Top Chiang Rai Hotels

Chiang Rai is modern Northern Town and a key stop-over to enter Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. My stay was a stop-over in transit to enter Laos through Huay Xai and Wiang Inn''s location was perfect as I did not have to rely on any public transport to get around and I arranged my next day trip into Laos within an hour of arriving at the Hotel.

Anantara''s Chef Nan offers a good market visit and cooking school with lunch of local specialities. It''s a short walk to the Hall of Opium, which is one of the best small museums I''ve seen, and to the Elephant Camp on the grounds of the Anantara. There are no group tours offered - only private tours which become quite expensive.

For those in the Chiang Rai area, I would highly recommend visiting Doi Tung and Mae Fah Luang. The gardens are spectacular as are the mountain views.

A trip to the golden triangle is worthwhile. We hired a car, driver and tour guide, which is the only way to go. We recommend lunch at the Anantara Resort on the way back. The night market is interesting - take the hotel van there and a tuktuk back. I do not recommend the nightmarket restaurant recommended in Michelin Green Guide - it was the only bad meal we had in three weeks in SE Asia.

The Golden Triangle Area is beautiful, and there are many things to do. I recommend a day trip to Doi Tung, the Princess Mother''s economic development project and estate. A trip on the Mekong is worthwhile. Also, the Anantara has a cooking school which is excellent.

Great for a 4 to 5 day trip.

Great base for touring the town and the area. Hired a mini-van and driver from directly across the street for 1400 Baht per day for 2 days and got long days with pleasent helpful driver who took us to Golden Triangle, Laos river trip, many hilltribe villages and boat to to Ramout. Boat cost was extra but small cost. <BR><BR> Eating areas at the night market are great with choice of restaurants or open vendor food area which has nightly free entertainment on 2 stages. Try to visit main tour areas outside peak times of the day. Bars, tour offices and shopping close to the hotel. Good location.

Great centralized locale to explore hill tribe region. Crossing the border into Tachileik, Burma is nothing special. Just more of the same as what is on the Thailand-side. It places a scant smiley face on the Burmese junta''s brutality.

You have to have a car to stay here.

I used Golden Triangle Tours who were great for the day long tour but the 1/2 day city tour it was a bit of a cheat at only 1 1/2 hours for 1200 bahts. The night market was great and much more manageable than that of Chiang Mai.