The Golden Triangle Experience
3 Nights / 4 Days

Trip Grade: Easy and relaxing
Activities: Visit temples, historic places, museums, hill tribe villages, scenic river trip by long rail boat, Doi Mae Salong Tea Estate and scenic tour.

Best Season: September to March is the cool and dry weather best season. However, Chiang Rai can be visited year round.

Itinerary:
Day 1 Chiang Rai, the Golden Triangle area tour

Pick up from your hotel or Chiang Rai Airport on arrival, and drive to Mae Fa Luang hills to visit the Queen Mother's palace for scenic views and visit local handicraft project funded by Thailand's Royal family for the hill tribe people to make a better living through cottage industry. Then, continue journey to Mae Sai, Thai-Myanmar border town for a brief visit (optional), and continue journey to Golden Triangle at the Mekong River, where Thailand, Myanmar and Lao borders meet. We will visit the Opium Museum, the big Buddha image overlooking the river valley, and enjoy the scenic view of the Mekong River at the triangular border area from the Thai side. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. Next, we will visit the Chiang Saen National Museum and overnight at hotel in Chiang Rai. Meals: BLD.

Day 2 Doi Mae Salong Tea Estate and Scenic Mae Kok River

Early morning breakfast at hotel. Travel overland to visit Doi Mae Salong, also a Yunan Chinese Village, formed some four decades ago by migrant Chinese from Yunan, who have turned Doi Mae Salong of northern Thailand into a famous tea estate, where some of the finest tea is produced for the local and international markets. In addition to the tea plantation, various fruits and farming makes these beautiful hills truly a paradise to visit to enjoy scenery, taste the fresh cut tea and experience the rural way of life in the Golden Triangle of north Thailand. We will also visit the viewpoint and the temple of the village. Next, visit Ban Lorcha village of Akha people to see their way of life. We will see their sacred area for spirits, blacksmith, welcome dance, house, weaving and display of their artifacts. Then, continue journey to Huai Khum Village Resort at the bank of Mae Kok River valley for lunch, travel by long tail boat down the scenic Mae Nam Kok River back to Chiang Rai boat landing. On arrival, transfer to your hotel. Meals: BL.

Remark: If the Nam Mae Kok River is too high from rainy season during July-September, the river part of the trip is not operated, but provide roundtrip transfer by vehicle.

Day 3 Chiang Rai at Leisure

Breakfast at hotel and at leisure to explore Chiang Rai on your own.
Leisure day activities to consider are souvenir shopping, receive spa treatment or simply relax at your hotel pool or go for a walk through to visit local temples and markets.

Day 4 Chiang Rai to Bangkok flight

Breakfast at hotel and transfer to Chiang Rai Airport for your next destination flight. Meals: B.

Group A Hotel Package (5 Star Hotel)
The Golden Triangle Experience 3 Nights / 4 Days
Tour Costs Per Person In US Dollars:

Group B Hotel Package (4 Star Deluxe Hotel)
The Golden Triangle Experience 3 Nights / 4 Days
Tour Costs Per Person In US Dollars:

Group C Hotel Package (3-4 Star Hotel)
The Golden Triangle Experience 3 Nights / 4 Days
Tour Costs Per Person In US Dollars:

Bangkok-Chiang Rai roundtrip fare is about US$190 per person Airfare includes departure tax and insurance and subject to change.

Tour Cost Includes:
Three nights accommodation in quality hotels in Chiang Rai on twin sharing and breakfast,
Meals are mostly half board to full board as indicated in the program,
Transfers by air-conditioned tour van on arrival, departure, and during tour,
Pick up truck with cabin seating in the hills,
Long tail boat when traveling in the river,
tour activities as mentioned in the itinerary,
English and hill tribe language speaking tour guide service,
entrance fees to monuments and parks visited, and insurance against accidents for the duration of the tour.

Tour Cost Excludes:
Bangkok-Chiang Rai roundtrip airfare and departure tax, train fares, bus fares, lunch & dinner on stated in tour program, any items of personal nature including personal insurance, beverages, telephone, laundry, charges for delays caused by situations beyond our control including bad weather, natural disasters, political unrest, and emergencies.

Hotels Used for this tour:
Anantara Resort Golden Triangle (5 Star Boutique Deluxe),
The Legend Chiang Rai Boutique Resort & Spa (4 Star deluxe),
Wiang Inn or Laluna Hotel (quality 3 star standard hotels) or similar,

Bangkok to Chiang Rai Flight Connections:
Thai Airways, Orient Thai Airlines (One-Two-Go), and Thai Air Asia have flights to Chiang Rai. The latter two airlines are budget carriers. Booking far in advance is necessary to secure good deals.