Today we will tell you about one of the most popular attractions - the Golden Triangle. This is the name of the area at the confluence of the Mekong and Ruak rivers, where the borders of three countries converge - Laos, Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand.
Golden triangle on the map of Thailand
And beautiful nature, lots of greenery, magnificent views of the Mekong, several religious buildings and two opium museums await you. In our opinion, only lovers of beautiful landscapes should go here, because apart from them there is nothing interesting here, except perhaps one temple in the traditional style and the Big Buddha, whose statue is installed on the ship. The Opium Museum will obviously not be of interest to everyone, since there are exhibits in one way or another related to drugs, paintings and even statues of skinny people who used opium and degraded.
In fact, the Golden Triangle is simply the place on the map where the borders of three countries converge. Nearby is the small town of Sob Ruak, or rather a village with two parallel streets. It is absolutely of no interest in terms of tourism, but you can stay there for the night.
In principle, this option is justified if you want to meet the sunset and sunrise on the banks of the Mekong. The views are really beautiful, but 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 come 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. There is no nightlife, no bars or discos.
There are many photographs of the Golden Triangle in the article, so that you can get some impression of this place and decide whether it is worth going here or not. As mentioned above, only nature lovers will like it here. But opium lovers are unlikely, because you definitely won't be able to buy it here. Only one thing can be said for sure: if you are vacationing 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 Meihong Son, then stopping by here would be an excellent solution.
sights
There are several attractions in the Golden Triangle - a temple on a mountain with an observation deck (Wat Prathat Pu Khao), Big Buddha and the 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, from which there are good panoramic views of the confluence of the three borders, of Laos on the opposite side of the Mekong and of a Thai town by the river. Excursions are carried here directly by buses and it is a mandatory stop when visiting the Golden Triangle.
The temple itself (New Temple) is not of particular interest - it is a fairly standard Thai-style structure with a Seated 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 body remains, the head and arms are gone.
The more preserved ancient landmark is located at the top of the hill, next to the observation deck. These are the ruins of a temple complex, which is one main building (viharn), behind which there are 5 chedis. Only the base remained of the five chedi, but the main building is well preserved. Inside there is a small altar with statues of Buddhas and saints. According to legend, this Old Temple was built in 759, but its architecture is characteristic of 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 call in here along the asphalt road by motorbike and car.
Big Buddha (Phra Chiang Saen Si Phaendin)
The Big Buddha in the Golden Triangle is the most visible landmark seen from afar. It is located right by the water and represents a large ship on which the Buddha "floats". Of course, in reality, it stands still, since this is a model of a ship. The Buddha sits in the lotus position with a happy smile 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 a good view of the confluence of the three borders opens up. 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 Wat Prathat Pu Khao and is called the House of Opium. The second is located 2 km to the northwest and is called the Hall of Opium. The first one is rather small, albeit two-story. Explains the history of opium, its effects and production methods. There are a lot of visual exhibits, for example, a hut where an opium smoker gets high or a prison where such a practice leads. Smoking pipes, pictures, explanatory information in English - in short, complete. Entrance costs 50 baht.
But the Hall of Opium is a more impressive institution. It is considered almost the largest in the world. A lot of modern ways of presenting information are used, such as multimedia. The exposition is much larger than the previous museum, but the entrance is 200 baht. Open every day except Mondays. You can get there on foot or by a blue minibus that runs between the cities of Chiang Sen and Mai Sai and passes the Golden Triangle (we will talk about them below).
Boating
And in the Golden Triangle, you can take a motor boat cruise on the Mekong with a stop on the Laos side in the Don Sao area (sometimes called the island). To do this, you need to hire a boat, which are clustered next to the Big Buddha and to the right of him (if you stand facing the river). A standard trip is designed for 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. Moreover, the excursion 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 an excursion or get there on your own. It is especially convenient to do this from Chiang Mai, where the Green Bus transport company organizes daily flights to this attraction. Buses leave from the new Bus Terminal 3 (tickets can also be bought at Bus Terminal 2, which is across the street). There are two morning flights - at 9:30 am and 11:45 am. Better to take the second one, tk. it is an air-conditioned bus. Travel time is about 5 hours.
The second option to get to the Golden Triangle is to get to the city of Chiang Sen or Mai Sai, and from there take a minibus (blue pick-ups) 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 hour from the old bus station (which is in the city center) there are buses with a fan. The first flight is at 6 am. The fare is 56 baht to Mai Sai and 45 baht to Chiang Sen. 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 near the bus stop (blue songteo) 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 go 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 the border crossing, next to the 7/11 store. It is written on them in English - Mai Sai - Chiang Sen. They go to Chiang Sen and pass the Golden Triangle along the road. Directions 45 baht.
Since the Golden Triangle is not the final stop and the blue songteos 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 when you see the 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 1 pm. After that you can get there by tuk-tuk. They are similar to the Bangkok ones.
But the best option to get to the Golden Triangle from Chiang Rai is an air-conditioned minivan from Green Bus. He walks through the city of Chiang Sen.
Many tourists are interested in the following questions: what is usually 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 a part of the Central and Admiralty districts in the very heart of the city. It is bounded by the Neva River (Admiralteyskaya and Dvortsovaya embankments), Gorokhovaya Street and the Fontanka River embankment, which really resembles a triangle in shape. The main attractions, expensive boutiques, restaurants and prestigious residential buildings are concentrated here.
There is no coincidence that it is in this part of the city that there are many historical monuments. It is known that the very first building from which St. Petersburg "began" was the Peter and Paul Fortress - the day of its foundation, May 27, 1703, is considered the birthday of the city. The first 10 years of the settlement's existence, his 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 Collegium was located there, managing the affairs of the navy. The houses of high-ranking officials began to appear along the coast, overlooking the fortress, and lined up in a row up 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 at the beginning of the 18th century served as the border of the city, was given over to the summer residences of the tsar's nobles. So the area of the "Golden Triangle" began to take shape even during the reign of 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 was formed on a small square, without which it is already impossible to imagine the majestic St. Petersburg in our time.
The main attractions of the "Golden Triangle"
1. Palace Square
- the main square of the city, which got its name in 1766, since the facade of the Winter Palace looked out on 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, its military significance was quickly lost, the area was overgrown with grass and was even called the "Admiralty Meadow", which Elizabeth I ordered to sow with oats in 1743. Subsequently, a whole complex of buildings was built in the free space, which includes the General Staff Buildings 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
The State Museum is one of the most famous art museums not only in Russia, but also in the world. Previously, the Winter Palace was located in its main building overlooking the Palace Square. The collection of the museum began once with a private collection of paintings by Catherine II, and now it has about 3 million masterpieces of world art.
3. Building of the Admiralty
One of the very first buildings in the city is the Admiralty, which stands 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 military fleet was located here.
4. Kazan Cathedral
Built under Paul I on the site of the old court church, it has become one of the main Orthodox centers of St. Petersburg, along with St. Isaac's Cathedral. After the war of 1812, it acquired the status of a monument of military glory, when the keys from the conquered city were placed here, and in 1813 the outstanding commander M.I. Kutuzov.
5. Seating yard
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. Currently, it houses a department store with a total area of 78,000 m².
6. Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
The nine-domed Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood (Resurrection of Christ) on the banks of the Griboyedov Canal was built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. at the very place where the emperor Alexander II was mortally wounded by a bomb explosion. The temple is made in the same "Russian" architectural style as the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed in Moscow.
7. Russian Museum
The Russian Museum, opened in 1898 by order of Nicholas II, has the world's largest collection of Russian art. It occupies a whole complex of buildings, which includes five palaces in the central part of St. Petersburg, adjoining 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
The 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 the second name - Engineering.
9. Summer garden
The summer garden, founded by Peter I personally in 1704, was intended for the emperor's rest and, naturally, was built according to a strict plan. Not only for beauty, but also for draining the territory, a whole system of canals and ponds was created, trees were planted, fountains were arranged. Ordinary townspeople were allowed to walk in the garden under Empress Elizabeth.
10. Field of Mars
The Champ de Mars, which got its name in 1805 by analogy with the area for military exercises and celebrations in Rome, was used for parades and reviews by Peter I. At present, it is a huge park on which a memorial to those who died in the February Revolution was erected (in it buried party workers 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 visiting it. You can get around and quickly examine all the listed sights in a few hours, but to view the exposition of museums, castles and just walks in the parks it will take more than one day.
It resembles an iceberg, with a small visible part and a huge underwater ...
And this is not surprising, because we are talking about one of the most terrible enemies of mankind - drugs.
It all started after the end of the Second World War. Opium poppy, a traditional agricultural culture of the peoples of Southeast Asia, has become an element of big politics and the interest of several political forces at once: the Chinese Kuomintang (armed formations opposing Mao Zedong), the Shan nationalist movement (Myanmar), Indian rebel groups opposing the British colonial dominion, and a number of others. Each of these forces had their own goals and objectives, but they all needed money. A system of mass production of opium was created and an extensive network of its sale throughout the world was organized. The inaccessible mountainous regions of the three neighboring countries, in which the opium poppy became the main agricultural crop, because of the fabulous profits brought by the drug trade, began to be called the "Golden Triangle".
Over time, politics faded into the background, the production of opiates in the "Golden Triangle" became a regular criminal business, in fact, the same as the illegal trade in arms or people. Heroin, the most terrible herbal drug, claimed millions of lives around the world, and mankind will probably never know the number of victims of the internecine wars of international underground drug trafficking syndicates.
At the end of the last century, the "Golden Triangle" became a serious problem for the governments of a number of countries in Southeast Asia, primarily Thailand, which is interested in developing tourism. Drastic measures were taken - a large-scale elimination of the cultivation of opium poppy, the introduction of the death penalty for its cultivation, smuggling and marketing. The death penalty for drug crimes, by the way, threatens in Thailand even now, as well as in neighboring Malaysia and Singapore.
Measures to eliminate opium plantations had a positive effect, but another problem arose - the economic situation of the population in the zone of the "Golden Triangle", who had lost a significant share of their earnings on growing opium poppy, began to deteriorate sharply. The Thai government decided on a non-trivial and rather risky step - the creation of a tourist center in the northern province of Chiang Rai, dedicated to the dark history of opium and everything connected with it.
An excursion along the "Golden Triangle" is quite accessible today for tourists, you can go directly from Pattaya and Phuket, where Russian tourists most often rest, by local airlines. True, on the way, the guides do not get tired of repeating that opium poppy is no longer produced in Thailand, they remind of the harsh, up to the death penalty, for drug trafficking, and clarify that on the territory of the other two countries, Myanmar and Laos, this evil is not yet finished. Such excursions are also interesting without regard to the main topic: the area in the Chiang Rai province, on the Mekong bank, is very picturesque, here you can enjoy the excellent mountain air, visit the ancient Buddhist temples.
In the small town of Chiang Saen, you can visit the Opium Museum, the only one in the world.
The founders of the museum found a solution to a rather difficult task - to tell visitors about the history of the cultivation of opium poppy, about its consumption, use in medicine in the countries of the East, while completely excluding the promotion of opiates as narcotic substances.
Tour guides show tourists the original devices for smoking opium (some of them are real works of art), talk about different ways of using it not related to drug intoxication, including in the national cuisines of different nations.
At the same time, the “dark sides” of opium consumption are also presented in the exhibition: in the paintings and photographs you can see the eerie atmosphere of opium smokers, and the wax figures of opium smokers can terrify you.
Imagine that you are a student. There is a math lesson. You, on assignment, in a notebook or on a blackboard, draw a triangle. Put the letter "M" on each of its vertices. There are only three letters "M". Three magic letters "M".
"What do these letters mean, and what is their meaning?"
You ask. I really hope that after reading this article, these same three letters "M" will be the most important discovery for you. Perhaps even over the past few years, or perhaps over a lifetime. I will explain why you drew this shape and why it is important. You have drawn the golden triangle of marketing.
"Golden Triangle" Is a marketing rule for in-store sales. This definition is given by classical literature. There are other, more advanced formulations. They are based on three things, on the basis of which each of you will build your marketing, your business promotion. Including the creation of a unique selling proposition (USP). But this is not the point now.
Concept "Golden triangle" came to Russia from America. It was created and formulated by one of the most famous copywriters and marketers in the world. Dan Kennedy... I strongly advise you to find this author and read everything that was written by him and translated into Russian. This is about 8 books.
What does the first letter "M" hide?
This Market(market). What is a market? If you study Russian business literature, read materials on the Internet, attend courses or webinars, then very often you will come across the term "the target audience". Or "niche". You've probably heard: "I'll choose a niche." Or "Today we will choose a niche." "Have you decided on a niche?" A niche is basically the same as the target audience. In a more advanced version, it is “ avatar client ".
Remember James Cameron's Avatar?
There still heroes walked so blue, tall, with long hair. So " avatar client " it's a little different. Word "Avatar" was known long before the widespread distribution of computers and the Internet. Comes from Hinduism, where it means the incarnation of a Hindu deity into any creature. Therefore, for our purpose, the word avatar suits us very well. Because the client for us is, well, if not God, but a being very close to him. It is he who gives us money with the right approach to him. So " avatar client " need to be described in sufficient detail.
Working with different businesses, " avatar client " practically nobody prescribes. People don't know who their client is.
Why is nobody doing this?
I still can't figure it out. This is a big mystery to me.
And in the copywriting workshop I am doing, " avatar client " we paint in great detail. This is such a closed event. There, with the participants of the workshop, we write sales texts. And more than three hours it takes us to study and create just “ avatar client "!
In business, friends, if you know your client, he understands what kind of person he is - sales are guaranteed to you!
And it all starts, as I said, with a sheet of paper on which all the data is signed. Sometimes there can be several of them. Why is it so important? Because this is the foundation of business and sales. Without getting an accurate description of your target audience, or your “ avatar client ", selling anything is useless. You don't know who you are selling to. And how to be successful and sell something well without knowing to whom? Do you understand what I mean?
It turns out like in a fairy tale about Alice in Wonderland:
Alice:- Dear, Cheshire cat, please tell me where to go from here?
Cheshire Cat: — A-a-a-a-a-a-but where do you want to getAlice:- And I don't care where to go, just to get somewhere ...
Cheshire Cat:- Then it doesn't matter where to go ... somewhere you will still get.
Go there, not knowing where.
The same can happen in your situation. If you don’t know who you are selling to, then it turns out that you don’t care who you sell to. And most likely, they, too, will not care who they buy.
The next important M is Message.
Translated from English - this is Message... We will also call it our message. In this case, we will reduce it to a simpler formula - to our USP (Unique Selling Proposition) which we will offer to our clients. Message- this is the information that we specifically want to convey to the market. This is what we have "on the flag". This is what is written in our ad, on the page on the Internet, on the landing page. Even on the rear window of the car. If you have to write on the rear window of your car, then things are not going well for you.
Third M
The third important pillar, an important bullet, which already allows you to get a result in the top ten, in the "bull's eye" is Media... This is the third letter "M". In Russian, the closest definition is Advertising channel or Promotion channel... The way in which you will reach your target audience.
Media- these are exactly the channels through which you touch your customers. For example, television. Until now, television, oddly enough, remains the most powerful and most effective channel for attracting potential customers. If you know "Customer avatar" and good is written under it USP, television is becoming a customer generator. And a client attracted from television channels, especially from central ones, costs a penny. In ruble terms. Not a single Yandex Direct, or even teaser advertising, can cope with television in terms of power. The only difference is the following. Television as an acquisition channel works well only when you need to get 10 thousand customers, or a million customers. And also, if you have free funds for these purposes.
Approximately $ 1 million. Better than $ 100 million.
Company Procter & Gamble a year on average spends about 1.5-2 billion dollars on promoting his brand. Basically, this is promotion through central channels, niche advertising, direct response marketing - direct response advertising.
What does direct response advertising mean?
This is an advertisement that causes an irresistible desire to use a service or buy a product right now. V modern world, if you do not have a brand rocked all over the world, perhaps this is the only way to start your own business. This may be the only way to get a good promotion for your product or service for the next few years.
Because with respect to each specific potential or real client, advertising is more expensive than television. But in the aggregate, it is much cheaper and shoots much more accurately at your target audience.
Who is your target audience?
Why is it even important to know and record this on paper or in a computer? Draw a line on the paper that says time. Our time is calculated in seconds and years. Draw a line of expectation perpendicular to this line. It's no secret that every year we want more, and our expectations from the world only increase.
We hope.
We expect more from an employer or from our own business.
We want more money, more experience, and so that women become younger and men more interesting.
Do you agree? Sound familiar? And our line of expectations looks more or less like a mountainside directed higher and higher beyond the clouds. When a person looks to the future, especially if this is your client, he sees his expectation in about a year. And what will happen next?
Describe your buyers. How they live, what they breathe, what they do.
Create your customer avatar!
Perhaps you will not find a more rich excursion program than the Golden Triangle. Cities such as Agra, Jaipur, Delhi are the main tourist centers of India and keep many interesting places, historical monuments and architectural masterpieces of the Mughal dynasty.
Jaipur
Jaipur can rightfully be called the most striking city.
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 historic sites are built of pink sandstone to symbolize hospitality. The most picturesque sights of Jaipur are the Palace of the Winds and the City Palace Complex. The Palace of Winds is truly a fabulous place, built specifically for the sheikh's harem in the form of honeycombs. This layout was specially thought out by the architects so that beautiful residents could be seen without fear of being seen, to observe the life of the city.
The city palace complex is no less interesting. You will have to spend almost the whole day to examine it. The palace itself consists of many interesting museums, where musical instruments, garments and samples of textiles, collections of ceremonial weapons, ancient manuscripts, miniature copies of famous Indian monuments are exhibited.
In early November, the city hosts the grand festival of Diwali, or the festival of lights, dedicated to the goddess of love and prosperity Lakshmi, when candles are lit throughout the city, houses are decorated with lights, and the sky is illuminated with extraordinary fireworks.
In summer, you can visit here on the Teege holidays, which takes place on the third day of the new moon. It is quite an interesting sight, when the swing of the city is decorated with flowers and leaves, on this day they celebrate the beginning of the rainy season. For lovers of reptiles, the Nagpunchmi holiday will be extremely interesting, because it is on this day that this sacred animal is praised. People bring milk to snake holes, snake charmers show their skills everywhere.
Delhi
The next point of the excursion 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 inspect the huge Jama Masjid mosque. The beautiful building of red sandstone and white marble is an excellent example of ancient Indian architecture. Here you can wash your hands in the pool or climb the southern minaret for a magical panorama of the Old Town.
Further - Red Fort, built in 1648. You enter the territory through the Lahore gate and immediately find yourself in one of the first covered markets of Chatta Chowk. Until now, the incomparable atmosphere of India has been preserved here, as it was hundreds of years ago. On the shelves you can find the most unimaginable goods, buy jewelry and souvenirs, scented candles, oils, fabrics and clothes.
Don't stay long in the market, head to the Fort Museum, which displays household items and musical instruments.
In the northern part of New Delhi, there is Connaught Square - the business and tourist center of the New City. Here are the best shops and restaurants of the city, from here begins the road to the Gate of India, where an eternal flame burns in memory of the fallen soldiers of the Second World War and military parades are held. No less interesting will be the inspection of the Hindu temple 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 pearl of the excursion tour "Golden Triangle" is the fabulous city of 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, there is an immortal monument of love erected 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 double dome perfect form and four minarets. The tomb of the Empress was built of marble, inlaid with precious stones, decorated with ornaments from black marble.
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 behind its ten-meter walls, terraces, halls, gardens and the beautiful marble mosque Moti Masjid. It is also worth exploring the halls of public and private audience, the Grape Garden and the Mirror Palace. The Tomb of Itemad-ud-Daula is the heart of the Persian Park and one of the city's most graceful landmarks. Empress Nordjahan built it for her parents. The small-sized tomb is rightfully considered the Small Taj, striking tourists with its decoration of white and black marble, openwork panels decorated with precious stones and extraordinary mosaics.