Golden Triangle, Sop Ruak

Sop Ruak is where the Ruak river joins the Mekong and the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet at a single point, and the viewpoint over the confluence is what most visitors come for - along with a large golden Buddha on a boat, a triangle arch and a strip of souvenir stalls. The name has a harder meaning. The Golden Triangle was the largest opium-producing region in the world for much of the twentieth century, with the trade run by armed groups across the three borders and financed through Bangkok and beyond, and Thailand's share of it was ended by crop substitution and enforcement over decades rather than by any single act. Two museums cover it: the Hall of Opium, a serious and well-made state museum with a long walk-through exhibition on the opium wars, the trade and addiction, and the smaller privately run House of Opium. The Hall is the substantive reason to make the trip.

What you actually see

• The confluence - the Ruak joining the Mekong where three borders meet.
• The Hall of Opium - a serious museum on the trade, the wars and addiction.
• The viewpoint strip - the golden Buddha, the arch and the souvenir stalls.
• The crop substitution story - how Thailand's share of the trade was ended.

When to go

November to February. The Hall of Opium closes on Mondays and takes two hours. Half a day covers the viewpoint and one museum.

Honest expectations

The viewpoint itself is a photo stop with heavy souvenir selling - fifteen minutes. The Hall of Opium is the reason to come and closes Mondays. Boat trips offered to the Lao island casino are a separate proposition entirely.

Nearby

Chiang Saen and its ruins are south; Mae Sai and the Myanmar crossing are west.