In Thailand’s far north, the Golden Triangle is where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos converge around the confluence of the Ruak and Mekong Rivers. Home to forested mountains and hill-tribe villages, it offers soft adventure, cultural immersion and luxurious, remote lodgings.
Though famous as a base for mountain, jungle and river adventures, this tri-border region is also home to some of Thailand’s most luxurious experience-led resorts.
One of the best places to meet and interact with Thailand’s northern hill-tribe communities, many of whom continue to thrive, having switched from growing poppies to crops like tea and coffee.
Well worth a visit in Chiang Rai is Mae Fah Luang Art & Culture Park, which houses one of Thailand’s biggest collections of Lanna artefacts.
Located close to the northern border, Chiang Saen is a sleepy riverside town that was once the capital of the Lanna kingdom, a state that flourished from the 13th to the 18th centuries.
With its hilltop setting, distinctly Chinese influence and abundance of tea plantations, Mae Salong on the border with Myanmar is unlike anywhere else in the region.
Thailand’s Golden Triangle is a landscape of profound beauty and cultural richness. Once infamous for its opium production, today it’s a region redefined by authenticity, sustainability and soft-adventure opportunities. Luxury here is found not only in world-class lodges with river views and jungle-set spas, but in the immersive experiences that shape each visit.
Chiang Rai serves as the cultural heart of the region, home to striking attractions like Wat Phra Kaew and nearby Wat Rong Khun, a blindingly white complex of buildings that glitters in the sunlight thanks to millions of tiny mirrors.
Beyond the city, the surrounding highlands are alive with opportunity. Treks through misty mountains offer glimpses into the lives of traditional hill-tribe communities. Rafting the Kok River and hiking and biking along scenic mountain trails afford endless adventures. While ethical encounters with rescued Asian elephants in responsibly run sanctuaries provide thrilling opportunities for animal interaction.
A lush jungle sanctuary perched at the edge of Thailand's Golden Triangle, Four Seasons Tented Camp offers luxurious tented suites and immersive experiences centred around mountain and river landscapes and local hill-tribe culture.
Perched on a ridge overlooking the hills of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, and the convergence of the Ruak and Mekong Rivers, the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort invites guests into a world of extraordinary natural beauty.