Chapter 28. TOUR DE GOLDEN TRIANGLE (3rd STOP - GOLDEN TRIANGLE)

On the way to the Golden Triangle, we were getting excited in the van. Mr. Guide informed us that we would be taking a boat over to the triangle. *Glee* ;o)

Initially he said we were supposed to sit in a "sampan" (traditional small boat) but due to the poor weather he changed our transport to a bigger boat with a roof.

The adventurous Americans & British weren't too happy and kept begging Mr. Guide to let us use the "sampan". Lucky for us he insisted that we better use the bigger boat for our safety.

1. I wouldn't want to be drenched.
2. I wouldn't want to fall into the river and be eaten by crocodiles & Giant Catfishes. ;o(

The Sign

Finally after half a day we arrived at our destination. This is the sign for the Thailand side, slightly old and unkept don't you think? For such a famous landmark.

Golden Triangle Map

The triangle is a 350,000 square kilometers area that overlaps the mountains of three countries on the Mekong river - Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. Drugs were erroneously produced in this area and brought to a small island for sale.

It is an island that isn't owned by anyone, and yet owned by everyone. Makes any sense? The island (no man's land) isn't under any country's jurisdiction or law, making it an ideal place for drugs exchange.

The pier

Our ride

Yeah this was our boat ride, much safer then the supposed "sampan". Check out the muddy water in the background, no idea what hideous creatures lurk in the murky depths. ;o(

The interior

Made entirely of wood (including the chairs).

Breezy and cooling

The heavens stopped weeping for our journey. Our group was combined with another tour group with a rather talkative chap for their guide. He was much better than our Mr. Guide as he gave us insight into the history and origins of the Golden Triangle.

What did our Mr. Guide do? He just sat in the corner, speechless. ;o)

Thailand side

According to the guide, the Myanmar side of the Golden Triangle is the most prosperous of the 3 countries. They're currently constructing a casino to lure the rich Chinaman to their banks. We can't land on the Myanmar side due to political unrest.

The Thailand side has a giant Buddha and the worst off of the 3 appears to be Laos.

Laos side - Nothing at all?

Yeah, there's only trees and vegetation on the Laos side. And if that's not bad enough, the banks will flood when the tide is high. ;o(

Ignore the urge to put your hands in the water - remember the crocs and the giant catfish

The boat ride took approximately 25mins to reach the Golden Triangle island from Thailand side.

That piece of land

When we arrived, it was such a disappointment! We took a 4 hours van + 25mins boat ride just to see a piece of land? This was the exact opposite of what I was expecting.

The Golden Triangle

And we weren't even allowed to step foot on the Golden Triangle!!! ;o(

I remembered watching a documentary on the Golden Triangle before where the crew actually stood on the island itself. The guide warned us that the the triangle would get flooded when the tide comes in. And it's just a piece of barren land.

The reason behind the name? They used to exchange opium/heroin (drugs) in a barter mode with gold. 1kg (drugs) is equivalent to 1kg (gold). Thus the name "GOLDEN TRIANGLE".

Some small huts by the bank

Nowadays police are clamping down on illegal drugs production due to international protest. So the Golden Triangle is more of a tourist area rather than a druggie haven.

Hidden inside the forest

Gone were the days where you can buy opium, smoke it on the boat and dance with the fishes. I was secretly hoping to try some cheap opium myself. ;o(


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