Friday 4 October 2019

Slow boat from Thaton to Chiang Rai

To get from Thaton to Chiang Rai, you have only a few options if you aren't driving yourself.

You can take a sorngtaew to Mae Chan, then change to another sorngtaew to get you to the highway leading to Chiang Rai. You may have to change again at this point. The drivers are typically very helpful and will ensure you get the right connection, but you should expect this trip to take at least 2 hours, possibly 3.


Your second option is to take the tourist boat. It leaves every day at 12:30, weather and number of passengers dependent. The boats won't run after heavy rains have swollen the river (as there are some - usually very minor - rapids), and they also need a minimum of 4 paying passengers (400 baht per person). In low season, there are often not enough passengers, so you'll have to pay for the extra ticket(s) if you want the boat to go.


The trip took about 3 hours when I did it, and passes some pretty scenery, but the boat has only slightly padded benches, so it is a bit hard on the bum.

In Chiang Rai, the boat docks at the CR Pier, by the Maefarloung Alley bridge, about 3km NW of the clocktower in the centre of town. There may be the odd unofficial taxi driver waiting at the dock, but you can also walk into the centre in 30-40 minutes.

There was only one taxi waiting when my boat arrived, so I let the other couple on the boat take it, and I walked into town (as I needed to stretch my legs - and let the feeling return to my butt - anyway)

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