Approximately 10,000 mostly Thai tourists have been arriving daily since the long weekend began on Thursday. For many, it was the first trip upcountry since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country in 2020.
The laid-back border town along the Mekong River has retained its “old world” charm with its riverside Chai Khong Road lined with Indochinese-style teakwood hotels. The promenade is closed to traffic and turns into a night market in the evening.
Other attractions in Chiang Khan are the Phu Thok hill overlooking a “sea of fog” above the Mekong, a new glass skywalk at Phu Phra Yai hill and several Lao-style temples.
People visiting Phu Thok hill on Saturday morning felt the chill when the temperature dropped to 18 degrees Celsius and the hill was covered in a sea of fog.
Chiang Khan was one of two Thai towns included in Green Destinations’ “2020 Sustainable Top 100 Destinations” list. Green Destinations is a Netherlands-based non-profit foundation that focuses on the development and recognition of sustainable destinations.
The other Thai town on the list was Nan’s Old City in the easternmost part of North Thailand.