Chiang Rai

Today, it is home turf to a number of ethnically diverse mountain tribes that maintain their traditional lifestyles and village structures. The rolling mountains, swirling mist in the valleys and the dense jungles beyond make it intriguingly magical. As do Yonder’s selection of Chiang Rai luxury hotels.

Laid-back atmosphere

The city of Chiang Rai itself is a delight. Unlike most Thai cities, it has a laid-back, casual atmosphere, with the pace of life running at a trot rather than a gallop. It is cool, in both sense of the word, with an upcountry climate and some excellent eateries in which to sample the northern Thai delicacies. In fact, this part of Thailand is renowned for its cooking classes, so if you want to use local ingredients to master your Khao Soy and your Som Tam, roll up your sleeves.

For those seeking culture, there are beautiful temples and various excursions into the countryside to visit traditional villages. Cottage industries involving intricate craftsmanship to produce beautiful silverwares, jewelry and textiles, as well as subsistence farming, still hold sway.

For many, however, it is the borderlands that are the magnet. The routes that used to be the crossroads for the lucrative opium trade have now been transformed, due in large part to the efforts of the Thai royal family, into fertile agricultural lands for the growth of coffee, fruit and highland crops. The old smugglers routes at the convergence of Ruak and Mekong rivers and their tributaries are now prime for exploration by longtail boat. Whizzing along in a longtail surrounded by three different countries is exhilarating and there is a fair chance you will encounter elephants bathing in the river.