Landmark
The Golden Triangle
Where the Mekong meets the Ruak and Thailand, Laos and Myanmar sit within sight of each other.
WhereChiang Rai
Time neededHalf day
Best timeNovember to February
CostBoat from THB 500
The history is heavy — opium, border trade, the CIA — and the river view is genuinely dramatic. A boat on the Mekong and lunch in Laos make a good half-day.
How to visit it well
- Take a boat to the Laos island of Don Sao — bring your passport.
- The opium museum in Sop Ruak explains the region better than any guide.
- Continue to Chiang Saen for the old river town.
Tours that include The Golden Triangle
Nearby
Temple
Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)
Chalermchai Kositpipat's white, mirror-studded temple outside Chiang Rai — part sacred site, part contemporary a…
Chiang Rai · 1.5 hoursTHB 100
Temple
Wat Rong Suea Ten (Blue Temple)
A deep-blue and gold temple with a huge white seated Buddha, built by a student of the White Temple's artist.…
Chiang Rai · 45 minutesFree
