Chiang Saen is the oldest city in Thailand and one of the most beautiful river towns in the country. Check out the following list of the top things to see and do while you are here.
Chiang Saen National Museum
The 1957-founded Chiang Saen National Museum was originally constructed to safely house the multitude of local archaeological finds. More recently, it has been developed into a purpose built, well laid-out, two-floor exhibition building. Since the area has been inhabited for some 15,000 years there is no lack of subject matter and exhibits cover the entire time frame.
Chiang Saen Lake
Hop on a bike, and head out to Chiang Saen Lake for a fun-filled day of natural beauty. The lake is a popular bird watching spot and is particularly famous for waterfowl and waders that migrate to the lake between November and February each year. This beautiful spot is well worth checking out and is a great opportunity to explore the town’s surrounding countryside or to just sit and relax.
Walking Street Market
Chiang Saen is blessed with numerous markets including the nightly Walking Street Market where you can mingle with locals and sample delicious foods on the banks of the mighty Mekong River. In addition to the Walking Street Market, there is also a Sunday Morning Market, a Saturday Evening Market and a daily produce market. The town’s markets are a great way to gain deeper insight into the local culture and to pick up some authentic Thai souvenirs.
Wat Chedi Luang
Wat Chedi Luang is a wonderful old atmospheric temple and chedi set amid a grove of mature trees, if you only see one temple in Chiang Saen make it this one. Wat Chedi Luang translates as ‘royal stupa temple’, so named since it is thought to have been the principal temple of Phaya Saen Pu’s capital city.
Wat Phra That Pha Ngao
A few kilometres out of town is the sacred Wat Phra That Pha Ngao which offers splendid views of the countryside below and is home to a special Chiang Saen era Buddha statue. The serene atmosphere makes this temple an attractive place to explore and even includes an ancient manuscript depository.
Golden Triangle
Chiang Saen is located a short drive south of the famous Golden Triangle, and while you are in the area, you might as well check out this much talked about spot. The Golden Triangle is where Laos,
Myanmar and
Thailand meet at the confluence of the Mekong and Ruak Rivers. The area is well-known for its opium-growing past and has a fascinating history to uncover.
Riverside Food Vendors
During the dry months, riverside vendors set up mats and sell rustic food such as fish or chicken barbecued inside thick joints of bamboo, along with sticky rice and spicy green papaya salad.
Wat Phra That Chom Kitti
A timeless temple coloured with gold and tradition rests atop a hill, Wat Phra That Chom Kitti overlooks the landscapes of the Khong River and hosts its treasured chedi. Home to a fragment of a Buddha relic that was split into three and divided amongst Wat Phra That Doi Chom Tong in Chiang Rai and Wat Phra That Doi Tung in Chiang Saen, this revered temple is one of the three to visit.
While it is quite a climb to reach the top, 308 steps to be exact, the unrivalled views below are well worth it. Accompanied by a variety of porticoes and statues along your way, the climb up to the top of the temple is an attraction of its own.
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Source Culture Trip
