Chiang rai golden triangle

Three Day Chiang Mai / Chiang Rai Tour (3 Days / 2 Nights)

On this tour we first start in Chiang Mai with some local activities, then head up to Chiang Rai to explore the beauty of the North Country. Chiang Rai is the northernmost province of Thailand and there we will visit the Golden Triangle, cross the mighty Mekong, visit a small Laos village, learn about opium cultivation, the opium trade, and the illegal economy it spawned, and see some truly spectacular mountain scenery along the way. And then we return to Chiang Mai for some additional activities.

Day One

Northern Thailand is famous for its elephants, so we start the tour with a visit to our favorite elephant camp at Mae Tang. We depart the hotel early and arrive at the camp in about 1 hour. There we will get up close and personal to some friendly elephants, watching them perform, then going for a ride, then giving them a bath and a snack after their hard work. After a delicious and well earned lunch at the camp, we hitch a ride on some bamboo rafts, to cool off and relax. Next, we go to the Tiger Kingdom and Mae Rim Snake show to see some big cats and scary snakes and maybe get some pictures taken, too. Then it’s back to Chiang Mai where we have dinner at the Night Safari and then enjoy the Night Safari’s excellent program.

Day Two

We leave early morning for Chiang Rai and stop along the way at the hot spring at Maekrajan. After taking a refreshing dip at the hot spring we visit the very beautiful White Temple on the way to Mae Sai, along the border of northern Thailand and Burma. We have a wonderful lunch in Mae Sai; the venue depends chosen according to your selected schedule. After lunch we visit the Long Neck Karen Hill Tribe village and spend some time with them, learning how they weave fabric and other handicrafts and relaxing with a cup of some locally grown coffee. Afterwards we check into our Chiang Rai hotel, and have some free time to explore.

Day Three

After breakfast, we leave for the Golden Triangle, the infamous yet beautiful opium producing area which is formed by the convergence of three countries, Thailand, Burma and Laos. Here we will learn about the Opium trade and visit the Opium Museum. After, we will board a long tail boat to take us across the Mekong to Laos to visit a small village. We have a late lunch on the way back to Chiang Mai and our visit to Wat Doi Suthep the revered Temple that sits atop Doi Suthep. Wat Doi Suthep is truly spectacular and affords incredible views of Chiang Mai city down below. Afterwards we leave for Sankampang handicraft village to see how Thai Silk and Sa paper umbrellas are made. Then it’s back to Chiang Mai for hotel check in and free time to explore the Night Bazaar.

This tour can be combined with other tour segments or booked as a standalone tour. Venues and activities can be chosen and substituted at per your request and special interest.