The laid-back, ancient town of Chiang Saen is located on the banks of the Mekong River, just a few kilometers south of the Golden Triangle, 60kms northeast of Chiang Rai. It combines tumbledown ruins of the ancient city with Mekong River panoramas and is a base from where to explore the border area east of Mae Sai.
If you haven’t visited Ayuthaya or Sukhothai, then this place will give you a taste of the grandeur of Thailand’s past.
Most visitors come here on a day trip from Chiang Rai to see what remains of the town’s moat and walls, along with various temples and defenses. The riverfront is usually full of boats due to Chiang Saen’s foremost trading with China’s Yunnan Province and, in increasing numbers, tourists who embark to see more of the river basin.
The National Museum houses some impressive Buddha images, architectural items rescued from the ruins, and rural artifacts. Next door is Wat Phra That Chedi Luang, the main temple, with its remarkable, overgrown octagonal chedi. For devoted temple explorers, there is an information center run by the Fine Arts Department opposite the museum.
One of the most interesting ways to explore the ancient city is to hire a bicycle and take an improvised ride around and between the old city walls, which will give an idea how big an area the city used to cover—the new town is tiny by comparison. There are lots of crumbling chedi and temple foundations scattered around the area that are not marked on any maps.
The most imposing of Chiang Saen’s various temples is Wat Pa Sak, featuring laterite columns and restored brick buildings, while its central chedi displays some strikingly carved stucco decoration. A popular sight outside the town walls, the temple of Wat Wat Pra That Chom Kitti was built on the top of a hill in the 16th century and offers superb views of the surrounding countryside.
Chiang Saen’s origins date back to the 7th century, since when there has always been busy trading activity across the Mekong River, though the fortunes of the town itself have ebbed and flowed over the centuries, as is very evident today comparing the extensive ruins of the old city and the tiny modern town that occupies only a small part of its former boundaries.
This was the birthplace of King Mengrai, who went on to establish the Lanna Kingdom, with its capital first in Chiang Rai and then Chiang Mai, in the late 13th century. Its importance as a center of trade caused several battles for control between the Burmese and Northern Thais, and in the early 19th century it was completely razed by Siamese troops to rid the region of Burmese control, and its inhabitants were re-settled in other northern towns. Only in the 1880s was the town re-populated, and since then it has been a small community similar to any other Thai town, apart from its magnificent ruins and sweeping panoramas of the Mekong River.
Few visitors overnight here, preferring to breeze in and out on day trips from Chiang Rai, in which they also visit the Golden Triangle at Sop Ruak and Mae Sai, but there are a few adequate places for anyone who would like to soak up the atmosphere of the ancient city.
Where to Go
- Wat Pa Sak: an evocative brick chedi set in a teak grove.
- Chiang Saen National Museum: contains some imposing Buddha images and items rescued from the town’s ruins.
- Chiang Saen Wat Chedi Luang: was probably the town’s main temple 650 years ago and features an extraordinary chedi.
- Wat Phra That Chom Kitti: set on top of a hill and offering fantastic panoramas.
- Wat Pha Khao Pan: a working temple with a Lanna-style chedi.
When to Go
Chiang Saen’s weather follows the same pattern as the rest of North Thailand. The cool season from November to February is very pleasant and a good time to go for a long bike ride. The hot season from March to June brings high temperatures and humidity that can be oppressive at times, and the rainy season brings tropical downpours, though these don’t usually last long and the countryside in this season is lush and green.
Things to Do
There are really only a couple of things to do in Chiang Saen—visit the ruins of the ancient city and enjoy the views of Laos and the Mekong River by walking along the riverside promenade.
The three main attractions in town are conveniently located near each other. These are the National Museum, Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Pa Sak, so it’s easy to walk from one to the other. Wat Pha Khao Pan is also not far away down by the riverside, though Wat Phra That Chom Kitti is a few kilometers away.
Besides the ruins listed here, the area within the old city walls is peppered with crumbling foundations and the foundations of lesser temples, so it makes for an interesting day to rent a bicycle and explore the area. However, Wat Phra That Chom Kitti is on a steep hill, so you’d need to walk up to the top unless you decide to rent a motorbike taxi to visit this site for its fine views across to Laos.
Another possibility is to take a walk down by the riverside and negotiate a fee with a long-tail boat driver to take you for a short trip up to Sop Ruak to see the GoldenTriangle. This trip, which takes about an hour there and back, costs around B600-B700 for five people.
Getting There
Frequent buses leave from Chiang Rai to Chiang Saen, with the journey taking around 1 hour. Chiang Rai Airport is a 1-hour, 30-minute flight from Bangkok, where international connections are abundant.
The majority of visitors to Chiang Saen opt to join a tour from Chiang Rai which solves the problem of how to get there and how to get around. However, it’s much more fun, and not very difficult, to head there alone and explore the ancient ruins without a crowd of others spoiling the peaceful atmosphere of the place. Regular buses from Chiang Rai make the 60km journey in around 90 minutes.
Getting Around
Though it’s possible to visit the main sights (the National Museum, Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Pa Sak) on foot as they are so close together, to get a feel for the huge size of the ancient city it’s best to hire a bicycle (you’ll find them for rent at shops along the main street) and take a ride round the remains of the city walls and moat, taking in the outlying Wat Phra That Chom Kitti on the way, though you may need to walk up the hill to the temple as it’s fairly steep.
Where to Stay
Since most people visit Chiang Saen on a day-trip from Chiang Rai, there are few accommodation options in town, though there are a few passable places if you’d like to spend time in this ancient settlement on the banks of the Mekong.
There’s just one top-end hotel here, the newish Siam Triangle Hotel, located on the riverfront a kilometer south of the center, which adds a classy touch to the town’s lodging options.
Most other places are simple guest houses, though there’s also the smart River Hill Hotel and a new bed and breakfast place with good views over the Mekong River (Pak Ping Rim Khong).
Where to Eat
In the same way that there are few accommodation options in Chiang Saen, eating options are also limited. If you’re looking for an English menu, then head for the restaurant at either the Siam Triangle or River Hill Hotel, which serve up both Thai and international dishes.
There are several food stalls around the market on Phaholyothin Road and another cluster on the banks of the Mekong north of the main junction, where you’ll either need to point at your choice or pull out your phrase book. On the road to Sop Ruak, there’s a simple restaurant on the left, Jinda’s Kitchen, that has a short English menu.
Where to Party
Only a few thousand people live in Chiang Saen and there’s really nothing in the way of nightlife. However, if you’re staying in town, it’s worth taking a stroll after dark along the riverside promenade north of the main junction, as there are a few bars here where you can join locals for a shot of Thai whisky or rice wine.
Where to Shop
Apart from a few stalls at the entrance to Wat Chedi Luang selling T-shirts and bags made of hilltribe textiles, there’s nowhere to buy any souvenirs in Chiang Saen.
Need to Know
- Worth it? definitely, particularly if you have not visited Ayuthaya or Sukhothai.
- What to do: visit local archaeological sites and temples.
- Best time to go: during the dry season between November and February.
- How long? A day is enough unless you are a lover of old temples, in which case you may want to stay longer.
- Trivia: Chiang Saen has been a major crossroads of trade routes since the 7th century.
- How to get there: Frequent buses leave from Chiang Rai to Chiang Saen, with the journey taking around 1 hour.