Book Retreats in Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai: A Popular Yoga Holiday Destination

Welcome to Thailand’s city that will never let you down! The largest city in northern Thailand is Chiang Rai, which was also the capital in 1262 CE. This location has a wealth of breathtaking natural and cultural sites to offer. The Wat Rong Khun, sometimes called the White Temple, comes highly recommended. It has unrivalled architecture and is fascinating in every manner. Go to Doi Tung or Phu Chi Fa to experience nature at its finest. There are several locations providing an holistic wellness sanctuary focused on yoga, meditation and nature experiencing in Chiang Rai.

To see some of the most distinctive sights in the world, reserve your Chiang Rai yoga vacation today!

Why Go On A Yoga Retreat in Chiang Rai?

Are your lengthy workdays and the hustle and bustle of the city leaving you feeling worried, worn out, and burned out?

Your body and mind will benefit greatly from a short yoga retreat in Chiang Rai’s lush highlands! Recharge your batteries with daily yoga lessons, a fresh, organic vegetarian buffet from a nearby farm, relaxing spa treatments, and revitalising swims in magnificent pools. Rest up at our comfortable local cottages with views of a lake, opulent green mountains, and tranquil gardens.

You can have a delightful experience at a retreat and spa center in a peaceful and quiet environment in Chiang Rai. Some of these facilities receive you in a private spa consultation room (depending on instructor and spa availability) with a traditional Thai house feeling where they chat with you to understand your requirements and only then they suggest a plan of activities that suit your needs and level of experience.

Some facilities are situated in paradisiac locations, incorporating, for example, a lake and peaceful gardens where you can meditate or practice yoga in the most calm atmosphere. They can also include all the food, complementing your yoga retreat stay with a healthy diet in family-style buffet meals, including breakfast and dinner buffets but also breakfast, lunch, dinner snacks and lighter meals if you wish so.

A yoga retreat in this picturesque setting is the ideal setting to nourish your wellness and will help you relax and connect with your natural side. Yoga retreats of all kinds are available in Chiang Rai, allowing beginners and experts to enjoy this beautiful location. Choose from packages for short or extended stays: you can stay for however long you desire!

What Can I Expect From A Yoga Retreat In Chiang Rai?

A yoga retreat in Chiang Rai will be an experience unlike any other! You can expect to stay in beautiful and serene accommodation, take part in daily yoga classes, and explore the region’s stunning natural beauty. You’ll also have plenty of time to relax, explore the nearby attractions, and enjoy the delicious local cuisine. Depending on the retreat you attend, you may also have the opportunity to participate in workshops, cultural activities, and guided meditation and chanting sessions.

Exploring Chiang Rai During Your Yoga Retreat Holiday

Things To Do in Chiang Rai

The White Temple / Wat Rong Khun

The White Temple, commonly known as Wat Rong Khun, is the most well-known tourist destination in Chiang Rai and must be visited.

Actually, the majority of tourists only go to Chiang Rai to see it.

The White Temple shines in the sun if you visit on a sunny day. This peculiarity is caused by the temple’s construction, which used a combination of lime and mirror shards.

You will also be able to see stunning statues and exquisite features that have been sculpted and covered in mirrors during your tour.

Baan Dam Museum

The Baan Dam Museum, popularly known as the “Black House Museum” or the “Black Temple,” is undoubtedly one of Chiang Rai’s most well-known tourist attractions. The quickest and most convenient way to travel to Baan Dam Museum is by vehicle. It is situated about 15 kilometres north of Chiang Rai and you can always take a song taew or tuk-tuk if you don’t have one.

There are roughly 40 tiny black cottages there that are embellished with things like crocodile skins, furs, and bones. Everything you see on the website is the creation of Thai artist Thawan Duchanee, who could be viewed as a “dark counterpart” of the White Temple’s designer Chalermchai Kositpipat.

The location is undoubtedly unique, and the similarity of all the residences gives it a feeling of being a community.

Khun Korn’s waterfall

Khun Korn waterfall is located 15 km west of Singha Park and should be visited if you want to appreciate some nature in Chiang Rai. To reach there, you’ll need transportation.

After parking, you can stroll down the road and up the river until you come to a modest restroom facility. From there, a walkway leads to the waterfall.

The water flow at Khun Korn’s waterfall is quite strong even in January. It is not merely a trickle like at some other Thai waterfalls at that time of year. It is actually the highest waterfall in the province of Chiang Rai, at 70 metres high.

Wat Huay Pla Kung / Big Buddha

Discovering Chiang Rai’s stunning and unique temples is one of the top things to do, and Wat Huay Pla Kung is no exception.

Wat Huay Pla Kung is quite new, just like the white or blue temples. In reality, the temple is a sizable figure of Guan Yin, the goddess of mercy, rather than the Buddha. Nevertheless, the statue is frequently referred to as “the Big Buddha”!

It is really magnificent to view, especially given that it was constructed on top of a hill and appears to be rather large. To get to the temple’s base and then ride an elevator up to the statue’s head, use the “dragon staircase.”

Besides Wat Huay Pla Kung, the site also contains two other monuments: a giant pagoda with 9 floors and a beautiful white temple.

Mae Fah Luang Cultural and Artistic Park

Visit Mae Fah Luang Cultural Park while you’re in Chiang Rai. It’s 4 km west of the city’s core.

The well-planned park is built around a sizable lake and has various Lanna-style wooden structures and pavilions.

Attractions there include:

1. The Haw Kham
2. The Haw Kham Noi and its 19th century murals.
3. The Haw Kaew Museum

The environment is calm and soothing. If you have some free time or if you’re sick of the crowds, you can head there.

Doi Tung

Doi Tung is situated near the Burmese border, 45 kilometres from Chiang Rai. It’s one of the nicest locations in the city to visit. There are numerous food vendors and souvenir shops, and the area is rather touristy with various places working as both cafe and gift shop. The arboretum, which is nine kilometres away from Mae Fah Garden, is also accessible with the entrance ticket. You can drive there or catch a little, free bus.

Doi Tung Mountain’s summit is home to a number of tourist attractions, including:

1. Mae Fah Luang Garden
2. The Doi Tung Royal Villa
3. The Hall of Inspiration

A small zip-line is also available for use at the location.

Depending on whether you want to see the entire site or just a portion, you can choose from a variety of entrance tickets.

Hot springs

There are many hot springs where you can unwind around Chiang Rai. They are particularly well-liked by Thai people, who enjoy visiting there on the weekends with their families.

Near Chiang Rai, these are the most well-known hot springs:

1. The Pha Soet springs
2. The spring of Ban Huay Zai Kao
3. Huay Mak Lium spring in Lam Nam Kok National Park
4. The one of Wieng Pa Pao
5. Pong Phrabat Hot Spring

Contrary to popular belief, boiling eggs in hot water is actually their preferred pastime in these locations instead of swimming! If you want to sample it, small baskets of three eggs are available at all hot springs. Naturally, you may also have a leisurely soak in warm water while sampling the local eggs.

Best Tours in Chiang Rai

Singha Park Chiang Rai (Rai Bun Rawd)

This park/farm has a total area of around 960,000 square metres, which is made up of tea plantations and agricultural land with cultivated plant kinds that are appropriate for the soil. These plants include horticulture such oolong tea, lime, and mulberries as well as fruit trees including jujubes, star fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, lychees, longans, mangoes, and santolas. Well-known field crops are grown in the plains region. Among these crops are barley, rice, and vegetable plants such as broccoli. Dairy farms, shiitake mushroom farms, and other farms are also present. Additionally, there are flower gardens and integrated farming plantations where visitors can take pictures.

Trekking in Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai is renowned for being a great place to go trekking. You can meet ethnic groups who live in the nearby mountains on 2- or 3-day trekking tours that are offered by the majority of the hotels and guesthouses in the city. You can learn about the Akha, Hmong, or Karen way of life in this area, which is primarily occupied by refugees from Burma or Laos. The latter is renowned for its long-necked women, who are frequently referred to as “giraffe women.”

Sightseeing group Tour In Chiang Rai

On a small-group trip, see the top attractions in Chiang Rai and the surrounding area with a local guide. You’ll probably go to the elaborate Wat Rong Khun, sometimes known as the “white temple,” and the off-the-beaten-track, blue-hued Wat Rong Seur Ten. Additionally, you could tour a tea plantation, a typical hill tribal community, and the town of Mae Sai on the Burmese border while being confidently led by a local authority.

Chiang Rai, Golden Triangle and Long Neck Karen

The best way to explore Thailand’s natural beauty and culture is on this Chiang Rai trip of the hill tribes and the Golden Triangle. Explore the renowned Opium Museum, travel to the intersection of Thailand, Burma, and Laos, and visit the 1260 AD-dated Chiang Saen Old City. This tour is customised to your needs and interests and offers a beautiful view of the Mekong River and the grandeur of historic ruins. This extraordinary opportunity includes round-trip accommodation transport.

1 Day Trekking Group Tour With Bamboo Cooking

You will experience some of the highlights of Chiang Rai’s jungle on this tour. Suitable for families, groups, and couples. Walking from Phra Soep Hot Spring via a bamboo forest, agricultural plains, and rice farms. Continue on to Lahu, an Akha hamlet, a Chinese village, and Chiang Rai’s second-largest waterfall. Don’t forget your towel and bathing suit. Have a d elicious lunch prepared with bamboo and handmade bamboo utensils and r elax in the hot spring’s mineral water at the end. You then will be provided twith ransportation to your accommodation from there. It will take 5 hours to complete the 10–12 kilometre walk.

Dining Out in Chiang Rai

Best Restaurants & Bars in Chiang Rai

Ran Lab Sanam Keela

You embark on a culinary tour of real Lanna cuisine with Ran Lab Sanam Keela. In Chiang Rai, this is among the most well-known eateries. Even though there are only a few meals on the menu, they are all mouthwatering treats that capture the region’s longstanding culinary history. The Yang Ruam is especially recommended. It is wonderful when dipped in the restaurant’s soy sauce and is made of grilled pork, including flesh, intestine, and liver. Tom sab moo, Jeen Neung, and Pla tabtim tod kratiem are also worthwhile endeavours.

Ja Jaroenchai

The tastiest Thai stir-fried food can be found at this restaurant on the junction of Sanambin Road in Mueang District. One of the most well-liked dishes is gai ban tom sab (boiled chicken). Soybean sauce is used to cook the chicken, giving it a soft and smooth flavour. With a bowl of rice, pad yod on tandawan moo is a tasty dish that features pork belly and sunflower sprouts as the ideal complement.

Moommai Restaurant

The greatest restaurant to sample traditional Thai cuisine is Moommai Restaurant. With ceramic dolls, wooden figurines, and toys, the venue has a traditional, tropical interior design presentation that seems like a garden. The restaurant features live folk music at night, and the staff is dressed in traditional Thai clothing. One of the restaurant’s hallmark dishes is crispy catfish with mango salad, which exhibits Lanna cuisine as well as Chinese influences.

Cat Bar

After a long day, Cat Bar offers a relaxed atmosphere to help you unwind. Every night, the owner of the bar will jam on his guitar while occasionally having other live performers. The bar has a large selection of alcoholic beverages, food, and a pool table if you feel like playing.

Oasis Vegetaurant

Large vegetarian restaurant about 150 yards from the bus stop. Behind a glass display, food is all pre-cooked and ready for you to point and purchase. offers a variety of vegetarian meats, including fried pig intestines, red pork, duck, fish with three flavours, and drumsticks. It also has a  few dishes that are prepared to order, such as “guay dtee-ow,” which is particularly delicious in the cool season after a strenuous day of hiking.

Kunda Vegan Vegetarian

A plant-based café serving primarily vegan food. KUNDA vegan patty and KUNDA burger origins date to 2011. A  daily fresh home-style restaurant without  tofu or  WiFi but with a  21+ yearexperienced plant-based chef that also  offer vegan chocolate cake, burgers, salads, crepes, hummus, coffee, and kombucha. At 5:30 pm, the kitchen closes. This restaurant is positioned in the heart of the city across from Wat Ming Temple.

Roti Pa Yai

On the east side of Chiang Rai, there is a small Muslim neighbourhood named Muaeng. The most authentic Muslim halal meal is offered at Roti Pa Yai. The restaurant is decorated in the traditional Chiang Rai village style. A must-try delicacy is roti mataba gai, which is a flatbread packed with chicken. A Muslim wrap made of mataba and chicken mince is excellent when dipped in the thick sauce. Also available is Gaeng gari gai, a delicious chicken yellow curry sauce made with coconut milk and yellow curry powder.

Food Markets in Chiang Rai

The Night Bazaar

Some people think it’s more beautiful and more affordable than those in Bangkok or Chiang Mai. There are numerous booths there that sell clothing, jewellery, or wooden items. There are also several tribes from the nearby highlands that come to market their goods.

You can eat in a very wonderful wooden restaurant right in the middle of the evening market. A stage just across from it hosts traditional dance performances. There are numerous food stands as well offering different snacks and meals typical from the area.

Saturday or Sunday Walking Street

Visit this market as well if you’re in Chiang Rai on the weekend. In order to accommodate several stands, the street (which varies depending on the day) becomes pedestrian only. Weekends are the perfect time to visit Chiang Rai since you can go shopping and sample some delectable Thai street food.

Chiang Rai Kad Luang (Central Market)

Chiang Rai’s day markets are renowned for their broad selection of fresh goods, whilst the city’s night markets are well-known for their quantity of street food. Right here in Chiang Rai Kad Luang, also known as Chiang Rai’s centre market, you can get the greatest variety of locally produced goods from Chiang Rai.

Going outside to soak in the fresh produce’s sights, sounds, and scents is the best thing to do when visiting Chiang Rai Kad Luang since the stall owners may be kind enough to allow you try their pride and joy. Enter the building to view some local apparel and accessories as the temperature outdoors rises. To protect your face from the harsh sunshine, we advise purchasing a bamboo hat made in the area.