Chiang Rai & the White Temple

Chiang Rai, the northernmost major city in Thailand, stands in the shadow of its big sister Chiang Mai — unjustly. What Chiang Rai lacks in size, it more than makes up for with three of the most extraordinary temple artworks in Asia. Here, traditional Thai temple architecture has taken a surreal, contemporary turn that is unmatched worldwide.

The Wat Rong Khun (White Temple) is the masterpiece of Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat — and a cultural shock of a special kind. From the outside, the temple resembles a vision of ice and diamonds: all in white, adorned with mirror mosaics that dazzle in the sun. The approach leads over a bridge under which hundreds of stone hands reach out from a "sea of suffering" — a Buddhist depiction of hell that rivals Dante. Inside (no photography allowed!), visitors are in for a surprise: Alongside traditional Buddha depictions, the murals show Superman, Batman, Angry Birds, and burning Twin Towers — Kositpipat's commentary on the modern world of consumption and violence. The temple is an ongoing project and is not expected to be completed until 2070.

Just 13 km south lies the Wat Rong Suea Ten (Blue Temple) — the bright blue counterpart to the white temple, designed by a student of Kositpipat. Both inside and out are held in deep sapphire blue, with golden ornaments and a radiant white Buddha. Less known than the White Temple, less crowded, and at least as photogenic. Free entry.

The third wonder is the Baan Dam Museum (Black House) — the life's work of the recently deceased artist Thawan Duchanee. A complex of over 40 buildings in black teakwood, filled with a dark collection: animal skins, bones, horns, crocodile skins, carved phallic symbols, and surreal sculptures. It is the dark yin to the bright yang of the White Temple — fascinating, disturbing, unforgettable.

Chiang Rai itself is a relaxed, pedestrian-friendly small town with an excellent Night Bazaar (smaller and more authentic than Chiang Mai's version), the noteworthy Hilltribe Museum (Oub Kham Museum, with golden royal insignia of the Lanna dynasties) and a growing café scene. The region is also Thailand's emerging tea-growing area: The Choui Fong Tea Plantation and the Singha Park Farm offer tours through spectacular tea terraces with mountain panoramas.