Culture of Chiang Rai. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

The small city of Chiang Rai surprises guests with a variety of excursion sites. There are unique and historical landmarks, as well as interesting monuments and museums; suburbs are also famous for their attractions. One of the most revered monuments among locals remains King Mengrai the Great Monument. Next to the monument stands a beautiful golden trident, the symbol of power; few times a year interesting celebrations are held near the monument.

In the heart of the city there is another interesting monument, Clock tower. The monument was opened relatively recently, in 2008; it is dedicated to the current King of Thailand, Rama IX. Many tourists come to the monument after dark when beautiful lighting turns on.

The introduction to the local culture is impossible without a visit to the lovely Tung Garden. This is a beautiful theme park with lots of interesting sculptures; the garden also houses the Museum of national costumes. There are beautiful temples in Chiang Rai; one of the most interesting is Wat Phra Kaew. The temple is literally immersed in green and its spectacular facade in traditional style looks simply irresistible. Many interesting stories are associated with the temple; according to one of them, in the Middle Ages, there was found the famous statue of the Emerald Buddha. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

No less interesting is Wat Phra Sing; its walls house priceless religious artifacts. The temple was built in the 14th century. Today, all attenders can admire its awesome interiors. The most spectacular religious attraction is White Temple (Wat Rong Khun). The name of the temple fully reflects its main feature; it is an amazingly beautiful white building surrounded by fountains and sculptures; its interior is decorated with hand paintings. Construction of the temple has begun in 1997.

Among cultural institutions, the Hilltribe Museum and Education Center is considered to be the most interesting; it tells visitors about the diversity of cultures and customs of locals. Among its exhibits there are beautiful national costumes and everyday objects, models of houses and works of art. There is also Black Temple (Baan Dam) in Chiang Rai, which is not a temple literally. It is a beautiful open-air museum with works of local artists and sculptors.