Wat Chedi Luang translates as ‘royal stupa temple’; there are quite a few similarly named temples around but we’re referring to the old Chiang Saen one, so named since it’s thought to have been the principal temple of King Mengrai’s former capital. Located in the northwest of Chiang Rai province on the banks of the … read the full post

Or ‘welcome to the house of fin’, (fin being the Thai translation)! The House of Opium is the original of the two museums in tiny Sob Ruak (in Chiang Rai province) dedicated to the sticky resin of this one particular flower. There is also the new, flashy — and expensive — Hall of Opium, which … read the full post

Mae Fah Luang Botanical Gardens are located in Chiang Rai’s Doi Tung district, close to the Burmese border town of Mae Sai. Now some 20 years old, the superb gardens were created in the early 1990s when the particularly troublesome Akha village of Pa Kluay was relocated by the royal-backed Doi Tung Development Project. The … read the full post

I had a mate from Siem Reap visit me in Chiang Mai recently. He’s a guide, so knows Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, Ta Phrom and so on inside out . His first comment on arriving was, “Oh, it’s got a city wall… and a moat, and it’s square shaped is it?!” “Well, yes,” I said. … read the full post

Let’s head up the road from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai for this post, where we’ll check out the unique Rong Khun temple. The temple is located some 15 km south of Chiang Rai city at the junction of highway 1 leading south to Phayao and highway 118 heading Chiang Mai-wards. The ‘white temple‘, as … read the full post