Chiang Rai (เชียงราย) is the capital of Chiang Rai Province, Northern Thailand.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
The town proper has a population of around 62,000. It is the commercial centre of the Golden Triangle border region of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. It is an excellent base for exploring the region. Chiang Rai is essentially a service city for the surrounding province. The greater area has a relatively small population of 200,000 people, but also has a respected university and other civic facilities. The character is distinctly Northern and is distinct from Chiang Mai to the south in various ways. The food is spicier and the ethnic composition includes a good percentage of hill tribes and Burmese exiles.
Public transport consists mainly of tuk-tuks and songthaews, plus a smaller number of taxis. However, most of the city itself, even the Blue Temple, can be explored on foot. Rental bicycles are difficult to find, but a great way to explore the quite compact city. For example, a ride in the morning to the White Temple is a great journey. Using Grab is convenient and inexpensive. Chiang Rai has a few cyclo-rickshaws, which can be a pleasant way to see the main sights if you want a fairly quick tour. A motorbike is a good way for trips into the province.
1 Art Bridge Chiang Rai (ABCR) (Kua Sinlapa (ขัวศิลปะ)), ☏ +66 53 166 623. The provincial art gallery of Chiang Rai. (updated Oct 2022) 2 Baan Dam - Black House Museum (บ้านดำ), 414 Moo 13 Nanglae (About 10 km north of the city. After driving 1.9 km past Chaing Rai University on Hwy 1, turn left into Soi 13 (the first left after the blue sign reading), ☏ +66 53 705834, +66 53 776333, info@thawan-duchanee.com. 09:00-17:00. Created by Thailand national artist, Thawan Duchanee, the grounds include nearly 40 small black houses made of wood, glass, concrete, bricks, or terracotta in various unique styles and design scattered around the temple’s area.
1 Central Plaza Movie Theatre. A movie theatre showing English-language movies. (updated Jan 2025) 2 Crouching Lion Hill (4 km W of town, directly across the Mae Kok River from Chiang Rai Beach). On its west end there's a Buddha Cave and a pleasant picnic/park area. Close to its east end, there's a 3-chambered cave, and each chamber has a natural skylight at its apex. The largest chamber is as big as a basketball court and as high as a large tree. Trekkers can hike right through the hill from the river side (south) to the road side (north).
The staple diet of local people consists of sticky rice (glutinous rice) which is rolled into balls and served in small handmade bamboo containers. The rice is served steamed and some add sweeteners for a dessert rice. Typical main dishes in the area are dishes of curried chicken or shrimp and particularly kaeng khanun (spicy jackfruit curry), kaeng yuak (banana stalk curry), sai ua (grilled pork sausage), and Yunnan cuisine and Burmese rice noodles. Khao soi is a noodle dish with chicken stock and chicken that is also popular. Nam ngiao is a traditional noodle dish with chicken or pork. There is lots of good food in Chiang Rai, but most tourists seem to end up eating at the Night Bazaar.
Cat Bar, Jet Yod Rd. Jam sessions almost every day and a pool table. Easy Bar, Jet Yod Rd. Open all day. You can have a meal here, read the Bangkok Post, watch cable TV. Reggae Bar (Somewhere in Night Bazaar's little alleys behind the silver colored stage). 20:00-. Good variety of music and drinks. Later local farangs meet here. SiTSip Bar&Coffee House (Ground floor, Wangcome Hotel), ☏ +66 53 711800. The place is decorated in modern style. Serving drinks, food, snacks, and lots of cocktails. Teepee Bar, 542/4 Phaholyothin Rd. Great ambiance and an eclectic collection of artifacts, friendly staff, and fairly low-priced drinks.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Chiang Rai typically sees ~29°C daytime highs and 30 rainy days.
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