13. Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai, Thailand

Chiang Rai is the northernmost large city in Thailand.Chiang Rai City lies in the flat alluvial plain of the Mae Kok River, a tributary of the Mekong, between the Daen Lao Range in the north and the Phi Pan Nam Range in the south.  Chiang Rai has a tropical wet and dry climate. The traveller better go to Chiang Rai on December or January because the temperature is around 8°C to 15°C at the time, it is cool. It is quite comfortable and the weather is suitable for Malaysian who are always stay in hot season. Today, Chiang Rai is a traveller’s paradise, endowed with abundant natural attractions and antiquities. Attractions range from ruins of ancient settlements and Buddhist shrines to magnificent mountain scenery and hill tribe villages. 

Visiting

1. White Temple

The White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) is one of the absolute “must see” attractions of Chiang Rai, The White Temple, located about 5 kilometres south of Chiang Rai, has become one of Thailand’s landmark attractions even though it is one of the newest temples in a country that abounds with ancient and mystical temples and palaces, if you not see that mean you are not really travelling in Chiang Rai. In White Temple, you will see amazing things and there have another two building which are Yellow building( Toilet) and Black Temple.

Sculptor Chalermchai Kositpipat (middle guy）, who has put his own money and time into building something he feels truly expresses both the joy and the sadness of Thailand in the modern world. The White Temple, you begin to get a sense of its special nature just from the skull markers along the road side.

Walking up the main entrance path towards the chapel of The White Temple, you start to realise what it is that Chalermchai, a household name in Thailand, when you see the picture and design craft in White temple, youwill feel that the picture want to steal your soul and holding up containers for you to put it in. On the bridge, strange giant warriors and amazing mythical creatures threaten you as you approach the bridge.

Inside the White Temple,there has a room that the real wonders can be found. Inside there, Chalermchai expresses his true feelings and frustrations about the modern world through an awe-inspiring series of wall sized paintings where, if you look closely, you can find everything such as Elvis Presley , Darth Vader, George Bush , the Twin Towers, Osama Bin Laden in the eye of skeleton, Superman,  and the hero from The Matrix movie. Beside that, you will also see Alladin, Doraemon, Hello Kiity, Ultraman and the characters from Star War movie.

Yellow Building

Even the toilets at The White Temple in Chiang Rai are special … what at first appears to be another temple lined with gold turns out to be a public toilet and even the windows are decorated with gold-colored glass. Chalermchai has erected a sign on the gold toilets to say the unfortunately visitors will tend to talk more about the gold toilets than they will about the white temple itself, which turns out to be very true and I think expresses his frustrations with the world very well too. Make a point of visiting The White Temple in Chiang Rai. You will not be disappointed.

2. Mae Salong (Santikhiri)

There is a revered mountain which includes the Doi Tung Palace and the Mae Fa Luang Flower Garden. The building is located on the middle of mountain. Inside the building, there has show the history of Thailand and equipment of war.

3. The Golden Triangle

It locally called "Sop Ruak", is where the Mekhong meets the Ruak River and also where the borders of three countries, Laos, Burma and Thailand, meet together. There are remains of many ancient places and structures attesting to the area having been settled by people in the past. 

In the Golden Triangle, there has shopping street so you can buy some souvenir for yourself or your friends. The shopping street is sell handmade leather bag and clothes.

Activity

1. Mountain

For those interested in the natural side of Chiang Rai, jungle trekking is a magical experience, explore the mountains of the north along various hiking trails

On the mountain, there has a natural hot spring , you can try it and relax. There has two types of hot spring, one of hot spring is outdoor style and another one is inside the room. I suggest that you try the indoor hot spring first because the temperature of indoor hot spring is suit for rest our mind and body. 

2. 7eleven

Why I suggest 7 eleven? This is because the price of goods in 7 eleven in Chiang Rai are cheaper than Malaysia or other country. Besides that, there has many types of foods and drinks provided in the shop. 

Opinion:

If I has a choice for travel, I will choose Chiang Rai again and not Bangkok. The atmosphere is really fresh and better than Bangkok. The travel cost is cheaper than travel in Bangkok. The cost of Hot spring is 200 Baht or RM20 for whole day. In Chiang Rai, you can rent motorbike to mountain to the  how beautiful weather on the mountain.