Today is free for you to explore Chiang Rai as you choose. You may wish to journey to the heart of the Golden Triangle. This optional adventure includes hopping aboard a boat that will take you cruising along the mighty Mekong River to the exact spot where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), and Laos meet. You’ll have time to step ashore in Laos and head into the Don Sao Island markets, where you can browse the handicrafts and local snacks on offer. It’s the only part of Laos that can be visited without a visa, so make the most of it! Next, we’ll stop for lunch at a local restaurant before heading to the self-proclaimed ‘edutainment’ Hall of Opium, a fascinating museum that reveals an incredible 5,000 years of history. The state-of-the-art exhibitions, harrowing accounts, and even a tiny opium plantation all tell a vivid story of the conflicts, rituals, and abuse that have stemmed from opium, a trade that once ruled the Golden Triangle in the past century.