Why most day trips from Chiang Mai feel rushed
A typical day tour leaves Chiang Mai around 07:00 and gets back after 20:00. Most of that time is spent on Route 118 through the mountains, with a stop at the Mae Kachan hot springs on the way. You usually get an hour at the White Temple, a short stop at the Blue Temple, a quick look at the Golden Triangle and not much else — the Black House, the tea hills and the Big Buddha at Wat Huay Pla Kang are often left out.
None of that is a reason not to go. It is just worth knowing before you book, because the sights in Chiang Rai are spread along a loop north of the city and they reward an early start from Chiang Rai itself.
Your four options, compared
| Option | Time on the road | What you see | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Same-day tour from Chiang Mai | About 7 hours | 3–4 sights, short stops | Varies by operator |
| Bus + one night + day tour in Chiang Rai | 3.5 hours each way, on separate days | 7 sights at an easy pace | ฿1,200 tour + bus from ฿260 each way |
| 2-day trek & temples from Chiang Mai | Split over two days | Main temples + a hill-tribe trek and a night in the hills | From ฿6,900 per person groups of 4–9 |
| Private car or van with driver | Up to you | Your own list of places | From ฿3,000 per vehicle a day in Chiang Rai |
Option 1 — stay one night and join a day tour (our pick)
This is what we suggest to most people who ask us, and not only because it is the tour we run. It turns a long, tiring day into two easy ones.
Getting to Chiang Rai
The Green Bus is the standard way to travel. Buses leave Chiang Mai’s Arcade terminal (Terminal 3) about every hour between 07:00 and 18:00 and take 3h20 to 3h45. Express seats cost roughly ฿260–290 and VIP seats ฿360–400. Book a day ahead in December, January and around Yi Peng, when the VIP seats sell out. Ask for Terminal 1, which is right by the Night Bazaar and close to most hotels.
The next day
Our Chiang Rai 7 Highlights Join Tour collects you from your hotel in Chiang Rai between 08:00 and 08:30 and brings you back between 18:00 and 19:00. In one day you see the White Temple, the Blue Temple, the Black House, the Choui Fong tea plantation, the Golden Triangle, the House of Opium and a hill-tribe village, with an English-speaking guide and a Thai buffet lunch. There are never more than nine travellers in a van.
Booked direct with us it is ฿1,200 per person, paid in cash on the day. Entrance fees are paid at each site, only for the places you choose to go inside — about ฿630 if you visit them all. Our entrance fees page lists every ticket price.
Option 2 — a two-day trip that starts in Chiang Mai
If you would rather not deal with buses at all, our 2-day Chiang Rai trek & temples picks you up in Chiang Mai. The trip covers the main temples and a guided trek through hill-tribe villages with a bamboo lunch, with a night in the hills, and always finishes back in Chiang Mai. It runs as a private trip for your group only — ฿13,500 per person for two travellers, ฿10,500 each for three, and ฿6,900 each for four to nine.
Option 3 — your own car and driver
If you already have a list of places in mind, a private vehicle is often the best value for a family or small group. Our Full-Day Private Driver costs ฿5,000 for a van (up to nine people) or ฿3,000 for a car (up to three) anywhere in Chiang Rai province, from 08:00 to 18:00 with an extra hour free. Tell us where you would like to go when you book and we will put the stops in a sensible order. A private van transfer between Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai is ฿4,000.
Frequently asked questions
Can I stop at the White Temple on the bus?
Not on the Green Bus — it runs straight to the city terminals. From Terminal 1 in Chiang Rai a local bus to the White Temple gate leaves from platform 8 many times a day for about ฿20–25.
Is one day in Chiang Rai enough?
One full day starting in Chiang Rai is enough for the main sights. Two days let you add the Doi Tung royal gardens, the Mae Sai border or a trek.
What is the best month to go?
November to February is cool, clear and the busiest. March and April are hot and can be hazy. June to October is the green season — the countryside is at its best and tours run every day.
Do I need to book in advance?
A day or two ahead is usually fine for the join tour; book earlier in peak season. There is nothing to pay when you book — see our booking terms.
About us
JTTT Travel Thailand is a local tour operator in Chiang Rai, registered with the Thai Department of Tourism under TAT Licence 21/01119. Our guides drive these roads several times a week, so the times and prices on this page are ones we see ourselves. If something has changed, tell us at jttt.travel@gmail.com and we will check and update it.