Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai (เชียงราย) is the capital of Chiang Rai Province, Northern Thailand.

Chiang Rai Halal Travel Guide

The town proper has a population presence of around 62,000. It is the commercial centre of the Golden Triangle border region of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. It is an excellent base for adventuring the region. Chiang Rai is crucially a service city for the surrounding province. The greater area has a relatively small population of 200,000 people, but also has a respected university and other civic facilities.

The character is distinctly Northern and is distinct from Chiang Mai to the south in various ways. The food is spicier and the ethnic composition includes a good percentage of hill tribes and Burmese exiles.

Get in

What is the best way to fly to Chiang Rai

Mae Fah Luang-Chiang Rai International Airport
The airport is served by AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air and Thai-Airways to Bangkok. There are 3 weekly Flights to Kunming operated by Eastern China Airlines.

A new bus service, started on October 2022, is now connecting the airport to central city. An airconditioned bus runs every 20-40 minutes and costs 35 Baht per ride.

Car rental is available on arrival from Avis, Hertz and Sixt.

At a desk in the airport you can hire a pre-paid taxi. It costs 300 Baht to the downtown and more to other places (the prices are on display). It will take you to your hotel, or the driver will find you one if you give him the price range you want to pay.

Take a bus to Chiang Rai

There are two bus stations in Chiang Rai. The old bus station and new bus station. There is a songthaew (officially a "shuttle van") connecting the two bus terminals. It costs 15 Baht per person and takes 15 minutes. Some drivers ask you to pay more if there are fewer than 10 passengers, despite what the official price list posted inside the songthaew says. You can just wait for the next one and pay 15 Baht.

Old Bus Station (Bus Terminal 1)
In the centre of town. Buses coming from Chiang Rai Province stop here. From here you take the bus south to Phayao, and north to Mae Sai. There is enough English written on the signs and buses at the hub to tell where the bus is going. You board the bus and pay the ticket collector (confirm with him/her first that the bus is actually going where you want to go. They stand outside the entrance door of the bus as well as help load large luggage to the top of the bus). Local buses to the White Temple or the Black House leaves from here.

New Bus Station (Bus Terminal 2)
7 kilometers south of the city, just off the super highway and most buses from elsewhere in Thailand stop here.

From Chiang Khong

Local (red) buses leave every hour or so and have the destination clearly marked. The journey takes 2½ hours and costs 90 Baht. You can hop on/off anywhere along the bus route.

From Chiang Mai

Operated by Greenbus, departs Chiang Mai Arcade Terminal 3 on a regular basis. Green bus stops at both Chiang Rai terminals. As May 2017 and there are three types of bus:

V-Class Bus (VIP): 24 or 30 seat bus, air-con, toilet on board, free water, nuts and hand-towel. Travelling time 3 hours. 358 Baht

X-Class Bus (1st class): 40-seat bus, air-con, toilet on board. Travelling time 3 hours 20 minutes. 366 Baht

A-Class Bus (2nd class): 48-seat bus, air-con, no toilet. Travelling time 3 hours 30 minutes. 229 Baht

Different class buses leave at different times.

Travel by train to Chiang Rai

The nearest train station is in Chiang Mai.

Rent a Car or Limousine in Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai is about 820 kilometers north of Bangkok and is easily accessible from Bangkok via Highway 1, Highway 32, and from Chiang Mai via Highway 118.

Get around

Public transport consists mainly of tuk-tuks and songthaews, plus a smaller number of taxis. The city itself can be explored on foot, but for trips into the province consider renting a vehicle or a motorbike. Budget and Avis have offices in Chiang Rai and there are several local agencies. If you don't feel up to driving in what may be a very different environment and then consider hiring a vehicle with driver. It doesn't cost much more. Rental bicycles are difficult to find.

Chiang Rai has a few cyclo-rickshaws, which can be a pleasant way to see the main sights if you want a fairly quick tour.

By motorcycle

A motorbike is a good way to see these parts; there are several trails and a 250 cc dirt bike is a great way to see the nationside.

• ST Motorcycle is in the centre of town. It has most brands of motorbike.
• Soon's is another place that delivers motorcycles to some guest houses and may have a pick-up location.
• Chiang Rai Big Bikes is near the Clocktower. Scooters start from 390 Baht/day with 5000 Baht deposit.

Itinerary

For a suggested itinerary, see Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai in 3 days

What to see in Chiang Rai

Museums

• Baan Dam - Black House Museum - Created by Thailand national artist, Thawan Duchanee and the grounds include nearly 40 small black houses made of wood, glass, concrete, bricks, or terracotta in various unique styles and design scattered around the temple’s area. The cluster of houses accommodates Thawan’s collections of paintings, sculptures, animal bones, skins, horns, and silver and Gold items from around the world. Several of the houses exhibit Balinese and Burmese architecture and art dating back to the Ayutthaya period. The artist uses bones as a source of inspiration to paint. It is definitely not a place for animal lovers. There are also various kinds of baskets and drums from many regions and countries on display at Baandam. Not all exhibits are open to public. Open to everyone.

• Chiang Rai Cultural Centre | Visitors can find prehistoric tools, two medieval cannons, costume examples, ancient pottery and examples of ancient Lanna literature in the Dhamma script. There are also videos available, a model of the city and a display of five major areas of (Thai) culture.

• Haw Shan Art Gallery | A large, dark-wood, Shan-style pavilion. It can be opened for special showings.

• Hilltribe Museum and Education Centre | Aimed at promoting a better understanding of hill tribes and their cultures. The dusty low-key displays include that of housing styles, tools, utensils and traditional hunting, fishing and agricultural equipment, but it's worth a visit for an unsanitised view of how the hill tribes are exploited by some Thais and the tourist industry. The centre also runs their own hilltribe tours, where the money goes to employ and help the tribesmen. There is a branch of Bangkok's Cabbages and Condoms restaurant downstairs, whose profits go to support family planning and sex education projects in Thailand.

• Mae Fah Luang Art & Cultural Park | Two lakes, a barge and several large Shan-style small ponds. There is an interesting Haw Kam Golden Temple with two Shan halls containing accoutrements collected by Princess Maha Chakri and examples of Lanna craftsmanship: seven-armed candelabra, Buddha Images, wooden altars, embroidered cloths for wrapping Buddhist scriptures, carved wood screens, swords and monks' fans.

• Oub Kham Museum - พิพิธภัณฑ์อูปคำ | The collection displayes objects used in the royal courts such as Lanna, Khum Chao Phare, and Khum Chao Chiang Mai. Some are from northeast Myanmar, southwest China and Vietnam and are about 500-1,000 years old. Visitors can view 120 year-old ancient fabrics, Sin Mai Kham-golden silk skirt-from the Mandalay and the golden throne, king’s golden costumes and silver ornaments. A golden bowl used by royals, is a masterpiece. All of those show the glory of the kingdom in the past.

• Princess Mother '90 Museum | A sizable fascinating pavilion dedicated to the life of the princess mother (grandmother of the present king, King Rama X). On display are fine collections of lacquer boxes, wood pulleys, pottery, weaving equipment and some old handwritten folded texts with drawings.

• Sirindhorns Chinese Language and Culture Centre - Established through the cooperation of Mae Fa Luang University and the People’s Republic of China. The centre was built as a memorial to honour the princess mother as a symbol of friendship between the two nations. Construction took 7 months to complete at a cost of roughly 60 million Baht. The architecture replicates the Suzhou Chinese structure, building decorations and the garden ornaments by complying with the design layouts and using authentic materials shipped from China. The roofing tiles and the doors and the marble tiles laid at the entrance are all examples of a few of the materials brought from China.

Other

• Gate of Siam - You stand high up on a mountain. Laos and the Mekong River are in front of you.

• King Mengrai Great Memorial - อนุสาวรีย์พ่อขุนเม็งรายมหาราช | King Mengrai was the ruler of Nakhon Hiran Ngoen Yang (an ancient town on the bank of the Mae Khong around Chiang Saen) before Chiang Rai was established as the administrative centre in 1262. He consolidated his power by merging the different city in the north and founded the Lanna (Thai) Kingdom in 1296 with Chiang Mai as the capital.

• King Mengrai Stupa - กู่พระเจ้าเม็งราย | Built by King Chaisongkram to contain the remains of his father (King Mengrai).

• Namtok Khun Kon Forest Park - วนอุทยานน้ำตกขุนกรณ์ | The highest and most scenic waterfall in Chiang Rai, Khun Kon is some 70 m in height. Along the route to the site are cool, shady natural surroundings suitable for relaxation and nature walk. It is somewhat of a walk from the parking area, and it is quite hilly, so if you are not reasonably fit for a half hour walk over undulating terrain and then do not try it.

• Phucheefah | Great sunset view.

• Views of the City | Buffalo Horn Hill has a splendid overview of Chiang Rai. Other sweeping views can be gained from the top of Doi Kong Kao (Rice Box Hill), 4 kilometers west of town. There's a steep walkway up its west side. Well worth it, plus a 3 m standing golden Buddha statue is at its summit. The summit of the 90 m vertical limestone cliff at Boomerang Park affords a view of the city and miles of the river valley, though it's a bouldering scramble up its west flank to get there.

What to do in Chiang Rai

• Crouching Lion Hill | On its west end there's a Buddha Cave and a pleasant picnic/park area. Close to its east end and there's a 3-chambered cave, and each chamber has a natural skylight at its apex. The largest chamber is as big as a basketball court and as high as a large tree. Trekkers can hike right through the hill from the river side (south) to the road side (north). Volunteers from nearby Boomerang Park have kept the south entrance path clear of weeds, and have cut a new path leading from the north opening to the road below. The hill also hosts the area's largest fig tree, halfway along the hill on the river side, with bright red figs adorning its stout branches in the summertime.

• Frisbee Golf | 9-hole (or 9-basket) disk golf course, no cost. Frisbees provided. At same site are twin 160 m zip lines.

• Golf | There are two high-class golf courses east of Chiang Rai. Santiburi is 10 kilometers east of the town and Waterford Valley is 35 kilometers northeast of the town. In town there are two 9-hole courses: the army course that you find close to Mae Fa Luang Bridge and The Old Airport course, which also has a driving range. You can find golf instructors for hire there.

• Chiang Rai Beach - Pattaya Noi | The 130 kilometers long Kok River (แม่น้ำกก) flows through Chiang Rai. Chiang Rai Beach lies on the banks of this river and is a popular picnic spot in summer. Longtail boat cruises can be made from town to travel along both sides of lovely sceneries. Stops can be made at hill tribe villages of the Akha, Lisu, Lahu and Karen. Elephant rides are available to see the surrounding area. For more information, contact C.R. Pier ☎ +66 53 750009. Another river route starts from Thaton in Chiang Mai Province going north to Chiang Rai. The trip takes about four hours. Bamboo raft trips take 3 days and 2 nights. Contact Thaton Boat Club ☎ +66 53 459427, Thip Travel ☎ +66 53 459312.

• Prataap Jai | This three-storey shop aims to be a place "where cultures align", offering a number of affordable activities in both English and Thai: bilingual movie nights, open mic nights, yoga, monthly art exhibitions and workshops.

• Rock Climbing | Some free crags for the adventuresome, though they're mostly vine covered. There are also some cliffs at Boomerang Park with at least two dozen routes, all skill levels, which have been cleared of vines and debris and fixed with sturdy top rope anchors. Free outdoor activities for all ages.

• Trekking | Organise a trekking tour to the hill-tribes. Various companies in the area can organise this.

• Wanna Farm | An interesting place and the farm has ostriches which you can feed or ride for 100 Baht. It has a low-quality midway section with old country fair games to play. Offers camping and other activities as well.

• Waterfalls and Hot Springs | Kun Korn is a 70 m waterfall about 15 kilometers south of town. Take a right at the wooden sign of the same name. Take the scenic windy road to its end. A smaller set of waterfalls is northwest of town at Mae Sai hill tribe village (not the border town of the same name). There's also a hill tribe museum at that village. Yet another pair of rather large waterfalls is west of the town at an Akha village. Go west from town, along the south side of the river, for about 19 kilometers, and look for signs which lead you left into steep hills. Pong Phra Bat Hot Springs: Take Highway 1 north out of Chiang Rai, to the first village (Bandu). Turn left just after the big market on the highway. Go about 5 km. If you continue on that road to its end, you get to Pong Prabat Waterfall, which is a year-round stream winding through a very nice forest. Another thermal spas (Muslim Friendly) is Pha Soet, near the river. It's on a winding road going directly west out of town, which parallels the river, about 29 km. Huai Hin Fon Hot Springs and nearby waterfall are 7.5 kilometers west of Mae Chan, on the south side of the road.

Festivals

• Lychee Fair - งานเทศกาลลิ้นจี่และของดีเมืองเชียงราย | Held around mid-May every year. There is a float competition, lychee beauty contest, and booths of many local products at the Chiang Rai provincial stadium.

• Solar Fair | Hosted by Boomerang Park, showcases products and services related to alternative power, organic farming and alternative building.

• Wai Saturday Phaya Mengrai or Phokhun Mengrai Maharat Festival - งานไหว้สาพญาเม็งราย หรือ งานพ่อขุนเม็งรายมหาราช | Held 23 Jan–1 Feb. See the Buang Suang worshipping ceremony which commemorates Phokhun Mengrai Maharat. The fair is organised by Chiang Rai Province.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Chiang Rai

• Central Plaza | Central Plaza is Chiang Rai's mall. It is 4 storeys tall and has cinema which shows English-language films. It is located across the highway from Big C and is connected by a pedestrian bridge. Big C has a number of small shops surrounding it and acts as a mini mall. Both Big C and Central Plaza have food courts.

• Morning Market | In the morning there is a good market in Chiang Rai that sells a lot of good local foods meaning you get a real feel for the place.

• Night Bazaar & Food Court - เชียงรายไนท์บาร์ซ่า | The market consists of many small stands lining the narrow street running between Phaholyothin Road and the bus station. Everything on display from silk ready-made garments to tattoo etching, even pets. The hill tribes old coins, high quality needlework and very fine quilted bedspreads.

• Saturday Walking Street | The market is 4 blocks long with a attached food area with live music near the east end.

• Sunday Walking Street | Though slightly smaller than the Saturday Market and the Sankhongnoi Happy Street features more performances and cultural activities.

Muslim Friendly Food & Restaurants in Chiang Rai

There is lots of good Halal food in Chiang Rai, but most Muslim visitors seem to end up eating at the Night Bazaar. There are two separate places to eat here: "Centrepoint", run by a single restaurant with a Western-Thai menu and comparatively high prices (dishes 100-200 Baht), and then the "actual" night bazaar food court (dishes 50-200 Baht).

About half the stalls seem to be devoted to selling deep-fried stuff (fritters, French fries, tempura) to accompany soft drinks. There are also a few non-Thai stalls, offering Italian, Indian, (German), plus the obligatory insect stall for creepy-crawly cravings.

Buy Muslim Friendly Condos, Houses and Villas in Chiang Rai

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Ramadan 2025 in Chiang Rai

Ramadan 2025 in Chiang Rai

Ramadan concludes with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which may last several days, usually three in most countries.

The next Ramadan shall be from Friday, 28 February 2025 to Saturday, 29 March 2025

The next Eid al-Adha shall be on Friday, 6 June 2025

The next day of Raʾs al-Sana shall be on Thursday, 26 June 2025

The next day for Mawlid al-Nabī shall be on Monday, 16 September 2024

Muslim Friendly Hotels in Chiang Rai

• Visit our Chiang Rai hotel portal with 400+ properties
• The Legend Chiang Rai Boutique River Resort and Spa is Muslim Friendly

Where to go next after Chiang Rai

• The royal villas and mountaintop temple views at Doi Tung, you can hire a vehicle with driver for about 2,600 Baht for the day, plus fuel, and you go where you want to go.
• Visit Thailand's northernmost town at Mae Sai and pop across the border to Tachileik, Myanmar (Currently not recommended)
• The remnants of China's Kuomintang army, who now peddle Tea instead of opium at Mae Salong
• Go northeast to the Golden Triangle, where Laos, Myanmar and Thailand meet, and formerly a major opium-growing region
• Go east to Chiang Khong and cross the Mekong to Huay Xai, Laos
• Go south to Chiang Mai

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