Secret delights of Chiang Rai, Thailand

---

Most tourists going to Thailand don’t get any further north than Chiang Mai, so they miss out on the delightfully bucolic city of Chiang Rai just 2-3 hours to the north, and all of the fantastic sights within easy driving distance of this city. The main reason travellers have for venturing this far north is a stop-over on the way to or from Myanmar or Laos, and even they rarely get to see all that Chiang Rai has to offer.

Chiang Rai is the last large city heading north in Thailand before the border with Myanmar. It has a long and interesting history, having once been the capital of the Mangrai dynasty and the original home of the famous Emerald Buddha, now located in Wat Phra Keow in Bangkok’s Grand Palace.

Chiang Rai is a quirky city worthy of visiting in its own right, and for two very good reasons.

It’s the only city in Northern Thailand to boast a “beach” … even if it is on the banks of a river rather than on the sea. Chiang Rai Beach is a great place to laze about in the riverside bures reading a book, having a massage or enjoying some northern Thai food and drinks. In the hot season, thousands of locals and tourists pack the beach area and it roars into life as party central in the north.

It’s also a city with a strong artistic heritage … one that is very much reflected in the grand White Temple (Wat Rong Khun), on the south-west edge of Chiang Rai, commenced in 1998 by local artist Chalermchai Kositipipat and still being expanded and improved more than a decade later (he expects it to be finished in 2070!). The White Temple is unlike any other temple in Thailand, as an expression of the artist’s perception of a troubled world and society. Outside, it is dominated by amazing sculptures of mythical creatures and hands reaching imploringly up out of the ground. Inside, you’ll find a panoply of the 20^th century’s most famous people, real and fictional. Look closely and you’ll find George Bush, Osama Bin Laden, the Twin Towers, creatures from Star Wars and Star Trek and much, much more. We’ve been there three times now and we’re still amazed by what we’ve missed.

But what’s inside Chiang Rai is only the start of its charm. Drive east, north or west and within an hour or so you’ll be exploring amazing hill tribe villages, fantastic palaces and gardens, the Golden Triangle and one of the best markets in the whole of Thailand (just under the Thailand-Myanmar border crossing in Mae Sot.

Drive a further hour or so and you’re in another world entirely, with options to have lunch in a traditional Chinese village (Mae Hong Son), a traditional hippy hangout (Pai) or a traditional Chinese tea culture village (Mae Aw).

It’s very easy to hire a car or 4x4 in Chiang Rai. All you need is an international driving permit and your passport. Driving in the north is also very easy with light traffic and mostly very good roads. You can even hire a navigation device so you’ll never be lost.

You can find out more about exploring the secret delights of northern Thailand in the Chiang Rai Travel Guide at Travel Tips Thailand.

---

Photos

Downtown Chiang Rai
Muslims are a surprisingly big part of society in Chiang Rai, which has its own grand mosque

White Temple Chiang Rai
A work of art with a religious theme, one of the most amazing and awe-inspiring temples in all of Asia.