Northern Thailand was the independent Lanna kingdom until the late 19th century, and it still feels culturally distinct from the rest of the country — cooler hills, a different dialect, and an architectural style all its own. It's Thailand's trekking and mountain-scenery region, wedged between Myanmar and Laos.
Chiang Mai is the region's capital in every sense: walkable, temple-filled, and the base for almost every trip further north. Chiang Rai and the border town of Chiang Saen sit at the edge of the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet. Mae Hong Son and the loop through Pai and Soppong are the classic mountain circuit — winding roads, mist-covered valleys, and hill-tribe villages.
Quieter still are Nan, tucked into its own remote valley with some of the region's finest temple murals, and Mae Sariang and Mae Sot along the Myanmar border, where Burmese and Karen influence is everywhere. Lampang keeps a slower, more traditional pace than Chiang Mai, horse-drawn carriages included.
