Chiang Saen travel guide: Lanna ruins and the Golden Triangle

The old city and its ruins

Chiang Saen's ramparts and moats enclose dozens of ruined temples, from small brick chedis to large monasteries. They are free to wander, scattered among houses and orchards, and best explored by bicycle in the morning or late afternoon.

Just outside the main western gate, Wat Pa Sak — the 'teak forest' temple — was founded in the reign of Phaya Saen Phu (1325–1336), according to the Fine Arts Department, which cites the northern chronicle Jinakalamali: the king had a stupa built for a relic of the Buddha and 300 teak trees planted around it. Its square main stupa, with niches for Buddha images on each side, carries fine stucco decoration; pieces of it are displayed in the museum.

The Chiang Saen National Museum, run by the Fine Arts Department, holds Lanna Buddha images, stucco ornaments and stone inscriptions from the old city, as well as prehistoric tools found by the Mekong. Check its current opening status on the department's page before you go.

Wat Phra That Chom Kitti

On a hill just outside the walls, Wat Phra That Chom Kitti is one of the nine sacred relic temples of Chiang Rai, as the Ministry of Tourism and Sports' directory records. Its bell-shaped chedi in Chiang Saen style was built to house relics, and later rebuilt by a ruler of Chiang Saen.

Climb the steps for a view over the old city and the Mekong. It is a quiet place at the end of the day.

The Golden Triangle

At Sop Ruak, a few kilometres north, the Mekong and the Ruak meet at the point where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar converge — the Golden Triangle. Viewpoints and a large seated Buddha look over the confluence; longtail boats take visitors onto the river.

The name once meant the region's opium trade. The Hall of Opium museum near Sop Ruak explains that history and its human cost; give it at least an hour.

Border caution

Boat trips sometimes stop at a market on the Lao side. Check the current rules before you go: you may need your passport, and crossing into Laos or Myanmar requires the proper border procedures and visas. Do not cross on an informal stop.

Follow official advice on the border area, and keep to licensed operators.

Getting there

Chiang Saen is roughly an hour's drive north of Chiang Rai town. Buses run from Chiang Rai's old bus terminal; a car or driver lets you combine Chiang Saen, the Golden Triangle and the hill viewpoints in one day.

Fly into Mae Fah Luang–Chiang Rai International Airport, which TAT reports now has a direct flight from Singapore as well as Bangkok services.