Chiang Rai Heart of the Lanna Kingdom

Chiang Rai เชียงราย is the northern-most province in the Kingdom of Thailand. This is where Thailand meets Laos and Myanmar along the mighty Mekong River. The area where all three converge is famously referred to as the Golden Triangle. In the year 1262 King Meng Rai established Chiang Rai as the first capital of the Lanna Kingdom.

The province is blessed with outstanding scenery, mountains, lakes, waterfalls, rivers and traditional style temples and housing. Many ethnic Hill Tribes live here, these include: Akha, Karen (yes long-neck Karen too), Lisu, Hmong Kayor, Lahu, and Lu Mien. There are also many Thais with closer Chinese origins, this means Chinese New Year is celebrated around the city, along with the rest of the world’s New Year and of course the most entertaining Thai New Year, Songkran, which is a hot time of the year in early April, but an event joined in by all.

Apart from the glorious scenery, there are many attractions for visitors to enjoy. The White Temple, The Blue Temple, The Black House, Singha Park, the Golden Triangle, the Night Bazar with it’s food, market and live entertainment every night. Take a boat ride along either the Mekok or more famous Mekong rivers. Enjoy an evening watching Chiang Rai United playing football at ticket price of just ฿100/$3.

Kayaking, fishing, cycling, trekking, shopping, motorcycling, elephant tours and of course photography are many of the activities here. I did hear that some people enjoy golf? Best look at another website for this topic, sorry!

Get a traditional Thai massage, there are many parlours to suit every budget. Beware, a Thai massage can hurt and be a little sore for a day or two if your body isn’t conditioned for this. Ask for a more relaxing oil massage, with herbal potions and is a more soothing occasion.