Top Five of Golden Triangle

Southeast Asia’s March earthquake was tiny compared to the one that shook Japan. Still, the quake rattled Myanmar and Thailand, lopping the tops off temples and killing dozens of people, mostly in Myanmar.

Although the area known as the Golden Triangle is earthquake-prone, it normally radiates peace and mystery. The Mekong-spliced spot where Burma, Thailand and Laos brush shoulders was once the world’s most lucrative opium smuggling route.

The trade may have faded, but the Triangle remains an intriguing slice of Asia. Witness some of its most mysterious sights scattered around the two main Thai-side towns: Chiang Rai and Chiang Saen.

Five reasons to visit the Golden Triangle

1.      White Temple

Thailand’s answer to the Taj Mahal, the White Temple stands on the fringes of the northwestern Thai town of Chiang Rai. A one-off, the temple’s main draw is its dazzling exterior and eccentric sculptures including a sea of hands. Inside, you will find a provocative anti-oil mural that visitors are forbidden from photographing, which is irritating, but boosts the mystique. Admission is free.

2.      Khun Kon waterfall

Just down the road from the White Temple, Khun Kon is huge: 70 meters high. Khun Kon has no fancy tiers but it oozes raw, unbridled power. To get there you need to be reasonably fit. Set in Khun Kon Forest Park, the waterfall stands at the end of a winding leafy track. The walk takes about 30 minutes.

3.      Train Library

Set in downtown Chiang Rai, the Train Library is just what its name suggests. The books it stocks are in Thai, but the library is worth a wander and a snap or two. The Train Library feels like a slice of conceptual art but functions like a dusty conventional civic library built from brick.

4.      Opium Hall

Meant to be a warning against the dangers of opium, the Opium Hall is also a whiz-bang blast of entertainment. Among other provocative exhibits, the Hall that stands on Chiang Saen’s fringes, hosts a ‘Gallery of Excuses’. Extraordinarily innovative, the Opium Hall even offers villas for visitors who want to linger. www.tatnews.org/new_products/1620.asp

5.      Golden Buddha lookout point

From this Mekong-side spot marked by a gleaming giant Buddha, with your feet planted in Thailand, you can see Burma and Lao PDR. Gazing out from the lookout situated in Chiang Saen may make you feel giddy. Where else in the world can you get a handle on three countries at once?

Must-eats

While you're here, you may as well get stuck into some Isaan food, heavily influenced by Burmese flavors.  Head to Chiang Rai's night bazaar for everything in the one place, including falang/foreigner food.

1)      Fried insects. Locust, water beetle and tiny frogs.

2)      Kao Soi. The local spicy curry soup topped with crunchy noodles (kind of like a Burmese version of laksa). Comes in pork (kao soi muu) and chicken (kao soi gai) versions. 

3)      Som tam – spicy papaya salad. Best tempered with sticky rice/kao niaow.

4)      Khaeng khanoon – spicy curry with jackfruit.

Sai ooa – Laos spicy sausage. Good hot or cold.  

Sources