Offering access to the greater Chiang Rai Province and Thailand’s Golden Triangle, the city of Chiang Rai is often overlooked as a simple gateway to the riches of the country’s northern reaches. However, this city is simply not to be ignored. An array of exquisite temples, earthy tribal artworks, and a multicultural vibe fuses the traditions of Burma, Laos, Siam and China into one marvellous cluster of spicy khao suey chicken and tempura dishes, a mix of Cantonese, Thai and Laotian languages, and a deep Buddhist religiosity!

Chiang Rai’s cultural offering is topped by the glistening rises of the so-called White Temple of Wat Rong Khun, a relatively new addition to the country’s line-up of startling religious undertakings that exudes mythical symbolism from every pore. That’s backed up by a range of intriguing museums, from the Hill Tribe Museum of Karen natives, to the eerie bone exhibitions at the Bandaam Black House.

Outside of town lurks the famous Golden Triangle, and Chiang Rai tour guides often recommend taking a creaky longboat up the waters of the Mekong to see where the three nations of Burma, Thailand and Laos intersect. There are then the misty ridges of the Phu Chi Fa Forest Park, or the bubbling hot springs of Pha Soet and Pong Phra Bat to enjoy.