City guide
Chiang Mai
The northern capital inside a moated old town: hundreds of temples, cool-season mountains, walking-street markets, and a smoky burning season to plan around.
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The north is the part of Thailand that feels least like the beaches. Cooler air, mountains, old walled cities, and a slower pace built around temples, markets, and food rather than sand. Chiang Mai is the obvious base, but the north rewards going further. These are the guides for it.
Destination guides
City guide
The northern capital inside a moated old town: hundreds of temples, cool-season mountains, walking-street markets, and a smoky burning season to plan around.
Read guide →More from Northern Thailand
21 May 2026
Chiang Mai is Thailand at slower speed: temples, mountains, northern food, and a moat you can walk around. Here's how to spend your first few days.
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