Chiang Rai

What to Do in Chiang Rai. Getting Around Chiang Rai.

Hotels in Chiang Rai. The Imperial River House Resort. Bura Resort, Chiang Rai. Manee Dheva Resort and Spa. Enter your stay dates to see prices and availability. I don't know my dates. Choose one of the following to unlock Secret Prices and pay less on selected hotels. Unlock Secret Prices Sign up for our latest offers Hotels. This beautiful but small temple once housed the revered Emerald Buddha, which is now in the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Legend has it that the Emerald Buddha was hidden in a chedi dome-shaped shrine , and was discovered after the chedi was struck by lightening.

That said, after dark the clock tower becomes the site of a colourful light show, flashing different colours in time to music. This is one of the most popular things to do in Chiang Mai when the sun goes down. I recommend having a snack or drink at one of the restaurants or cafes that line the streets in this area.

Several have outdoor tables with front row seats. When I visited, there were three light shows every night, at 7pm, 8pm and 9pm. Chiang Rai is not a huge party town — in fact I found it pretty quiet, even though I visited in January, in peak tourist season. Even so, there was a great vibe at Cat Bar. It feels like a good old fashioned dive bar, with a pool table, low lighting and rock tunes.

There are also lots of restaurants and shops selling jewellery and ornaments made allegedly from Myanmar jade. You can expect rope bridges, swings and giant zip lines, all in beautiful natural surroundings. You can stand on a balcony high on a hilltop, looking out at breathtaking views of the rivers and land below. Down below the lookout point is a giant golden Buddha statue overlooking the Mekong River — and up the hill above it is an ancient ruined temple. Click here to learn about the day tour options from Chiang Rai, which takes in the Golden Triangle and the White Temple.

Located next to the Golden Triangle, the Hall of Opium is a small museum with an exhibition focusing on the opium trade. The hills and mountains around Chiang Rai are dotted with hill tribe villages. These groups historically came to Thailand from Myanmar, and the women may wear brass rings around their necks.

Everything You Need to Know About Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai is one of the most famous areas of Thailand for trekking, and many routes take in the forests, waterfalls and rivers of the Lum Nam Kok National Park. Most treks take at least a couple of days to complete and involve a rustic homestay in a hilltop village. Unfortunately though, some of the packages offered include elephant riding, so check this before you book. Travellers highly recommend Lanna Trek.

A private tour costs more and bigger groups are slightly cheaper. Singha Park is a picturesque park in the Chiang Rai countryside, several parts of which are a working farm. There are walking and cycling routes, tea plantations, fruit orchards, zip lining and an adventure rope course. Surrounded by lakes and mountains, Chiang Rai is an ideal spot for waterfall chasing. Make sure you bring comfortable walking shoes and swimming clothes, plus waterproof gear for your phone and camera to protect them from the spray.

The Chiang Rai region is home to a number of natural hot springs set in beautiful scenic surroundings. Soaking in a hot spring is definitely one of the top things to do in Chiang Rai during the cooler winter months. To experience the slow boat to Luang Prabang from Thailand, you first need to take a bus from Chiang Rai to the border, then catch a boat that sails along the Mekong River and eventually takes you to Luang Prabang.

The journey takes two days, including an overnight stay at the halfway point. You can book a travel package through a travel agency in Chiang Rai, some of which include the bus trip to the border and an overnight stay in Chiang Khong the Thai border town , as well as the boat cruise. Alternatively, you can take a bus to Chiang Khong yourself, cross the border into Laos and buy tickets for the boat trip there.

This is the cheaper but less smooth option. A lot of people who visit Chiang Rai stay only for a couple of days. Even though I stayed for longer than that, I was still overwhelmed by the sheer number of things to do in Chiang Rai. Since the airport is 10 KM north of the city you'll likely pay less than Baht total to your hotel.

Old Bus Station Bus Terminal 1 is located in the centre of town. From here you take the bus south to Phayao and Lampang. Greenbus services to and from Chiang Mai also arrive and depart from here, after stopping to drop off or pick up passengers in the New Bus station. There is enough English written on the signs and buses at the terminal to tell where the bus is going. They have a big booth with lots of windows at the bus station. Take a number and then by your ticket when called. Buses from elsewhere in Thailand stop here. During the busy season, it is best to buy your bus ticket in advance through the Greenbus website.

There are several bus types ranging from A class no on board services to V class on board service with toilet. There is a songthaew officially a "minibus" connecting the two bus terminals. It costs 15 baht per person and takes 15 minutes. Some drivers ask you to pay more if there are fewer than 10 passengers, despite what the official price list posted inside the songthaew says.

You can just wait for the next one and pay 15 baht. However, said service only operates till 5pm and thereafter, tuktuks, motorcycle taxi 50 Baht and taxicabs exist for the trip back into town. Both bus stations have plenty of tuk-tuks and songthaews outside, as well as a few metered taxis at Bus Terminal 2. Many transportation and tour companies offer private van services from major cities to Chiang Rai. You'll find the Toyota Commuter vans most common and each van sits up to 9 passengers. Businesses will usually quote a flat vehicle price while gas is paid separate.

If you plan overnight trips, remember to consult with said company regarding the accommodation of your chauffeur. Most of the time, to THB is tipped for the driver to find a place to sleep or buy some essentials to overnight in the van. Many companies offer private van services although it's recommended to always go with one that is licensed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and has clear responsible business principles.

Public transport consists mainly of tuk-tuks and songthaews , plus a smaller number of taxis. The city itself can be explored on foot, but for trips into the province consider renting a car or a motorbike. Budget and Avis both have offices in Chiang Rai and there are several local agencies. If you don't feel up to driving in what may be a very different environment, then consider hiring a car with driver. It doesn't cost much more. Chiang Rai has a few cyclo-rickshaws samlors , which can be a pleasant way to see the main sights if you want a fairly quick tour.

23 Things to do in Chiang Rai, Thailand

A motorbike is a good way to see these parts; there are several trails and a cc dirt bike is a great way to see the countryside. You can add this map to Google Maps My Places feature then view it on your mobile with Google Maps app, if you have a Thai sim with data plan.

After driving about 32 kilometers, you will be on the highway and continue driving about 5 kilometers and you will finally arrived. Overall it takes 45 minutes to go to Tea plantation. When you see the military outpost, you keep going straight approximately 13 kilometers. Following the sign of Sanphapayathai national park, keep on driving for 7 kilometers. Lastly, you keep following the direction of Mae Fah Luang tea farm and you will arrive safely. Overall it takes 2 hours to go to Tea plantation. There is lots of good food to be found in Chiang Rai, but most tourists seem to end up eating at the Night Bazaar.

There are two separate places to eat here: Both have free music and dance performances almost nightly. The one run by the Night Market Restaurant has comfortable wooden furniture while the food court uses rather ugly yellow metal tables and chairs. While there are over 50 food stalls to choose from, the fare on offer is mostly quite touristy, with food toned down for the farang palate.

About half the stalls seem to be devoted to selling deep-fried stuff fritters, French fries, tempura, etc to accompany beer. There are also a few non-Thai stalls, offering Italian, Indian, German etc, plus the obligatory and extremely overpriced insect stall for creepy-crawly cravings. The most popular meals, and the ones you see Thai families and couples eating, are from the hotpot stands. Choose between beef, pork, chicken, or seafood, and cook your own proteins and vegetables in a soup pot. The Connect cafe next to the central bus station is excellent and serves a wide range of food.

Very popular with farangs. Some small element of you bill goes towards a charitable instution. Information without a date on could be quite old. Bathroom is old and unappeling. Something very similar to centipede comes crawling out from the bathrooms water drain, and manages to get into the bedroom. Rooms upstairs are a better option, though very bacic and feeling of little privacy as the walls are thin and you can clearly hear neighbour even wispering.

X-Class and A-Class buses stop for a break for 15 minutes about a halfway of the journey, and it takes just over 3 hours to get to Chiang Mai. A-Class bus is a simple large bus without toilet, and it was very comfortable for 3 hours journey. X-class provides free water, nuts, and hand-towel. VIP buses take 3 hours.

Chiang Rai - Wikitravel

Buses operated by Greenbus depart regularly throughout the day. Greenbus buses start from the city central bus station Bus Terminal 1 and stop also at the New Bus Terminal 2 to pick up more passengers. Three types of buses depart for Bangkok from Bus Terminal Services begin at and end at with departures every half hour. It takes just over 2 hours by bus.

Buses depart from the old bus station Bus Terminal 1 between 6: The buses are red and have a timetable next to them March Direct bus to Huay Xai leave from Bus Terminal 2 10 minutes from the center, 15bath at 10am, 4: At this time only one company operates on this route. However, it is an excellent way to go in Laos hassle-free. The bus is operated by Transport Co. Book bus tickets a day in advance or early in the morning of your departure as the bus starts from Chiang mai and maybe fully booked.

It costs thai baht to Luang Prabang Update February The route of the bus is as follows: Depending on road conditions and how quickly everyone passes through immigration, the total journey from Chiang Rai including stops is roughly 16 hours.

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Just click any blue "Edit" link and start writing! Retrieved from " https: Has custom banner Articles needing IsPartOf category All destination articles Pages linked to a data item for a disambiguation Usable articles. Views Read Edit View history. This page was last edited on 25 October , at Text is available under [http: Privacy policy About Wikitravel Terms of use Mobile view. Chiang Rai Contents 1 Understand 2 Get in 2. Understand [ edit ] The metro area has a population of , and is the main commercial centre serving the Golden Triangle border region of Thailand , Myanmar and Laos.

By bus [ edit ] There are two bus stations in Chiang Rai: By private van with chauffeur [ edit ] Many transportation and tour companies offer private van services from major cities to Chiang Rai. Get around [ edit ] Chiang Rai map Public transport consists mainly of tuk-tuks and songthaews , plus a smaller number of taxis. By motorbike [ edit ] A motorbike is a good way to see these parts; there are several trails and a cc dirt bike is a great way to see the countryside.

ST Motorcycle is located in the centre of town. It has the most choices of machines. Several of the houses exhibit Balinese and Burmese architecture and art dating back to the Ayutthaya Period. The artist uses bones as a source of inspiration to paint.

2. Explore the Black House

It is definitely not a place for animal lovers. There are also various kinds of baskets and drums from many regions and countries on display at Baandam. Not all exhibits are open to public.

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Open to everyone except tour groups. You can travel to the Black House by public transport. The bus will drop you off on the highway and you'll have to walk about m down a side road to get there. To get back, walk back to the opposite side of the highway and flag down a public bus or songthaew. You shouldn't have to pay more than 20 baht. Buy a cold drink at the small store along the highway, put on some repellent and find a sheltered place to wait instead - the proper bus shelter is another m away from the alighting area.

Public buses have up to a 40min wait. The last bus back is around 6pm. There is a Shan house nearby. And on the road to Pattaya Noi is a temple dedicated to to the Chinese Goddess of Mercy featuring a large statue. In the Ban Kheck area is another Goddess of Mercy temple. Dating back to , this is an excellent but little-visited temple showcasing exuberant Lanna-style at its best. Noteworthy are the colourful guardian statues, the elephants in the back and the "No Killing Area" admonition at the entrance. Small temple housing the spirit of the city ming meuang in an exquisitely carved and decorated Lanna-style, almost Laotian wiharn.

Wat Phra Kaeo This beautiful Buddhist temple on Trairat Rd right in town is famous for having housed, in the 14th century, the Emerald Buddha , one of the most famous Buddha images in Thailand. According to legend, the statue was re discovered when a bolt of lightning hit a chedi stupa on the grounds, cracking it open and revealing the Buddha inside.

The temple grounds are lush with greenery and house a compact but excellent two-story air conditioned museum, with a near-exact replica 1 mm shorter! The original is now housed in Bangkok in the temple of the same name, on the grounds of the Royal Palace.