Overview
Once the first capital of the Lanna kingdom, Chiang Rai is a quieter northern town than Chiang Mai, set among mountains where Thailand meets Laos and Myanmar at the Golden Triangle. Its fame today rests on a pair of striking modern temples and on the surrounding country of tea plantations, waterfalls and hill-tribe villages. Cooler than the lowlands and less crowded, it makes a base for the far north and the Mekong border.
Highlights
The White Temple, Wat Rong Khun, is a fantastical all-white shrine encrusted with mirrored glass, matched by the deep-blue Wat Rong Suea Ten. The Golden Triangle, where the Mekong divides three countries, lies to the north with its opium-history museum. Tea plantations, waterfalls and hill-tribe villages fill day trips into the mountains around the town.