Chiang Rai is a quiet and small city located in the north of Thailand. It has about sixty thousand inhabitants and is the closest area to Myanmar and Laos. It is three and a half hours from Chiang Mai (another important city in the north) if you travel by bus, which I recommend. To travel around it, it's better that you either rent a car or a motorbike, or you go on organised tours that includes transportation. Like everywhere in Thailand, you will also find tuk tuks that will be willing to help you.
Since the city of Chiang Rai is small and has not much to visit, I chose to book an organised tour for one of the two days that I spent in the city. The tour took me all around the region, almost arriving to Laos, to visit as well a village of giraffe women. Continuedly I will explain the places that I visited on this one day tour and later on, the ones that are also nice but weren't included (I visited them on the second day).
TOUR
- Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)
This is a very different temple to the others you can see in Thailand because it started to be built in 1997 and is still not finished (there is speculation that it will be finished in 2070). To get to the main room you have to cross a bridge surrounded by sculptures of people suffering and begging, since the architect said that "to get to heaven you first have to suffer". Not only the temple is incredible but also its environment (there are trees, waterfalls...) and even the toilets, which are considered to be some of the prettiest in the world.
- Wat Rong Suea Ten (Blue Temple)
Apparently, people from Chiang Rai love colours and they have named this temple as ¨blue¨. The reason is obvious, but its architecture and specially its giant Buddha won't disappoint you. Additionally, in the complex of the Blue Temple the typical blue ice cream that you can see in the photo above is sold, and it is delicious! It is made of coconut and a blue flower called "Butterfly Pea"; it has other ingredients like sticky blue rice, seeds and peanuts, and it is served in a half coconut.
- Baan Dam Museum (Black House)
More colours, but not for temples this time. The Black House was built thirty five years ago and is formed by thirty two sheds of different shapes and sizes, all made of black wood. Inside them, there are animal skins (crocodiles, snails, wolves...), horns, carpets, big tables, thrones... Designed by the Thai architect Thawan Duchanee, in general the Baan Dam Museum is really strange, but worth a visit.
- Karen Long Neck village
The Karen are a tribal group who came from Myanmar (Thai border). They are recognized for their "giraffe necks", as they wear brass rings around this part of the body to make it longer. In there you will be able to see this peculiar community and buy crafts that they create.
There is quite a lot of controversy whether visiting this village is like going to a human zoo, but you are not obliged and can wait in the coach if you don't want to witness it. From my point of view, it is interesting to see another culture and way of life completely different to mine and, after all, it is the way they make a living.
- Golden Triangle
The Golden Triangle is the point where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet. It is also the place where the river Mekong joins the river Rual. In the past, it was known for the cultivation of opium and the trade of golden, but nowadays they grow tea and coffee.
The place is captivating and it amazed me a lot to see three different countries at once.
- Tea Plantation
The north of Thailand is full of tea plantations, and the most popular ones are located in Mae Salong. Don't worry if you visit another one during your tour because all of them are equally beautiful. If you like tea, you are in luck as most of plantations have cafeterias that will let you try their tea for free so that you can buy it afterwards.
- Wat Tham Pra (Monkeys Temple)
The Wat Tham Pra is also called "Temple in the cave" because it is located outside one. You can get inside the cave if you want (picture 6) but the most interesting part of it are its inhabitants, the monkeys. They are very used to tourists and go at ease, so don't be scared if they get close to you (some tourists buy peanuts and feed them). Nonetheless, before getting inside the temple you can take a stick to protect yourself if a monkey comes to you.
OTHER ESSENTIALS
- Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Phra Singh and Wat Klang Wiang
These three temples are more central and similar to the ones you will see around Thailand. The first one was built in the 14th century and is very meaningful to Buddhists as the Emerald Buddha (located nowadays in the Grand Palace in Bangkok) was found in there. The second goes back to the year 1385 and had an important Buddha image too (currently it is in Chiang Mai). Finally, Wat Klang Wiang is from the 15th century, but in the year 1903 there was a big storm and had to be reshaped thanks to the donations of the parishioners.
Price: all free
Timetable: 8.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. (Wat Phra Kaew) / 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. (the other two)
- Wat Huay Pla Kung and the Big Buddha
The Wat Huay Pla Kung is an incredible nine-storey Chinese temple that has a decagon shape. Inside it there is a huge exposition of wooden Buddha sculptures, from which the highlight is one that is thirty metres tall.
The Big Buddha is an amazing ninety metres white statue at which you can access and go up to its eyes to see the views of Chaing Rai from it. You can take the stairs for free or pay a little to take the lift. The inside is spectacular and it is full of other smaller statues like dragon heads.
Price: 40 THB (lift of the Big Buddha)
Timetable: both from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Clock Tower
This is an ordinary clock tower located in the city centre, with the particularity that at 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. it starts changing colours and broadcasting music. It lasts five minutes and will not be the best show of your life, but if you are around don't forget to check it out because it is beautiful.
- Night Market and Food court
Not far from the Clock Tower you will find the Night Market, smaller than the one in Chiang Mai but as cool. You will find there souvenirs and typical crafts from the North of Thailand. Next to it, there is the Food court where you will be able to try the most traditional dishes of the area, like Khao soi (ckeck the post named "Top 10 Thai food" to discover what are its ingredients) or the coconut ice cream at a more economic price than in the Blue Temple. The good aspect about it is that it is outdoors and there are tables and chairs for you to eat comfortably.
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