We went traveling to Chiang Rai after finishing our time in Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand. Since the 2 cities are close together, we had planned to visit both of them during the same trip by renting a car at the airport in Chiang Mai and returning it at the airport in Chiang Rai. The plan worked well and provided us with a great opportunity to see everything we wanted to in both beautiful locations!
We drove up to Chiang Rai from Panviman Resort in the mountains surrounding Chiang Mai. The drive was only about 240 kilometers, but it took us over 4 hours to travel since the roads were under continuous construction and were in abysmal condition! It was a long and arduous drive, but we eventually made it to our first stop at Mora Boutique Hotel.
Mora is close to the “downtown” area of Chiang Rai and we used our time there to explore the city area, as well as visit some nearby temples, such as the amazing White Temple. While exploring this temple, we had the chance to meet the artist who designed and built it, Chalermchai Kositpipat. This meeting made the day very special for us, since this temple has long been on our travel wish list. What a great day we spent there! The best part was the lack of crowds due to covid-19, since this place can get very busy!
We really liked the feel of Chiang Rai city. It was so small and cute, There were many adorable eateries. The musical clock tower light show was a must see and it certainly did have a charm that is difficult to explain in this age of technology and progress. We suggest not missing it when you are in Chiang Rai. It really is cool!
Once we left Mora Hotel, we checked into the beautiful Riverie. This place was super beautiful and was like a city unto itself! If you are staying in Chiang Rai, this is a place you must stay in our opinion! Get a river suite. It’s worth the increased cost! You will thank us for the advice and have a truly hospitable stay to rival anywhere worldwide…
We spent the last few days of our trip exploring the famous Blue Temple and some other nearby temples around our hotel. We did lots of hiking and climbing outside and we definitely enjoyed the cooler weather here and nice breeze. It was a sweat-free holiday, even when we were active.
Chiang Rai has much more to offer and we hope to return soon and see much more! Most of the best attractions are free and not crowded, making them perfect for true travelers, instead of group-oriented tourists… Since the city is small, but spread out, a car or motorcycle is a definite MUST-HAVE.
When our trip finally came to an end, we simply drove the short 20 minute trip to the local airport and easily retuned the rental car at Hertz. We flew home to Bangkok with our heads spinning with the charms of the north! The food, the views and the culture were all fantastic to behold.
Our Northern Thailand trip was very simple to plan and do, with easy logistics and a low cost. We look forward to many more trips to the north in the future. If you are a local or experienced traveler, please let us know what sights we must see next time we are there! We always look forward to the next adventure and will always take you along with us!
Enjoy our Chiang Rai videos too:
