Laluna Hotel & Resort serves you with 79 modern Thai style houses that are fully equipped to international standard with modern amenities.

When you stay at Laluna Hotel & Resort, you will feel like you are staying at your home. The warm and friendly family management will make your stay in Chiang Rai most memorable.

With its neatly selected facilities, Laluna Hotel & Resort will ensure that you will get the absolute most in comfort and privacy during your stay.

Our facilities include an open-air lobby with internet service, free form swimming pool, Jacuzzi and a mini beautiful restaurant.

Laluna Hotel & Resort is nestled in a beautiful garden amidst a prime location in Chiang Rai city.

About Chiang Rai:

Chiang Rai is both a city and a province in Thailand.

Geography:

Chiang Rai is:

• 200 km northeast of Chiang Mai
• 62 km south of Mae Sai and the Burmese border
• 60 km southwest of Chiang Saen on the Mae Khong across from the PDR of Laos
• 90 km north of Phayao

History:

The city was founded by King Mengrai in 1262 and became the first capital of the Lannathai Kingdom. However, it lost this status soon after to a new city built by Mengrai at Chiang Mai.

In 1432 the Emerald Buddha, Thailand's most revered Buddha figure, was discovered in Chiang Rai, when an earthquake split the Chedi at Wat Phra Kaeo. The beautiful jade figure was then seen concealed within.

The Emerald Buddha is now located in Bangkok's Wat Phra Kaew which is the King's traditional palace in Bangkok. Wat Phra Kaew is open to the public. Wat Phra Kaew means "Temple of the Emerald Buddha".

Hospitals:

• Sriburin Hospital (Private)
• Overbrook Hospital (Semi-Private)
• Chiang Rai Regional Hospital (Public)

Transportation:

Route 1 runs from Bangkok through Chiang Rai to Mae Sai on the Burmese border. Chiang Rai is 830 kilometers from Bangkok, about 11 hours by car or by bus.

Several flights are available to and from Bangkok daily via Chiang Rai International Airport.

There is a scheduled boat service between Chiang Rai and Tha Ton in Chiang Mai daily.

There is no train service to Chiang Rai. The rail line from Bangkok ends at Chiang Mai.

Why Visit Chiang Rai:

Chiang Rai (pop. 40.000) is in Northern Thailand and the capital of Chiang Rai province, the northernmost province of Thailand. The town is the main commercial centre serving the Golden Triangle border region of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos. It is an excellent base for exploring the region.

Getting To Chiang Rai:

By car:

Chiang Rai is about 830 km north of Thailand and is easily accessible from Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

By bus:

Extensive services run to Chiang Mai and there are several buses daily to Bangkok. The main bus station is called Kohn Song.

By plane:

Chiang Rai International Airport (CEI) is located on Phaholyotin Road 8 kilometres from downtown Chiang Rai. Car rental is available on arrival from Avis.

The airport is served by AirAsia, Nok Air, One-Two-Go and THAI.

Getting Around:

Public transport consists mainly of tuk-tuks and songthaews, plus a smaller number of taxis. The city itself can be explored on foot, but for trips into the province consider renting a car or a motorbike. Budget and Avis both have offices in Chiang Rai and there are several local agencies. If you don't feel up to driving in what is a very different environment, then consider hiring a car with driver - it doesn't cost much more.

A motorbike is a good way to see these parts; there are several trails and a 250cc dirt bike is a great way to see the country side. However be aware that many of the mountain roads are narrow and winding and that Thailand has one of the highest rates of motorcycle accidents in the world. Stay alert.

See:

• Gate of Siam
• Wat Santhaat
• Golden Triangle
• Doi Tung Royal Villa
• Princess Mother Hall
• Wat Thoeng Sao Hin

Do:

Organize a trekking tour to the hill-tribes or head on for the Golden Triangle.

Night Bazaar:

The bazaar is located between the bus station and Phaholyothin Road in the center of town. The market consists of many small stands lining the narrow street running between Phaholyothin Road and the bus station. Everything on display from silk ready-made garments to tattoo etching, even pets. The hill tribes sell an amazing selection of old coins, collector's pieces of needlework and very fine quilted bed spreads.

Eat:

Roughly halfway down the alley is Centrepoint, an open-air hawkers/restaurant surrounded by more stalls and with a stage for classical music and dance performances.

Buddhist Temples Terminology:

In order to help you understand some of the words used in the description of the temples, the following definitions are provided:

Chedi:

Also known as a stupa.

A chedi is a dome-shaped monument, used to house Buddhist relics or to commemorate significant facts of Buddhism or Jainism.

Ubosoth:

A ubosot(h) (อุโบสัถ) is a building in a Buddhist Wat in which ordinations take place.

An ubosoth stands within a boundary formed by eight sima stones (ใบสีมา) which separate the sacred from the profane, and thus differs from a viharn (วิหาร). The sima stones actually stand above and mark the Luk Nimit (ลูกนิมิต), stone spheres buried at the cardinal points of the compass delineating the sacred area. Both ubosoth and viharns typically house Buddha images.

Wat:

A wat is a Cambodian, Lao or Thai Buddhist temple. The word "wat" (sometimes rendered "vat" when referring to Laos) means "school," and the training of monks is an essential feature of all wats. A Buddhist site without resident monks cannot correctly be described as a wat, although the term is frequently used more loosely.

A typical Buddhist wat consists of the following buildings:

• chedi - (from Sanskrit: Chaitya - Temple) usually conical or bell-shaped buildings, often containing relics of Buddha
• viharn or wihaan (from Sanskrit: vihara) - a meeting and prayer room
• mondhop (from Sanskrit: Mandapa) - the library
• sala (from Portuguese for "hall") - a pavilion for relaxation or miscellaneous activities; Could also be from Sanskrit: Shala - School)
• bot or ubosot - the most holy prayer room, also called the "ordination hall" as it is where new monks take their vows. Architecturally it is similar to the viharn; the main differences are the eight cornerstones placed around the bot to ward off evil. The bot is usually more decorated than the viharn. (Could be from Sanskrit - Matha)
• The living quarters of the monks are separated from the sacred buildings.

Buddhist Temples In Chiang Rai:

There are some famous temples to visit in Chiang Rai including Wat Doi Khao Khwai and Wat Rong Khun, a modern temple built in 1998 by Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat.

Here are some other temples you might want to consider visiting:

Wat Phra That Doi Chom Thong:

Wat Phra That Doi Chom Thong (Thai วัดพระธาตุดอยจอมทอง) is located in Nakorn Chiang Rai, Amphoe Mueang Jangwat Chiang Rai, Thailand.

Doi Chom Thong has undoubtedly been a sacred site for a very long time. The site was surely reverenced as the home of local spirits before Buddhism arrived in the area. As in many Thai wats Spirit Houses coexist happily with the newer Buddhist shrines. Elephants are part of the lore of Doi Chom Thong. Paw Kuhn Meng Rai was said to have been following an elephant that had wandered off when he first came upon Doi Chom Thong, a solitary hill on the banks of the River Kok.

According to the Yonok Chronicle, the That or Chedi was originally built in the year 940 during the reign of Phraya Ruen Kaew, Prince of Chiang Rai, to house the Lord Buddha's relics.

Those relics were originally acquired by Prince Pangkaraj of Yonok Nakpan, who divided them into three parts for the three temples of Wat Phra That Doi Tung, Wat Phra That Chomkitti, and Wat Phra That Doi Chom Thong, respectively.

Later, in 1260, King Meng Rai was said to have visited Doi Chom Thong where he viewed the surrounding area and found it suitable for the establishment of a city. He then ordered the beginning of the construction of the city of Chiang Rai and had Wat Phra That Doi Chom Thong restored.

In 1992 (B.E. 2535) the City Pillar was moved from Wat Klang Wiang to Doi Chom Thong.

Wat Phra Kaew, Chiang Rai:

Wat Phra Kaew means "Temple of the Emerald Buddha".

The temple complex of Wat Phra Kaew (วัดพระแก้ว) is located on Thanon Trairat (ถนนไตรรัตน) Tambon Wiang (ตำบลเวียง) Amphoe Mueang (อำเภอเมือง) Chiang Rai Province (จังหวัดเชียงราย), Thailand.

Wat Phra Kaew was appointed the First Royal Temple of Chiang Rai on 31 May 1978 ( B.E. 2521).

The founding of the wat now known as Wat Phra Kaew in Chiang Rai is obscure. The temple was known as Wat Pa Yeah (วัดป่าเยี้ยะ or วัดป่าญะ), the Temple in the Golden Bamboo Forest, because it was in fact surrounded by this beautiful, useful bamboo, until 1434 (B.E. 1977) when its chedi was struck by lightning revealing the Phra Kaew Marakot image within. At that point its name changed to Wat Phra Kaew.

The Phra Kaew Marakot had remained at Wat Phra Kaew, Chiang Rai for 43 years before its discovery 1391-1434 (B.E. 1934-1977) and remained for two years thereafter, when it was removed to Lampang in 1436 (B.E. 1979).

One of the largest and most beautiful Buddha images in Thailand is presently housed in the ubosoth at Wat Phra Kaew, Phra Jao Lan Thong. The image is made of brass and copper and is believed to be 700 years old. The image was originally housed at Wat Phra Chao Lan Thong in Chiang Rai, then moved to Wat Ngam Muang, and then to Wat Phra Kaew in 1961 (B.E 2504). Thus it is now called Phra Jao Lan Thong.

A new Phra Kaew Marakot image was carved in China of Canadian jade in honor of Her Royal Highness Somdej Phrasrinkharintra, the Princess Mother's ninetieth birthday. A dedication ceremony was held in Bangkok on 20 September 1991 (B.E. 2534) and the image was installed by grand procession at Wat Phra Kaew, Chiang Rai on 19 October of the same year.

Wat Phra Sing:

Wat Pra Singh (วัดพระสิงห) is located on Thanon Singkhlai (ถนนสิงหไคล) Tambon Wiang (ตำบลเวียง) Amphoe Mueang (อำเภอเมือง) Chiang Rai Province (จังหวัดเชียงราย).

Wat Pra Singh was built by Pra Chao Maha Proma (P.E. 1345 ? 1400), circa 1385 (B.E. 1928).

The Ubosoth contains several replicas of the Pra Singh or Pra Buddhasihing image, a cultural landmark in the history of the Lanka wong Theraveda Sect of Buddhism in Thailand.

The Pra Buddhasihing image, called the Pra Singh image in Northern Thailand, is said to have come from Sri Lanka to Nakorn Sri Thammalat to Sukhothai to Ayutthaya, Kamphaengphet, Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai before ending up in Bangkok.

According to the Chiang Mai Chronicles Pra Chao Maha Proma attempted to usurp the throne at Chiang Mai upon the death of his brother Pra Nue Na but failed and withdrew to the protection of the king of Ayutthaya. When he later returned to Chiang Rai he brought the Pra Buddhasihing image with him.

There are several other interesting Buddha images at Wat Pra Singh, like these gathered beneath a Bodhi tree sent from India.

There has long been a Pali language school at Wat Pra Singh and a new building was dedicated on the occasion of the Queen's seventy second Phansa, on 22 July, 2005 (22 กรกฎคม 2548).

According to Radhika Abeysekera, the Buddha's mother, Queen Mahaa Maayaa, decided to visit her mother so that she could be with her at the time of the birth of her baby.

On the way she stopped at the Lumbini Pleasure Garden to rest. Under a sweet-scented Sala Lanka tree, on a full moon day in the month of May, in the year 623 B.C., the Prince was born.

Wat Pra Singh in Chiang Rai has a pair of Sala Lanka trees behind the chedi, in front of the kuti, or monks' quarters. They are sweet scented indeed.

The Buddha walked the earth for 80 years and passed into Nirvana in 543 B.C. The P.E and the B.E. differ by 543 years.

About Northern Thailand:

The Northern Thailand region shares borders with Myanmar (Burma) and Laos, as well as Central Thailand and Isaan (North-East Thailand).

Provinces:

The 17 provinces of Northern Thailand are:

1. Chiang Mai
2. Chiang Rai
3. Kamphaeng Phet
4. Lampang
5. Lamphun
6. Mae Hong Son
7. Nakhon Sawan
8. Nan
9. Phayao
10. Phetchabun
11. Phichit
12. Phitsanulok
13. Phrae
14. Sukhothai
15. Tak
16. Uthai Thani
17. Uttaradit

Cities in Northern Thailand:

• Chiang Mai - the largest city in the north, well known for its temples.
• Chiang Rai - the usual access point for the Golden Triangle, where Thailand meets Laos and Myanmar.
• Mae Hong Son - a small town in the north-west surrounded by wonderful landscape, and one of the major starting points for trekking, especially to the different "hill-tribes".
• Mae Sai - northernmost city in Thailand and border crossing town to Myanmar.
• Pai - another small village, located between Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai - a nice overnight stop with a laid-back backpacker/traveller atmosphere and a good starting point for trekking tours.
• Phitsanulok - a good overnight stop between Bangkok and Chiang Mai and a gateway to the Sukhothai historical park.
• Sukhothai - Thailand's original capital.

Other Destinations:

• Chiang Dao - known for its caves, and next to Chiang Dao National Park.
• Chiang Khong - gateway to Laos.
• Mae Fah Luang Garden - beautiful botanical garden.
• Mae Salong - a very interesting place to stop on the way to Chiang Mai.
• The many national parks in this mountainous region make it a popular destination for trekking

Understand:

Surrounded by the tallest mountains in Thailand, Northern Thailand is cooler than the rest of the usually sweltering country and thus particularly popular in December and January. In the mountains at night temperatures occasionally dip below freezing, although in the plains the daily average is rarely less than 25 Centigrade.

Culturally, Northern Thailand shows heavy influences from the neighboring cultures of Myanmar and Yunnan (China). The kingdoms of Lanna (centered at Chiang Mai) and Sukhothai were the first historical Thai nations.

Much of northern Thailand was for a long time off limits due to a series of Communist insurgencies and Myanmar's drug battles and civil wars spilling over the border. Both problems have been largely resolved, although caution is still advised near the border with Myanmar in the provinces of Tak and Mae Hong Son.

Talk:

The people of Northern Thailand speak their own dialect of Thai called kham meaung, however standard Thai is widely understood. In addition, the hill tribes speak their own languages.

Get In:

By plane:

The main airport in Northern Thailand is Chiang Mai, which has connections throughout Thailand and some international links too. Domestic flights serve Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Phitsanulok and Sukhothai. There are regular flights between Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Sukhothai and Mae Hong Son.

By train:

Trains from Bangkok go regularly to Chiang Mai via Phitsanulok. The only railway line within Northern Thailand runs between Chiang Mai and Sukhothai (and further on to Bangkok).

By bus:

There is an extensive bus network with the main backbone being between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. From Chiang Mai, buses head north-west to Mae Hong Son and Pai, and further north to Chiang Rai.

The extensive network of public bus services has its Northern Thailand major hubs located in Phitsanulok and Chiang Mai.

Minibuses, songthaews and tuk-tuks also serve many places which are not directly accessible by bus. Cheap but not always comfortable.

See:

Temple-tramping in Chiang Mai and historical sites in Sukhothai are the major cultural attractions of Northern Thailand, the birthplace of Thai civilization.

Do:

Trekking is one of the main attractions in northern Thailand, there are trekking tours suiting everybody's needs. From one-day-all-inclusive to tours which last several days you can choose whatever fits you best. Many tours include rafting and elephant riding.

Another major attraction are the many hill tribes who inhabit the North. The ethics of hill tribe trekking are somewhat questionable, with tour groups tramping through some villages daily - particularly those inhabited by the famous long-necked Karen women - and the tribes consequently abandoning their traditional lifestyle in favor of hawking trinkets to tourists. Some trek operators attempt to limit the damage by restricting the number of visitors and employing local hill tribesmen as guides, but the competition is tough and many simply aim to minimise costs and maximise profits.

Eat:

Northern Thai food is somewhat different to that eaten in the rest of the country. Northerners prefer sticky rice over steamed, bitter flavours to hot ones, and avoid using coconut milk. The favoured meat is pork, which finds its way into a variety of sausages (cooked or fermented) and whose skin is fried as the ubiquitous snack khaep muu. The traditional way of sampling Northern food is a low round table known as a khan tok, laden with dishes. Some favorites include:

• kaeng hang le, a Burmese-style pork curry
• kaeng khae, a soupy curry flavored with bitter herbs
• khao soi, a Yunnanese curry noodle soup much favored in Chiang Mai, served with shallots, lime and pickles to add as you like
• khanom jiin naam ngiew, rice noodles with pork ribs and a complex tomatoes and black bean sauce
• nam phrik, covering a variety of spicy dips for rice and vegetables

Sleep:

While the larger towns (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phitsanulok) offer a broad range of accommodation, in the smaller villages the tourist has to refer to guest houses and smaller hotels. Prices are usually lower than in Bangkok. Booking ahead (using the Internet or travel agencies) may give you better rates at some hotels.