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Weird and Wonderful Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai may not have as many attractions of its sister city Chiang Mai, or the bustling capital of Bangkok, but when it comes to sheer quirkiness, it may have both of them beat.

First off, one of the most interesting things to see in Chiang Rai town is Wat Rong Khun, a wildly-decorated temple that looks like no other in Thailand. Conceived by a renowned Thai artist who wanted to build a vision of Buddhist heaven on earth, the complex isn't scheduled to be finished for another sixty years. Still, the parts already built are sure to amaze. All in white, with inlaid bits of mirror and flame-like flourishes, its aesthetic is meant to represent the illumination of enlightenment.

Outside of town is a monument to far more earthly concerns - Cabbages and Condoms Restaurant. Built as part of an effort to educate the public on condom use, the place is actually decorated everywhere with colorful condoms. Incidentally, the food is really good too! It's inside the interesting Hilltribe Museum, so you might as well check that out before or after your meal.

Further afield, Chiang Rai province hosts many lovely excursions in which the journey is often the destination. A trip up Doi Mae Salong mountain is breathtaking, especially when done by motorbike. Once there, you'll find yourself in a little slice of China, as it's largely populated by members of Chinese Nationalists who sought asylum after coming out on the wrong side of the revolution. Proprietors of the myriad tea shops will provide you lots of samples and you'd be silly not to buy some - it's the cheapest and best-quality tea in the country. Several hill tribe villages are dotted around the area and can easily be visited on foot.

Doi Tung, another nearby mountain is host to several projects initiated by the late mother of King Bhumibol to help wean the locals off opium production. Most interestingly, a huge botanical garden with all sorts of wild floral attractions awaits. Thai gardening is fancifully ornamental - you're sure to be impressed with the kitschy creativity.

Nearby is the border town of Mae Sai, which hosts a huge market, though an even more interesting one can be found over the border in the quaint Burmese city of Tachilek. For 350 baht or US $10 you'll be issued a day pass to cross the border and explore the rather bizarre bazaar, full of pirated goods, cheap Chinese electronics, herbal medicine, and even fine French wine! Wander a bit further into town to tour the local temples and teahouses.

One of the most famous tourist spots in Chiang Rai is The Golden Triangle, the point at which Thailand, Burma and Laos all share a border. It's possible to unofficially visit all three countries from the touristy village of Sop Ruak on a short boat trip, if only to set foot on a patch of their soil. Nevertheless, the surrounding area is gorgeous and perfect for a leisurely bicycle or motorcycle cruise. Worthwhile, however, are the two opium museums in Sop Ruak, which are both informative and entertaining takes on the history of the infamous drug.

But if Chiang Rai after all turns out in detail not to be all that weird and wacky, there is one location that's certainly out of the ordinary. Let me tell you about it...

It's called the Red Rose Hotel, and calling it oddball hardly does it justice. Plain goofy might be closer.

It's hard to believe that the Red Rose was initially imagined as an auberge d'amour, serving a discerning adult clientele looking to kindle the fires of passion. That's because walking into the place feels as if you're walking into a cartoon - in fact the extraordinary collision of reality and cartoonishness brings to mind the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. As such, it looks more like a place for kids, or more probably, the kid-at-heart.

Each room at the Red Rose is designed to reflect a special theme, and the themes are nothing short of outrageous. For example, some rooms are made to resemble a miniature Thai boxing gym, in which your bed is the boxing ring itself. The "love boat"-style room features a Venetian gondola boat for a bed, floating on your very own lake of water, with deck chairs and a fake palm tree beside it. This author's personal favorite is the "Star Wars" room, in which you're meant to hang out on the flight deck of a spaceship - complete with sliding doors that automatically open when you walk towards them (and go "whoosh" in authentically futuristic style). There's a huge variety of fantasy on offer here, and some of the more pricey rooms even feature karaoke setups and Jacuzzi baths.

Nowadays at the Red Rose the clientele are no longer businessmen and their minor wives, but respectable couples, families, local tourists and even the occasional foreigner. And where previously the object was to arrive and exit discreetly, now there is an emphasis on conviviality, featuring fun common areas where one can mingle with other guests. There's even a lovely new restaurant, free internet access, a gymnasium and even free bicycles to borrow for a tootle around town.

Room prices vary, from 940 to 3,800 baht, depending on size, amenities, and the degree of sheer ludicrousness. If you're in town, you won't want to miss it. It's close to the abandoned old airport - a strange sight in its own right, as it's now used as a long jogging strip. See? Chiang Rai is weirder than you thought. And when you're on holiday, a little weirdness makes it all more memorable.

Weird and Wonderful Info

Wat Rong Khun - 053-673579, www.watrongkhun.com

Cabbages & Condoms & the Hill Tribe Museum -
053-740088

Mae Fah Luang (Doi Tung) Botanical Garden - 053-767015

Hall of Opium - 053-784444, www.goldentrianglepark.com

House of Opium - 053-784060, www.houseofopium.com

The Red Rose Hotel - 60 M.14 Prachasanti Rd., Tambon Robwiang, Ampur Muang Chiang Rai, 57000 Tel. 053-756888. Fax: 053-713636. www.redrosehotel.com

Text & images c 2008 Oliver Benjamin