If you’re visiting Thailand for the first time, spending some time in the North should be in your plans. Both Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai are also some of the best places for digital nomads.
Wat Huay Pla Kang is an epic temple in Chiang Rai, North Thailand.
It’s famous for its unique blend of Thai and Chinese architecture. Moreover, you can admire a large Guan Yin statue overlooking Chiang Rai. Huay Pla Kang temple is also a great spot to watch the sunset.
In this article we will cover how to get there, entrance fee, opening hours, what to see and also few other travel tips.
About Wat Huay Pla Kang
Wat Huay Pla Kang is located on top of a hill in Chiang Rai. It offers stunning views of the area. The architecture is rather unusual.
Moreover thanks to the fact that there are no huge crowds visiting the temple it’s a very pleasant and peaceful experience.
There are 3 buildings you can visit. The most colorful of them is without a doubt 9 stories tall pagoda in hues of gold, green and red. There are also Chinese dragons at the entrance. Furthermore it’s possible to walk the stairs all the way to the top from where you can enjoy great views.
Right next to the pagoda, you can find another beautiful white-colored temple. Its structure and decorations compare to those of the famous White Temple.
Read next: The Blue Temple Chiang Rai
Lastly, you can visit Guan Yin statue. Although many people mistakenly believe it’s a Big Buddha. However, it’s a statue of Buddhist “Goddess of Mercy”.
In addition, you can see 2 white dragons on the sides of long staircase leading to the statue. It’s also possible to take an elevator to the top of Guan Yin statue.
The whole area is rather new. If you’re looking for an interesting day trip to historical temples, we recommend the Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok.
TIP: There is a beautiful fairy-tale cafe close to the temple you certainly must visit – Lalitta café.
Where to stay in Chiang Rai
The best area to stay is near the bus station or around clock tower. If you’re looking for more budget friendly options, you’ll likely find them a bit further from the town centre.
Best hotels in Chiang Rai
Check availability
Opening hours and entrance fee
Opening hours: 07:00 – 21:00
Entrance fee: free, 40TBH to enter the Goddess statue
You can visit Wat Huay Pla Kang between 07:00 and 21:00. However I would recommend coming for sunset here. There is no entrance fee.
Although if you want you can leave some donation. In case you want to take an elevator up the Goddess statue you have to pay 40TBH.
How to get to Wat Huay Pla Kang
Renting a motorbike in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai is the best way to explore the north.
You can easily reach Huay Pla Kang temple on a scooter. It’s only 8km from the Clock Tower and therefore you can get there in 20 minutes.
There are few bike rentals around Chiang Rai while the cheapest bikes start at around 250TBH. We rent our bikes from B-rider and highly recommend their services.
Other alternative would be to use Grab. You can either choose a car or a bike taxi that will take you to Wat Huay Pla Kang.
Important: Do not forget to dress properly. Women as well as men are required to cover their knees and shoulders.
Best tours in Chiang Rai
Visiting Wat Huay Pla Kang – conclusion
Wat Huay Pla Kang is definitely worth a visit. You can combine it with visit of some other temples in the area, such as White Temple and Blue Temple (Wat Rong Suea Ten).
We hope you found this article helpful and let us know in the comments once you visit the temple!
