Chiang Rai

[RhinoTusk 4,901]

I recently took the opportunity to visit Chiang Rai for a few days, a city of about 200,000 serving the Golden Triangle region of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. It was my first visit to the city and I found this experience much more relaxed than Chiang Mai, and not overrun with Chinese tourists. Prices are also lower than other Thailand tourist destinations.

 

 

The Ping River

 

 

I particularly enjoyed the religious diversity

 

 

 

Local cuisine was excellent, especially the Khao Soi, a red curry with boiled egg noodles topped with crispy noodles and added chicken breast. I enjoyed the meal with some evening entertainment.

 

 

I also had to try one of the riverside restaurants for prawns in glass noodles and some long island iced teas.

 

 

ACCOMMODATION

 

I stayed at the Le Meridien resort on the Ping River

 

 

Some Thais lived next door

 

 

NEXT: ATTRACTIONS

Edited March 28, 2016 by RhinoTusk

[RhinoTusk 4,901]

ATTRACTIONS

 

Wat Rong Kuhn (AKA The White Temple) is a privately owned art exhibit in the style of a Buddhist temple. It was designed and constructed by a local artist named Chalermchai Kositpipat and opened to visitors in 1997. Admission is 50 baht.

 

 

The main building is reached by crossing The Bridge of "the cycle of rebirth" over a small lake. In front of the bridge are outreaching hands that represent unrestrained desire.

 

 

After the bridge is the Gate of Heaven, guarded by Death and Rahu, who determine the fate of the dead.

 

 

The Ubosot is the main all-white building embedded with mirrored glass

 

 

Some other miscellaneous shots

 

 

 

Public Restrooms are in the Golden Building

 

 

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wat_Rong_Khun

 

 

Wat Phra Kaeo (The Temple of the Emerald Buddha)

 

 

The Clock Tower Conceived by the same artist that did Wat Rong Kuhn in the same distinctive style, it lights up at night alternating between gold, pink, and green from 7 PM to 9 PM.

 

 

 

The King Mengrai Monument

 

 

Next: Off-Road Adventure

[jimmac 66]

Thanks for the great photos. I have 2 nights booked at the same hotel early next year so its nice to get an advance look at the city and hotel.

[RhinoTusk 4,901]

Off-Road Adventure

 

For my last day, I booked a full-day adventure in the Phaya Mengrai district, about 70 km east of Chiang Rai. A minibus picked me up at my hotel and after an hours drive I was there. I rented one of these all-terrain vehicles, the only way to navigate the rough roads.

 

 

After an hour's ride and about a 40 minute walk through the jungle, I spent the remainder of the morning at Nam Tog Tad Kwan.

 

 

Then back to my host's place for some lunch. The roads were so dusty I had to take my camera and lens in for cleaning at the Nikon service center on Sathorn Road when I got back to Bangkok.

 

 

I did 20 laps in their Edge Pool, it was very refreshing!

 

 

In the afternoon, more cruising around the area. It was like the end of the earth, another planet, remote and desolate.

 

 

The last stop was the Hilltribe Village, a timeless place, like from another century.

 

 

Handsome Man!

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Chiang Rai was certainly a unique experience. I would recommend it to anyone wishing to enjoy some authentic regional Thailand without the hordes of tourists.

 

BTW, I skipped the Golden Triangle.

 

Edited March 28, 2016 by RhinoTusk

[Fireman Sam 336]

Great photos, thanks for posting.

 

I also visited the Chiang Rai area at the end of last year but gave the actual city a miss and stayed around the Doi Tung area around 20KM north of the city. Plenty of things to see and do and as you say much more relaxed than Chiang Mai. Hoping to return to the area again later this year.

 

That must be a new charge implemented for Wat Rong Kuhn it was definitely free last year, also free parking opposite.

 

 

Regards

Edited March 29, 2016 by Fireman Sam

[Gary 4,066]

I don't like Chiang Mai at all but I could live in Chiang Rai. Not a big mongers place but you only need one lady and there are enough to choose from. I have a farang friend who lives about 40 kilometers south of the city. You pass the White Temple on the way.He lives near Phan.

[Fatboyfat 361]

Thank you for that RT. (Kawp kun "chow"). I lived in Chiang Rai some 20 years ago, for 3 years, with one of my "paper marriage" wives. It is good to see the changes. Back then many of the dwellings outside of the relatively small city were similar to those you show of the hilltribes. Half of my adopted family did quite literally still live in the trees! I was always very wary of visiting their homesteads, being of quite tall, and although normal for my height, a weight not conducive to my perception of a "safe working load" for the buildings! I became "very native" up there at that time, as there was very little English spoken, and almost no outlets for farang food, other than a very limited selection in the 3 or 4 large hotels that were there at the time. The few "bars" as we know themwere sort of "hippy" orientated, and p4p was very "undercover" and only really dealt with Thais, but not exclusively : and not intentionally either. IMHO, and untypically stereotyping, the best looking of all the Thai girls come from this region. The missus does not agree!!!

I have always found the difference between Chiang Mai, and Chiang Rai immense, probably the fact that the name has only 1 translit letter difference, leads one to compare the two places.