Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai (เชียงราย) is the capital of Chiang Rai Province, Northern Thailand.

The metro area has a population of 200,000 and is the main commercial centre serving the Golden Triangle border region of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos. It is an excellent base for exploring the region. Chiang Rai is essentially a service city for the surrounding province. Despite its relatively small population, Chiang Rai has respected universities and other civic facilities.

The character is distinctly Northern and is distinct to Chiang Mai to the south in various ways. The food is definitely spicier and the ethnic composition includes a good percentage of hill tribes and Myanmar exiles such as various varieties of Karen tribespeople.

Climate

The weather you can expect when visiting Chiang Mai depends of course on the season. Chiang Mai’s climate can be roughly divided in three seasons, the rainy season, the dry and cool season, and the dry and warm season. Knowing these seasons will help you decide when are the best months to visit Chiang Mai.

Over an entire year the average high temperature is 31.8 °C, the average mean temperature is 25.4 °C and the average low temperature is 20.1 °C.

On average the monthly precipitation is about 99 millimeter per month, but averages like this are not very useful. More important is to know that of the total 1185 mm of rain, about 87% falls between May and October.

How to get to Chiang Rai (by plane)

Mae Fah Luang-Chiang Rai International Airport (CEI) is located on Phaholyotin Rd 8 km from the centre of Chiang Rai. Car rental is available on arrival from several companies as well as in town.

At a desk in the airport you can hire a pre-paid taxi. It costs 200 baht to the city centre and more to other places (the prices are on display). It will take you to your hotel, or the driver will find you one if you give him the price range you want to pay. The meter-taxis refuse to use the meter, covering it up with tape, so the pre-paid taxis are the best option.

The meter taxi drivers (at the far end of the parking lot) may try to negotiate a fixed rate but you can keep repeating “meter” and they’ll probably agree to 30 Baht airport fee plus 10 Baht per kilometer. Since the airport is 10 KM north of the city you’ll likely pay less than 200 Baht total to your hotel.

The airport is served by AirAsia, Nok Air, Bangkok Airways, Lion Air and Thai Airways to Bangkok. China Eastern Airlines offers three direct flights per week to/from Kunming China.