Tour of the Golden Triangle
Tour of the Golden Triangle 3 days
Immerse yourself in adventure with our exceptional three-day program, dedicated to exploring the Golden Triangle and all its wonders. Discover extraordinary panoramas, breathtaking nature, picturesque rice paddies, high-altitude tea plantations, and meet the fascinating ethnic minorities who populate the region. Explore Buddhist temples steeped in history, visit remote sites rich in history, browse vibrant traditional markets, and approach the Burmese border. Follow the meandering Mekong River to the Laos border for an immersive experience in the heart of the Golden Triangle.
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Program
Day 1
- Depart Chiang Mai and drive to the incredible caves of Chiang Dao Mountain (3rd highest mountain in Thailand).
- Visit the main cave, home to a Buddhist shrine and astonishing Burmese Buddhas.
- Around the caves is a famous daily market of traditional healing plants.
- Journey to the Golden Triangle. Numerous stops along the way. Visit the Doi Ang Kang mountain, the villages of the Palaung Argentés people (Tibeto-Burmese people originally from Burma, one of the last to wear their traditional dress in Thailand!) and a Palaung market on the Burmese border. Depending on the season, visit the strawberry, vegetable or flower plantations cultivated at altitude by the Palaung people, and the Burmese-Thai border (former fighting positions of the military fighting opium traffickers).
- Superb panoramic views of Burma.
- Thai lunch at the summit of Doi Ang Kang.
- Dinner and evening in an Akha Loimi (Tibetan-Burmese mountain people) village surrounded by nature in the Golden Triangle.
- Overnight in a home-stay bungalow in the Akha village.
Day 2
- Breakfast in a traditional Akha village.
- Day devoted to visiting the Golden Triangle region near the Burmese border (exceptional roads with many panoramic views, plantations, rice fields, etc.). Visit to a village inhabited by the Padong people ("Karenni with long necks").
- Lunch (Yunnan Chinese cuisine) in Mae Salong, an incredible little town built at high altitude by Kuomintang nationalist Chinese (former opium smugglers) in the 1960s.
- Visit to high-altitude tea plantations (tea tasting available). Superb drive to Chiang Rai (one of the most beautiful in Thailand!).
- Visit the amazing Wat Huay Pla Kang and its giant statue of Guanyin. An incredible place!
- Traditional Thai dinner in Chiang Rai, followed by a visit to the night market (many stalls are still run by Akha Loimi and Akha Ulo people).
- Overnight in a 3-4 star hotel in Chiang Rai.
Day 3
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Drive to the ancient capital of the Lanna Kingdom of Chiang Saen (the last city in Thailand to retain its almost complete city wall).
- Founded in 1329, it is still home to some one hundred temples, monasteries and chedis.
- Visit the astonishing teak forest temple (Wat Paa sak) and Wat Chedi Luang temple with its 15th-century golden Buddha (the most famous in the region!).
- Explanations of Thai Theravada Buddhism and the history of Buddhism.
- Canoe trip on the mythical Mekong River.
- Lunch in Chiang Saen on the banks of the Mekong.
- Drive from Chiang Saen to Chiang Rai and visit the world-famous White Temple (Wat Rong Khun).
- Return journey to Chiang Mai.
- Drop-off at hotel. End of tour.
Rates
Price includes :
Full-board stay
- - Accommodation (hotels + home stay in Akha village) in double room
- - Chauffeur-driven vehicles
- - English-speaking guide + local guides
- - Breakfasts, lunches and dinners
- - All activities and excursions
The price does not include :
- Personal insurance
- The drinks
- Personal expenses
