How to visit the Golden Triangle, Thailand in a day
One of my favorite travel experiences is visiting the Golden Triangle in Thailand. The Golden Triangle is an immersive experience of the culture and beauty of northern Thailand with amazing things to do and eat along the way. Though you can certainly enjoy a longer trip to this beautiful region, you can pack a lot of amazing adventures into a day, too. Here is my guide to visiting the Golden Triangle in a day:
What is the Golden Triangle in Thailand?
Golden Triangle earned its name from both its geography and history. Golden from the precious metal used as payment for the opium production industry; and Triangle from the meeting point of three countries: Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar.
Though the area was long known for its distressed and dark history of the leader of the world’s opium production, it’s now a prime tourist destination that budget travel hackers love. The region is full of amazing (and budget-friendly) tea plantations, scenic hikes and overlooks, museums, great-tasting foods, elephant sanctuaries, and so much more.
The Golden Triangle region in Thailand is the perfect day trip from Chiang Rai, Thailand. But you can easily make the Golden Triangle a longer destination by staying at one of the many resorts in the surrounding area.
Where is the Golden Triangle located in Thailand?
The Golden Triangle area is a lush forested mountain area in the Chiang Rai Province of northern Thailand where Thailand Laos and Myanmar connect. Locally this area is known as Sop Ruak, stemming from the meeting of the Ruak River merges with the mighty Mekong River. The Golden Triangle marker, a famous attraction where the three countries touch, is located in the Baan Sop Ruak village on the Thai side.
Getting to the Golden Triangle from Chiang Rai
With so many different places to visit within the region, it’s best to hire a driver for a personalized day trip to the Golden Triangle. This will maximize your time and ability to see a wide array of things to do in the area. (Hello, beautiful tea plantations!)
We hired a driver through our hotel for just $70 USD for the entire day for the two of us. Keep in mind that hiring a driver is different than hiring a guide. Your driver is there to drive you, and not there to discuss what you are looking at. In fact, most drivers speak very little English, so don’t expect to get much information from them during the day trip about where you are or what you’re doing.
Personally, I didn’t feel like the trip needed to be guided to have a good experience and likely wouldn’t have been worth the cost.
Though you could rent a car and drive to many of the locations in the Golden Triangle yourself, going with the guide will make your life a lot easier.
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How long does it take to get to the Golden Triangle?
The drive from Ching Mai to the Golden Triangle marker, the actual location with an outlook point where you can see Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand, is about an hour to an hour and a half drive mostly on a 2-lane highway. From there you can weave your way back to Chiang Rai, visiting many amazing places along the way.
What to do in the Golden Triangle in a day
Visit the Golden Triangle Park – Where Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet
The first stop on any visit to the Golden Triangle will likely be the namesake for the region. From Chiang Mai, dive an hour to hour and a half north to a nice overlook where you can see Myanmar and Laos. The area includes a small temple with some great photo opportunities with an older Golden Triangle sign and some beautiful Buddha statues and more.
Travel Tip! If you travel during dry season you’ll likely not be able to see very far. Dry season is also burn season for farmers in the area and the air is covered in a thin layer of haze.
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Soak in the views (and tea) at the Choui Fong Tea plantation
Probably one of my favorite activities in the area is visiting the Chou Fong Tea plantation. First, I need to address how amazing their teas truly are. But also incredible are the stunning scenery and photo ops you can have walking around the grounds. The food and drink are more expensive than most places in the area with an iced tea costing you around $3 USD. But this is a great stop for lunch along your day trip.
Travel Tip! The gift shop has free tea samplings all day. Be sure to stop in for one… but also grab an iced tea from the restaurant. (Their iced oolong is to die for.)
Visit the cave rescue at Thamluang Khunnam Nang Non National Park
Though Thamluang Khunnam Nang Non National Park has hiking and other natural wonders worth visiting, tourists have been coming here for years now to visit the site of the amazing boy’s soccer team rescue from 2018.
You can currently take a tram from the parking lot to the entrance of the cave to view the large cavern and the site of the start of the rescue operation. There are also some artifacts and memorabilia commemorating the rescue on site. As a bonus, the park is free to visit.
Learn more about the Golden Triangle at the House of Opium Museum
Located near the Golden Triangle scenic overlook, the House of Opium Museum is a great introduction to the history of the region. This museum is a must to truly understand the region. The museum is beautifully designed with panels in both Thai and English. Entrance costs less than $1.50 USD per person, it’s certainly a great value.
See the White Temple (without the bus)
You can certainly take a local bus to the White Temple (Wat Rong Khu) from Chiang Rai, many tourists do! But if you have extra time on your trip consider a detour to see this temple with your hired driver to save some money going back another day. While it is not an ancient temple, its style and detail make it a must-see when in the Golden Triangle area.
Stroll the grounds at the Baan Dam Museum, or Black House
Though the Baan Dam Museum is accessible in Chiang Mai with a quick tuk-tuk ride, it’s also a great stop on your way back to town. Admission is about $2.50 USD per person and includes access to all 25 folk art buildings.
Day trip to the Golden Triangle itinerary
Golden Triangle group tours
Hiring a driver for the day will allow you to go at your own pace and see things you might miss on a standard group tour. For example, most tours don’t stop at the Choui Fong Tea plantation. However, if you value more context on your trips with a guide, you can go on one of the many group tours offered from Chaing Rai to the Golden Triangle.
Keep in mind that some of the group tours might also bring you to the ethically questionable Karen Long Neck Hill Tribe villages. Personally, I and many travel bloggers don’t recommend visiting the tribe due to the tour’s use of the villagers as a spectacle.
