With its traditional wooden houses, this is the quintessential street of Chiang Khan. It's also where most of the guesthouses and private accommodations (bed and breakfasts) are located. More importantly, though, it's where the monks from the city's Buddhist temples gather every morning to receive offerings of rice, food, and flowers from locals and tourists alike. This almsgiving is common throughout Thailand, but in Chiang Khan, it's perhaps the most impressive. Chai Khong Road is also home to all the small shops selling a variety of Chiang Khan products, as well as restaurants with riverside terraces. Between shoppers and those seeking a pleasant dinner atmosphere (although these restaurants are often very crowded and therefore noisy), the street is bustling in the evenings, especially on weekends and holidays. But you'll certainly enjoy shopping and buying souvenirs here.

The morning monk tour begins at sunrise, around 5:30 or 6:00 a.m. So you'll need to get up early to participate. If you're staying in one of the accommodations on Chai Khong Road, you'll find straw mattresses with small trays or baskets of alms for the monks waiting outside. You simply pay the price and can join in. Alternatively, there are several small roadside stalls selling offering kits.

Since I recommend that you stay overnight in this area of ​​Chiang Khan, and if possible in one of the guesthouses or hotels overlooking the Mekong, you usually only need to walk down from your room to reach the street where the monks walk by.

How to get there

How do you get to Chai Khong Road? Since I recommend staying in this area of ​​Chiang Khan, and if possible in one of the guesthouses or hotels overlooking the Mekong, you usually only need to walk down from your room to reach the road where the monks walk.