Chiang Rai Retreat

It was about a year ago since our last road trip away so it was time again to enjoy a change of pace and surroundings. This week we travelled to Chiang Rai for some relaxation & relaxation by enjoying the Le Meridien Resort. It is a lovely resort on the banks of the Kok River and offers some large & nicely appointed rooms, fantastic pool for enjoyment and grand breakfasts.

Given that Chiang Rai is only a 3 hour or so drive north from Chiang Mai, with much of the road now 4 lane highway, it is an easy drive. I enjoy road trips of short durations and the opportunity to check out some of the simple roadside cafes and food stops on the way. It rained the night before leaving and the air was clear and the day very sunny.

This trip was more about relaxing poolside and enjoying the varied cuisines. The rooms are very spacious at the resort with a relaxing balcony. The breakfast buffet is huge with all imaginable variety of breakfast foods. Very full after our morning feasts. It was a great few days away in this lovely spot. Felt a bit weary from all the swimming.

Afternoon Treats – before checking into the hotel we dropped into this very nice spot to enjoy very indulgent afternoon refreshments beside the Kok River in Chiang Rai. Beautiful day after the rain & it is always pleasant relaxing riverside at this lovely café – Chivit Thamma Da Coffee House & Bistro.

Dinner Choice – Our first night feed was a delicious Yunnan cuisine, alternatively known as Dian cuisine. Apparently an amalgam of cuisines of the Han Chinese and other ethnic groups in Yunnan Province in south western China. Nice riverside location known as Yunnan not far from Le Meridien on the river with tranquil views.

Checking out some sights – We took the opportunity to head north of Chiang Rai about 1 hour near Mae Sai to check out the location of the well published rescue of a soccer team. We went to Tham Luang Nang Non cave where the twelve members of a soccer team and their assistant coach were rescued in 2018 – 2690 meters inside the flooded cave.

Seeing it in person reflected the enormous effort & challenge involved. While we could only enter for about 200 meters, the distance that was involved to enter, locate and then extricate the children was mind-blowing. It was dark and damp during our visit so one could only imagine the conditions at the time of the rescue during the wet, rainy season.

Enjoyable Lunch – For lunch on one of the days we went to Lalitta – a café & garden with pictures in mind – thanks to a post by another Aussie recently – we found this busy visitor spot & enjoyed a great lunch before roaming the grounds to take a few happy snaps. It is an Instagram-able place and well attended by tourists. The food was very good and a wide ranging menu to go along with the interesting waterfall & fogger gardens. A unique spot.

Beside the limited sight seeing (as above), we did wander the Chiang Rai Night Bazar & Chiang Rai bar area (but didn’t stop in to any) after having lovely Italian food at La Gatta Restaurant nearby. We also indulged in a Swenson’s Ice Cream treat after a warm walk checking out the night bazar near the ornate Chiang Rai clock town.

Previous Northern Thailand adventures – On previous trips to Chiang Rai – & just last year around this time, we visited some of the other Chiang Rai attractions. Here some links to both Facebook & website posts on Chiang Rai and the north.:

• White Temple (Wat Rng Khun), & Blue Temple (Wat Rong Seur Ten), See this FB link
• Wak Huay Pla Kang, (Goddess of Mersey 25 stories high)- See this FB link for our visit details
• Baan Dam Museum (black House Museum) – See this FB link for our visit details
• Doi Mae Salong & the north 2017 – See this post
• Chaing Saen, Golden Triangle & Doi Angkhang – See this post
• Golden Triange Trip – See this post
• Singha Park – See post – enjoyed a meal here on a few occasions
• Doi Tung Palace, Mae Fa Luang – a lovely garden setting in the hills outside Chiang Rai – can’t find my postings on our earlier visits

Ok, now time to get back to reality & day to day life. It was a great trip and nice treat to get away.