Chiang Saen Attractions
Chiang Saen
Chiang Saen is a small town in the jungle and upland country at the northernmost tip of Thailand. It stands on a big loop of the majestic Mekong, which in places further south forms the border between Thailand and Laos, with the Laotian hills on the other side of the river.
Chiang Saen can be visited as part of a tour around the Chiang Rai district based on Chiang Mai (regular daily bus services from Chiang Mai, which also has the nearest railway station).
By car: Highway 110 from Chiang Rai to Mae Chan and then on 1016 (58 km (36 mi.)).
Once the capital of the Chiang Saen kingdom, probably the first Thai kingdom in present-day Thailand, the place then faded into obscurity, despite having acquired a certain fame for its Chiang Saen style. Finds of prehistoric tools have confirmed the theory that the area was already inhabited in Paleolithic times. A settlement in its own right over two thousand years ago, Chiang Saen had its heyday in the 10th-13th c. and under the rule of King Saen Phu. In 1238 it was the birthplace of King Mengrai who established his capital in Chiang Rai in 1261 and in Chiang Mai in 1297. Numerous wars with the Burmese and the King of Ayutthaya left their mark, and from the mid 16th c. to the late 18th c. Chiang Saen was under Burmese rule. King Rama I, the first king of the Chakri dynasty, had it razed to the ground so that it would no longer provide a target for enemy attack, and the town only came to life again under King Rama V (Chulalongkorn).
The course of the 8-km (5-mi.) wall that once encircled the town can still be traced from the ruins and ditches buried under grass and trees. Parts of the wall have recently been restored leaving the rest as grassy mounds. The Chiang Saen of today covers only a small section of the area once within the walls. Numerous remnants of temples, some of them very old and not all as yet accurately dated, serve as reminders of the town's past importance.
Chiang Saen is a small town in the jungle and upland country at the northernmost tip of Thailand. It stands on a big loop of the majestic Mekong, which in places further south forms the border between Thailand and Laos, with the Laotian hills on the other side of the river.
Chiang Saen can be visited as part of a tour around the Chiang Rai district based on Chiang Mai (regular daily bus services from Chiang Mai, which also has the nearest railway station).
By car: Highway 110 from Chiang Rai to Mae Chan and then on 1016 (58 km (36 mi.)).
Once the capital of the Chiang Saen kingdom, probably the first Thai kingdom in present-day Thailand, the place then faded into obscurity, despite having acquired a certain fame for its Chiang Saen style. Finds of prehistoric tools have confirmed the theory that the area was already inhabited in Paleolithic times. A settlement in its own right over two thousand years ago, Chiang Saen had its heyday in the 10th-13th c. and under the rule of King Saen Phu. In 1238 it was the birthplace of King Mengrai who established his capital in Chiang Rai in 1261 and in Chiang Mai in 1297. Numerous wars with the Burmese and the King of Ayutthaya left their mark, and from the mid 16th c. to the late 18th c. Chiang Saen was under Burmese rule. King Rama I, the first king of the Chakri dynasty, had it razed to the ground so that it would no longer provide a target for enemy attack, and the town only came to life again under King Rama V (Chulalongkorn).
The course of the 8-km (5-mi.) wall that once encircled the town can still be traced from the ruins and ditches buried under grass and trees. Parts of the wall have recently been restored leaving the rest as grassy mounds. The Chiang Saen of today covers only a small section of the area once within the walls. Numerous remnants of temples, some of them very old and not all as yet accurately dated, serve as reminders of the town's past importance.
Read More
Wat Phra That Chom Kitti
Located atop a hill offering scenic views over the town, Wat Phra That Chom Kitti dates back to the 10th century. The Temple is home to Lopburi-style Buddhas that have been well preserved.
Read More
Chiang Saen National Museum
This museum displays Chiang Saen style pieces which date from approximately 300 year ago.
Mekong, Thailand
The three-hour journey on the Mekong to Chiang Khong can prove quite an adventure, but check beforehand with TAT on the dangers it could involve. The trip covers a 20 km (12 mi.) stretch of the river, with many rapids, as it cuts its way through the mountain gorges and jungles.
Wat Chedi Luang
Wat Chedi Luang, within the walls by the west gate, dates from the 13th c. and parts of the original bronze-clad spire can still be seen on the 60-m (197-ft) high, bell-shaped 16th c. chedi, now covered in grass.
Wat Ku Tao
The sadly dilapidated ruins of Wat Ku Tao are on the right-hand side of the road coming from Chiang Rai, just before it crosses the Menam Kam River.
Wat Pa Kao Pan
Wat Pa Kao Pan, in a lovely setting on the bank of the Mekong, is more recent but contains an old chedi.
Wat Phra Buat
Wat Phra Buat nowadays is a striking mass of ruins, but one of the collapsed chedis still bears the remains of a fine figure of Buddha.
Wat Phra Chao Lan Thong
Only one chedi is left from Wat Phra Chao Lan Thong.
This temple was built by Prince Thong Ngua in 1489.
This temple was built by Prince Thong Ngua in 1489.
Wat Phra That Pu Khao
What is left of Wat Phra That Pu Khao stands on a hill above the Golden Triangle Hotel, with a magnificent view over the point where the Mae Sai flows into the Mekong River.
Attractions in Other Popular Destinations
