North Thailand

The mountainous North has its own rewarding character.

There are plenty of good reasons to visit the North, including history and culture, lush mountains, a cooler climate, and an altogether cheaper, more authentic experience. Chiang Mai is the North’s tourist hub, and from here you can set out on a mountain adventure.

With the Lanna Kingdom in the area pre-dating Siam, the region is soaked in ancient history, with temples and ruins all over the North. Chiang Mai is a 700 year old moated city with some well preserved sites, while Sukhothai in the Lower North is a World Heritage site and one of Thailand’s best treasures. Chiang Rai, Lamphun and Chiang Saen all also claim ancient roots.

Soft adventure is the other main attraction, including trekking, elephant riding, all sorts of exciting activities in the lovely national parks, and multi-day excursions. Mae Hong Son, Pai, the Golden Triangle and Nan are all outreaches of the Kingdom that entail some scenic driving and a chance to escape into the lush, forested mountain interior of Southeast Asia.

Chiang Mai:

A charming ancient Old Town mingles with a busy but laid-back tourist scene that includes trekking excursions, handicraft shopping, spas and adventure trips...more

Golden Triangle:

Thailand’s northernmost point alongside the mighty Mekhong river, bordering Laos and Myanmar, is a mythical epi-centre of the former opium trade...more

Mae Hong Son:

Escape to the North’s remotest town, reached via a roller-coaster five-hour drive through spectacular mountain scenery on the Burmese frontier...more

Sukhothai:

The site of Siam’s earliest proper Kingdom and a World Heritage site, perfectly preserved for a day of culture and fantastic pictures...more

While first-time visitors to Thailand tend to overlook the North for its lack of beaches, it does offer a more cultured, ancient and authentic Thai experience. Chiang Mai may have become a little crowded with tourist services, but it’s only a 20-minute drive to some wonderful national parks.

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Travellers footage: Waterfall in Chiang Mai

Beyond the region’s capital are some impressionable and remote mountain locations, including spectacular waterfalls, villages of colourful hill tribe folk, lofty and cool landscapes and typical rural communities unchanged by a changing Thailand. It’s worth setting aside a week or more to explore some of these options, from the remote eastern town of Nan to the fantastic Doi Inthanon National Park.