Only 60 km from Chiang Rai is the the small town of Chiang Saen situated on the banks of the Mekong River. Here the visitor can view the ruins of past eras and those from the Kingdom of Chiang Saen, which was founded by Saenphu, the nephew of King Mengarai, the original founder of Chiang Rai itself. Today the area is renowned for its beautiful mountains and accompanying scenery as well as its historical past.