Day Trip in Northern Thailand

As most of you know, I decided to buy a motorbike here in Chiang Rai. It's really quite an experience that I'll dedicate another blog post to soon. Two weeks ago, Jody and I decided to tour the countryside around our city and make a little day trip up to the northern borders of Thailand. I really wanted to test out my new ride (outside the city limits) and what better way to do that then 3 hours of driving on the scenic highways.

Jody & I at the Teak Monastery

We woke up early and drove about 30 minutes north on Highway 1 to a town called Mae Chan. It's a very small town that serves mostly as a stopping point for treks to the far north. After a breakfast of chicken omelet over rice with chicken broth, we headed east for another 30 minutes or so to Chiang Saen. Built in the 7th century, it used to be one of the major cities of the Lanna Kingdom. The sleepy town is located right on the border of Laos and the Mekong River. Though it's now developed, ruins of the former kingdom are scattered everywhere, and it makes for an interesting place to spend a few hours. The walls of the old city are still visible (though crumbling) and we stopped at the beautiful Wat Pa Sak on our way into town. What remains of Wat Pa Sak also called the 'Teak Forest Monastery' is the beautiful ruins of 14th century monuments that are in the beautiful Chiang Saen architectural style. The main chedi shows elements of Lanna, Indian, Mon and Sukhothai styles. It's a mystic, peaceful place and we spent some time wandering around the complex.

Overlooking Chiang Saen, the Mekong & Laos

After driving through the town and stopping along the Mekong, we decided to head south 4 kilometers along the river to Wat Phra That Pha Ngao. After a steep drive up to the hilltop pagoda, we arrived at the temple. Boy does it has a great view! We could see Chiang Saen, the Mekong and off into Laos and even Myanmar in the distance. We chatted with the nicest monk for a few minutes and soaked up the view.

Golden Triangle - Meh

Lunch was approaching and it was time to make the 10 minute trek north to the Golden Triangle. Though the term applies to a much broader area, the point of reference is a small town called Sop Ruak where the Mekong and Ruak River's meet. When we arrived, there were endless guided bus tours each with loads of tourists, countless stalls selling the usual trinkets and just a sense of general chaos. A very different feel from sleepy Chiang Saen and the serene, scenic roads of the region we had been on all morning. We immediately knew that we weren't going to spend a lot of time at this place. There's a huge golden Buddha statue on the river and ornate Golden Triangle picture backdrops where everyone takes their cliche shots. I must say, it is cool to see three countries at one spot, though the place is a bit of a tourist trap overall. Myanmar, Laos and Thailand don't look all that much different. We ate lunch at a small shack overlooking the triangle and were off on our way to the Opium Museum.

The region has been synonymous with the Opium trade for decades. Only recently, has the drug industry been halted. The Hall of Opium is a gorgeous, modern museum created by the Royal Foundation dedicated to the history of opium and the impacts of illegal drugs. First, we went through a long dark hallway with terrifying sculptures on the walls. I think it's meant to display the contrasting effects of the drug. After all, the plant can be of great benefits to humans, yet cause considerable suffering as well. Then we went to a section on the cultivation of the poppy and the production in the Golden Triangle. After that came the development of the drug in the 18th and 19th centuries culminating in the Opium Wars between China and England. Then came the production, use & affects of legal opium throughout the region. Finally, the place left us with a summary of he effects of illegal drugs and really made an effort to inspire us. It really is a stunning museum that is a must-see if you're up visiting the Triangle. Unfortunately, they didn't allow photos inside the museum but I did manage to snap a few shots of the facility.

Really cool Hall of Opium Museum

One the road again. This time to the West for another 40 minutes to Mae Sai. It's the northernmost town in Thailand and sits right on the border with Myanmar (Tachileik city). We parked on the main drag and walked through the expansive markets. Mae Sai is really known for it's shopping as there's not much else to do there, but there is a cool temple up the hill overlooking the area. We climbed the hundreds of steps for the beautiful views off into Myanmar.

In Mae Sai Overlooking Myanmar

After taking in Mae Sai for a few hours, we decided to start the hour long journey down south on Highway 1 back to Chiang Rai. We actually made our own triangle in the route we took during the day and the bike held up quite well. I'm excited to do more day trips around this area. The province is so lush, the people are so nice, and we always have such a great time exploring. Until next time....