Golden Triangle Sightseeing

The area's legacy of opium production, usage and trading - which continued right up until the 1980's, is well documented in two museums. One is found right in Sob Ruak, while the newer and more extensive one is a little way out of town. Both are recommended.

Nearby Chiang Saen features some ancient, unspoilt temples, including Wat Pa Sak, dating from 1295, where you can see a vast stupa surrounded by smaller temples and chedis. Wat Chedi Luang is also worth visiting, with a massive brick chedi that originated in the 14th century. The Chiang Saen Museum exhibits a variety of local artwork, ranging from handicrafts made by people from the surrounding hill tribes, to ancient Lanna-style artefacts. In fact Chiang Saen was once the capital of Lanna, before being usurped by
Chiang Mai, and for centuries has been an important trading town in the area on account of its position on the Mekhong river.

Maesai, the Thai border town lying on the division between Thailand and Myanmar, is an additional tourist attraction of the Golden Triangle region - a typical frontier trading town with an hilltop temple. Crossing over the border into the Burmese town of Taichilek gives visitors the opportunity to renew their 30-day visa to continue staying in Thailand. The fee for this is 400 baht and formalities are quite simple.

Although Taichilek is essentially an impoverished Burmese town, with a few attractions, it is popular for its shopping, with a large market offering a variety of inexpensive goods (some of very dubious quality) from China. Original DVDs and CDs, covering a broad range of popular titles, are available for as little as 60 baht.

The Golden Triangle is most easily accessed from the city of Chiang Rai. The city can be reached via bus or plane from Bangkok, Chiang Mai and other destinations. Hiring a car for the journey from Chiang Mai is worthwhile as the drive is lovely, but be careful of reckless driving on this windy route. An alternative route, via Thaton, is recommended. The drive along the Mekhong river from Sob Ruak to Chiang Kong is lovely, and the latter town has some peaceful river-front guesthouses. It is also here that you can board boats to Luang Prabang in Laos - a traditional two-day journey, now popular with backpackers.

Chiang Saen National Museum

The Chiang Saen National Museum was established in 1957 as a centre of art and archaeological objects found at Chiang Saen and its surrounding. At the beginning, the old Sala of Wat Chedi Luang was used as the museum until 1981, when the museum was allocated a budget to complete the building as planned.

The Chiang Saen National Museum is situated at the ancient city of Chiang Saen. One of the most important cities of Lanna Kingdom, admist large numbers of archaeological sites, both prehistoric and historic periods.

The main purpose of the collection is to emphasize history, art an archaeology related to human settlement, tools and equipment from prehistoric down to historic periods. The exhibit can be divided into 3 sections:

First Section presents: The location and history of settlement at Chiang Saen, Stucco from Wat Pa Sak, Lanna Buddha images in Chiang Saen style, Stone inscriptions, northern Thai ceramics in Chiang Rai and other related ceramics.

Second Section presents: Important monuments in Chiang Saen and excavation and renovation of ancient monuments in Chiang Saen and also its surrounding area.

Third Section presents: The Mekong River, religious objects, folk art of the northern minority groups in Chiang Rai, such as Tai Yuan, Tai Yai, Tai Lue and various hilltribes.

Museum Hours: Open on Wednesday - Sunday 9.00 AM. - 4.00 PM.
Closed on Monday, Tuesday and National Holidays
Admission Fee: 30.- Baht

National Museum, Chiang Saen
702 Phahonyothin Road, Chiang Saen District
Chiang Rai 57150 Thailand

Tel. (6653) 777-102, 650-723
Fax: (6653) 650-723