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Grand Palace (The)
Grand Palace (The), Bangkok, Thailand : Find latest reviews and deals, maps, photo at Yahoo Travel | Erawan Shrine
Erawan Shrine, Bangkok, Thailand : Find latest reviews and deals, maps, photo at Yahoo Travel | Wat Pho
Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand : Find latest reviews and deals, maps, photo at Yahoo Travel | Ancient City
Ancient City, Bangkok, Thailand : Find latest reviews and deals, maps, photo at Yahoo Travel | Jim Thompson's House and Museum
Jim Thompson's House and Museum, Bangkok, Thailand : Find latest reviews and deals, maps, photo at Yahoo Travel | Songkran (Thai New Year)
Songkran (Thai New Year), Bangkok, Thailand : Find latest reviews and deals, maps, photo at Yahoo Travel | Lumpini Park
Lumpini Park, Bangkok, Thailand : Find latest reviews and deals, maps, photo at Yahoo Travel | Victory Monument
Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand : Find latest reviews and deals, maps, photo at Yahoo Travel | Wat Benchamabophit (The Marble Temple)
Wat Benchamabophit (The Marble Temple), Bangkok, Thailand : Find latest reviews and deals, maps, photo at Yahoo Travel | Sri Mahamariamman Temple
Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Bangkok, Thailand : Find latest reviews and deals, maps, photo at Yahoo Travel |
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Chiang Rai Northern Thailand Travel Guide
Thailand's most northerly province, Chiang Rai, is steeped in history. Chiang Rai town has the highest density of temples of any town in Thailand. Many of them are historically significant. It is a wonderful place to spend a few days relaxing and also a great base for excursions around Thailand's laid back north.
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It is also possible to visit some areas that, until recently, were often lawless and wild. The famous Golden Triangle. This is where Thailand, Burma and Laos meet. Until recently the region was mainly famous for crime and drug smuggling; a place where such notorious warlords as Khun Sha ran private armies and made vast profits from their own narco-state. The drug business has not gone away, particularly in neighboring Burma, but the area around the Golden Triangle has been subject to an injection of wealth and development of infrastructure that has changed local priorities. It is also an area set for great prosperity and change as transport improvements make it the gateway to China from South East Asia.
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Founded in 1262 Chiang Rai was the first capital of the Lanna Kingdom, the only part of what is now Thailand to avoid coming under the rule of the Khmer empire of Angkor. This did not save it from being sacked by Burmese invaders and, like Chiang Mai it became part of Siam in the late 17th Century. These days it compliments Chiang Mai often offering similar attractions but at a different pace.
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You can get to Chiang Rai by air or bus from both Bangkok and Chiang Mai. It is not on one of the main train routes, however, so if you want to take the train you have to stop at Chiang Mai or Lampang and go by road from there. One of the nicest ways to get to Chiang Rai from Chiang Mai is to take a long tailed boat down the Mae Kok River. It takes about five hours and is very scenic. There are interesting ethnic settlements that you can see along the way.
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Amongst the many ancient wats that give Chiang Rai its character it is, perhaps, Wat Phra Kaeo that is the most significant. It was once home to the most important Buddha statue in Thailand - the Emerald Buddha now in the royal temple of Wat Phra Kaeo in Bangkok. Discovered by the Siamese in 1444 it had been on the move for centuries around what is now Thailand and Laos carried by different rulers from one place to another as power ebbed and flowed between different fiefdoms. Wat Phra Chao Lan Thong built in the 12th century and containing another celebrated Buddha statue is also well worth a visit. Wat Phra Chao Lan Thong is situated on a hill over looking the town and was the site of the original Lanna capital. It offers really good views of the whole town.
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Heading north from Chiang Rai are the areas along the border with Burma that used to be the badlands of the north. Mae Sai marks the border crossing with Myanmar. It is still a hot bed of smuggling with a distinctly border feel. Ranged along the not very deep and not very wide Sai River it is easy to see why the border is so porous and policing it is such a headache. An hour's drive from Mae Sai is Mae Salong which is populated entirely by the descendents of Kuomintang refugees from Mao's China. Until the '80s there were no roads and Mae Salong was completely isolated. Even now it feels very remote and you rarely hear anyone speaking Thai.
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On the Mekong River marking the actual, physical meeting point of Laos, Burma and Thailand is Chiang Saen. It is a pleasant place to stop for half an hour and watch the river go by, but there is actually very little there. Further along is Chiang Khong which is where one can cross the river to enter Laos. It's a quiet and pleasant enough town in its own right with a thriving little restaurant scene due to the overland traffic of tourists. It is also home to 'Pla Buk' or the giant catfish of the Mekong River; the biggest breed of fresh water fish in the world.
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As with Chiang Mai trekking is big business in Chiang Rai. Not far away are a variety of hill tribe settlements. Travel agencies and guest house in Chiang Rai can make arrangements.
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Once back in Chiang Rai town itself it's worth visiting the very pleasant night market. Not only is it a relaxed place with some excellent goods on sale, there is also some good traditional live music played on a small stage which is a nice accompaniment to the very decent food served in the restaurants and noodle stalls.
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Chiang Rai may be a quiet and relaxed place, but it is also a town of real elegance. Before long it might also become a centre of genuine economic muscle.
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About The Author
Alex Smith maintains and manages the Cheap Thailand Travel website at http://www.cheapthaitravel.com - All of the materials on this site are the sole property and responsibility of Cheapthaitravel.com. This material may not be reproduced in any form without express written permission.
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| Additional Northern Thailand Related Resources |
 Travel Guide Chiang Mai
By Alex Smith
Chiang Mai has always been an exceptional place and Thais have always been justifiably proud of their beautiful northern capital. They don't call it the 'jewel of the north' without reason. Although it is the second city Read more... |
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