Northern Thailand Travel Guide
- Overview
- Places to Explore
- Sights
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Entertainment
- Shopping
- Travel Tips
- Features
- Fodor's Choice
- Deals
- Guidebooks
Guidebooks
Photo: pambrick
A journey through Northern Thailand feels like venturing into a different country from the one ruled by far-off Bangkok: the landscape, the language, the architecture, the food, and even the people of this region are quite distinct. Chiang Mai is the natural capital of the north. The city is not a smaller version of Bangkok, but a bustling metropolis in its own right. Just beyond the city rises the mountain range that forms the eastern buttress of the Himalayas, and the region overall has some of the country's most dramatic scenery. The northernmost part of the region borders both Myanmar (Burma) and Laos, and improved land crossings into Laos from here have made forays into that country popular side trips.
Northern Thailand Hotels
Fodor's local writers visit every hotel we recommend. Look for our discerning Fodor's Choice picks or search by price and location.
Northern Thailand Restaurants
Find the best Northern Thailand restaurants in every price category with our top picks.
Things To Do in Northern Thailand
Explore the best sights, entertainment, and shopping with our top choices and insider tips.
Travel Deals in Northern Thailand
- Exotic Cities from Dallas (R/T incl. Tax) Emirates
- Indochina Experience IExplore
- Exotic Cities from Houston (R/T incl. Tax) — $1,090 Emirates
- Thailand & Cambodia Experience — $4,089 IExplore
Northern Thailand Experiences
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If you're like most people, a visit to Chiang Mai's numerous temples is likely to leave you full of unanswered questions. Head to Wat Suan Dok... Read more
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As late as 1939, Northern Thailand was a semiautonomous region of Siam, with a history rich in tales of kings, queens, and princes locked in... Read more
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Chiang Mai has no shortage of massage parlors (the respectable kind) where the aches of a day's strenuous sightseeing can be kneaded away with... Read more
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The United States has its eagle. Britain acquired the lion. Thailand's symbolic animal is the elephant, which has played an enormous role in... Read more
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Natural Wonders: You don't have to venture far from Chiang Mai to see the region's natural beauty. You can hike to spectacular waterfalls and... Read more
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Most temple complexes open about 6 am and don't close until 6 or 8 pm, although the hours can be irregular and the doors may be locked for no... Read more
Travel Blog
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Best of the Best,
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Sometimes, a girl just needs to get away for the weekend for a little relaxation and rejuvenation. Read more
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Trip Ideas & Itineraries
From chic new hotels to can't-miss art events, the season's top destinations are blossoming with fresh Read more
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Hotels
The prospect of traveling with children can indeed seem daunting, sometimes so much so that the very idea Read more
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Arriving:· Forums Trip Reports
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I'm sitting here in LA, doing my best to keep my eyes open (so I can sleep on my first flight) ...but I'm heading off to Bangkok, and then Siem Reap, tomorrow morning!
This trip entails a visit to my Read more -
I have been wanting to make this trip for many years. Read more
·Thailand Forum
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Hi pretty sure many people ask the same question. Read more
