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SPLASHING OUT If your budget is up to doing the Golden Triangle in style, consider a night or two at Le Meridien Baan Boran, for a room with a great view. Perched on a ridge amid some 160 hectares of bamboo and teak, every room offers stunning vistas of this intersection of nations—and you're safely removed from the tacky tourist mayhem and noisy "longtail" boats below. The Meridien's impeccable service and graceful traditional architecture moved the Tourism Authority of Thailand to proclaim it northern Thailand's best hotel. Prices start at $55 for a room and $82 for a suite, not including breakfast; call (66-53) 784-078 for reservations.

CULTURE CONTAINED Chiang Saen's National Museum is well worth a visit if history and archaeology hold some appeal for you. Established in 1957 near the crumbling majesty of Wat Chedi Luang, it contains a wealth of fascinating snippets about the Golden Triangle's bloody, tumultuous past. At its heyday in the 13th century, Chiang Saen was one of the most important cities in the Lanna kingdom; it boasts plenty of sites of archaeological significance, some dating to the prehistoric era. The museum has a fine collection of Buddha images, stone inscriptions and ceramics, as well as a section on the area's rich hill-tribe culture. Chiang Saen is about 60 km from Chiang Rai, and the museum, at 702 Phahonyothin Road, is easy to find. Just hop in a tuk tuk or call (66-53) 777-102 for directions.