I choose Wat Huay Pla Kang for its enormous white Guanyin statue, Chinese-style pagoda and the view from inside the statue. The three main buildings sit close together, but I like to give each one some time: the wood carvings in the pagoda are quite different from the white sculpted rooms high inside Guanyin.
The figure often called Chiang Rai’s “Big Buddha” is Guanyin, the Buddhist bodhisattva of compassion, also known as the Goddess of Mercy. Beside it stand a nine-storey pagoda and a white ordination hall. That white hall belongs to Wat Huay Pla Kang; Chiang Rai’s famous White Temple, Wat Rong Khun, is a separate place.
I allow about an hour to an hour and a half here. That leaves time to look inside the buildings, take the lift and walk around the dragon staircases, with longer for anyone who wants to climb the pagoda or spend more time taking photographs.
Opening hours and the lift fee
The temple grounds open daily from 7 am to 9 pm. The lift inside the Guanyin statue operates from 7 am to 6 pm. An evening visit to the grounds therefore needs a different plan from a visit that includes the viewpoint inside the statue.
Entry to the grounds is free. The lift has a separate charge for foreign visitors:
- Through 30 September 2026: 40 baht per person.
- From 1 October 2026: 80 baht per person.
Thai visitors should show their Thai ID for the applicable local rate. My advice is to bring small cash notes for the lift and keep any voluntary donation separate from the ticket budget.
If you want to go inside the statue, arrive with time to spare before 6 pm. I would not aim for the ticket counter at 5:59 and expect to be admitted. On a late-afternoon visit, the lift is my first priority; the outdoor photographs can wait until afterwards.
You can also visit without paying for the lift. The grounds, the outside of the statue, the pagoda and the white hall are free to explore. The paid part adds the interior of the statue and its elevated viewpoint.
What to see at Wat Huay Pla Kang
The Guanyin statue and its viewpoint
The giant seated white figure is the easiest landmark to recognise on the approach. A broad staircase framed by white dragons leads towards its lotus-shaped base. From below, the dragons and the statue give you a sense of the scale before you enter.
Inside, the lift takes visitors towards the viewing rooms in the upper part of the figure. You look out through openings in the statue, including around the face. The viewpoint is enclosed, with white sculpted walls, dragons and Buddhist figures around the windows; those interiors deserve a look as well as the landscape outside.
If I had to choose between climbing every level of the pagoda and taking the lift into Guanyin, I would choose the lift. It combines the view with an interior you cannot see from the grounds. I would still go inside the pagoda at ground level for its wooden carvings.
The outside staircase and the lift inside the statue are different parts of the visit. If avoiding steps matters, check the approach to the lift and the route from it to the viewing area. A lift inside the building only covers part of that journey.
The nine-storey Phop Chok Dhamma Chedi
Phop Chok Dhamma Chedi, or พบโชคธรรมเจดีย์, is the tall pagoda with red roofs and yellow-gold walls. Its stacked levels combine Chinese and northern Thai Lanna elements, with dragons at the entrance.
Inside are carved figures, including a large sandalwood Guanyin. Different figures occupy the different levels, giving you something to look at as you climb. Smaller replicas of sacred stupas associated with the twelve birth-year animals surround the pagoda.
The upper stairs are narrow and steep. Climb only as far as feels comfortable and leave space for people coming down. For anyone who finds stairs difficult, my choice is the ground-floor carving and a walk around the exterior. There is no need to reach the ninth floor to appreciate the building.
The lift serves the Guanyin statue, while the pagoda has its own stairs. Decide on each ascent separately.
The white ordination hall
The white ubosot, or ordination hall, stands beside the pagoda. Its entrance has naga serpent decoration, and a large white Buddha sits inside.
I prefer to look at this building after the pagoda, while the contrast between the coloured roofs, wood carvings and white plasterwork is still easy to notice. If people are praying, keep the entrance clear and follow the shoe-removal signs.
For navigation, keep “Wat Huay Pla Kang” as your destination for all three buildings. Searching for “White Temple” will lead you towards Wat Rong Khun instead.
How I plan the visit
With enough time before the lift closes, my order is the pagoda, the white hall and then the Guanyin statue. That gives each building a place in the visit, without spending the entire stop beside the largest one.
Allow 60–90 minutes for the buildings, lift and photographs. Add time to climb the pagoda, linger over the carvings or wait for a particular photograph. A short stop around the outside gives you an overview but leaves out much of the interior.
For a late-afternoon arrival, check the lift ticket counter first, then use the remaining time for the other buildings and outdoor viewpoints. If a driver is waiting, agree the departure time before heading up. A group can easily split between the stairs, the lift and photographs, so choose a meeting point too.
Getting there from Chiang Rai
Wat Huay Pla Kang is northwest of central Chiang Rai. From the Clock Tower, allow roughly 20 minutes for the approximately 8 km road journey. Your starting point and traffic will change that estimate.
Use the Thai name, วัดห้วยปลากั้ง, if you need to show a driver the destination. Open the temple’s map location before leaving your accommodation.
One approach from the centre follows Phahonyothin Road north, crosses the Kok River and turns left towards Ban Mai. Continue towards Mae Yao and follow the signs for the temple. The final turn leads into the grounds. I recommend using the map pin for that last part of the journey; the distant white statue alone is not enough to navigate by.
A car or scooter gives you flexibility over arrival and departure. By scooter, this is a short local outing from Chiang Rai rather than a long mountain ride. Choose it if you are comfortable riding in and around the city.
A taxi or Grab is the more straightforward choice if you do not want to drive. Check the price in the app before booking and decide how you will return. For an evening visit, my preference is an agreed pickup or a waiting arrangement, with the return settled before entering the grounds.
You can also negotiate a private trip with a tuk-tuk or songthaew. Agree the total fare, waiting time and return destination before getting in. For a songthaew, ask about a private hire to the temple. Check for a direct public service before heading to the bus station; a negotiated trip and a scheduled route are different arrangements.
When I would go, and where to take photographs
I arrived about an hour before sunset. The light was softer, and there were fewer people than at the temples I had visited earlier that day. That made the late afternoon a good fit for looking around at a slower pace.
I would choose that part of the day again for the outdoor buildings, leaving enough time for the lift before 6 pm. I had a quieter visit that day; religious gatherings and other visitors can change the atmosphere, so I would plan around the light and lift hours rather than expect empty grounds.
For photographs, these are the views I would make time for:
- Step back from the dragon staircase to include the white figures and the Guanyin statue together.
- Look at the pagoda from outside, where its layered roofs are easier to see than from directly underneath them.
- Give the white hall a photograph of its own.
- Inside Guanyin, spend time on the sculpted walls as well as the landscape through the windows.
If rain or haze hides the hills, I would spend more time on the interiors and closer views of the architecture. The distant view depends on the conditions that day.
Morning also works if it fits your route better. The choice comes down to the rest of your day, how much time you want inside the statue and how comfortable your group is walking around exposed courtyards in the heat.
Stairs, the tram and visiting with limited mobility
Wat Huay Pla Kang has a free internal shuttle tram. Ask staff where to board and which part of the complex it is serving when you arrive. It is worth asking about if someone in the group tires easily.
The tram covers movement around the grounds. The outside staircase leads towards Guanyin, and the lift is inside the statue. The pagoda has a separate climb. I would work through those parts individually when planning for someone with limited mobility.
If you use a wheelchair or cannot manage steps, call the temple before setting out: 053 150 274 or 086 620 0647 within Thailand. From an overseas number, use +66 53 150 274 or +66 86 620 0647.
Ask where a car can drop you closest to the statue, whether the tram suits your needs, and whether you can reach the viewing area from the lift without a final flight of steps. Those answers will tell you which parts of the visit you can comfortably do.
For the pagoda, I recommend the lower level and exterior if climbing is difficult. A companion who wants to climb can do so separately, with a clear meeting point afterwards.
Dress and practical details
Wear clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. This applies to men and women, and it is easier to arrive dressed for the temple than to depend on borrowing something at the entrance.
My choice of footwear is shoes with a good grip that are also easy to take off. Follow the signs at each building about removing them, and take care on wet steps. The complex combines indoor spaces, broad outdoor areas and changes in level.
Bring water and sun protection for time around the statue and courtyards. A hat is useful outside; remove it when required inside a worship space. Keep photographs clear of people praying and avoid blocking entrances or stairs while waiting for a picture.
If you need a toilet, a rest or help finding the tram, ask the staff before starting an ascent. That is particularly useful when travelling with children or anyone who finds stairs tiring.
A little history behind the buildings
The modern monastic community began in 2001. Phra Ajarn Phop Chok Tissawanso arrived in 2005 and developed the site, which was formally recognised as Wat Huay Pla Kang on 24 July 2009.
The Chinese influence is visible in the pagoda roofs, dragons and Guanyin figures. Guanyin is associated with Mahayana Buddhism, while the complex also includes forms familiar from northern Thai temples. That combination explains the differences between the three principal buildings.
The temple also has a charitable role beyond sightseeing, including a hospital that provides free care. It is a working religious and community site, so leave room for those activities when moving around the buildings and taking photographs.
Combining it with other Chiang Rai stops
My choice for an afternoon of temple architecture is Wat Huay Pla Kang and the Blue Temple, Wat Rong Suea Ten. Give each its own stop, allowing enough time here for the pagoda and white hall as well as the giant statue.
Lalitta Café is another separate stop nearby if you want a café and garden break. It is a commercial attraction with its own entry arrangements, so budget for it separately from the free temple visit.
You can include Wat Rong Khun in the same sightseeing day, but it is the White Temple at another location. Allow for the transfers as well as the visits. My priority is to reach Wat Huay Pla Kang early enough for the lift, then use the remaining daylight around the grounds.