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Chiang Rai was founded in 1262 by King Mengrai, who at this time ruled the Lanna Kingdom from Chiang Saen. After the conquest of new lands, he founded Chiang Rai, which he made the capital of the kingdom – a status that in 1296 passed to Chiang Mai, which was more secure with a longer distance to the troubled border to the north.
The town is a popular starting point for trekking in the beautiful and hilly surrounding nature as well as for trips to the Golden Triangle. However, Chiang Rai also has its own sights, not least in a number of temple complexes, but also a lovely atmosphere in the city’s streets and parks, in the market and in the night bazaar.
Chiang Rai has a center where things are within walking distance, and here there is almost no traffic compared to Bangkok and Chiang Mai. It provides a calm atmosphere, where there is an opportunity to stroll in the streets, which are not characterized by tourists, but by the locals.
Mengrai Monument is one of the city of Chiang Rai’s most significant places for the locals. The monument is a memorial to King Mengrai, who was the city’s founder. It is interesting to see how significant the statue of him is. This can be experienced by witnessing the many who come by to show their respect to the former king by placing, among other things, flowers and elephant figures at the monument.
Phaya Mengrai was the 25th king of the Lua Changkharat dynasty. He was the son of Phaya Lao Meng and Phra Nang Thep Kham Khaeng and was born in 1239. The king died in Chiang Mai in 1311. He founded the city of Chiang Rai in 1262 on Doi Thong from what was already a settlement.
Hilltribe Museum is a museum where you can experience the culture of various tribes in northern Thailand. Many different tribes live in the region’s mountain villages. These are, for example, the Akha, Hmong and Karen who live around Chiang Rai. Most of the tribes immigrated from Myanmar, but there are also tribes of Lao descent.
One can visit the villages in the mountains, but Chiang Rai’s Hilltribe Museum is also an option. It provides a nice introduction to the different tribes and their history. In the museum, there are also a number of tools and handicrafts that are typical for the individual tribal people.
Wat Chet Yot is a temple in Chiang Rai whose early history is unknown. It is believed to have been built during the time of the Lanna kingdom, and after the decline of the kingdom, the area became Burmese for many centuries, during which, among other things, Wat Chet Yot fell into disrepair. The temple was restored in 1843 under King Rama III.
On a visit to the temple, you can see the site’s beautiful chedi with seven spiers. Like its namesake in Chiang Mai, the Chedi was built as the temple in the Indian city of Bodghaya, where Buddha received his revelations. The spiers symbolize the seven weeks the Buddha spent in the Indian temple. You can also see the temple’s viharn, where you can see a beautiful ceiling painting in the adjacent building.
Wat Ming Muang is one of the lesser-known temples in Chiang Rai, and it is therefore a very peaceful atmosphere that characterizes the place. The temple itself features beautiful buildings primarily in the traditional Northern Thai Lanna style. The viharne has a beautiful interior in dark wood, and you can also notice the temple’s finely ornamented entrance portal.
The temple is believed to have been founded by King Mengrai’s wife, and it acted as a personal temple for the king’s mother. It was for the same reason an important and prosperous temple. Today the temple stands restored and as a beautiful example from the time of King Mengrai.
Wat Mung Muang is a temple located on the outskirts of Chiang Rai’s market area. The beautiful viharn is the city’s largest, and it is worth seeing. One can also admire the fat happy Buddha in Chinese style, which sits on a platform at the entrance from the market.
The history of the temple is not known with certainty, but there are preserved parts from the time of the Lanna style, such as an old chedi. It is said that the temple has survived various destructions in the area because a sacred relic of the Buddha is kept on the temple grounds.
Wat Phra Singh is a beautiful temple that was built in the latter half of the 14th century. Of particular interest, the temple contains one of the oldest Buddha figures in Northern Thailand, and there are also several buildings worth seeing on the temple grounds.
You can see, for example, the viharn, which contains wall paintings, and the temple’s golden chedi. Incidentally, the Viharnen figure of Buddha is a copy of the one in Chiang Mai’s Phra Singh Temple. The Buddha originally came from Chiang Rai in the year 1400.
Wat Phra Kaew is a temple with a special history. It is said that lightning struck its octagonal chedi, and in the destruction a piece of a plaster Buddha was knocked off. A green color could be seen under the layer of plaster, and it was immediately called the Emerald Buddha, since emerald was the most valuable green material. However, it turned out that the figure was carved in jade.
The famous emerald Buddha has been stored in several places over time, such as here in Chiang Rai, but it has also been in Chiang Mai and in Laos’ current capital, Vientiane, before it was placed in Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok, where it can be seen today. In 1991, a copy of the original jade Buddha was made, and it can now be seen in the temple in Chiang Rai – it is actually the best place in the country to see the figure, as you can get up close to it.
In the temple complex you can also see the beautiful Buddha figure, Phra Jao Lan Thong, which was produced in copper and brass. The figure is believed to be around 700 years old. Wat Phra Kaew is in itself a fine example of traditional construction from the Lanna period, which is particularly evident in the fine wood carvings and the building style with the low-hanging roof structures.
Overbrook Hospital is a structure that stands in part as an example of the typical European 19th century colonial style of the time. The hospital was founded by a Christian organization, and the construction is visible evidence of the influence of the colonial masters of the neighboring countries in Burma (England) and in Indochina (France).
The hospital was founded in 1903 with a desire to preach God’s gospel through medical treatment to everyone regardless of nationality, religion or economic status. The name Overbrook came from the Overbrook Church in Pennsylvania, which donated $5,000 to establish the hospital, which opened in 1908 with beds for 44 patients.
Wat Phra That Doi Chom Thong is a temple located on a hilltop on the outskirts of Chiang Rai. It is a place of pilgrimage for both the residents of the Chiang Rai area and for people from the neighboring countries of Laos and Myanmar. The temple was founded in the year 911 by King Achutaraat, who was the head of the Yonog kingdom, and it is believed that there are relics of the Buddha in the chedi of the place.
In the viharn of the temple, you can see Chiang Rai’s version of the city pillar, which marks the foundation of a new city. The pillar dates from 1987, because even though Chiang Rai is an old city, it had never before had a pillar, which is known from many other Thai cities.
The main pillar and 108 surrounding pillars were built in the Khmer style based on Lanna beliefs. The outer region symbolizes river and land and the inner six layers of heaven; Catummaharajika, Tavatimsa, Yama, Tusita, Nimmanarati and Paranimmitavasavatti. They are divided by the ancient five important rivers, Ganges, Yamuna, Ajiravati, Sarabhu and Mahi. The main pillar’s platform of marble is divided into three tiers to symbolize Rupabrahma, Arupabrahma and Nirvana.
Chiang Rai Night Bazaar is a large and cozy night market where both foreigners and locals come. Unlike Chiang Mai’s night bazaar and Bangkok’s similar market in Patpong, there is a more local aspect and audience to Chiang Rai’s market.
Here you will find, among other things, Thai restaurants and two stages with folklore and Thai popular music, which the Thais enjoy in the evening. Of course, you can also find many tourist goods, but the products on the market are quite varied.
Mae Sai is Thailand’s northernmost city, and it is located on the border with Myanmar, with the Ruak River as the border itself. The city is one of the few transition points between Thailand and Myanmar, and this naturally leaves its mark on the street scene and on the activities.
The main street is decorated in the best border trade style as a large market, where you can buy Burmese goods, among other things. At the border bridge over the river to Myanmar, on the eastern side, you can stand by a sign that marks Thailand’s northernmost point. This is not geographically correct, but as a city it is correct.
Tachileik is a town in Myanmar located across from Thai Mae Sai. This means that you can also easily visit Myanmar from Mae Sai itself, where, despite the distance of a few meters, a completely different atmosphere and culture prevails than in Thailand.
Immediately on the other side of the border bridge is a large market that spreads out in all the side streets. There are lots of goods here that appeal to both Thais and foreigners. It is also from here that you can easily find the Burmese version of the Thai tuk-tuk – it is a fun experience and a good way to get around the town of Tachileik.
On a hilltop near the center is a Burmese temple with the Shwedagon pagoda, a copy of Yangon’s famous, colossal pagoda. However, Yangon’s is 3.5 times larger than the one in Tachileik, which nevertheless stands beautifully and impresses. Around the pagoda are marked the days of the week, and here you can notice the two Wednesdays, representing the first (1) and last (2) of the day. It is tradition to take your picture on the day you were born – locals are ready with reference books to help you find the right day. From the Shwedagon Pagoda is also a fantastic view of the city and the area.
Below Shwedagon there is a beautiful temple from around 1900. Both its exterior with, among other things, elephant statues, and its interior are worth seeing. Inside there are beautiful murals and quite a few Burmese style Buddhas that are very different from the Thai version. There is also a Thai Buddha, and note the three-dimensional Buddhas whose eyes always rest on one.
Chiang Saen is a city with a great history. It is believed to have been founded in the 9th century and is thus one of Northern Thailand’s oldest cities. Chiang Saen was the seat of the regional government and king until King Mengrai founded Chiang Rai in 1262 and moved the capital there.
Chiang Saen was a heavily fortified city with city walls and moats, but like the whole area, Chiang Saen was also conquered by the Burmese in the 16th century, despite the fortifications. The city only came under Thai rule again when Bangkok’s king Rama I expelled the Burmese at the beginning of the 19th century. At the same time, the king decided that Chiang Saen should be abandoned so that the Burmese would not want to conquer it again.
Throughout the 20th century, the city has been expanded again – with respect for the historical ruins and the many old trees that are part of Chiang Saen’s charm and characteristics. There are also several sights that you can enjoy today on a trip here.
King Saen-Phu ordered the temple Wat Chedi Luang built in Chiang Saen in 1291, which was only three years after the construction of the nearby city wall. The temple’s chedi, with its octagonal foundation, was the city’s tallest and was built in typical Lanna style. All the stones in the temple area are original, but a roof has been established over the viharne, as the locals actively use the temple. The large Buddha figure dates from the 14th century.
At Chedi Luang you can see the remains of Chiang Saen’s once mighty fortification. Here are the original ruins of the city wall, which was built in 1288, as well as the associated moat. In the street network you can also still see where the old walls and moats were located and thereby the boundaries of the fortified city.
Ban Sop Ruak is a small town located at the heart of the famous and infamous Golden Triangle, where the Ruak River flows into the mighty Mekong, the world’s richest river. As a border town on the rivers, Sop Ruak offers views both to Laos and to Myanmar. The borderland, the Golden Triangle, has for long periods accounted for around half of the world’s opium production.
Sop Ruak is characterized by its status as a tourist town, which is why there are many souvenir shops, and the proximity to Laos and Myanmar provides a range of goods from all three countries. In the city, you can also visit the opium museum House of Opium, which depicts the history of opium cultivation in the area. At the museum you can also see real opium poppies that are grown for medicinal use.
From Sop Ruak you can sail on both the Ruak and Mekong rivers. One of the most popular tours goes south to the city of Chiang Saen. When it’s not the rainy season, Donxao Island lies in the middle of the Mekong River a few kilometers south of Sop Ruak. The island belongs to Laos, and you can visit it on a boat trip there – also without a visa, because there is no access to the mainland. On the island there is a hut that houses the immigration authorities and a small Laotian market.
From Sop Ruak you can also sail close to Myanmar, where the large casino Paradise is located. The casino is for Thais only, who are the only ones who can be shipped to this area. If foreigners want to visit Myanmar, this must be done from, for example, Mae Sai. From Sop Ruak, however, you can easily see Myanmar, and from the city’s popular viewing terrace there is a simultaneous view of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.
Chiang Mai is Northern Thailand’s capital, and with its picturesque location on the Ping River surrounded by beautiful landscapes, it is also called the Rose of the North. Chiang Mai was founded in 1296 by King Mengrai as the new capital of the region, where until then there were scattered settlements on the site along the river.
Chiang Mai was built with moats and city walls, and thus the foundations for a significant city were laid from the start, and in the Lanna kingdom, Chiang Mai also became dominant. An example of the city’s success was the holding of the Eighth Buddhist World Synod in 1477.
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