☰Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)

Wat Rong Khun, known internationally as the White Temple, is 10km south of Chiang Rai and is one of the most visually extraordinary buildings in Thailand. Designed and built by local artist Chalermchai Kositpipat from 1997, the temple is entirely white and covered in mirror fragments that shimmer in every direction. The entrance bridge passes over a pool of hands reaching upward from the earth — representing souls trapped in the cycle of suffering. Inside, the murals are deliberately provocative, mixing Buddhist imagery with pop culture references. The temple is still under construction and is expected to take decades more to complete.