Ganesha Temple at Wat Rong Khun, Chiang Rai
Nestled between high mountains, thick forests, plains along the Mekong and villages inhabited by tribes whose origins are beyond borders, chiang rai rises with the calm spirit of the one who has nothing to prove.
Because, what difference does it make if the vast majority of travelers who stop at your hotels and guesthouses do so just passing through, with no other interest than venturing out to discover the surroundings of the city? Total, all life has been this way...
However, we, for a change, do not agree. And it will be because we know how to find the beautiful side of all things, but we are convinced that Chiang Rai deserves respect. an attention . Dedicate at least a couple of days to discover that by walking through its streets, getting lost in its markets and entering its temples, we are getting to know a small city with much more potential than anyone imagines.
And it is that, there where you see it, Chiang Rai was the first capital of the Lanna Empire . That yes, soon the title was taken from him to grant it to his neighbor Chiang Mai, marking his history forever: from then until today our beloved city would be in the background . Although, as there is no harm that is not good, this had a very positive consequence: it became a much quieter enclave, in which life unfolds in a calmer way. And that, of course, we love.
Wat Huai Pla Kung Temple in Chiang Rai
So we are in the absolute right to state emphatically that Chiang Rai is, dear friend, a traveler's paradise. And to start discovering its essence, nothing like launching into explore its charms.
THE THING IS GOING FROM TEMPLES...
Perhaps charming, what is said charming, is not our first stop. But yes: it is certain that your visit will leave absolutely no one indifferent. We talk about the famous White Temple or Wat Rong Khun , located about 13 kilometers from the city center, in which artistic avant-garde, surrealism and, in some way, a certain freakism, give shape to a somewhat... Disturbing.
Designed by the Thai architect Charlermchai Kositpipat , the White Temple, which is completely white from top to bottom, was built in 1997 and when you look at it from a distance it is impressive. A sea of hands, also white, wriggle from the ground as if to grab us as we cross the catwalk to their holiest area . Strange figures, with absolutely bizarre shapes, appear here and there guarding a temple that is not something else, but original.
Wat Rong Khun Temple in Chiang Rai
Once inside, between scenes that capture situations of contemporary life, we come across the image of a plane crashing into the Twin Towers or with Kenau Reeves characterized as his character in The Matrix . No, it's not a joke and this place receives thousands of visitors every day. It must be for a reason, right?
But Chiang Rai has not ceased in its eagerness to build buildings, let's say, "different". And to prove it, we go to the Blue Temple –Wat Rong Suea Ten-. Even more modern if possible, it is only three years old and has already become a tourist reference.
And here the color is again, of course, the protagonist: everything is blue in it. Your main building or Ubosot It is a space overloaded with figures, paintings and offerings that occupy every last centimeter of its walls, ceilings and floors. In the middle, an immense figure of Buddha of 6 meters of height presides over the place.
Wat Rong Suea Ten in Chiang Rai
But Thailand is a tremendously spiritual country and Buddhism is a very important part of its daily life. And in Chiang Rai, of course, this reality is reconfirmed. So to continue impregnating ourselves with that mysticism, We continue on a religious tour, this time through the city center.
We visited the wat phra kaew, the most revered temple. It is said that a lightning bolt made it appear in it, in 1434, the emerald buddha figure which is now kept in the Royal Palace in Bangkok. In Wat Phra Singh, the oldest of all the temples in Chiang Rai, its original areas built in wood are striking, and in the Wat Klang Wiang , 500 years old, we see several structures built in a peculiar modern Lanna style.
Between some temples and others, the marvelous clock tower , erected in the middle of a roundabout –yes yes, a roundabout!-, captures our attention with its dazzling gold. It is, without a doubt, one of the emblems of the city.
Wat Phra Kaew, the most revered temple
TIME FOR THE TECHNICAL STOP
And with so much religiosity we have become hungry: no problem, in Chiang Rai the proliferation of modern and charming cafes it is already a reality.
we stay with Connect Cafe , a simple place in which Western and Thai dishes share space equally on its menu and make it one of the favorites for foreigners. Something further away is Polar Boulangerie and Patisserie , where its window full of cakes delights the sweet tooth. In Doi Chang They are specialized in the most renowned coffee in the area. Of native origin, its fame has already reached places like Canada or Europe.
But if Chiang Rai has something, it is that it surprises at every step. And again he does it again hand in hand with his architecture. This time, with the black house –it has become clear to us that the colors are very cool here–, one of the masterpieces of the acclaimed and controversial architect Thawan Duchanee.
This famous artist, also dedicated to painting and sculpture, built the Black House, -which is actually made up of several buildings-, knowing that it would not leave anyone indifferent. The darkness floods everything here: furniture, walls, facades... Duchanee wanted to make those who visited her reflect and, without a doubt, she achieved it with this disturbing work on whose walls hang dry skins and animal bones that give it an even more sinister point if possible.
The Black House by Thawan Duchanee
THE RHYTHM DOESN'T STOP...
Don't stop, no, but go easy. And in that relaxed environment, what our bodies ask of us is something different. How about a cooking class?
Swanee is the young woman behind Thai Cooking Class Chiang Rai, the first cooking school for foreigners founded in the region. Ella swanee was always passionate about gastronomy, and after living in numerous countries around the world, she decided to return to her hometown and start living what she liked the most.
her classes start in the hubbub of the local market, where it is made with the freshest product from the hand of farmers and growers who already know it well. Later, at her house, and in a course that lasts almost the whole day, she lovingly explains and elaborates four different recipes that, finally, are consumed in a lively evening.
To continue with our state of relaxation, but of another type, there is no doubt: a Thai massage is the best proposal. A great option for pampering yourself is **Siamese Spa**. Located in the heart of Chiang Rai offers all kinds of treatments to leave us like new.
Let yourself be pampered at Siamese Spa
AS NIGHT FALLS... PARTY!
The time has come: at sunset the city is transformed, activated, and locals and tourists meet at the Chiang Rai Night Market , a large outdoor space designed for enjoyment, gastronomic delight and fun.
What you have to do is stroll slowly, dedicating the time you deserve to all those souvenir shops that alternate with infinite street food stalls. Here there is no doubt: if we do not know which of the delicacies to try, the solution is to try them all!
Meanwhile, to liven up the evening, local artists put the spark and music on stage: performances, playbacks, singers and lots of dancing They help the hubbub of the festive atmosphere to allow us to take the pulse of the city in a very different way.
Outside of the festivities, if what you want is a table and tablecloth tribute, two options: in Phu Lae we will taste the essence of Thai gastronomy, while in ** The Peak Wine & Grill **, a luxurious restaurant located on the tenth floor of The Riverie Hotel, we will not only savor an exquisite grilled lobster, we will also enjoy unparalleled views of Chiang Rai and its surroundings.
Don't miss the grilled lobster at The Peak Wine & Grill
BEYOND THE CITY
Does the Golden Triangle sound familiar to you? Of course it is: it is one of the most visited enclaves in northern Thailand and the perfect excursion from Chiang Rai. This red dot on the map was, for a long time, core of the opium trade with the bordering Laos and Myanmar. No self-respecting foreigner misses the views of the three countries from the mythical Golden Triangle View Point. To complete the experience, nothing like giving a beautiful boat ride on the Mekong, the natural border between the territories.
And it is precisely due to the proximity to these other lands that the mountains around Chiang Rai are full of small towns in which the most diverse ethnic groups live. The cultural mix is overwhelming: the Shan groups, the Thai and even immigrants from China they give life to a world very different from the one known in the rest of Thailand.
How to enter that other intercultural universe? Very easy: many companies organize from Chiang Rai interesting trekking routes through the mountains which usually include visits to these communities. Something not to forget.
The Mekong River as it passes through the Golden Triangle