Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Chiang Khong
053 / POP 12,000
A lively border town, Chiang Khong sits at a crucial crossroads in the history of the re-
gion. For most of its history, Chiang Khong was a remote but important market town for
local hill tribes (including local Mien and White Hmong) and then developed a bustling
business as a travellers' gateway to Laos starting in the 1990s.
The nearby village of
Ban Hat Khrai
, 1.5km south of Chiang Khong, is a riverside fish-
ing village that has long harvested the
Ъlah bèuk
(giant Mekong catfish;
Pangasianodon
gigas
to ichthyologists). This catfish is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world and
can measure 2m to 3m in length and weigh up to 300kg. The fish is technically en-
dangered, though fishing is still allowed during the annual migration period between late
April and June.
In Chiang Khong, several banks have branches with ATMs and foreign-exchange ser-
vices.
There is no shortage of lodging in town, much of it near the river and geared towards
the budget market such as
PP Home
(Baan Pak Pon; 0 5365 5092;
baanpakpon@hotmail.co.th
;
off
Th Sai Klang; r & bungalows 400-650B; )
.
Khao Soi Pa Orn
(Soi 6, Th Sai Klang, no roman-script
sign; mains 15-30B; 8am-4pm)
does an excellent local noodle dish; look for the gigantic
highway pillar at the eastern end of Soi 6.
Buses depart frequently for Chiang Mai (144B to 288B, three hours, from 8am 5.30pm)
and Chiang Rai (65B, 2½ hours, from 4.30am to 3.45pm), with a few departures to
Bangkok (688B to 963B, 14 hours) between 3pm and 4pm.
Boats taking up to five passengers can be chartered up the Mekong River to Chiang
Saen for 2000B.
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