|
|
 |
|
Chiang Rai, the northernmost province of Thailand is about 785 kilometers north of Bangkok. Situated on the Kok River basin, Chiang Rai covers an area of approximately 11,678 square meters with an average elevation of 580 meters above sea level. The province, which is located within the renowned Golden Triangle area where Myanmar, Laos and Thailand converge, is also known as the gateway to Myanmar, Laos and Southern China.
 |
Chiang Rai, which was founded in 1262 by King Meng Rai,
was the first capital of the Lanna Thai Kingdom (Kingdom of a million rice fields), which was later conquered by Burma. It was not until 1786 that Chiang Rai became a Thai territory and was proclaimed a province during the reign of King Rama VI in 1910.
Most provincial attractions lie north of the provincial capital. Road travelers can visit major destinations within the space of one day. At Mae Chan some 29 kilometres north of the provincial capital, Highway 110 continues northwards to Mae Sai, the northernmost point of Thailand ( 63 kilometres north of the provincial capital ); Route 1010 veers eastwards towards Chiang Saen |
(60 kilometres from the provincial capital) which occupies the Mekong riverbank facing Laos, and here resort hotels and complexes, quest houses and inns offer comfortable accommodation.
Chiang Saen was an ancient capital of Lan Na Thai (Kingdom of One Million Rice fields) which dominated northern Thailand from the late 1200s. Chiang Saen was founded by King Mengrai before Chiang Rai and is historically important, because a distinctive style of Buddhist sculpture evolved there during the late thirteenth century.
Several noteworthy religious monuments include the hilltop Wat Phra That Chom Kitti, the ancient Chedi Wat Pa Sak, and Chedi Luang, a 58-metres high structure with a 25-metres circumference base which was constructed in 1290 as LAN NA Thai's largest religious monument .
 |
Phra That Doi Tung A temple containing the left collar bone of the Buddha on top of the 1364-m. Doi Tung (highest in Chiang Rai), is a most important place of worship for Buddhist in the North. There, on a clear day, one can have a breathtaking panorama of the border areas.
About 7 km from the temple is a beautiful royal residence built for the Princess Mother in celebration of her 90th birthday in 1990. Because of its scenic beauty, the palace, named Phra Tamnak Doi Tung, draws tourists like Bhubing Palace in Chiang Mai. The road leading up to the hillside palace is wide and smooth. |
Golden Triangle
Located 9 km to the north of Chiang Saen is the world-famous place where the borders of Thailand,Burma and Laos meet. You can stand at the very point where the Rauk River from Burma flows into the Mekong, to take a fine view of the rice fields and the distant mountains. To get a wider view , you can climb up Doi Chiang Miang on teh riverside. But don't expect to see any such things as poppy fields, heroin factories or drug addicts or traffickers here. Just enjoy the natural beauty and be proud that you have been to a widely-known locality. Both hotel rooms and huts are available, and so are trekking boatside arrangements.
Today, Chiang Rai is a travelers paradise endowed with abundant natural tourist attractions and antiquities; the province itself is evidence of past civilization. Attractions range from magnificent mountain scenery, ruins of ancient settlements, historic sites, Buddhist shrines and ethnic villages as the
province is also home to several hill tribes who maintain fascinating lifestyles. For those interested in the natural side of Chiang Rai, jungle trekking is recommended along various trails.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 1996-2008 Thailand-Hotels.net All Rights Reserved.