The Golden Triangle

The Anantara resort in Chiang Rai looks out over the Mekong River to Laos and Burma. Photo by David Lansing.

Early yesterday we flew to Thailand’s northernmost region, the Golden Triangle where it is lush and green, full of bamboo forests and rice paddies. Everything about it feels exotic, from my room’s view of Laos and Burma, to the elephants who roam the property. Officially, opium barons no longer control the remote hill-tribe villages nearby; unofficially, poppies are still being planted and harvested (opium production was outlawed in Thailand in 1959 but flourished nonetheless during the Vietnam War). In fact, there’s a museum, the House of Opium, in nearby Sop Ruak that I’m quite looking forward to visiting.

Last night after dinner at our hotel, Anantara, I sat on my deck sipping a shot of rather warm whisky, swatting at the mosquitoes, and looking out over the Mekong River below to the purple hills of Laos and Burma, thinking of all the Joseph Conrad-like intrigues that have played out in this area since the late 19^th century when hill tribes like the Akha and Mien grew thousands of acres of colorful poppies in the high altitude. Such a different world. I’m happy to experience it.

An elephant camp is located on the grounds of the Anantara resort. Photo by David Lansing.