Chiang Rai (Thailand): what to see for tourists. Black and white temple in Chiang Rai (Thailand). Chiang Rai: how to get there, where to live, what to see Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai is the northernmost capital of the province of the same name in Thailand and one of the oldest cities in the country. This is a very provincial and not the most popular tourist place; there are no beach holidays, luxury hotels and the usual entertainment of Thailand. People come here to take a break from noisy cities and enjoy the picturesque beauty of the surrounding nature: fields and mountains, beautiful waterfalls, thermal springs and deep mysterious caves.

Chiang Rai is located 185 kilometers north of Chiang Mai, its population is about 100,000 people. The city has a unique location, thanks to which it is visited both by those who purposefully came here and by travelers on excursions to neighboring countries: Chiang Rai is located not far from the “Golden Triangle”, where the borders of three countries – Laos, Thailand and Myanmar – connect. Such a favorable location allowed the provincial capital to become the commercial center of the area. The city is also unique for its multinationality, which is explained by the transition of several mountain tribes to the Christian and Muslim faith. This led to the presence on its territory, in addition to traditional Buddhist temples, also of Christian churches and Islamic mosques. The once wild tribal areas are gradually being filled with tea and coffee plantations.

• Area: 61 km²;
• Time zone: UTC+7;
• Population: 67,200.

general information

King Mengrai is considered the founder of the city. From 1262, for almost 20 years, this was the capital of the Lanna Kingdom. Then, the status of the center passed for a short time to the city of Lamphun, and already in 1286 Chiang Mai was appointed the capital. For a long time it was under the rule of Burma. At the end of the 19th century, the territory was annexed by the Kingdom of Siam. And only in 1933, the city, as a province of the same name, became part of Thailand.

Local residents love their region for its special climate, which is not typical for Thailand. In the central and southern regions of the country it is very hot and humid at any time of the day. Chiang Rai's weather is comfortable: despite the fact that daytime temperatures reach +35⁰C, in the evening and at night the thermometer drops to +15⁰C. In addition, there is optimal air humidity here.

Transport

8 kilometers from Chiang Rai there is an airport serving exclusively flights from. Therefore, to get here from our country, you will need at least one transfer. There is no railway connection with the city. Transport connections with neighboring large cities are provided through bus routes.

There is no public transport in the city; you can only get around by taxi: both budget tuk-tuks and more expensive air-conditioned cars offer their services. However, the city is small and very compact, so you can walk around all the sights of Chiang Rai in a few hours.

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Story

Chiang Rai is older than Chiang Mai and was founded in 1262 by King Mengrai (1239-1317), who used it as his residence. Previously, in this convenient place on the Kok River, a tributary of the Mekong, the Lava and Moi tribes settled for centuries. For many years the city was under Burmese rule and only in 1786 (four years after Bangkok became the capital) it became part of Thailand. Little is known about its previous history, but the further development of the city turned out to be closely connected with the history of Chiang Mai and Chiang Saen, located 60 km away.

How to get there

• By car:
  from Lampang on national highway No. 1 (240 km), from Chiang Mai on highway No. 107 almost to Phang, then highway No. 109 and No. 1 (268 km).
• By bus:
  from Chiang Mai and Bangkok (from the Northern Bus Station) daily.
• By plane:
  from Bangkok and Chiang Mai up to six flights per day.
• By train:
  The nearest railway station is Chiang Mai (180 km).

What to see

Wat Phra Kaew Don Tau

It was in Chiang Rai that the famous Jade Buddha was found, which was kept for many years in the Phra Kaew Don Tau Temple (now in the Phra Kaew Temple in the Grand Palace, Bangkok). In 1434, one of the chedi wats of Phra Kaew Dontau was struck by lightning; As a result of restoration work, a nondescript plaster figurine was found. However, under the plaster, a 75-centimeter jade statue of Buddha was discovered, which attracted the attention of King Mengrai.

He certainly wanted to get the statue to his capital. However, it was decided to leave the decision to the elephant on whose back the precious burden was attached. At the decisive fork, the animal turned not to Chiang Mai, but to neighboring Lampang, where the Jade Buddha stood in the Phra That Lampang Luang wat until 1468, and from here it eventually ended up in Chiang Mai and in 1782, after further vicissitudes - to Bangkok. The Phra Kaew Don Tau Temple has particularly beautiful wooden facades with carvings and paintings. This temple complex, like the neighboring Wat Phra Sing, was built in the 15th century. Both sanctuaries were restored and rebuilt many times.

Wat Mung Mueang, Wat Chet Yot

Mung Mueang Temple has a beautiful carved pediment and several Buddha statues in the Chiang Sai style (XI-XVI centuries). Wat Chet Yot is distinguished by a gracefully proportioned vihan and a chedi with seven turrets on a rectangular base.

Neighborhoods of Chiang Rai

Malau Reservoir

The local population enjoys relaxing at the beautifully located Maelaw Reservoir (on National Highway No. 1 to the south, then on Highway No. 109 in the direction of Fang).

Maesai

Highway No. 110 north leads to Mae Sai (63 km), the northernmost point of Thailand (1010 km from Bangkok). This small border town with bustling markets used to lie on an important trade route to China. Here you can get a one-day visa to Myanmar using your passport as collateral.

Luang Cave

Luang Cave (Tham Luang) is the largest (5-10 m high) of four caves discovered several years ago south of Mae Sai. For the first kilometer you can simply walk along it, using the stairs and paths. The remaining six are best left to speleologists with special equipment.

Wat Phra That Doi Chom Thong

Wat Phra That Doi Chom Thong is very popular among pilgrims; located at the foot of Thong Mountain (1330 m). At the beginning of March, tens of thousands of people flock here by car, bus, motorcycle and simply on foot. A 17 km long steep path leads to the temple, starting from Highway No. 110 near the village of Huai Krai. From the top a magnificent panorama of northern Thailand opens, for which alone it would be worth climbing here. The temple buildings themselves are of recent construction and are of no interest. Near the Burmese border in the town of Mae Chan, there is a training center (Mae Chan Community Station), where specialists teach mountaineers alternative occupations to opium production.

If you go further along the unpaved road behind the Community Station, you find yourself in Kosenchay, an Akha village. The wooden swing at the entrance to the village is used in fertility ceremonies. Large families live in huts on stilts with low-hanging roofs. Akhu dwellings are divided into male and female halves. Most hill tribes have their own language and animistic beliefs. All things seem to them to be under the control of spirits. Thus, in their opinion, evil spirits live in water, so the mountaineers try to avoid washing as much as possible.

Since 1976, the Thai government has been taking measures to assimilate the hill tribes, which, however, is moving very slowly. The Akha, living in the mountains around Chiang Rai, have retained their cultural identity to the greatest extent. They still practice traditional crafts. The government maintains several offices in Chiang Rai of the Thai Hillcraft Foundation, an institution that markets silverware, embroidery and textiles.

It is strictly not recommended to go to the mountain tribes without a guide who knows the language and the area. Language difficulties can lead to misunderstandings with unpleasant consequences. It goes without saying that unobtrusiveness is implied (especially when it comes to photography).

Chiang Rai is the capital of the northernmost province of Thailand. The distance from Bangkok to Chiang Rai is about 790 km, from Chiang Mai – 155 km. Chiang Rai, although a city, is not as big as Chiang Mai. Currently, about 136 thousand people live in Chiang Rai.

The city was founded a long time ago, in 1262 by the king of the Lanna kingdom on the Kok River. Then Chiang Rai belonged to Burma and only in 1786 it became a Thai city.

Nowadays many tourists come to Chiang Rai. Chiang Rai attracts them not only for its attractions, but also because very close to it is the so-called Golden Triangle, where the border of three countries passes - Thailand, Burma and Laos.

There are beautiful mountains and many natural attractions around Chiang Rai. Very close by is the royal villa and a magnificent flower garden. Not far from Chiang Rai there live several northern tribes, whose villages are very interesting to see. At a distance of about 60 km from Chiang Rai there is a Chinese village with tea plantations. The Opium Museum is located in the Golden Triangle, in the Chiang Saen district.

How to get to Chiang Rai

1. By plane. Chiang Rai has an airport located 8 km from the city. Flights arrive here from.

Several airlines operate flights:

AirAsia and NokAir fly from Bangkok's old airport, Don Mueang. Thai Airways flies from Suvarnabhumi Airport. Travel time is 1 hour 20 minutes.

If you are flying from Russia to Thailand, you will arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport, so if you want to fly straight to Chiang Rai, it is better to choose Thai Airways flights. Otherwise, you will have to move from one airport to another, which will take quite a lot of time.

The best way to get from Chiang Rai airport to the city is by taxi (200-300 baht).

2. You can get to Chiang Rai by bus from Bangkok. Buses depart from the northern bus station in Bangkok MoChit. Travel time is 8-10 hours, cost 600-1000 baht (20-30 dollars), depending on which class of bus you choose: VIP, 1st class or 2nd class.

3. You can get to Chiang Rai by Green Bus from Chiang Mai. Travel time is about 3 hours. It is advisable to buy tickets in advance, at least a day in advance. There are many people who want to leave.

It should be noted that there are now two bus stations in Chiang Rai: New Bus Station or Terminal 2 and Old Bus Station or Terminal 1. Old Bus Station is located in the city center, next to the night market. Currently it serves only suburban destinations. Buses from Bangkok arrive at the new bus station. There is a minibus running between bus stations. Cost 60 baht (2 dollars).

4. You can get to Chiang Rai by water! On the boat from the town, a public boat leaves from Tha Thon at 12:30 and costs 350 baht ($12). Travel time is 3.5 – 4 hours.

There is no train station in Chiang Rai, so you cannot get to Chiang Rai by train.

Where to stay in Chiang Rai accommodation

There are many hotels and guesthouses in the city, but strangely enough, during the high season (November - February) it is quite difficult to find available accommodation!

You can live in the city itself (it is best to find a hotel near the night market) or stay in the vicinity of Chiang Rai, in the mountains and enjoy nature. During peak season, I advise you to book your accommodation in advance. I always book here: booking.com, if I can’t find anything here, then I look here: agoda.com.

We stayed in a small hotel called Baan Bua Guest House for 460 baht ($15). I booked my stay there very much in advance, the hotel was somehow popular, and all the rooms were occupied!

Green lawn in front of the house, quite a lot of space where you can park your car.

Regular room, fan, large bed, hot shower.
We had breakfast right there, American breakfast for 150 baht per person. Delicious and filling!

What to see in Chiang Rai - attractions of Chiang Rai

In addition to many beautiful places around Chiang Rai, you can see several temples in the city itself

In the city itself there is a beautiful Golden Clock Tower (Clock Tower), every evening at 19:00 the music and lights turn on. But we didn’t catch this show.

I also recommend visiting Chiang Rai night market(Chiang Rai Night Bazar). Here he is even more colorful than. And prices for souvenirs are lower. Perhaps one of the best places in Thailand to buy souvenirs.

We were also attracted to the Chiang Rai night market by the fact that here you can eat deliciously and not expensively. There is a large food court here. There are tables, and around there are tents with a variety of food.
There are a lot of people. Mostly locals or Thai tourists. There are very few foreigners. Locals come with their Thai rum, grab food, Coca-Cola and have dinner!

What's missing here! A lot of seafood, delicious fish, shrimp.

And at the Chiang Rai night market, such pots are very popular - Hot Pot, in which you can cook soup. The cost of this soup is 70-100 baht (2-3 dollars) depending on the ingredients.

I wanted to take it, because I really love Thai soups, but then for some reason I chose fish 😎


Dinner with beer at the Chiang Rai night market cost us 400 baht ($13).

When talking about Chiang Rai, it is impossible not to mention massage parlors. In general, when we were traveling to the North of Thailand, I imagined that every evening, before dinner, I would enjoy a Thai massage, which everyone praised so much in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. But that was not the case - we had such a busy program that there was simply no time left for a massage.

There are many massage parlors in Chiang Rai, so we had time before dinner and went for a long-awaited massage.

They took us to a room on the second floor and gave us these pajamas 😎

we thought it must be a super massage. But, unfortunately, the massage in Chiang Rai did not impress us. Although it was not expensive at all - 150 baht (5 dollars), and I got massages for 250-300 baht. Still, it all depends on the massage therapist, how lucky you are. And I’ll definitely tell you about the best massage in the North of Thailand.

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Chiang Rai, Thailand- from a remote hill tribe town nestled in the picturesque surroundings of the mighty Mekong. Chiang Rai was founded in 1262 as part of the Lao-Thai Lanna Kingdom. It became a Siamese territory in 1786 and eventually one of the 77 provinces of modern Thailand in 1910.

The city of Chiang Rai brings back memories and exotic images. The mountain range in Chiang Rai is bordered on the west by Burma and Chiang Mai, and to the southeast is the famous Phu Chi Fa mountain and nature reserve. But otherwise the landscape in Chiang Rai Thailand is mostly flat and the land is agricultural.

The city of Chiang Rai in Thailand is bounded on the north by the Kok River and bordered on the east by Highway No. 1. The old city of Chiang Rai was built on the site of the ancient settlement of Lawa or Mon in the early 14th century. Today, little remains of the old city, but there are walls and a moat.

So, what is Chiang Rai, where is it located and what is there to do there? Chiang Rai is the northernmost province of Thailand. Tourists rarely get here and even less often on their own, because the main attraction here is the famous white lacy temple of heaven and hell ( white temple in Chiang Rai). And for the more curious, there is also the Black Temple and the village of the long-necked Karen tribes. A large number of the population of the hill tribes converted to Christianity, so in the city of Chiang Rai in Thailand you can see, in addition to Buddhist temples, also Christian churches, as well as Islamic mosques and Chinese temples.

The high western mountains, inhabited by numerous hill tribes, were, until recently, quite wild places. Today, these destinations are becoming more famous for travel, mainly due to the coffee and tea plantations, as well as the town of Mae Sai in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand, known as the site of the illegal trade of dubious Chinese goods, duty-free cigarettes and counterfeit Viagra. Many illegal drugs still pass through the Burmese border. So rural areas of Chiang Rai see more police on the roads than any other Northern province.

The city of Chiang Rai has a local population of approximately 200,000. It is a small and calm town, although there are also places for tourists: several restaurants serving international cuisine, a brand new shopping center with all the famous foreign brands, supermarkets and a cinema.

Chiang Rai (Thailand), basically an inconspicuous provincial town. Entertainment in Chiang Rai - pthe coastal area where the river descends into the town of Tha Ton in Northern Thailand. Another attraction is the night market. There are also plenty of decent and nice places to stop and eat in Chiang Rai. Chiang Rai Thailand is also a transport hub for the region due to its central location and airport.

Many ATMs can be found on Phaholyothinу street. The largest shopping center is Central Plaza Chiang Rai.Chiang Rai has several extraordinary places that are worth visiting. These are the Black Temple of Chiang Rai (Baan Dam), the famous White Temple of Wat Rong Khun in Thailand and Wat Huai Sai Khao. The White Temple in Chiang Rai is perhaps just his calling card. This place is definitely not to be missed in the city.

White Temple in Chiang Rai (Wat Rong Khun)

The White Temple of Chiang Rai, Wat Rong Khun is without a doubt the most famous and most photographed temple in Chiang Rai province. It is also one of the most beautiful (and unconventional) temples in Thailand. The color of the white temple signifies purity. The temple was built according to the design of a local artist in 1997, who took 15 years to turn his idea into reality.

Inside the white temple in Chiang Rai, Wat Rong Khun, you can find not only statues of Buddha, but also images of Superman, Batman and Neo from The Matrix. In general, the author’s very unconventional approach to creating the temple is obvious, who, by the way, believes that this project will give him immortality.

White Temple in Chiang Rai Wat Rong Khun is located 12 km south of Chiang Rai, near Pahonyothin Road. It is open daily from 6:30 am to 6 pm. Entrance to the White Temple in Chiang Rai, Wat Rong Khunw, is free.

Doi Mae Salong Village and Mountain, Chiang Rai

There are several interesting villages in the mountainous northern part of Chiang Rai city. One of the most picturesque of them is Mae Salong, located 74 km northwest of Chiang Rai city. There is a special atmosphere there, and everything around is reminiscent of China, and by the way, most of the residents have Chinese roots and even speak Chinese to each other.

The view from the top of the mountain is breathtaking. Very atmospheric, quiet and peaceful place. There are few tourists, life seems to have stopped. There are also numerous scenic routes along tea and coffee plantations. You can just walk around these places and enjoy yourself away from the hustle and bustle. If you rent a motorbike, the trip will also be very exciting.

Black Temple of Chiang Rai Baan Dam

If there is a white temple in the city of Chiang Rai, Thailand, then there must be some kind of opposite. And there it is, too—the black temple in Chiang Rai—another highly ambitious project by another local artist. The temple illustrates the darkness in humanity. The entire temple is done in red and black colors and is decorated with skulls, skins and various other animal parts and creepy artwork.

The Black Temple of Chiang Rai (Baan Dam) is located approximately 10 km north of Chiang Rai off the Phahonyothin Highway leading to the Thai-Burmese border at Mae Sai. The temple is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. There is a visitor center, a gift shop, and a small cafe.

Temple of the Emerald Buddha Wat Phra Kaew

Of course, this is not the most popular temple among tourists in Chiang Rai. Everyone has heard about the white temple in the city of Chiang Rai (Thailand), but few have heard about Wat Phra Kaew. However, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Kaew, is one of the most significant cultural and religious sites in Chiang Rai province. This temple gained fame when it was struck by lightning in 1434. An emerald Buddha statue was found in the rubble. Since then the temple has been called that way. The statue itself was long ago taken to Bangkok, and a malachite copy of that same emerald Buddha remained in Chiang Rai.

It is still not known exactly where the Buddha statue came from in the temple. There is a version that it was created in India about 2000 years ago and brought to Sri Lanka, then to Cambodia and at the end of the 14th century it ended up in northern Thailand.

Chiang Rai Clock Tower

The clock tower traditionally marks the center of the province. In Chiang Rai, this clock tower is one of the best and most beautiful in all of Thailand.

Singha Park, Chiang Rai

The park is little known among tourists (yet). The main reason why most people would like to come here is the massive golden lion statue of Singh. A very picturesque place.

Why go to Chiang Rai in Thailand?

The path to the golden triangle on the border with Chiang Rai also runs through Chiang Rai. It is the junction of three rivers and historically (formerly) a drug-offshore zone. Selling drugs was prohibited and severely punished, so they came up with a way to circumvent the law, to exchange goods in the middle of the confluence of three rivers, during a decline in the water level, where a small island was formed for several people.

In fact, there is nothing beautiful or important in this triangle, a common lure for gullible tourists. Most often, it is under this program that tourists who travel to the north of Thailand buy themselves a one-day excursion from.

On your own in Chiang Rai Thailand those who want to carry out a visa run (extending their stay in Thailand by crossing the border and returning to the country one day for a new stamp) or desperate backpackers who want to visit Laos and are heading, as a rule, to.

Town Chiang Rai (Thailand) small, no different from others of its kind, quiet, but the influence of Laos, and therefore of France and America, is clearly felt here, and prices are 20-30% higher than Thai ones. There is little left of Thailand here, it feels like a completely different country and people, although it would seem like a hundred kilometers away…. In general, there is hardly any need to go here specifically, only if you intend to cross the border on your own and head to the wonderful, mysterious Laos.

That's all for now. Today I told about the city Chiang Rai in Thailand. This city is interesting in its own way; you can find a special charm and local flavor in it. And for tourists, this place is famous for the fact that the famous white temple in Chiang Rai, famous among independent travelers, is located here. The White Temple in Chiang Rai, Thailand can be seen in pictures of Thailand and also in the list of the most interesting places in Thailand.