It is a three-hour drive from Chiang Mai to the northern provincial capital of Chiang Rai and another 60 minutes to the ancient Lanna city of Chiang Saen, a town fronting the mud-brown waters of the Mekong River. Over the centuries, Chiang Saen has witnessed numerous battles with the neighboring Burmese, as well as gang wars among the drug barons of the infamous Golden Triangle. However, the gangsters were obliged to depart, and an era of peace and legitimate prosperity has dawned. Nowadays, there is even a Hall of Opium museum near Chiang Rai. Activities in the region include boat cruises on the Mekong, elephant rides into the jungle and, for the more energetic, trekking in Houi Mak Leim National Park. Many parts of the hill country are still inhabited by tribal people.