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Many tourists are interested in questions: what is commonly called the "Golden Triangle" of St. Petersburg and what does it include? Let's try to figure it out. The "Golden Triangle" of St. Petersburg is part of the Central and Admiralteisky districts in the very heart of the city. It is bounded by the Neva River (Admiralteyskaya and Palace embankments), Gorokhovaya Street and the embankment of the Fontanka River, really resembling a triangle in shape. The main attractions, expensive boutiques, restaurants and prestigious residential buildings are concentrated here.
The fact that it is in this part of the city that there are many historical monuments, there is no coincidence. It is known that the very first building from which St. Petersburg "began" was Peter-Pavel's Fortress– the day of its foundation, May 27, 1703, is also considered the birthday of the city. For the first 10 years of the existence of the settlement, its life was concentrated on the island closest to the fortress - Petrogradsky.
On the opposite bank of the Neva River, the Admiralty building, built in 1704, became the center of attraction. At first it was used exclusively for the construction of ships, and since 1718 the Admiralty Board, which managed the affairs of the navy, was located there. Houses of major officials began to appear along the coast, overlooking the fortress, and lined up in a row to the place where the Marble Palace is now located.
Parallel streets were built up with houses of wealthy merchants and nobles. The bank of the Fontanka, which served as the border of the city at the beginning of the 18th century, was given under summer residences royal nobles. So the Golden Triangle area began to take shape even under Peter I. It is not surprising that the most significant buildings were subsequently erected in this part of the city. As a result, a whole complex of sights has been formed on a small square, without which it is already impossible to imagine majestic St. Petersburg in our time.
The main attractions of the "Golden Triangle"
1. Palace Square
– main square city, which received its name in 1766, since the facade of the Winter Palace overlooked it. According to the original plan, it belonged to the Admiralty and was intended to accommodate artillery in the event of an enemy attack. However military value was quickly lost, the area was overgrown with grass and was even called the "Admiralty Meadow", which Elizabeth I ordered in 1743 to be sown with oats. Subsequently, a whole complex of buildings was built on the free space, which includes the Buildings of the General Staff and the headquarters of the Guards Corps. The center of the square is decorated with the famous Alexander Column, erected in memory of the victory of Emperor Alexander I in the war of 1812.
2. State Hermitage
State - one of the most famous art museums not only in Russia, but also in the world. Formerly in its main building overlooking Palace Square, was placed Winter Palace. The museum's collection once began with a private collection of paintings by Catherine II, and now it has about 3 million masterpieces of world art.
3. Admiralty building
One of the very first buildings in the city is the Admiralty, standing on the banks of the Neva River. Initially, it was founded as a shipyard, personally by Peter I, then it became a fortress surrounded by a moat and earthen ramparts, but since 1718 the top leadership of the Russian navy was located here.
4. Kazan Cathedral
Built under Paul I on the site of the old court church, it became one of the main Orthodox centers of St. Petersburg, along with St. Isaac's Cathedral. After the war of 1812, it also acquired the status of a monument. military glory when the keys to the conquered cities were placed here, and in 1813 the outstanding commander M.I. Kutuzov.
5. Gostiny Dvor
Gostiny Dvor, built in the 18th century in the style of early classicism, became not the first, but the largest trading platform in the city. It currently houses a department store total area premises of which - 78,000 m².
6. Church of the Savior on Blood
The nine-domed Church of the Savior on Blood (Resurrection of Christ) on the banks of the Griboyedov Canal was built at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. on the very spot where Emperor Alexander II was mortally wounded by a bomb explosion. The temple is made in the same "Russian" architectural style, as St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow.
7. Russian Museum
The Russian Museum, opened in 1898 by decree of Nicholas II, has the largest collection of Russian art in the world. It occupies a whole complex of buildings, which includes five palaces in the central part of St. Petersburg, adjacent gardens, the House of Peter I and some other historical monuments. The museum has its own department for the restoration of valuables and a scientific library.
8. Mikhailovsky (Engineering) Castle
Mikhailovsky Castle, the construction of which was completed in 1801, served as the imperial residence for a very short time - 40 days after the move, Paul I was killed there. A few years later, the building was converted into residential apartments, and from 1823 to 1917. it housed the Nikolaev Engineering School, thanks to which the castle received its second name - Engineering.
9. Summer garden
The summer garden, founded personally by Peter I in 1704, was intended for the emperor's rest and, of course, was built according to a strict plan. Not only for beauty, but also to drain the territory, a whole system of canals and ponds was created, trees were planted, fountains were arranged. Ordinary citizens began to be allowed to walk in the garden under Empress Elizabeth.
10. Field of Mars
The Field of Mars, which received its name in 1805 by analogy with the square for military exercises and celebrations in Rome, was used for parades and parades by Peter I himself. Currently, it is a huge park on which a memorial was erected to those who died in the February Revolution (in it party workers were buried until 1933), and in 1957 an eternal flame was lit.
The Golden Triangle of St. Petersburg is a relatively small area, but the most saturated with historical monuments area. It is not surprising that many people begin their acquaintance with the great city from its visit. You can get around and briefly see all the listed sights in a few hours, but to see the exposition of museums, castles and just walks in the parks, you will need far more than one day.
The excursion program of the Golden Triangle covers the most famous and most interesting cities central India. This route is Delhi - Jaipur - Fatehpur Sikri - Agra - Mathura - Vrindavan. The "tops" of the triangle are Delhi, Jaipur and Agra.
What to see
More intense excursion program than the Golden Triangle, perhaps not to be found. Cities such as Agra, Jaipur, Delhi are the main tourist centers of India and store many interesting places, historical monuments and architectural masterpieces during the Mughal dynasty.
Jaipur
The brightest city can rightfully be called Jaipur.
Quite small in size, the city was built according to all the canons of ancient Indian architecture: it has a rectangular layout with narrow picturesque streets filled with people, shops and shops, surrounded by a fortress wall that protected the city from raids and wild animals.
Most of the city's historical monuments are built of pink sandstone, symbolizing hospitality. The most colorful sights of Jaipur can be considered the Palace of the Winds and the City palace complex. Palace of Winds indeed fabulous place, built specifically for the sheikh's harem in the form of honeycombs. Such a layout was specially thought out by the architects so that the beautiful residents could be seen without fear, observe the life of the city.
The city palace complex is no less interesting. You will have to spend almost the whole day to see it. The palace itself consists of many interesting museums, where musical instruments, garments and textiles, collections of ceremonial weapons, ancient manuscripts, miniature copies of famous Indian monuments.
In the city in early November, a grandiose Diwali festival or a festival of lights dedicated to the goddess of love and prosperity Lakshmi takes place, when candles light up all over the city, houses are decorated with lights, and unusual fireworks illuminate the sky.
In the summer, you can visit the Teej holidays, which take place on the third day of the new moon. This is quite an interesting sight, when the swings of the city are decorated with flowers and leaves, on this day they celebrate the beginning of the rainy season. For lovers of reptiles, the Nagpanchmi holiday will be extremely curious, because on this day this sacred animal is praised. People bring milk to snake holes, snake charmers show their skills everywhere.
Delhi
The next point of the tour will be Delhi, where you will be able to see not only the sights of the Old City, but also fully enjoy the masterpieces of the British-Indian architecture of the New. First of all, tourists will be offered to see the huge Jama Masjid mosque. Beautiful red sandstone building white marble excellent example of ancient Indian architecture. Here you can wash your hands in the pool or climb the southern minaret, which offers a magical panorama of the Old City.
Next is Red Fort, built in 1648. You enter the territory through the Lahore gate and immediately find yourself on one of the first covered markets Chatta Chowk. Until now, the incomparable atmosphere of India, as it was hundreds of years ago, has been preserved here. On the shelves you can find the most unimaginable goods, buy jewelry and souvenirs, scented candles, oils, fabrics and clothes.
Don't stay long at the market, go to the Fort Museum, where household items and musical instruments are on display.
Connaught Square is located in the northern part of New Delhi - business and tourist centre New city. Here are best shops and restaurants of the city, from here the road begins to the Gateway of India, where an eternal flame burns in memory of the fallen soldiers of the Second World War and military parades take place. No less interesting will be the inspection of the Hindu temple of Lakshmi-Narayan, named after the goddess of abundance and wealth Lakshmi. The walls of the temple are decorated with carvings and images from Hindu mythology.
Agra
Another gem of the tour "Golden Triangle" is fabulous city Agra. It is famous, of course, for one of the seven wonders of the world - the Taj Mahal. Among the cypress trees on the banks of the river, majestically located is the immortal monument of love, built under Shah Jahan in honor of his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. The unusual tomb still delights the eye with its exquisite beauty. Made of white marble, the mausoleum is completed by a perfectly shaped double dome and four minarets. The tomb of the Empress is built of marble, inlaid precious stones, decorated with black marble ornaments.
Taj Mahal and Agra Fort
Another no less interesting attraction of the city is the Agra Fort, made of red sandstone. The complex has preserved terraces, halls, gardens and a beautiful marble Moti Masjid behind its ten meter walls. It is also worth visiting the halls of public and private audiences, the Grape Garden and the Mirror Palace. The tomb of Itemad-ud-Daula is the heart of the Persian park and one of the most elegant sights of the city. Empress Norjahan built it for her parents. The small tomb is rightfully considered the Small Taj, striking tourists with white and black marble decoration, openwork panels decorated with precious stones and extraordinary mosaics.
To find segments of the golden ratio of the ascending and descending rows, you can use the pentagram.
Rice. 5. Construction of a regular pentagon and pentagram
To build a pentagram, you need to build a regular pentagon. The method of its construction was developed by the German painter and graphic artist Albrecht Dürer (1471...1528). Let O be the center of the circle, A a point on the circle, and E the midpoint of segment OA. The perpendicular to the radius OA, raised at point O, intersects with the circle at point D. Using a compass, mark the segment CE = ED on the diameter. The length of a side of a regular pentagon inscribed in a circle is DC. We set aside segments DC on the circle and get five points for drawing a regular pentagon. We connect the corners of the pentagon through one diagonal and get a pentagram. All diagonals of the pentagon divide each other into segments connected by the golden ratio.
Each end of the pentagonal star is a golden triangle. Its sides form an angle of 36° at the top, and the base laid on the side divides it in proportion to the golden section.
Rice. 6. Building a golden triangle
Draw straight line AB. From point A we lay off on it a segment O of arbitrary size three times, through the resulting point P we draw a perpendicular to the line AB, on the perpendicular to the right and left of point P we put off segments O. The resulting points d and d1 are connected by straight lines with point A. We put the segment dd1 on line Ad1, getting point C. She divided the line Ad1 in proportion to the golden ratio. The lines Ad1 and dd1 are used to build a "golden" rectangle.
History of the golden section
It is generally accepted that the concept of the golden division was introduced into scientific use by Pythagoras, an ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician (VI century BC). There is an assumption that Pythagoras borrowed his knowledge of the golden division from the Egyptians and Babylonians. Indeed, the proportions of the Cheops pyramid, temples, bas-reliefs, household items and decorations from the tomb of Tutankhamun indicate that the Egyptian craftsmen used the ratios of the golden division when creating them. The French architect Le Corbusier found that in the relief from the temple of Pharaoh Seti I in Abydos and in the relief depicting Pharaoh Ramses, the proportions of the figures correspond to the values of the golden division. The architect Khesira, depicted on a relief of a wooden board from the tomb of his name, holds measuring instruments in his hands, in which the proportions of the golden division are fixed.
The Greeks were skilled geometers. Even arithmetic was taught to their children with the help of geometric figures. The square of Pythagoras and the diagonal of this square were the basis for constructing dynamic rectangles.
Rice. 7. Dynamic Rectangles
Plato (427...347 BC) also knew about the golden division. His dialogue "Timaeus" is devoted to the mathematical and aesthetic views of the school of Pythagoras and, in particular, to the questions of the golden division.
In the facade of the ancient Greek temple of the Parthenon there are golden proportions. During its excavations, compasses were found, which were used by architects and sculptors. ancient world. The Pompeian compass (Museum in Naples) also contains the proportions of the golden division.
Rice. 8. Antique compasses of the golden ratio
In the ancient literature that has come down to us, the golden division was first mentioned in Euclid's Elements. In the 2nd book of the "Beginnings" the geometric construction of the golden division is given. After Euclid, Hypsicles (II century BC), Pappus (III century AD) and others were engaged in the study of the golden division. In medieval Europe with the golden division We met through Arabic translations of Euclid's Elements. The translator J. Campano from Navarre (3rd century) commented on the translation. The secrets of the golden division were jealously guarded, kept in strict secrecy. They were known only to the initiates.
During the Renaissance, interest in the golden division among scientists and artists increased in connection with its use both in geometry and in art, especially in architecture Leonardo da Vinci, an artist and scientist, saw that Italian artists had great empirical experience, but little knowledge . He conceived and began to write a book on geometry, but at that time a book by the monk Luca Pacioli appeared, and Leonardo abandoned his idea. According to contemporaries and historians of science, Luca Pacioli was a real luminary, the greatest mathematician in Italy between Fibonacci and Galileo. Luca Pacioli was a student of the artist Piero della Francesca, who wrote two books, one of which was called On Perspective in Painting. He is considered the creator of descriptive geometry.
Luca Pacioli was well aware of the importance of science for art. In 1496, at the invitation of the Duke of Moreau, he came to Milan, where he lectured on mathematics. Leonardo da Vinci also worked at the Moro court in Milan at that time. In 1509, Luca Pacioli's Divine Proportion was published in Venice, with brilliantly executed illustrations, which is why they are believed to have been made by Leonardo da Vinci. The book was an enthusiastic hymn to the golden ratio. Among the many advantages of the golden ratio, the monk Luca Pacioli did not fail to name its “divine essence” as an expression of the divine trinity of God the Son, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit (it was understood that the small segment is the personification of God the Son, the larger segment is the personification of God the Father, and the entire segment - the god of the holy spirit).
Leonardo da Vinci also paid much attention to the study of the golden division. He made sections of a stereometric body formed by regular pentagons, and each time he obtained rectangles with aspect ratios in golden division. Therefore, he gave this division the name of the golden section. So it is still the most popular.
At the same time, in northern Europe, in Germany, Albrecht Dürer was working on the same problems. He sketches an introduction to the first draft of a treatise on proportions. Durer writes. “It is necessary that the one who knows something should teach it to others who need it. This is what I set out to do."
Judging by one of Dürer's letters, he met with Luca Pacioli during his stay in Italy. Albrecht Dürer develops in detail the theory of the proportions of the human body. Dürer assigned an important place in his system of ratios to the golden section. The height of a person is divided in golden proportions by the belt line, as well as by the line drawn through the tips of the middle fingers of the lowered hands, the lower part of the face - by the mouth, etc. Known proportional compass Dürer.
Great astronomer of the 16th century Johannes Kepler called the golden ratio one of the treasures of geometry. He is the first to draw attention to the significance of the golden ratio for botany (plant growth and structure).
Kepler called the golden ratio self-continuing. “It is arranged in such a way,” he wrote, “that the two junior terms of this infinite proportion add up to the third term, and any two last terms, if added together, give the next term, and the same proportion remains until infinity."
The construction of a series of segments of the golden ratio can be done both in the direction of increase (increasing series) and in the direction of decrease (descending series).
If on a straight line of arbitrary length, set aside segment m, next we set aside segment M. Based on these two segments, we build a scale of segments of the golden proportion of the ascending and descending rows
Rice. 9. Building a scale of segments of the golden ratio
In subsequent centuries, the rule of the golden ratio turned into an academic canon, and when, over time, a struggle began in art with the academic routine, in the heat of the struggle, “they threw the child out with the water.” The golden section was “discovered” again in the middle of the 19th century. In 1855, the German researcher of the golden section, Professor Zeising, published his work Aesthetic Research. With Zeising, exactly what happened was bound to happen to the researcher who considers the phenomenon as such, without connection with other phenomena. He absolutized the proportion of the golden section, declaring it universal for all phenomena of nature and art. Zeising had numerous followers, but there were also opponents who declared his doctrine of proportions to be "mathematical aesthetics".
Rice. 10. Golden proportions in parts of the human body
Rice. 11. Golden proportions in the human figure
Zeising did a great job. He measured about two thousand human bodies and came to the conclusion that the golden ratio expresses the average statistical law. The division of the body by the navel point is the most important indicator of the golden section. The proportions of the male body fluctuate within the average ratio of 13: 8 = 1.625 and are somewhat closer to the golden ratio than the proportions of the female body, in relation to which the average value of the proportion is expressed in the ratio 8: 5 = 1.6. In a newborn, the proportion is 1: 1, by the age of 13 it is 1.6, and by the age of 21 it is equal to the male. The proportions of the golden section are also manifested in relation to other parts of the body - the length of the shoulder, forearm and hand, hand and fingers, etc.
Zeising tested the validity of his theory on Greek statues. He developed the proportions of Apollo Belvedere in most detail. Greek vases, architectural structures of various eras, plants, animals, bird eggs, musical tones, poetic meters were subjected to research. Zeising defined the golden ratio, showed how it is expressed in line segments and in numbers. When the figures expressing the lengths of the segments were obtained, Zeising saw that they constituted a Fibonacci series, which could be continued indefinitely in one direction and the other. His next book was entitled "Golden division as the basic morphological law in nature and art." In 1876, a small book, almost a pamphlet, was published in Russia, outlining Zeising's work. The author took refuge under the initials Yu.F.V. Not a single painting is mentioned in this edition.
At the end of XIX - beginning of XX centuries. a lot of purely formalistic theories appeared about the use of the golden section in works of art and architecture. With the development of design and technical aesthetics, the law of the golden ratio extended to the design of cars, furniture, etc.
Geographical area located in the mountains at the junction of borders three states South-East Asia: Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, known for large volumes of production and drug trafficking. In addition, drug dealers freely felt themselves in southern China, Vietnam and Cambodia. Almost 50 thousand people. ensure the safety of the production, transit and sale of drugs.
This army was led by a half-Chinese, half-shan Zhang Shifu, better known as Hong Sa. It was he who persuaded the Shans to earn money for the liberation struggle by selling heroin.
The leaders of the Golden Triangle developed new transit schemes and expanded the sales market. From Myanmar, drugs were transported by small fishing boats to Sri Lanka and India. By land caravans went through Bangladesh.
Large quantities of opium were then loaded onto ships in Bombay and Madras, as well as in ports in Pakistan, and shipped to customers around the world. Another transit area was through Thailand and Cambodia. The cargo was secured by the Shans, Indian rebel groups and corrupt Thai officials. In 1996, Hong Sa betrayed his closest associates and went into hiding. Until his death in 2007, he was believed to be living somewhere on the coast of Myanmar, but he could not be located, despite a US$3 million reward.
On the territory of Thailand, the only Opium Museum in the world is open and exists. It is from here that it is best to get acquainted with the history of this region.
Sightseeing holidays in Thailand are no less popular than beach holidays. One of the most popular excursions- visiting the Golden Triangle. This name hides an area in the north of Thailand, known for that in the past drugs were produced and sold here. It is here that the world's only Opium Museum is open. Today, corn is grown on opium plantations, and the production of drugs has been banned by the state since the middle of the 20th century.
The Golden Triangle is located in the mountains of Northern Thailand, on the border with Burma and Laos. It is in this place that the Mekong and Ruak rivers form a natural triangle called the “golden one”.
Majority day trips, sold at local agencies and tour operators, include visits to the center of the Golden Triangle, the white temple of Chiang Rai, hot springs and mountain village where the local natives live.
The standard itinerary in the center of the Golden Triangle consists of visiting the famous Opium Museum (or Opium House - a smaller and cheaper museum), a photo stop at the confluence of the rivers, where the Wat Phrathat Puhao temple is located, a Mekong cruise and a visit to the Lao island of Don Sao.
The Opium Museum (Hall of Opium) is one of the most interesting museums in Thailand. The museum's exhibition, built in a modern way, shows the history of opium, clearly demonstrates the process of production, use and consequences of taking the drug. It even has its own small opium plantation.
You can visit the Lao island of Don Sao by boat on the Mekong River, while you will also get a short river cruise with coastal beauty. Access to the island is carried out without obtaining a visa for all tourists without exception, for a nominal fee of 20 baht.
Not far from the opium museum (House of Opium) and the pier for boats going on cruises to the Lao island, on the very bank of the river. Mekong is located giant statue happy or laughing Buddha. In general, this place is quite interesting and ... funny. You can go on the boat and see the Buddha from all sides, but besides this, there are several "attractions" on the boat to collect donations. For example, you can throw a coin down a long chute that leads into the belly of a pleased Buddha, and when the coin hits his stomach, he will laugh merrily and thank you.
It is best to book a tour at your hotel, which is what most tourists do. If you decide to visit the Golden Triangle on your own, you will have to get to local buses to Chiang Saen, where you can transfer to hired transport.
From Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai go regular buses to Mae Sai and Chiang Saen. Next, you will have to transfer to the local "minibus" (trucks converted into open buses). They run between Mae Sai (cost about 50 baht, travel time - about 45 minutes) and Chiang Saen (15 minutes and about 30 baht), stopping at the Golden Triangle. Back "minibuses" depart in 20 minutes. The last one leaves around noon. After this time, you can get to Chang Saen by tuk-tuk or scooter for about 70-100 baht.
Those who are going to go on an excursion from Bangkok will first have to get to Chiang Mai by plane (about 50 minutes) or by bus (cost from 400 to 800 baht, about 8 hours), trains also run between cities (about 900 baht). It is better to buy all tickets from Bangkok in advance to avoid the risk of being left without a ticket on the day of departure for the tour.
Today we will talk about one of the most popular attractions - the Golden Triangle ( golden triangle). This is the name of the area at the confluence of the Mekong and Ruak rivers, where the borders converge three countries- Laos, Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand.
In principle, this option is justified if you want to meet sunset and sunrise on the banks of the Mekong. The views are really beautiful, and in the mornings and evenings there are no tourists and you can enjoy the beautiful nature in silence.
There is no other reason to stay overnight in the Golden Triangle. If you came just to see what it is, then just a few hours are enough to look at the observation deck, the temple and the opium museum. There isn't much else to do here. No nightlife there are no bars or discos.
There are many photos of the Golden Triangle in the article so that you can get some impression about this place and decide whether it is worth going here or not. As mentioned above, only nature lovers can like it here. But opium lovers are unlikely, because. You can't really buy it here. Only one thing can be firmly said: if you are relaxing in Pattaya, Phuket or Koh Samui, then coming to the north of Thailand just to see the Golden Triangle is not worth it - you will spend a lot of time and money. But if you want to get acquainted with the northern provinces and cities of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pai and Mei Hong Son, then stopping by here will be a great solution.
In conclusion, I would like to say that despite the fact that this is a place where the borders of three countries converge, but to extend here thai visa(visa-run) or go to neighboring country it is forbidden. The only exception is that you can hire a boat that will take you to the coast of Laos and you can walk for 20 baht through its territory (but not throughout, but only in a limited area). To extend the visa, you must go either to the city (on the border with Burma), or to (on the border with Laos).
Attractions
There are several attractions in the Golden Triangle - this is a temple on a mountain with observation deck(Wat Prathat Pu Khao), Big Buddha and Opium Museum. For your convenience, we have marked them all on the map at the bottom of the page. From entertainment - you can ride on the Mekong River.
Wat Prathat Pu Khao
This temple is located on a hill, which offers good panoramic views of the confluence three borders, to Laos on opposite side Mekong and the Thai town by the river. Excursions are carried here directly on buses and it is an obligatory stop when visiting the Golden Triangle.
The temple itself (New Temple) is not of particular interest - it is a fairly standard Thai-style building with a Sitting Buddha inside. But of interest are the remains of the Buddha statue, which dates back to 1302. It is called the Buddha of Chiang Saen, is located to the left of the temple and is badly destroyed - only the torso remains, no head and hands.
The more preserved ancient landmark is located on the top of the hill, next to the observation deck. These are ruins temple complex, which is one main building (viharn), behind which are 5 chedis. Of the five chedi, only the base remained, but the main building was well preserved. Inside it there is a small altar with statues of Buddhas and saints. According to legend this old temple built in 759, but its architecture is typical for a different era, so scientists tend to believe that it was built in the 14th century.
A staircase leads to the temple, but you can also drive here along an asphalt road on a motorbike and car.
Big Buddha (Phra Chiang Saen Si Phaendin)
The Big Buddha in the Golden Triangle is the most prominent landmark that can be seen from afar. Located right on the water and is big ship on which the Buddha floats. Of course, in reality, it stands still, since it is a model of a ship. The Buddha sits in a lotus position, and a happy smile plays on his lips.
In addition to the Smiling Buddha, other Gods also "float" on the ship, for example, Ganesha (with an elephant's trunk) and the Fat Buddha. From here opens good view at the confluence of the three boundaries. There is also a pillar on which the Golden Triangle is written.
Opium Museum
There are actually two opium museums here. One is located to the left of the stairs leading to the Wat Prathat Pu Khao temple and is called the House of Opium. The second is located 2 km to the northwest and is named Hall of Opium. The first one is rather small, though two-storeyed. Tells about the history of opium, its effects and methods of production. There are a lot of visual exhibits, for example, a hut where an opium smoker gets high or a prison that this practice leads to. Smoking pipes, pictures, explanatory information in English - in short, full. Entrance costs 50 baht.
But the Hall of Opium is a more impressive establishment. It is considered almost the largest in the world. Used a lot modern ways presentation of information, such as multimedia. The exposition is much larger than the previous museum, but the entrance fee is 200 baht. Open every day except Monday. You can get there on foot or by blue fixed-route taxi, which runs between the cities of Chiang Sen and Mai Sai and passes by the Golden Triangle (we will talk about them below).
boating
And in the Golden Triangle you can take a cruise on motor boat along the Mekong with a stop on the Laos side in the Don Sao area (it is sometimes called an island). To do this, you need to hire a boat, which are clustered next to the Big Buddha and to the right of it (if you are facing the river). A standard trip is 1.5 hours and costs 400 baht per boat (i.e. if you are 4 people, then 100 baht each).
How to get to the Golden Triangle
Excursions to the Golden Triangle can be bought everywhere, especially in the north of the country. And sightseeing tour will also include other attractions - the White Temple in Chiang Rai, the village of long-necked women, hot springs. The average cost of such a trip to Chiang Mai is 1000 baht.
You can book a tour or go on your own. It is especially convenient to do this from Chiang Mai, where the transport company Green Bus organizes daily flights to this attraction. Buses depart from new bus terminal 3 (tickets can also be bought at Bus Terminal 2, which is across the road). There are two morning flights - at 9:30 and 11:45. It is better to take the second one, because. this is an air conditioned bus. Travel time is about 5 hours.
The second option to get to the Golden Triangle is to drive to the city of Chiang Sen or Mai Sai, and from there by minibus (blue pickups) to get to the place. These two cities can be reached both from Chiang Mai (using the services of the same Green Bus) and from Chiang Rai.
From Chiang Rai every half an hour from the old bus station (which is in the city center) there are buses with a fan. First flight at 6 am. The fare is 56 baht to Mai Sai and 45 baht to Chiang Sen. It is better to use the second option, because. from Chiang Sen to the Golden Triangle 10 minutes, and from Mai Sai about half an hour. In addition, buses arriving in Chiang Sen will drop you off next to the stop of minibuses (songteo in blue) that go to the Golden Triangle. The fare is 20 baht. But in Mai Sai you will be brought to the bus station, from which you have to drive 10 minutes to the border on the red songteos (travel 15 baht), and then change to the blue ones. They stand about 200-300 meters from border crossing, next to the store 7/11. They are written in English - Mai Sai - Chiang Sen. They go to Chiang Sen and pass the Golden Triangle along the way. Travel 45 baht.
Since the Golden Triangle is not final stop and blue songthaews from Mai Sai and Chiang Sen are just passing by, you need to tell the driver in advance where to get off. Or follow the road yourself and as you will see Big Buddha on the ship, then press the bell inside the cabin.
By the way, keep in mind that the blue songteos run only until 13:00. After that, you can take a tuk-tuk. They look like Bangkok ones.
But the most the best option Get to the Golden Triangle from Chiang Rai with an air-conditioned minivan from Green Bus. It goes through the city of Chiang Sen.
