Group
photo taken at Mea Fa Luang Garden.Trip To Chiangrai, Northern Thailand
It was February 3rd, 2003 second day of Chinese New Year, we made our trip (self organized ) to Chiangrai. Our trip group consists of 14 adults 7 children which are Tan Chee Soon's family ( Husband and wife, Tan's father and mother, 3 children), Carpet Wah's family ( Husband and wife, 2 children), Koay's family (Husband and wife, Koay's father and mother, Koay's wife mother, 1 children) and my family (Husband and wife, wife 's brother, 1 children).
Group
photo taken at Mea Fa Luang Garden.
For the trip we've to self drove and past through Bukit Kayu Hitam to boards a plane at Hatyai Airport which the flights we have advance booking. The flight will take you to Bangkok and transit to Chiangrai. When we reached the Chiangrai airport our rented vehicles had been ready for us from the car rental shop at the airport (which I've advance book through the internet). If you rent for seven days above you get a cheaper rate and there are variety of vehicle available such as saloon, van or 4 wheel drive. Made sure you do advance booking during peak season.
Travel Map
Our trip covered basically a circle loop from Chiangrai (starting point) to east Phu Chee Fa, east to north Mea Sai, north to west Thaton and west to back the starting point Chiangrai. The initiary stated below are major towns that we passed through during our journey as follow :
First night 03/02/2003 at Chiangrai logged in at Wang Come Hotel and dinner at Night Bazaar.
Next morning checked out stopped at Thoeng town to filled up car petrol.
Reached Phu Sang Fall is a waterfall beside the main road toward Phu Chee Fa.
Phu Chee Fa is a high mountainous place which have a splendid scenery viewpoint at which you can over look down above the cloud at Chiang Tong town at Laos. Second night logged in Phu Chee Fa Hill chalet and dinner at surrounding shop and car petrol filled. Next Morning we have to waked up early in the morning and chalet owner guard us up the top of the mountain to view the early morning rising sun covered with cloud. I tell youu....ha..an.. it seen like you are at the sky freely.
And the journey continues heading north and we stopped at Wiang Kean to filled up the car petrol.
After passed the town Wiang Kean the travelling road seems like moving along side with the mekong river. We stopped at Chiang Khong viewing the Mekong River and the opposite side is Laos. Dinner at one of the restaurant near the port.
Further north we reached Chiang Sean town and we visit the opium museum and Golden Triangle at the Mekong River.
Golden Triangle where the border of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet. We had the boat ride at the Mekong river and cruised toward the Myanmar casino and stopped over at Laos main land shopping.
Today is the third day travelling, we reached the upper most town of Thailand Mae Sai and we logged in the Hotel (forget the hotel name is at the main road ) for two night. Along the main road you can find a lot of ornament hand carft, souvenir and jewelry stone shop. For diner you can get easily chinese crusines and ever the people can speak mandarin. On the next day which is fourth day we went across to Tachilek, Myanmar sight seeing the cultural village, temple, buy gem stone and lunch. Came back to Mea Sai roaming around the shops to called off the day. On fifth day morning raining and we have our breakfast and car petrol filled heading our journey.
The journey heading to the west using the mountainous road near the border of Myanmar and fully guarded area by the Thai military because the bandits from Myanmar are smuggling the drugs through Thailand. You can seem the fully mist and enjoys the cold breezes.
Passed through the Pha Mee Ahka hilltribe village and we reached at the Phra That Doi Tung the oldest and highest temple in Chiangrai. At Mae Fa Luang garden is below the Doi Tung Royal Villa which is know as "Little Switzerland " where is was built by King late mother. The Royal Villa is built by mostly recycle materials and for public admission. Not forgetting not short pant.
We reached to an area where the mountainous was planted with chinese tea Doi Mae Salong is where the Chinese Nationalist resettlement army fled from China during the war. Logged in at Khumnaiphol Resort. Visit Chinese Nationalist General Tuan's tomb, 101 tea plantation and where you can see Thailand sakura flower. Car petrol filled and worse thing is that the electric supply will cut off by 12 o'clock night.
Sixth day coming down the mountain, the road have many turns and heading to Thaton at Chiangmai Province. Back to the road to Chiangrai passed by Muang Ngam and stopped at Maliga Hot spring. It quite late we headed straight to Mae Chan and logged in Rimchan Resort Hotel for the sixth night. Mae Chan is a center place at northern region where the hilltribe peoples came here to trade their goods.. Diner at the resort.
The following day we checked out and headed back the road to Thaton, we stopped at Ban Ya Pa the Long neck village, back the road to Mea Chan we passed through Santisuk and Kiu Satai where the police Check point, the junction turn left the road to Mae Salong.
The next stopped is at Laan Tong Mekong Basic Cultural Park six countries perform cultural dance from Thailand, China, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia. You can see world's largest gong with 12 signs of the zodias. The Hot Spring is 11 kilometers away from Mea Chan where you can take bath for 30 bahts and boil egg in the spring well.
And the final destination back to Chiangrai to closed the journey loop. For the seventh night we logged in Red Rose Hotel a very unique hotel where you can find varies type of room decorated with different appearance. The room was decorated in boxing ring, outer space, inside the boat and others. Visited Wat Doi Thong and have dinner at Pattaya Noy.
On the eigth day we visited Wat Nah Khai, Hilltribe Museum & Handicraft, Princess Mother 90 Park and Big C superstore roaming around to kills the time to catch the plane back to Hatyai and same night we reached home for 9th day of chinese lunar pray.
Slideshow Photos
