North Thailand Travel Guide

Wat Phra That Lampang Luang is an ancient Lanna styled temple that is considered one of the most beautiful in northern Thailand and I highly recommend visiting there.

While I expected a rather empty area, I was surprised to find a lively destination with thriving internal tourism as you can see for yourself in the attached videos that accompany the different articles on Petchabun. There were even some non-cheap resorts where you would struggle to find available rooms. I believe that in the not-so-far future, Petchabun province and its lovely landscapes, with the pleasant weather and authentic Thai experience it provides – will become a popular destination in northern Thailand, attracting many foreign tourists.

An incredibly unique modern styled temple – completely different of all the other temples in Thailand. This is a stunning work of art that will leave you mouth-watering and fascinated. Nowadays, visitors to this wonderful temple are almost only Thais, but I have no doubt that in the future, this wonderful place will become a popular tourist attraction.

Lampang weekend market is a pedestrian walking zone active on weekends only. Similarly to the city of Lampang, it is known to be unique by its setting and special atmosphere, rather than the commodities sold here.

the horse carriages are one of Lampang’s famous, prominent symbols, and a tour across the city in a decorated horse carriage is an inseparable part of the visit.

The city of Lampang is a unique, extraordinary city that was once rendered a large trade and commercial center of the north area, and nowadays allows for an interesting combination of the old and new. It’s the only city in Thailand where horse carriages are still in use, and have thus become one of the city’s symbols, and is certainly a place worth a visit.

Pai Hot Springs are called Pong Nam Ron Tha Pai or Tha Pai Hot Springs.     This is one of the best Pai attractions, and certainly one of the best hot springs I ever visited (and I’ve been to plenty).

The ritual of offering giving to monks is an integral part of Thai culture; it is a way for the locals to express their gratitude to the monks who devote their lives to educate others about taking the high and right paths in human life.

Si Satchanalai was the second most important city in the ancient Sukhothai kingdom and today is a quiet sub-district of Sukhothai. In the area you’ll find a historical park and authentic villages which maintained the unique, traditional arts of ceramics and weaving that were typical of the area.

Sukhothai area is famous for its historical sites but also features other excellent attractions that reflect the authentic, beautiful Thailand that is hard to find in the heavily crowded tourist destinations

Some 90 minutes away from the city of Sukhothai, there’s a small village surrounded by lovely gardens, lush flower beds and green rice fields. The village is open to visitors – most of whom are locals.

Sukhothai province and particularly Si Stachanalai area – which is an hour away from Sukhothai city – is a heaven to lovers of local arts as ceramics and weaving; you can see the artists while they work and purchase handcrafts that were created on site.

The ancient capital remains are in the famous and spectacular park. This is by far the most famous attraction around, with the impressive remains of the first capital of Siam, which was most glorious some 700 years ago, until the kingdom of Ayutthaya took its place in 1438

The ancient capital remains are now in the famous and spectacular “Sukhothai Historical Park”. Other fascinating attractions in the area include authentic Thai village, the bats of Chao Ram cave, and more – reviewed in Sukhothai series.

Even though the northern province is less toured – Lampang features a variety of great attractions: beautiful hot springs, lovely waterfalls, excellent Elephant Sanctuary Farm supported by Thailand government and more, extraordinary temples, the only horse carriages you’ll find in Thailand and more

This hidden Lampang Strawberry Farm gem awaits on a small hill amidst green fields, where the background is Lampang mountains. This unique and picturesque strawberry farm is unknown to tourists yet draws many Thai visitors.

The Chao Ram Cave is hardly visited, certainly not by tourists. The few people you’ll see here are mostly groups of locals on a picnic outdoors, who came to enjoy the spectacular sight.

Chae Son National Park – Hot Springs and Waterfall Chae Son National Park is a true natural gem hidden away from the standard route of tourist crowds through northern Thailand. This is where I found the most beautiful hot springs in northern Thailand, and a beautiful 6 stairs waterfall tucked in beautiful lush nature… Highly

A great place to visit for aesthetic enthusiasts and those who love colorful, designed ceramics. It’s very nice to simply feast your eyes on the products or purchase beautiful items in very low prices.

Ban Sao Nak is an impressive teak-wood structure on pillars, which is more than 100 years old. The house was built in 1985, and today serves as a museum exhibiting many products that provide a glimpse into the local life and culture of the time.

The Golden Triangle is an area in Chiang Rai where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet.

Chiang Mae means ‘the new city’. It was built in 1296 and previously known as the capital of the ancient Lanna kingdom. The original city was crowned by a wall and a canal (moat), whose relics can still be seen today. Up until the early 19th century, it took a long, tedious river cruise (on Ping river) or elephant ride to get to the city.

Most of the tourist activities in Chiang Mae area are based in Taeng Mae and its vicinity – many elephant farms, zip lines, rafting, ATV tours and more; everything is available in a rather small area.

The mountain and temple which graces its top are one of the few famous destinations around Mae Hong Son town. The mountain is about 1 km away from Mae Hong Son and you can access it through a comfortable road leading up to the temple. The temple is called Wat Phra That Kong Mu and it

Between October – February the town center features a nice market, and no car traffic is allowed in the area. Mae Hong Son Walking Street thailand stretches across several streets around lake Jom Kham in the town center, and you will find there plenty of stalls with delicious local foods, local art and craft stands,

Mae Hong Son is a small town (roughly the size of Pie), which functions as the capital of Mae Hong Son Province. The town is built in a Burmese style and located in a narrow valley (pie) surrounded by mountains. It is a simple and humble town, yet pleasant and authentic; it serves mainly as

When I first laid eyes on a picture of the temple ( Wat Tham Khao Wong  ), I thought it was a special resort in the nature. It didn’t seem like a temple at all, certainly not a typical Thai temple, but rather something different and exceptional. Surely, you will feel the same upon visiting there.

A spectacular, exceptional temple, that will impress even those who aren’t temple enthusiasts

A spectacular, exceptional temple, that will impress even those who aren’t temple enthusiasts

In ancient times, the valley was in a huge cave; when a part of its ‘ceiling’ collapsed, it enabled the sun rays to reach into the valley, only during the noon, when the sun was particularly high.

The Black House (Baan Dam) is one of the most unusual attractions in Chiang Rai. It is not a temple, but rather the fruit of a lifetime’s work, a creation that was made by a famous Thai artist, who was born in Chiang Rai and gained national and international recognition – Thawan Duchanee, who passed away in September 2014.

Choui Fong Tea Plantations are a private/family business, successfully administered by Ms. Shanya Chang who inherited it from her father. This is the largest business of its kind in Chiang Rai, and the diverse tea types that are produced here for 50 years, are considered high-quality products; they are marketed worldwide, and mostly sold to Europe, U.S.A, Taiwan, and Japan.

A very fun, entertaining and colorful place. One of the best Walking Streets in Thailand

Though you may explore the park by foot, it is a huge surface, so you should probably join the trailer which drives through the park in a regular route and stops in different spots; you can also rent a bicycle of any kind (mountain bikes, kids’ bike or double-seat bicycles), and travel comfortably and freely.

Mae Fah Luang Gardens are among the royal family’s projects in Chiang Rai and the entire north; they are the product of the Princess Mother’s initiative. She was the mother of Thai king Rama 9 who passed away less than a year ago. Her name was Princess Srinagarindra and she used to be a nurse, hence her genuine interest in the health and well-being of the local mountain tribes.

Pai Canyon is one of the most interesting and impressive attractions in the town of Pai. In Thai, it is known as Kong Lann – an area with an exceptional, highly impressive geographic form.

Mork Fa waterfall can be found in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, in a wonderfully green area that hasn’t been commercialized yet. The waterfall is 60 meters high, and the water falls freely in 2-3 streams into a pool at the bottom of the waterfall. 

As I have previously mentioned, Pai and its surroundings have few attractions, and the area is mainly a chill-out tourist destination with a calm, pleasant atmosphere. Of the very few attractions in Pai – some are good

One of the most famous attractions in the Ban Jabo Village is a humble noodles restaurant on a hanging terrace above an abyss, overlooking the spectacular local landscape. Many come here not just for the noodles, but to sit by the balcony’s edge, right above the abyss, when the marvelous scenery is spread in front of their eyes.

Simple, yet lovely spa where you can enjoy several types of treatments and masks in affordable prices

The water of Pla Suea Waterfall come from Sa Nga river in Myanmar, and the waterfall is the most beautiful and impressive in Mae Hong Son area. It has 6 levels and contains water all year long, but its peak is in the rainy season

Not only is this place beautiful, but also the road which gets you there – some 45 km from the city of Mae Hong Son, the route stretches away, delightful and pleasing

On the way between Tham Lod (Lod cave) and the city of Mae Hong Son, there is a magical, mystical, pastoral place called Wat Pa Tam Wua – Forest Monastery: a center for studies of Buddhism, spirituality and vipassana (Buddhist meditation).

Pang Oung “Switzerland of Thailand” is a spectacular, beautiful area, some 40 km away from the city of Mae Hong Son, very close to the authentic Chinese village Ban Rak Thai. This is one of the hidden treasures of Mae Hong Son province

The bamboo bridge is a few hundreds of meters long. It connects Ban Kung Mai Sak village to Wat Tham Pu Sama temple, which is located on a hill, some 500 meters from the village and beyond the stream.

Pang Tong Palace is one of the royal family’s projects, that were designed to promote agriculture in Mae Hong Son area. Specifically, their intent was to promote the research, study and development of local agriculture for the villagers

One of the most famous attractions of Mae Hong Son province is a visit to the village of the long neck tribe. The authentic experience is the complete opposite of cheap, poor tourist shows (as you often find on the way to Chiang Rai).

Phra Mahathat Naphamethanidon and Nophamethanidon are 2 spectacular pagodas that were built for the Thai king & queen’s birthday. The King and Queen Pagodas – royal pagodas are located some 3 km ahead of Doi Inthanon mountain top

Doi Inthanon National Park is very popular among locals and tourists alike, who come here to enjoy the fresh, cool air, the beauty and serenity of the park, the lovely waterfalls and the terraced rice fields on the mountainsides, among other things.

30 km south of Chiang Mai city, slightly after the umbrella and handicraft villages (Bo Sang & Sankampaeng), you’ll find Sankampaeng Hot Springs – a highly popular destination along standard tourist routes

Some 13 km south of Chiang Mai city, on route 1006 (Sankampaeng Rd) there are several villages that function as local handicrafts centers. You’ll find plenty of factories and shops there, that offer a wide variety of handmade items and souvenirs, including paper umbrellas, parasols and hand-held fans, wood carvings, silk, gems, ceramics, bronze and more.

Tham Lod (Lod cave) is one of the most impressive and interesting caves in Thailand. It is located halfway between the city of Pai and the town of Mae Hong Son (some 77 km away from the latter), in a district which belongs to Mae Hong Son, called Pang Mapha.

Some 17 km from the city of Mae Hong Son, there’s a little park called Tham Pla Forest Park. It is a part of a large park called Tham Pla-Namtok Phasuea National Park, where you will find Pha Suea waterfall (the ‘mat’ waterfall) – the most beautiful waterfall in Mae Hong Son.

Pai is a small yet very famous town in Mae Hong Son Province; it is well known to campers and other travelers, who enjoy visiting this tourist destination, which is located in a pastoral valley, crowned by mountains and surrounded by rice fields. The city of Chiang Mai is located 140 km away from Pai, and it takes some 3 hours to drive from one location to the other.

Wat Ban Den is a unique, spectacular place to visit – seemingly taken from an illustrated fairy tale and gracefully placed in this area.

“The Geyser”, or in its full name Pong Dueat Hot Spring, is located in the district of Mae Taeng

Op Luang is a small yet charming national park, with impressive, mysterious landscapes. It is located south east of the city of Chiang Mai

Mae Taeng river which cuts through the area enables a fun rafting experience for the entire family.

Wat Tha Ton Temple – is a large complex with Chinese elements, located on different levels of the hill. Every level consists of different sites and structures, including a meditation center, for one. At the hill top. You’ll find the most famous structure in Wat Tha Ton – the Chedi Kaew or Crysal Pagoda.

In the past, the place was covered with opium fields, that grew thanks to the work of local tribes, but today you will find here various crops that fit the cool, local weather during most of the year: coffee and apple plantations, strawberry fields, plantations, pears, plums, along with many other vegetables and flowers.

Chiang Dao cave, which is in fact, a complex of 100 caves that are connected to one another. The caves spread along some 12 km below the nearby mountain-chains

Bua Thong waterfalls stand out, and you won’t get to see similar sites in any other place in Thailand, so I highly recommend visiting them as part of your northern tour.

The entire area is off the standard tourist grid, away from the common, redundant path. However, it is popular among locals and foreigners who live in Chiang Mai. You won’t see plenty of tourist busses

Chiang Mai / The Giant Café ,  A 90-minute drive from the city of Chiang Mai Giant Cafe, while heading towards the east in the district of Mae On, will lead you to a small village in the middle of the jungle, called Pok Village. There, one of the most surprising and amazing attractions awaits,