Wat Huay Pla Kang

The white figure at Wat Huay Pla Kang is around sixty-nine metres tall and is widely photographed as a Big Buddha, which it is not - it is Guanyin, the Chinese bodhisattva of compassion, in a Chinese-influenced style reflecting the temple's founder and its Yunnanese connections. A lift runs up inside the statue to a viewing point at the level of the eyes, looking out over Chiang Rai and the hills. Below it stands a nine-tiered pagoda in Chinese style, ornately decorated inside with a white jade Guanyin image, and a large white temple hall with a nine-headed naga stairway. Everything is recent: the temple was founded in 2001 by the monk Phra Ajarn Pob Chok and built out over the following two decades. It is free apart from the lift, sits eight kilometres from Chiang Rai, and is usually done alongside the White and Blue temples.

What you actually see

• The Guanyin statue - sixty-nine metres, with a lift to viewing points at the eyes.
• The nine-tier pagoda - Chinese-style, with a white jade Guanyin inside.
• The naga stairway - nine-headed serpents at the main hall.
• The recent construction - founded in 2001 and built out since.

When to go

November to February. Early or late avoids the tour groups and the heat on the steps. One to two hours covers the statue, pagoda and hall.

Honest expectations

It is Guanyin, not a Buddha, despite how it is usually captioned. Entirely modern. The lift has a small charge and queues. Steps between the levels are unshaded. Dress code applies.

Nearby

The Blue Temple is south-east; Wat Rong Khun is south of the town.