Chiang Rai

Where to shoot

• Wat Rong Khun (White Temple) — a mirrored white fantasy temple by Chalermchai Kositpipat, with a bridge over a sea of sculpted reaching hands.
• Wat Rong Suea Ten (Blue Temple) — a free, sapphire-blue temple with a serene white Buddha inside, a few kilometers north of the center.
• Baan Dam (Black House) — Thawan Duchanee's compound of dark teak halls full of horns, skins, and bones.
• Chiang Rai Clock Tower — the gilded centerpiece of town, best seen after dark when its light show runs.
• Wat Rong Khun — the dazzling all-white temple by artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, intricate and surreal in detail.
• Wat Rong Suea Ten — the vibrant Blue Temple, deep blue and gold inside and out.
• Golden Triangle — the Mekong River viewpoint where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet.
• Singha Park — a vast estate of tea plantations and rolling hills on the town's edge, scenic at sunrise.

When to go

November through January, when skies are clear and the mornings cool; avoid March if you can, when the smoke haze from the burning season is usually at its worst.

What to eat

Order khao soi, the coconut-curry egg-noodle soup topped with crispy noodles, plus sai oua, the herb-packed northern Thai sausage, and finish with a pineapple from nearby Nang Lae, which locals rate as Thailand's sweetest.

Where to stay

Stay in the compact center between the clock tower and the Night Bazaar, close to Bus Terminal 1, for walking access to dinner, the evening light show, and the buses north.