The Chiang Saen Retreat Captures the Mysterious Essence of the East.
For centuries Southeast Asia’s Golden Triangle the intersection of the Mekong and Ruak rivers, where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar all converge—was famous chiefly as the center of the world’s opium trade, an amorphous narcotics bazaar spreading over three nations but subject to no law save that of supply and demand. Today, with drug laws strictly enforced, the region happily traffics in a variety of perfectly legal intoxicants: the sight of the early-morning sun breaking through a fogbank to warm a mountainside, for instance, or the sound of a far-off elephant’s roar heard during an evening walk, or the taste of a fiery red curry washed down with a cold beer.
In the northern most province of Chiang Rai sits Chiang Saen, the town overlooking the confluent rivers that define the Golden Triangle. Curious visitors have always travelled here to absorb the natural beauty and to engage with the local hill tribes, whose artworks and handicrafts are among Thailand’s most popular exports. Now they have yet another reason: the Anantara Resort & Spa, a unique destination that offers guests a new take on classic Thai traditions.
