Out of City Attractions

Amphoe Mae Chan

Hot Spa
Located 8 kilometres from Mae Chan, along the Mae Chan -Mae Ai Road, this complex has hot mineral water and bath -house facilities. Accommodation is also available.

Hilltribe Development and Welfare Centre
The centre, located some 15 kilometres along Doi Mae Salong Road, aids and administers local hilltribe settlements. Hilltribe handicrafts, including woven cloth and silverware, are available for purchase.

Amphoe Mae Fa luang

Doi Mae salong
Located some 40 kilometres beyond Mae Chan, the rugged mountain of Doi Mae Salong is topped by a settlement known as Santi Khiri, home to descendants of Chinese Nationalist soldiers who settled in the area in the 1940s. The mountainside plantations of coffee and fruit orchards provide scenic variety, especially picturesque in December and January when Thai cherry trees are in blossom. Hotels, restaurants, horse-riding and trekking are among the major attractions.

Doi Tung
This northernmost mountain offers several attractions, including Doi Tung Royal Villa, built for the late Princess Mother and designed in an architectural combination of Lanna and Swiss chalet styles; the Mae Fa Luang Botanical Garden, with colourful plants and trees of many different species within rock, aqua, palm and flower gardens, and various hilltribe villages. The mountain is topped by the revered temple of Wat Phrathat Doi Tung, which contains Buddha relics and also commands a spectacular panoramic view of the surrounding countryside.

Pha Mi Akha Village
This picturesque hilltribe village is one of the most accessible Akha settlements in Chiang Rai province, located on the way to the summit of Doi Tung.

Doi Hua Mae Kham
The site is the domicile of the hilltribe near the Thai-Burmese border, about three hours by road along the Mae Chan-Ban
Thoet Thai-Ban Huai In route which winds along a steep precipice. The inhabitants are predominantly of the Lisu tribe, with a smattering of Akha, Hmong and Muser. Doi Hua Mae Kham is most scenic in November when the yellow Wild Sunflowers are in full bloom.

Amphoe Mae Sai

Mae Sai
This border town is the northernmost point of Thailand, facing Myanmar across the Mae Sai River, and is located 61 kilometres north of Chiang Rai on Highway 110. The town presents great shopping opportunities for buying popular Thai, Burmese and Chinese goods.

Khun Nam Nang Non
The name translates as "lagoon of the sleeping lady" and is derived from a natural rock formation that resembles a reclining woman. It is located 12 kilometres before reaching the town of Mae Sai along a 2-kilometre spur road.

Thant Pum-Tham Pla (Reed & Fish Caverns) Tham Pha Chom
Located 1 kilometre north of Khun Nam Nang Non, these caves are known for their spectacular interiors.

Thiang Saen
This cave, 2.5 kilometres west of Mae Sai, is noted for its beautiful stalactites and as a place for meditation.

Amphoe Chiang Saen

Chiang Saen
The town of Chiang Saen, delightfully situated on the banks of the Mekong River, is the site of an ancient settlement that predates Chiang Rai and survives in the ruins of city walls, moats, gateways and temples.

The Golden Triangle
Eight kilometres north of Chiang Saen, this famous riverside spot marks where the borders of Thailand, Lao PDR and Myanmar meet at the junction of the Mekong River and the small Ruak tributary. Boats on the Mekong can be hired for travel upstream from Chiang Saen to the Golden Triangle, or downstream to Chiang Khong.

Chiang Saen National Museum
This small museum is dedicated to the historical settlement of Chiang Saen and its ancient culture, and provides information on archaeological sites and ethnic minorities in the Mekong River basin, as well as displaying exhibits of Buddha images and Lanna artefacts. The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. except official holidays.

Wat Phrathat Chedi Luang
Wat Phrathat Chedi Luang, built in 1291, is the biggest ancient pagoda in Chiang Rai province, comprising a 58-metre high, brick bell-shaped chedi with an octagonal base. The main hall and other surrounding chedis are in ruins.

Wat Pa Sak
Wat Pa Sak occupies a 16-acre site just outside the city walls, 200 metres from the Tourist Service Centre. The chedi, built in 1295, is decorated with ornamental stucco motifs and is regarded as one of the most beautiful examples of Lanna architecture in northern Thailand.

Wat Phrathat Chom Kitti
This hilltop temple, reached by a flight of 339 steps, has a chedi enshrining the Lord Buddha relic.

Wat Phrathat Pha Ngao
This small bell-shaped pagoda built on top of a hill, 4 kilometres along the Chiang Saen-Chiang Khong road, commands a spectacular view over the Mekong River and Lao PDR beyond. The temple houses a magnificent Chiang Saen-style Buddha image.

Wat Phrathat Doi Pu Khao
This riverside temple, near the Sop Ruak Market, offers an amazing panorama over the Golden Triangle and the surrounding mountains.

Wat Phra Chao Lan Thong
The temple is located within the city wall, built by Prince Thong Ngua, a son of King Tilokkarat, the 12'h ruler of Lanna, in 1489. A 1,200-kilogramme Buddha statue was cast. Named Phra Chao Lan Thong, it has a lap width of 2 metres and is over 3 metres
high. Another statue called Phra Chao Thong Thip was also cast in brass and in the Sukhothai style.

Chiang Saen Lake
South of Chiang Saen, along Highway 1016 (two kilometres from the Km. 27 marker) this scenic 640-acre lake hosts migratory flocks of waterfowl during the winter months. Accommodation and water-sport facilities are available.

Amphoe Chiang Khong

Chiang Khong
Located 55 kilometres east of Chiang Saen and 114 kilometres northeast of Chiang Rai town, this pleasant traditional settlement faces Lao PDR across the Mekong River.

Ban Hat Klai
This is the area where pla buek, or giant freshwater catfish, weighing up to 300 kg. are caught in the Mekong from April to June.

Ban Hat Bai
This Thai Lue community, located 25 kilometres along the Chiang Saen-Chiang Khong road, is noted for its hand-woven cotton.

Amphoe Thoeng

Phu Chi Fa Forest Park
This mountain, some 25 kilometres south of Doi Pha Tang, is characterised by high, steep cliffs providing a panoramic view over Lao PDR. Its highest peak points out sharply towards the sky. Mist commonly shrouds the mountaintop in the early morning, especially in the cool season. During February, white wild flowers, known as dok siao, dot the area.

Amphoe Wiang Kaen

Doi Pha Tang
Some 32 kilometres from Amphoe Wiang Kaen (127 kilometres from Chiang Rai town), this scenic 1,638-metre mountain is home to Hmong and Yao ethnic minorities, and affords fine views of the Thai-Lao border. During December and January, the area is rendered even more picturesque with cherry blossoms and, in the morning, mountain mists.

Amphoe Phan

Doi Luang National Park
This park, some 65 kilometres south of Chiang Rai town, covers an area of 1,170 square kilometres and extends into parts of Chiang Mai, Lampang and Phayao provinces. The park's major attraction is the Pu Kaeng Waterfall.

Namtok Pu Kaeng
This waterfall is in Doi Luang National Park located in Phan district. To get there, drive down the Chiang Rai-Phayao route for 58 kilometres to arrive at Bang Pu Kaeng. At Km.77 take a right turn and drive on for another 9 kilometres to a large waterfall amid virgin jungle with water cascading down limestone brooks. There are camping areas and jungle trekking services.

Amphtoe Mang Pa Pao

Wiang Kalong
This community located about 16 kilometres from the district office of Wiang Pa Pao. Here they found remains of ancient furnaces used to make terracotta utensils. The furnaces are shaped likes turtle shells of various sizes with a width of 2 to 5 metres.

Mae Khachan Hot Springs
The hot springs located at Tambon Mae Chedi Mai on the Chiang Rai - Chiang Mai road at Kms. 64 - 65, next to a stream. Villagers sell eggs to tourists to boil in the hot springs.

Khun Char National Park
At Tambon Mae Chedi Mai of Wiang Pa Pao district, the park can be reached by taking the Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai route (Highway No. 118)`. The park headquarters is right next to the highway at Kms. 55-56 Visitors wishing to undertake a jungle trek and camp within the park need to have the services of a guide and prepare their own camping equipment. The trek through the Khun Chae jungle is for adventure travel enthusiasts as the route passes over steep terrain and several hilltops and cliffs over 1,400 metres high. There are good viewpoints and trekkers can enjoy waterfalls, flowing streams and virgin jungle areas lush with plant life.