Blue Temple (Wat Rong Suea Ten)

The Blue Temple, or Wat Rong Suea Ten, meaning the Temple of the Dancing Tiger, is the striking younger sibling to the White Temple and was completed only around 2016. Its exterior and interior are washed in vivid sapphire and cobalt blue, picked out with gold, a colour scheme meant to evoke the dharma and the vastness of the sky and to radiate calm. Inside, an elegant pure-white seated Buddha glows against the deep-blue walls and richly painted columns, creating one of the most photogenic temple interiors in the north. It was designed by Putha Kabkaew, a local artist who trained under Chalermchai Kositpipat, the creator of the White Temple, so the two share a bold, contemporary sensibility. Because it lies just north of the city centre across the Kok River, it is quick and easy to combine with the other art sites. It remains an active temple, so modest dress and quiet respect are expected, and the interior is best appreciated unhurried.