How to Spend a Day In And Around Mae Sai, Thailand

The town of Mae Sai is the northernmost point in Thailand, and is a busy crossing point into Myanmar.  It is about 60km by road from Chiang Rai, and easy to get to by bus.  I recommend the local bus which leaves hourly and costs 50 baht ($2.50) for a ticket.  It is a ‘milk run’ bus which picks up and drops off people anywhere, and you get to see a bit of local life and commerce.

Mae Sae itself is not particularly exciting.  Very few people speak English, there is no night life and the place basically shuts down at 8pm when the market sellers pack up their stalls.  But you can get good street food along the main road at any time of day, and the people are friendly and honest.  Two nights is plenty for a visit, and I have suggested a one day itinerary which takes you out of town to the east along the Mekong River.  You can hire a motorcycle to do this trip, or pay for a car and driver for the day.

This story is part of our Borderlands & Crossings series.

Market, Border Crossing and Wat Phra That Doi Wao

Walk through the market towards the end of the day.  There is plenty of activity, good food and you can follow a rabbit-warren of little streets to the west of the main road.  Pause for a few minutes to watch the chaos at the crossing point.

Follow the paths upwards through the market until you get to the bottom of the stairs to the Wat.  You can drive up the hill to the temple or climb the 208 steps.  Once there you can spend a fun hour exploring the various temples, pagodas and odd buildings – everything is a purple hue, and lights up in the evening.  The Sky Walk is a must-do and is spectacular at sunset.

Rent a Motorcycle

Rent from the Honda dealership on the main road.  They are professional and the bike I rented was well maintained and clean.  300 baht for 24 hours and they require your passport for security.  I did look at one other rental place off the main road but the guys there looked like they would just as soon slit my throat as rent me a bike.

Follow Route 1290

Stick to this route and you won’t get lost.  A good first stop is at Wat Chetiwarayam, about 14km out of town on the left.  There is a big reclining Buddha, and the main pagoda has many Buddha statues making various gestures, so you can brush up on your mudhras.  There is a smaller temple festooned with bells which make a pleasant sound in the breeze.

Doi Sa Ngo

A little further along on the right is the turnoff to this lookout point.  The detour will take you about 45 minutes, and don’t try it if it has been raining heavily as the last 500 metres to the summit are over a dirt track.  The drive up is pleasant and steep in parts through a couple of villages and you get to see farming close up.  From the top, the view is to the north and east.  The big buildings you can see are the hotels and casinos in Laos.

On the way down, instead of returning to the highway, there is a back road to the Golden Triangle.  Set your Google Maps and it should pick this route up.

Hall of Opium

This museum is well worth a visit; plan on an hour or two.  From the ticket counter you enter through a spooky 100 metre concrete tunnel which has frescoes of tortured, drug-crazed faces.  The museum consists of two floors with galleries about the spread of opium through the world, the history of the trade, the various measures to contain it, and how they have given Thai poppy farmers new opportunities.  One gallery shows some very clever smuggling techniques, and it finishes with some hard lessons involving celebrities and ordinary people.

Golden Triangle

‘Golden Triangle’ is a term steeped in mystique – the inaccessible convergence of three countries where opium farmers, smugglers and bandits ruled Asia’s drug trade for decades – which is true.  But sorry to disappoint you; the triangle on your map refers to the spot on the river where the three countries meet, and it is now a tourist spot.  Market stalls line the streets and tourist buses edge past each other.  The most entertaining thing I saw was a group of portly tourists squeezing into life jackets prior to a jaunt on the water.  15-20 minutes to take some pictures is sufficient here.

Chiang Saen

Another 15 minute drive gets you to Chiang Saen, and it is a nice drive beside the river.  Chiang Saen is a busy town with a customs and immigration point for boat crossings into Laos.  Stop for a while and watch people loading and unloading the river boats.  There are some restaurants along the waterfront selling grilled meat and cold beer overlooking the Mekong.

Wat Phra That Pha Ngao and Another Skywalk

This temple complex is on the right around 5km to the east of Chiang Saen.  You could easily spend a couple of hours there.  The original temple is around 400 years old and there are lots of buildings and trails to explore.  Make sure you drive to the top of the hill to visit the chedi.  Do the Skywalk; it enhances the view.

For more detail, this website is good: https://www.chiangmai-alacarte.com/blog/chiang-saen-wat-phrathat-pha-ngao/

Beyond Chiang Saen

Keep driving east along 1290 and you turn away from the river and pass through farming country and small towns.  You will hit the river again north of Chiang Khong, and from there you can proceed to the Friendship Bridge.  It depends on how much time you have.

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