A year in Thailand Pt.13 (Chiang-Rai)

[Arwing]

Part 13.... Unlucky for some

So a few weeks ago i got to Chiang-Rai. I stayed at a cheap place (150B) and was right next door to the local bus station and night bazzare and right accross the road from swensens ice cream so pretty well located with 2-3 7-elevens, a tesco lotus, boots and markets all less than 5minutes walk away.

Anyway, Chiang-Rai was a small but nice little city. There are plenty of wats to see around the place and i did a wat walk or 2 but didn't take any pictures as, how many wats can you take pictures of right? Most of my day trips involved going a short and sometimes very long distance from the city via motorbike and seeing attractions such as Doi Tung development project, the Golden Triangle, Wat Rongkhun and even a trip to Myanmar (Burma). Though i saw many things close by, within the city too, such as the sports stadium, a great clock tower and even a beach...???

I'm back in Chiang-Mai now (have been for a week) to see how things go with the girl i met here on my last visit (though regardless of how things go i'm continueing my travels in a month or so to Isan - i won't be happy until i've seen ALL of Thailand ) I've done a few things here i didn't manage to do on my last visit so will just add the pictures and info to the previous thread as and when.

Anyway here's a few pics of Chiang-Rai to get things started...

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Chiang-Rai Night Bizarre

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Chiang-Rai Night Bizzare

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Entertainment stage at Night Bizzare

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Sports Stadium

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Sports stadium

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Clock Tower

[Arwing]

One day i visited Wat Rongkhun. Like the national parks, i've seen so, so many wats in Thailand now, although beautiful, they're beginning to all look the same. So again, as with the national parks, it takes a little something "special" for me to want to warrent a visit. And wats don't get more special that wat Rongkhun. I have heard many thais say you can't come to the north and not see this. Some even say you can't come to Thailand without seeing it.

I loved this temple and couldn't help but get the impression it had an ethereal horror theme? going on... From a distance with it's all white exterior it looks both beautiful and holy, yet up close you can see the fierce arcitectual sculpture all over the building like spikes and there are little statues around that resemble demon or monster like creatures (though i'm sure they're not demons and are something to do with thai folklore?) and even a pit with human hands holding up skulls and look like they're pleading for help or mercy maybe. I loved it, though i may be on my own with the ethereal horror image, or may just need to understand the real meaning behind it all, anyway, it's the most fantastic building (arcitectual design wise) i've seen not only in Thailand, but in the world.

To get here it's just a short 15km (9miles) motorbike ride south of Chiang-Rai city. If you're coming from the local (not main) bus station road, turn right at the cross roads when you get out of town. If coming from the main highway, after passing Big C (on your left) after about 1km carry straight on at the previous mentioned cross roads.

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[Arwing]

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[Susana]

Thank you, Arwing.

I was sufficiently intrigued by your account of Wat Rongkhun to do a search for more information. According to Wikipedia, "the white color stands for the Lord Buddha's purity, the white glass stands for the Lord Buddha's wisdom that 'shines brightly over the Earth and the Universe'."

There is also the symbolism of the bridge, the small semi-circle and the big circle with fangs symbolising "the mouth of Rahu, meaning impurities in the mind, a representation of hell or suffering."

Read the full account here:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wat_Rong_Khun

[Arwing]

Thanks Susana for the extra info on wat Rongkhun

On another day trip i went to Doi Tung. I had planned on going here in the morning and then going to the golden triangle later that day but due to the rain.... i know it's the rainy season but it rained so much in Chiang-Rai i renamed it Chiang-Rai(n) but not to worry, it didn't really put a "damper" on my stay here

The Doi Tung project was set up by the Princess' mother as a way to teach locals alternative ways of agriculture as opposed to growing a certain opium poppy... There are 5 main attractions at Doi Tung including an arboreum but the main feature is Mae Fah Luang Garden (supposedly one of south east asias best landscape gardens) which is also only a minutes walk away from the hall of inspiration and the royal villa, though in the latter 2 attractions, photographs are forbidden. A Bazaar is also near. You can pay for each attraction seperatly or buy a combination of any or all at a slight discount. I forget all the prices individualy but it only cost me 160B for entry to the 3 i saw (Mae Fah Luang Garden, Hall of inspiration and the Royal Villa) Beautiful birds eye views of the surrounding area are plentiful all over Doi Tung from designated view points on the way up and from views on the balcony at the royal villa as well as the surrounding mountain views when walking through the gardens. It was a good day but the photos taken were the result of a LOT of waiting and patience between down pours

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Doi Tung Development Project

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The Rain....

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The views

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Mae Fah Luang Garden

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Mae Fah Luang Garden

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Mae Fah Luang Garden (main attraction)

[Arwing]

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Mae Fah Luang Garden (main attraction II)

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Mae Fah Luang Garden (main attraction III)

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Entrance to Doi Tung Royal Villa

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Views from Royal Villa's Balcony

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Views from one of the view points on the way up/down Doi Tung

[Arwing]

Although the weather cleared up once down the mountain at Doi Tung, it was too late to goto the Golden Trianlge that same day, so i went the following morning which was a really hot and sunny day

To get there, just get on the super highway and head north. There are various routes but i thought the easiest was to turn right just after Tesco Lotus to get on the Chiang-Saen road... though this route would normally be quickest and easiest, they were doing roadworks for a few km at the time i went and am guessing they're going to last quite some time... so may slow things down a little. Anyway, about 1km before you get to Chiang-Saen you'll come to a crossroads on a small rural road, follow the signs LEFT towards Mae-Sae and Golden Triangle/hall of opium.

At the Golden Triangle, there isn't exactly a lot... for me it was more about being there, as opposed to what's there. There is a structure made to look like a docked ship with a big golden buddah on top, a little info on Laos, Myanmar and Thailand as well as great views of them too accross the river and many boat opperators offering a 1hr cruise to Myanmar, Laos and back to Thailand, i was quoted 400B-500B from a couple which i thought was reasonable for an hour, but still managed to get it down to 350B lol. Along the short stretch are many stalls selling souveners relating to the Golden Triangle and there is also a temple close by which is 30B (i think) to enter and also had a little info on opium. Very close by, about 1km on the same road towards Mae-Sae is the hall of opium. It's a huge building made up of 16 rooms giving information on the history of the drugs trade at the Goden Triangle and also information on opium and it's effects. Entry is 200B.

Not the reason i came to Chiang-Rai but the reason i came "when" i did was i was due for my 2nd visa run. I decided to take the bike from the Golden Triangle on to Mae-Sae (only 25km / 15miles or so) on route 1041, however, i don't know what they're doing. looks like building a new road, it's a right mess and is not suitable if you're not a confident rider or if you have a very decent car.

Got to Mae-Sae, parked up the bike, walked into Burma, spent about an hour looking around the market and immediate town and came back got another 3 months now before i need to do a visa run again

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Golden Triangle

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Golden Triangle

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Views accross the delta

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Views accross the delta

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Ship structure with buddah

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Where would you like to go?

[Arwing]

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Hall of Opium

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Myanmar (Burma) boarder

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Myanmar (Burma) town

[Arwing]

My last addition to the Chiang-Rai thread is the beach i've been in thailand long enough now to know "Hat" means beach, so when i saw a sign for Hat Chiang Rai... i had to check it out. It's actually just a area of river with sand here and there, but still, it's a nice peaceful place to kick back and relax with lots of shaded areas and plenty of vendors selling food and drink. Worth a visit in my opinion.

As i'm back in Chiang-Mai now for a month i'll just add my new experiences to the Chiang-Mai thread (any chance you can change it's name to "Pt.12 & 14" David? thanks)

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[yy]

The THB150 accomodation is good value for money, considering its proximity to so many great places and facilities. Hope the room scored high on cleanliness too Cos sometimes I do worry about bed bugs cos I once returned from stays in a guesthouse with multiple itchy red spots whic what people told me were bed bug bites (I never really knew if they indeed were) But I still prefer guesthouses, though