The amazing thing about the Golden Triangle is that you can visit three countries at once: Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. It is 9 kilometers north of Chiang Saen on the road next to the Mekong river. Sop Ruak is where the border between Thailand and Laos, the Mekong River, and the border between Thailand and Myanmar, the Ruak River, meet. In the past, the Golden Triangle was where most of the world’s drugs came from because it was close to many countries. But it is now well taken care of and a popular place for tourists to visit.
From the lookout point, tourists can see the land that connects the three countries and is surrounded by calm, long waterways. At Sop Ruak, tourists can rent boats so they can see the sights in the Golden Triangle. It only takes 20 minutes to get there. Also, tourists can rent a boat from Sop Ruak to Chiang Saen and Chiang Khong for 40 minutes and 1 hour and a half, respectively. There is also a beautiful place where tourists can take pictures with a great backdrop. Paying respects to Phra Chiang Saen Si Phaendin or Phra Buddha Nawa Lan Tue, who sits outside on a big boat called Rua Kaew Kusoltham, is another interesting thing to do. It is a beautiful bronze statue of Buddha that looks even better when the sun shines on it. There are also a lot of shops where tourists can buy things to take home. Direction: Highway No. 10 is a great way to get to Golden Triangle by car. After you pass Mae Chan sub-district, turn right onto highway no. 1016 (Mae Chan-Chiang Rai) and drive for 29 kilometers. Before getting to the old walls of Chiang Saen, tourists can either turn left at the bypass intersection and follow the signs to the Golden Triangle, or they can go straight past the Chiang Saen district, turn left onto the Mekong riverside road, and keep going for 12 kilometers. If tourists don’t want to rent a car, they can take the green bus from Chiang Mai transport station to Chiang Rai or Chiang Saen. After that, take Chiang Rai- Sop Ruak minibus at Chiang Saen market.