Chiang Rai, Chiang Khong and Mekong RIver

DISCOVERY AND ADVENTURE TRAVELING

My travel adventure begins during my journey from Chiang Mai towards Chiang Rai and Chiang Khong. This journey consider messy but very good  experience. This is my first time doing this kind of unthinkable  journey. On my last day at Chiang Mai, my friends and I still haven't find the decision whether to follow the tour up to Chiang Rai or by bus because on the way to Chiang Rai there are still some attractions we must visit and would not want to miss.  So, that night we went for Ping River Dinner Cruise.

We had on-line booked the dinner cruise tour and the person-in-charge fetched us to Ping River. Can you imagine there were ONLY TWO OF US on the cruise??!!!!   hahaha. I told my friends, look like we chartered a private cruise for my birthday dinner leh!!!  
During the cruise only two of us boarded the cruise. Sounds romantic but frightening cos' there wasn't anybody else in this cruise except us!!!  My mind started to wonder..... What would happen to us (2 helpless ladies) if this situation would have take place in our "Malaysia Boleh" land; my very own  country?  What to do???  It was too late to chicken out!   I braved myself for this cruise. When they were about to start the journey, waiters were already busy serving us food  in the cruise.  Oh, God, please protect us and send your guardian angels to us.....  Eventually,  I was calmed.  I  tried not to think what would happen to us.  I also told myself that "this is Thailand; Smiling Country' and nothing bad would happen." 

Here we started our romantic cruise with candle light on cruise dinner at Ping River. Everything looked fine and the cruise captain and his assistant were very friendly. Their service was excellent!  I dare not ask them why no other people joining this cruise.  However, in my mind I already had the answer...  majority of the Western country tourists try to avoid  local cruise dinner as they are scare of food poisoning. There goes my journey and it is really enjoyable. After the cruise I asked the driver's opinion whether to join the tour or take bus.  I had  no problem to take bus but for my friend would have a problem as her luggage handle had broken and couldn't use the roller.

Surprisingly this driver didn't take me to join their tour because we had booked everything on-line from third party. So, the local tour and even hotel representative also didn't want to do our business. " ahhhhhhhhhh."

The online company where we booked for Chiang Mai daily tour is Bon Voyage Thailand. This company is just next door to the hotel we were staying!  What a small world!  However,  they closed their door most of the time. He didn't want to meet us when we arrived at their office.  He only does his marketing online and the third party person would take us round. Everything seemed to be very messy and unorganized.  My word of advice, next time when you want to go to Chiang Mai,  just book their daily tour thru local agent. If online booking, make sure to ask in detail everything you need to know.

At last we decided to join the minivan daily tour to Chiang Rai.

CHIANG RAI

It takes about 2 hour journey to Chiang Rai. It's the heart of the GOLDEN TRIANGLE.  At Chiang Rai we stayed at the guesthouse next to the bus station. There were many things we could explore here, such as the Clock Tower, Imprasive Wat Rong Khun Temple (White Temple), Black Temple, Hill Tribe Museum, opium flower and Hot Spring.

The hot spring was the first stop where we took a rest and also took pictures.  Here you can buy eggs and boil them in the hot spring.   After the Hot Spring, we visited the most famous temple in Chiang Rai, that is the White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) which was built in a unique beautiful architectural. This is really a marvellous art and a must see temple.  The White Temple is amazing and the artist who designed this temple gave no ending job to this temple. The little tiny mirror as mosaic really give us a sparkling look under the reflection of the sun.  During sunset it is beautiful in yellow colour.

After that, we visited The GoldenTriangle 
Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet. It is well known for the Opium traded between the three countries.  Chiang Rai province of the Northern Thailand. It was well known for its notorious opium trade which began in 1900s. The opium trade was introduced by the hill tribes which  migrated from the neighbouring countries.

 

Then, enjoy taking  the boat ride along Mae Khong River  visited Laos (No visa). Here you can see three countries casinos located at the river bank. This ride is for visitors/tourist to go over and visit.

CHIANG KONG

Not much thing to do at Chiang Khong. Most tourists stop here to have their passport stamped  and cross to Huay Xai Laos. If we stayed next to the bus station in Chiang Rai.  we could easily proceed to our next day journey to Chiang Khong by bus. Started journey from Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong,  taking a  6am/7am bus was just nice. It took two hours of journey. At the bus stop near the  road side, there were tuk tuks already waiting to take us to Chiang Khong river bank border to stamp our exit passport. Bus ticket from Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong is 65 baht. Tuk tuk  from bus stop to jetty Chiang Khong is 30 baht. Get our passport stamped for exit at Chiang Khong jetty and  it took only 5 - 10 minutes.   After that we walked down to the river bank to take a boat. This boat is only 5 min cross to Huay Xai.

Here we are going to cross to Huay Xai Laos using boat for 40 baht. This is only 5 min boat to Huay Xai.

At Huay Xai Laos, we need to have our entering passport stamped.  Southeast Asean country tourists just have to pay US1 and  no  visa is needed. For others province countries like France 30US, Canadian 42US, China 25US and others country all had different prices for their visa. Once you got your passport stamped, go upriver about 1km walk or pay 10,000 kip to take tuk tuk for slowboat.

Best time  to cross the border  at Chiang Kong is around 8.30-9.00am, just nice to get our passport done and to take slow boat at 11 am. For those visitors who need to have visa,  please bring extra photos to avoid extra payment.

 From here my next adventure is slow boat cruise at MEKONG RIVER.