This 12-hour Golden Triangle day tour departs from Chiang Mai. The Golden Triangle day tour's first stop is Maekajan, home to hot springs and also known for its former opium market. While in Maekajan, tourists can view the Myanmar and Laos borders which form with Thailand to create the triangle, while viewing the Ruak and Mekong rivers. The next stop is Mae Sai, a trading village on the border of Thailand and Myanmar. Tourists can shop at the night market in Mae Sai or buy a day pass allowing them to cross the border into Myanmar. Akha and Yao villages are the last stop on the Golden Triangle day tour. Originating in southern China and Tibet, the Akha and Yao tribes dress in brightly colored and elaborately embroidered clothes, and live along the hill sides of Chiang Rai province. Lunch, hotel pick-up and return, and personal guides are included with the Golden Triangle day tour. Prices begin at $92.
The private tour of the Golden Triangle provides tourists with their own private tour guide allowing for a more in-depth view of the Akha and Yao tribes and the Golden Triangle area. Departing from Chiang Rai, the first stop is Mae Chan, where the private tour guide will lead tourists to visit and observe the Akha and Yao tribes and villages. From there, tourists can view the borders of Laos and Myanmar on the drive to Mae Sai. A buffet lunch is included with the private tour and is served in Mae Sai. The private Golden Triangle tour allows travelers to visit the opium museum. The last stop is Chiang Saen, where tourists can visit archaic temples and old ruins. Prices start at $67.
Located in the Golden Triangle along the Ruak and Mekong rivers is the small village of Sob Ruak. Sob Ruak is lined with local vendors and restaurants, and tourists can charter their own long-tail boats. The One Stop Chiang Mai website recommends taking a long-tail boat ride to view the village life of the tribes in Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. If tourists arrange for a one-day pass to Myanmar, they can stop at the casino along the Mekong river. Overnight accommodations can easily be made at the Serene at Chiang Rai Hotel or the Imperial Golden Triangle Resort. Both luxury resorts begin at $52 per night.
Serene at Chiang Rai - Sop Ruak
569 Moo 1, Golden Triangle
Tambol Wiang
Chiang Saen, 57150
Thailand
66 053-784006
sereneatchiangrai.com
The Imperial Golden Triangle Resort - Sop Ruak
222 Golden Triangle
Chiang Saen, 57150
Thailand
66 053-784006
imperialhotels.com
