R1290 - Riding the GT Mekong - Paradise Road.

[DavidFL]

R1290 - Paradise Road - Riding the GT Mekong.

R1290 starts @ R1, south of Mae Sai & ends in Chiang Khong, 95 kms away.
From Mae Sai it generally follows the border & Mekong river east to Chiang Khong.
There used to be an old road R1290 that started downtown Mae Sai & more closely followed the border for a period, to end at Chiang Saen. From Chiang Saen then it was R1129 to Chiang Khong.
R1129 was rebuilt several years ago & renamed R1290.

These old roads used to be all dirt once upon a time & quite a challenge in the wet season.

When they first upgraded Mae Sai - Golden Triangle it was brick paved, which never lasted very long.

1989 Mae Sai - Golden Triangle

1989 the Chiang Khong - Chiang Saen road was often a particularly tough challenge in the wet season.

1991 Chiang Khong - Chiang Saen

In those days there wasn't a great deal out there & good restaurants & coffee shops didn't really exist.
1989 @ the GT with my parents, son Jason & his mother.

Fast forward a couple of decades & what a change : there are some really fabulous little coffee shops & restaurants along R1290 nowadays. It is worth taking your time a bit & checking some of them out.

Some GTR Recommendations, starting from the Mae Sai end.

1. Somkid

Somkid Restaurant&Cafe · 9296+9X7, Si Don Mun, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand

âââââ · Restaurant

goo.gl

2. Come Moon

COME MOON : à¸à¸³à¸¡à¸¹à¸¥ · 567 หมูà¹à¸à¸µà¹ 5 à¸à¹à¸²à¸ à¹à¸§à¸µà¸¢à¸à¹à¸à¹à¸§ Si Don Mun, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand

âââââ · Restaurant

goo.gl

At the GT

3. Sriwan

Sriwan Coffee & Restaurant · 150 Wiang, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand

âââââ · Restaurant

goo.gl

4. Mekong Pizza has a reputation for the best pizzas in North Thailand & riders come from a far for their great pizzas!

Mekong Pizza · 1290, Wiang, Chiang Saen District, Chang Wat Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand

âââââ · Restaurant

goo.gl

Lao Vegas Kings Roman
The advent of the stunning Lao Vegas King's Roman Casino across the river in Laos has seen a proliferation of funky openair restaurants in the Thai riverbank to chill out & enjoy the amazing light show across the river.

The best one is the Chill Du View

Chill Du View · 425 หมูà¹à¸à¸µà¹ 1 à¸à¸à¸à¸à¸«à¸¥à¹à¸¢à¸à¸´à¸ Wiang, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand

âââââ · Restaurant

goo.gl

Golden Time would be the second best

Golden Time Café Chiangsean · Wiang, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand

âââââ · Restaurant

goo.gl

There are a couple of others either side of the Chill Du View & Golden Time.

The Flow / River Breeze is an excellent bakery / restaurant & hotel.

It is renowned for its sensational almond raspberry croissants.

The all-day full English brekky is also a winner for me.

It really is a gem of a spot. Living in Chiang Khong I think nothing of 63 kms ride to the Flow for a brekky or almond croissant!

The Flow also has an awesome "moon deck" for enjoying the views at night.

Flow Chiang Saen · 455 à¹à¸§à¸µà¸¢à¸ Tambon Wiang, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand

âââââ · Cafe

goo.gl

More to come Chiang Saen - Chiang Khong & a bit more.

See also

Sop Ruak - Golden Triangle Restaurants

Mekong Pizza # 1 pizza on the Mekong according to trip advisor Smart indoor aircon dining A thumbs up from Ian Yonok for the best pizza in the region,

www.gt-rider.com

 

[DavidFL]

In Chiang Saen city
Mong Doo Ngam is the GTR coffee shop favourite

Mong Doo Nam Cafe · 73GQ+M7J, Wiang, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand

âââââ · Cafe

goo.gl

From Chiang Saen to Chiang Khong, you have 2 options.
1. The river road R4007
2. The main mountain road R1290.

4 kms downstream from Chiang Saen on R1290 is Wat Phrathat Pa Ngao with the stunning Pa Ngao coffeeshop & new skywalk.

Note that to get to the top, you now need to park down below in the temple car park & take a tak-tak tractor to the skywalk & coffeeshop.

Wat Phra That Pha Ngao (Vihan Luang Pho Pha Ngao) · หมูà¹à¸à¸µà¹ 5 391 Wiang, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand

âââââ · Buddhist temple

goo.gl

R4007 the River Road

R4007 is a charming, meandering rural back road, that has some fabulous old villages along the way.
Ban Saeo at the Chiang Saen end has some award winning homestays that are worthy of a look if you like that sort of gentle family accommodation.

Sweet chilli house homestay · à¹à¸¥à¸à¸à¸µà¹ 242, หมูà¹à¸à¸µà¹ 3 หมูà¹à¸à¹à¸²à¸à¸à¹à¸²à¸à¸±à¸à¸à¸à¸, Ban Saeo, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand

âââââ · Homestay

goo.gl

à¸à¹à¸²à¸à¸£à¸°à¹à¸à¸µà¸¢à¸à¹à¸à¸à¹à¸®à¸¡à¸ªà¹à¸à¸¢à¹&à¹à¸à¹à¸¡à¸à¹à¸à¸´à¹à¸ · 236 Ban Saeo, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand

âââââ · Homestay

goo.gl

The Ban Saeo resort is an upmarket resort / hotel right on the Mekong has a delightful restaurant overlooking the river, that you can catch glimpses of sunset from.
https://goo.gl/maps/rabU8FVVDDdUp6wE7

Had Bai
On the river road R4007, midway between Chiang Saen & Chiang Khong is Had Bai, a classic old world Tai Lue village renowned for its weaving & beautiful women. Had Bai also two coffee shops on the river.

1. The funky blue mini coffee shop

With panoramic views over the Mekong.

ฮัà¸à¹à¸¡à¸²à¹à¸à¸ · 969X+JX9 159 Rim Khong, Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai 57140, Thailand

âââââ · Cafe

goo.gl

Takhong is the second coffeeshop / restaurant / resort on the Mekong at Had Bai, & what a stunner it is with spectacular sunsets over the Mekong river.

Unique it is & the only place on the Mekong river in Thailand, where you can look directly across the river, facing west, & watch the sunset in Laos! Think about it.

à¸à¹à¸²à¸à¹à¸à¸§à¸à¸²à¸£à¹à¹à¸à¹à¸ à¹à¸à¸à¸à¹ รีสà¸à¸£à¹à¸ Bansaeo Garden And Resort · 267 หมู๠14 Ban Saeo, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand

âââââ · Resort hotel

goo.gl

One of the real joys of a Takhong sunset is watching the birds fly home, skimming the surface of the water.

See also

Takhong - Haad Bai - Chiang Khong - & A Special Mekong Sunset

One of the beauties of Thailand & Laos is the magnificent Mekong river that sees thousands of people enjoy a late afternoon / dusk happy hour drink &/or a meal as the sun goes down. If you are on the Laos side you generally get to watch the sun go down across the river in Thailand, and the...

www.gt-rider.com

The food at Takhong is excellent, plus they also have bungalows & glamping should you so desire.
If the Takhong accommodation is too pricey for you, then check out the Haad Bai Resort, a couple of hundred metres away, off the river.

@ Haad Bai · 97C2+RV4 Rural Road 4007 Rim Khong, Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai 57140, Thailand

âââââ · Hotel

goo.gl

See also

Haad Bai - The Mekong - R4007 - Accommodation

Takhong Resort https://www.facebook.com/takhong.official/ Takhong is a delightful resort on the Mekong to view the sunset, that has a few upmarket bungalows for a romantic night on the Khong. It is the only spot on the Mekong in Thailand where you can see the sunset directly across the river...

www.gt-rider.com

 

[DavidFL]

Enjoy Coffee
Further downstream on the river road R4007, 6 kms from Had Bai is Enjoy Coffee @ Pak Kup village.

A quiet secluded coffee shop with spacious grounds, run by Ms Joy, a fascinating, intelligent lady with international travel experience, & consequently good English spoken.

Enjoy Coffee Rimkhong · 140 หมูà¹3 à¸à¹à¸²à¸à¸à¸²à¸à¸¸à¸ Rim Khong, Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai 57140, Thailand

âââââ · Coffee shop

goo.gl

From Enjoy Coffee is it another 12 kms to link back up with the main Paradise Road R1290 @ Huai Yen.

See also

Chiang Khong Restaurants

Reposting an old thread that went missing BREAKFAST The best choices are the Tammila or the Bamboo Mexican The Tammila Bamboo Mexican The fruit muesli DINNER 4 good choices The Baan Maitri - the best THai food Rin's Bar - big servings of farang "pub food." Bamboo Mexican - the best fresh...

www.gt-rider.com

and

Chiang Khong - A Sunday Ride - "wat Along The Khong."

Sunday 19 August 2018 It's been wet for a few days but Sunday arvo the weather cleared up somewhat so time for a bit of a ride beside the Khong. And if you're living in Chiang Khong there's a wonderful river loop you can do upstream. It looks like this on google earth. The total distance is...

www.gt-rider.com

 

[DavidFL]

Option 2 from Chiang Saen is to take the main road R1290 " Paradise Road" up & over Kiu Khan mountain & not the river road R4007.
From the Ban Saeo road junction it goes like this up & over the mountain.

It is a feeling of exhilaration once you crest the Kiu Khan hill & see the magnificent Mekong in the distance, with the road unfurling before you.

October 1991

Then once you've ridden the road from Huay Yen along the Mekong into Chiang Khong, you may well think you are riding in paradise beside the Mekong for the road truly is a beauty for motorcyclists: twisting, winding, steep undulating, perfect wide cambered corners, that you can see through & enjoy yourself.

Paradise Road it is & on 24th December 2019, I was able to get a Paradise Road erected at the Huay Sai Mann Viewpoint on R1290.

Of note above, the gentleman in the photo with me, is Khun Kasem, the elected head of the Rim Khong tambon organization, he is also the driver of the car that I hit in my 2022 accident!

The sign is unique & always worthy of a photo & check in.

Paradise Road 1290 · 89X8+H5G, Rim Khong, Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai 57140, Thailand

âââââ · Tourist attraction

goo.gl

 

[DavidFL]

Paradise Road Chiang Saen - Chiang Khong.

The final run from Chiang Saen into Chiang Khong city along Paradise Road has 3 magic coffee shops / restaurants on the river.
Starting from the North / upstream end they are.
1. The View

The View Chiangkhong · 301 Wiang, Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai 57140, Thailand

âââââ · Restaurant

goo.gl

2. Life Cafe.

Life cafe' · 1290 Wiang, Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai 57140, Thailand

âââââ · Restaurant

goo.gl

3. The Khong View

View Khong Chiang Khong · 99 หมู๠6 à¸à¹à¸²à¸à¸«à¹à¸§à¸¢à¹à¸¡à¹à¸ Wiang, Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai 57140, Thailand

âââââ · Hotel

goo.gl

1. The View

2 kms downstream from the Paradise Road / 9.5 kms upstream, from Chiang Khong, sits the majestic View coffeeshop / restaurant on a hillock overlooking the Khong.

The View Chiangkhong · 301 Wiang, Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai 57140, Thailand

âââââ · Restaurant

goo.gl

2. Life Cafe

Parking for the Life Cafe is beside the road.

A hidden gem, the Life Cafe is a stunning, rambling spot right beside the river to enjoy a lazy day.

From the road you would never know there is such a magnificent idyllic view of the river!

The Life Cafe is 4.2 kms downstream from the Paradise Road sign / 3 kms downstream from the View / 7.5 kms upstream from the Chiang Khong city.

View Khong Chiang Khong · 99 หมู๠6 à¸à¹à¸²à¸à¸«à¹à¸§à¸¢à¹à¸¡à¹à¸ Wiang, Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai 57140, Thailand

âââââ · Hotel

goo.gl

3. The View Khong

The View Khong is a spacious open-air restaurant with a superb terrace overlooking the Mekong.

6.7 kms downstream from the Paradise Road sign / 2.5 kms downstream from the Life Cafe / 5 upstream from Chiang Khong city, the View Khong has the best Mekong views @ Chiang Khong, & a reputation for the best food.

Being so close to town, it is a GTR favourite for a quick bite & a beer at dusk in a superb ambience.

View Khong Chiang Khong · 99 หมู๠6 à¸à¹à¸²à¸à¸«à¹à¸§à¸¢à¹à¸¡à¹à¸ Wiang, Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai 57140, Thailand

âââââ · Hotel

goo.gl

Summary
1. The View is great for a quick stop for a coffee & bite to eat to celebrate you ride on Paradise Road.
2. The LC is good if you've got time for a lazy afternoon chilling out by the river.
3. The Khong View is good for a relaxing sunset / dusk meal.

Take your time, hang out in Chiang Khong for a few days & hit them all.

 

[DavidFL]

Chiang Khong - Kaeng Pha Dai - the Mekong End of the Road.
Following the Mekong downstream from Chiang Khong to the end of the Mekong road @ Kaeng Pha Dai.

The Mekong flows downstream for another 28 kms as the Thai - Laos from Chiang Khong before going into Laos, to reappear again as the border at the Tha Dimi / Chiang Khan Skywalk.
There are 4 nice establishments along the way between Chiang Khong & the end of the road at Kaeng Pha Dai, which is a unique spot with a fabulous restaurant.

Short Cut Note if you're heading downstream from Chiang Khong to follow R1155, there is a short cut you can take & save 10 kms, rather than the long way taking R1155 from the junction at Tha Charoen.
The short starts here at Thung Ngiw on R1020 & comes out at Pak Ing here on R155. You save 10 kms going this way!

The spots to check out are:
1. Skywalk Cafe

Skywalk Chiang Khan · RH93+QPQ, O Bo Cho Loei Rd, Pak Tom, Chiang Khan District, Loei 42110, Thailand

âââââ · Tourist attraction

goo.gl

2. Panorama Coffee

Panorama Coffee · 5F9R+5R2, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai 57310, Thailand

âââââ · Coffee shop

goo.gl

4. Rivercraft

The River Craft à¹à¸à¸à¸°-ริà¹à¸§à¸à¸£à¹-à¸à¸£à¸²à¸à¸à¸º · 246 Muang Yai, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai 57310, Thailand

âââââ · Cafe

goo.gl

5. Kaeng Pha Dai.

รà¹à¸²à¸à¸ªà¸¸à¸à¸à¸²à¸à¸£à¸±à¸ · 5H9F+FFP Unnamed Road Muang Yai, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai 57310, Thailand

âââââ · Restaurant

goo.gl

Skywalk Cafe

The Skywalk Cafe is a stunning open terrace restaurant overhanging the Mekong, 18 kms downstream from Chiang Khong, via the Pak Ing short cut.

The best & only time to go there is at sunset / dusk, when the sun is fading, & the colours over the Mekong change beautifully.

The Skywalk Cafe is not renowned as a dining out place, but a place to chill out at the end of the day. Drinks & snack food is the way to go.

Recommended for a magnificent relaxing sunset / dusk. It is a place to chill out & linger longer, not for a quick splash & a dash.

Skywalk Cafe · 165 Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai 57310, Thailand

âââââ · Restaurant

goo.gl

300 metres downstream from the Skywalk Cafe is the Huai Ian viewpoint + another couple of funky wooden restaurant shacks beside the road.

The Huai Ian viewpoint

Ban Huai Ian View Point · 5FJM+692, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai 57310, Thailand

âââââ · Scenic spot

goo.gl

Just next door to the viewpoint is the Jay Beer Rim Khong

A funky local hang out.

I sometimes stop here for a quick beer to celebrate a ride on R1155.

The view is magic & peaceful.

รà¹à¸²à¸à¹à¸à¹à¹à¸à¸µà¸¢à¸£à¹ ริมà¹à¸à¸ · Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai 57310, Thailand

âââââ · Restaurant

goo.gl

Panorama Coffee

The Panorama is another fabulous coffee shop over hanging the Mekong, with stunning panoramic views, as the name suggests.

It is 20 kms downstream from Chiang Khong / 2 kms downstream from the Skywalk Cafe / 23 kms upstream from Kaeng Pha Dai.

It is a nice spot for a quick stop to savour the view & have a cuppa.

Apart from the usual coffee, tea & cakes they also do some cheap value for money steaks.

Well worth checking out sometime.

Panorama Coffee · 5F9R+5R2, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai 57310, Thailand

âââââ · Coffee shop

goo.gl

Rivercraft

Is another newbie on the river. It is located between Wiang Kaen & Huay Luk on the Mekong; 35.5 kms downstream from Chiang Khong / 15.5 kms downstream from Panorama / 8.5 kms upstream from Kaeng Pha Dai.

Located on a hill it has sweeping panoramic views of the Mekong.

It's a popular social media check in spot for Instagram & Tik Tok fans.

The Rivercraft is a cool spot to hang out for a while & not just a quick "splash & a dash."

Recommended if you like to linger longer.

The River Craft à¹à¸à¸à¸°-ริà¹à¸§à¸à¸£à¹-à¸à¸£à¸²à¸à¸à¸º · 246 Muang Yai, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai 57310, Thailand

âââââ · Cafe

goo.gl

Kaeng Pha Dai

Kaeng Pha Dai is a genuine GTR favourite & unique spot on the Mekong. It's where the Mekong flows away from the Thai - Lao border through a narrower channel in the Mekong.

Kaeng Pha Dai is Mekong end of the road on the Khong in North Thailand.

There are many reefs & rocks in the river at KPD, a popular local tourism spot it also has an amazing little restaurant with fantastic food & a
reputation as the best in the area.

The old GTR fellah is happy to ride there anytime, just for a nice meal overlooking the Khong.

A visit to Kaeng Pha Dai is a perfect ending to riding the Mekong, starting at the Golden Triangle.
It is highly recommended as a hidden gem!

รà¹à¸²à¸à¸ªà¸¸à¸à¸à¸²à¸à¸£à¸±à¸ · 5H9F+FFP Unnamed Road Muang Yai, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai 57310, Thailand

âââââ · Restaurant

goo.gl

 

[Eoin Christie]

Excellent, David, and nice to see the water up at a decent level…