Chiang Rai is located at the northern tip of Thailand, bordering Myanmar on the north and Laos on the east. Of its area of 11,678 square kilometers, more than three quarters are mountains. Yet, because of its fertile soil, plentiful water supplies and favourable climate, it has a surplus of rice and also produces large quantities of maize, beans, tobacco, longans, lychees and strawberries.
Chiang Rai is among the oldest towns of Thailand. It was founded in 1262 by King Mengrai (who also built Chiang Mai in 1296), and was the first capital of Lanna Thai Kingdom. Chiang Rai was occupied by Myanmar from 1558 until 1774 when it became part of Siam once again.

Mostly consisting of mountains and forests, its main tourist attractions lies in scenic places, such as national parks, botanical gardens, caves and waterfalls. Chiang Rai's attractions are divided according to the counties they belong to as follows:

If you want to find some specific places, see the lists on the right.