Situated on a plain between mountains and jagged limestone outcrops, this small market town is a popular meeting place for hill tribes, particularly Akha. Mae Saruai is modernizing rapidly, and new agriculture, including flower production, is replacing traditional crops such as rice. Environs Cars can be rented in Chiang Rai to visit the Akha hill-tribe […]

This ancient town was founded in 1262 by King Mengrai. He decided that the site, in a basin between mountains, would be ideal for the new capital of the Lanna Kingdom. However, the capital was transferred to Chiang Mai only 34 years later, and Chiang Rai declined in importance. Today it is known as the […]

The use of teak (Tectona grandis) in Thailand dates back many centuries. Its favorable properties, including strength and resistance to pests and disease, made it a natural choice for use in buildings and furniture, while its fine grain traditionally lent itself to intricate carving. However, reckless overlogging has led to disastrous defores tation, and, as […]

On the banks of the Mekong River, Chiang Khong town is all that remains of the much larger territory of Chiang Khong, most of which was lost to the French in 1893, when they claimed it as part of French Indochina (the rest of this land now forms part of Laos). A growing border town, […]

One of the oldest towns in Thailand, Chiang Saen is set beautifully on the bank of the Mekong River. The town was founded in 1328 by Saenphu, the grandson of King Mengrai, as a powerful fortification with many temples. There is evidence, however, from some of Chiang Saen’s monuments, that suggests the town may be […]

The apex of the Golden Triangle is the point at which the borders of Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), and Laos meet. The junction, at a bend in the Mekong River, is near the village of Sop Ruak. Historically, the “Golden Triangle” referred to a much wider region – the area of Northern Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos […]

The Golden Triangle is a 75,000 sq-mile (195,000 sq-km) area spanning parts of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar (Burma). The area is historically connected to the opium and heroin trades (thus “golden”), but it has much more to interest visitors. This tour takes in its best features: superb views of the “apex” of the Golden Triangle, […]

The northernmost town in Thailand, Mae Sai is separated from Myanmar (Burma) only by a bridge. The town bustles with traders from the neighboring country who come here to sell their wares. Among the handicrafts are lacquerware, gems, and jade items, mostly made in Myanmar. Though the town itself is nondescript, there are good views […]

The mountain of Doi Tung is an impressive limestone outcrop dominating the Mekong flood plain near Mae Sai. The narrow road snakes through monsoon forest, winding its way up to the 5,900-ft (1,800-m) peak. On a clear day the views of Myanmar and lowland Thailand from the summit are stunning. The name of the mountain […]

One of the main settlements in Northern Thailand, the hillside town of Mae Salong is also one of the most scenic. Mae Salong was founded in 1962 by the Kuo mintang (KMT), or Chinese Nationalist Army, following their defeat in China by Mao Zedong in 1949. It became a center for exiled Chinese soldiers, who […]