greenery, cascading waterfalls, and a 10-meter high waterfall. The cafe is designed to look like a mystical forest wonderland, making it a popular spot for photos and relaxation.
What we dislike about the place is that the service is very bad, there is no service at all.
We find a table, we cleaned the table, we wiped the table and went to the extend to get the menu ourselves.
And we nearly want to send is our orders directly to the kitchen as nobody come to us despite the staff acknowledging to our waving hands.
The crew were too busy to attend to other guests, there is literally not enough crew to serve such a high volume of customers.
However, we were glad that all the food we ordered were good despite the "hoo-has" we went through.
Here are more photos I snapped on the pretty place.
Anyway, once is enough, I will not come again and will not recommend dining here but I will recommend to friends for its good photo taking spots.
By the time we left this place, it is already 415pm!
Wat Rong Khun
Wat Rong Khun, also known as the White Temple, is a contemporary, unconventional Buddhist temple located in Chiang Rai, Thailand.
It was open to visitors since 1997 and the temple is renowned for its striking white color, which is achieved through a blend of whitewash and mirrored chips.
It's a unique blend of traditional Thai and modern architecture, making it a must-see attraction in Chiang Rai.
Apparently, it closed at 5pm, by the time we arrived at 440pm, the gates are down for new visitors.
Nevertheless, we are very happy to be here, even we did not enter.
We got another bonus: we saw a water snake wriggling in the moat, Mr Lee said this is a "Lucky Sign".
Wat Rong Suea Ten
Wat Rong Suea Ten, also known as the Blue Temple, is a stunning contemporary Buddhist temple located in Chiang Rai, Thailand.
Wat Rong Suea Ten, also known as the Blue Temple, is a stunning contemporary Buddhist temple located in Chiang Rai, Thailand.
The temple is known for its striking blue color, which symbolizes purity, wisdom, and the lack of materialism.
The temple features intricate details, including gold trim, mythical creatures, and elaborate paintings that cover every surface.
There is a row of retail beside the temple, and we took the opportunity to Butterfly Pea Coconut Ice cream!
The temple's name translates to "Temple of the Dancing Tiger," and it is said that tigers once roamed freely in the area when an ancient temple stood there.
By the time we left Wat Rong Suea Ten, the sun had already gone down, and we start to make our way back to Chiang Mai which is about 4hrs drive away.
We have reached the end of Chiang Rai's blog, coming next will be the last blog of the trip: Chiang Mai.
Here are the links to our trip in Chiang Mai:
2024 is a blessed year for us that we travelled quite a bit, here to share some of the links of the blogs:
Between 2022 to 2023, we visited The Netherlands & Belgium, here to share : Amsterdam, The Hague , Rotterdam , Kinderdijk , Naarden ,Muiden , Haarlem , Nijmegan, Brussel, Bruges
and Antwerp.
We even moved to stay in Denmark during the peak of Covid : Relocation from Singapore to Aalborg, Denmark
Feel free, you are most welcome to browse through my other blogs to France, Japan, China, Thailand, Malaysia and cruises etc.
Next Trip:Muar Malaysia while Japan is in the plan - Please stay tune by liking my Facebook page: followblueginger, Instagram page : followblueginger , TikTok page: bluegingerkaren and Tumblr page :followblueginger.
Thanks, and Cheers
"I travel because seeing photos in books and brochures was not good enough for me, To be there, that was everything"
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