Travellers' ChecksHow to annoy colleagues while away; fly to Chiang Rai direct with HK Express
If you want to really wind up the office when you’re on a trip, you can now add holiday snaps to out-of-office e-mails thanks to Qantas; ALSO: good business-class deals in Manila
Once the hard-to-reach haunt of Western backpackers in hopeful search of opium and the hill-tribe experience – but catering to mainstream tourists since the opening of a couple of luxury resorts about a decade ago – Thailand’s Golden Triangle will be served by direct scheduled flights from Hong Kong from November.
HK Express will operate an early afternoon departure to Chiang Rai every Monday and Friday, returning the same evening. Flying time is about three hours, so you can have lunch at Chek Lap Kok and arrive in time to catch the sunset over the muddy confluence of the Mekong and Ruak rivers – where Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet – about an hour’s drive north of Chiang Rai.
Chiang Rai is worth a day’s exploration, with its peculiar White Temple, interesting museums and laid-back atmosphere, but the Anantara Golden Triangle and Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle, close to where the rivers meet, are by far the best places to stay. The Four Seasons has opened a new, family-friendly, “safari-style” Explorers’ Lodge with a private outdoor deck and pool for up to six guests.