Bookstore
Available as paperback
and as e-book.
Chiang Rai Attractions
Direction-givers usually orient restaurants, markets, and other attractions based on their proximity to two local attractions: the Clock Tower and Night Market. The gilded Clock Tower in the city center is at the junction of Banphaprakan and Jet Yod Roads. It was designed in 2008 by famed local artist Chalermchai Kositpipat of White Temple fame and serves as a landmark and traffic circle. Every night it is briefly illuminated with multicolored lights and accompanying music nightly at 7, 8, and 9pm. If you happen to be by the Clock Tower, stop for the “show”, otherwise it’s not worth deviating off track.
The other reference point is the Night Market is on Phaholyothin Road, next to the bus station, and the Saturday Walking Street on Thanalai Road, running east to west from just south of the King Mengrai statue. Both the walking street and the night market will feel familiar to counterparts in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. But as with most things, the further from the urban center you go, the more local the patrons and the commodities tend to be. That’s true here, but if you arrive at the Night Market thinking of it more as cultural anthropology rather than a shopping destination, your expectations will be in line with reality.
6 Results
- Religious Site
Baan Dum
In bazaar, eerie contrast to the white Wat Rong Khun (p. ###) is this all-black multi-home complex that is an interpretation of hell by the Thai artist Thawan Duchanee. The main temple-like building is centered around a wooden dining table with chairs made from antlers; shockingly… - Museum
Hilltribe Museum & Education Center
Especially if you plan to visit one of the region’s hill-tribe communities, devote an hour-and-a-half to learning more about these minority groups, their struggles, and their beliefs. Kick things off with a 20-minute slideshow on the hill tribes before wandering through the… - Museum
Oub Kham Museum
Small but mighty, this museum on the outskirts of town packs more than a 1,000-years of Tai and Lanna history and artifacts into its displays. The private collection belongs to curator Julasak Suriyachai, a descent of a Lanna royal family, and he regularly leads tours himself—just… - Religious Site
Wat Doi Tong
Doi Tong is the tallest mountain in Chiang Rai at 6,560-feet above sea level and near the summit of the mountain sits this Burmese-style temple. Journey up a steep staircase off Kaisornrasit Road for a panoramic overview of the town and the Mae Kok valley, along with vivid sunset… - Religious Site
Wat Phra Kaew
The most sacred temple in Chiang Rai, it once housed the Emerald Buddha (made of jade) that is now at Bangkok’s Grand Place in a temple of the same name. Near its Lanna-style chapel is the chedi, which (according to legend) was struck by lightning in 1434 to reveal the precious green… - Religious Site
Wat Rong Khun
Make the 13km (8 miles) journey south on Highway 1 to visit Wat Rong Khun, aka The White Temple. Upon approach, the dazzling white structure shimmers in the sun thanks to mirrored mosaics on the white exterior. Cross the footbridge above a pond filled with reaching hands (a symbol of…
Chiang Rai Shopping
Local markets and walking streets are the name of the game in this town for both shopping and nightlife options. Luckily, mid-week visitors are rewarded as equally as weekenders, so there is always something to shop for and explore. Our tip: If you’ve seen one market in Chiang Rai, you’ve pretty much seen them all. Most of the vendors double-down on the market scene and make appearances at the pedestrian-only Saturday Walking Street (4-10pm on Thanalai Road) as well as the Sunday Night Market (6-9pm on Sankhongnoi Road), and the ever-present Night Market (6-11pm), a daily bazaar adjacent to the bus terminal. These markets are a fraction of the size of the mother of all markets—Bangkok’s Chatuchak Weekend Market—and are more manageable than Chiang Mai’s Night Bazaar, so browsing the stalls can be done at a leisurely pace. Touristy souvenirs are omnipresent but Hill-tribe handicrafts are also available, though you'll get better deals (and your money will help the local people more) when buying directly from the tribe on a trekking tour. If you're not planning on a tour, then go ahead and stock up here.
About 12km north of Chiang Rai on the road to Mae Sai is a gem of a pottery place called Doy Din Dang Pottery (49 Moo 6; www.dddpottery.com; tel. 05370-5291). Here, the lush grounds of the multi-building showroom are an inspiration to the Thai artists who craft wheel-thrown pieces finished in traditional celadon or contemporary styles. The English-speaking staff can help arrange shipping, and there is a nice coffee shop on the property.
Chiang Rai Nightlife
Jetyod Road is the main drag for beer bars and watering holes that all start to blur together—especially after a beer or two. They essentially offer the same thing, which is an open-air place to grab a cold Singha, super-sweet Long Island Iced Tea, or an unbalanced vodka soda. Do a lap around the block to survey the land, then head to Cat Bar (1013/1 Jetyod Road; 5pm-1am) for pool and live music or Peace House Bar (1013/3 Jetyod Road; approximately 5pm-1am) for reggae and impromptu jam sessions.
