Have you ever heard of this Blue Temple? When you come here, you will be surprised by the eye-catching blue color of this temple. Let's find out through the Thai Blue Temple right away!
Where is the Blue Temple?
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Location: 306 Moo 2, Rim Kok Sub-area, Muang District, Chiang Rai Province
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Fee: Free
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Opening hour: Every day from 7 AM to 8 PM
How to get to the Blue Temple
You can only take a Tuk-tuk or rent a car or motorbike to go to the temple. The Blue Temple’s location is about 3.1km from the center of Chiang Rai province. You refer to the following route to get to the Blue Temple Wat Rong Suea Ten.
Starting from Bangkok, you follow the Mae Chan-Mae Sai route. When crossing the Kok River Bridge to the junction, turn left onto Mae Yao Road. Turn left about 50 meters into Rong Suea Temple. There will be clear signs for the entrance to the temple.
The story of the Blue Temple - Wat Rong Suea Ten
The Blue Temple now is a renovated structure on an ancient ruin about 100 years old. In 2005, the Blue Temple was built and it took 11 years for this miraculous architecture to be able to complete all the major and minor details.
The name Wat Rong Suea Ten in the Thai language means house of jumping tigers. It is said that this land used to have herds of tigers roaming freely over the grounds in this place and jumping over the river here. Since then, this temple has been known by the locals as a jumping tiger. The tiger motifs are also one of the traditional cultural features of the people of Chiang Rai province.
Perhaps visitors who have ever visited the white temple - Wat Rong Khun in Thailand will see many similarities between the white temple and the Blue Temple. Because the Blue Temple was designed by one of the famous painter and architects Chalermchai Kositpipat students, Charlemchai Kositpipat was the one who built the white temple Wat Rong Khun.
In addition to the similarities inherited from the white pagoda, the Blue Temple also has its special breaking features. In general, the Blue Temple still retains the traditional culture of Thai Buddhism.
Not many tourists know about this Blue Temple. Thus, it is a good place for you to enjoy a tranquil ambiance.
Unique architecture
The exterior of the Blue Temple
When tourists take a glance at the outside of Blue Temple, they will see that it is the same as other traditional temples in Thailand. However, what distinguishes this temple is its striking blue color. The blue hue of this temple is said to have a very sacred meaning that is the virtue of the Buddha and becomes the natural Buddhist philosophy of Buddhism to be able to spread all over the world.
The walls surrounding the outside of the temple will be carved with extremely delicate and meticulous motifs in a mysterious blue color, which has added to the attractiveness of this ancient temple. In addition to the artistic designs on the wall, the window frames also have gleaming gold-plated sculptures.
Especially inside this Blue Temple, there is a statue containing a fresco depicting the stories of Buddha, creating a mysterious spiritual space of sacred Buddhism.
The snake god Naga symbol
The Blue Temples’ eye-catching blue color, like "a sapphire hidden in the heart of Chiang Rai," has attracted people from far and wide around the world.
Besides that, at this temple, there is another highlight which is a magnificent Naga snake image. The snake god Naga positioned in front of the stairs to the main entrance is a typical mascot according to the ancient concept to protect the peace and purity of the sacred Buddhist place of worship.
Visitors can see all the meticulousness and ingenuity of the artisans who have created unique sculptural shapes on the Naga snake image. All have made a majestic picture containing all the quintessence of the culture of Buddhism in general and the land of the Golden Temple in particular.
In addition, the temple windows have angels with feathered wings outstretched proudly and staff behind its back. All of them are to keep the temple away from bad luck.
The Blue Temple’s presbytery
The Thai Blue Temple is a building designed with the dominant blue color being uniform from the outside to the inside. Stepping inside the main hall, you will be able to see firsthand the huge Buddha statue wholly made of pure white jade, creating a majestic atmosphere at the Blue Temple. The space of the main hall makes you feel like you are admiring a precious picture made from a blend of fanciful blue and dotted with a bright white pearl right in the center of the presbytery.
Looking for more information? Visit our travel guide to Thailand!
Things to keep in mind when visiting the Blue Temple
To avoid affecting the monks who are practicing at the temple, you need to pay attention to the following things carefully:
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Dress politely (remember the dress should cover your knees and shoulders)
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Take off your shoes when entering the building
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Be quiet
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Do not hug or kiss each other in the temple
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Do not point your feet to the image of the Buddha
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Do not smoke
The blue temple in Thailand promises to be an extremely interesting cultural and spiritual space waiting for you to visit. This temple is a famous virtual check-in place and also a place for your soul to heal from the hard life. We hope you have a great experience in Thailand and Vietnam trip!
