Fodor's Expert Review Chiang Dao Caves

Caves have a mystic hold over Buddhist Thais, so foreign visitors to Chiang Dao's famous caverns find themselves vastly outnumbered by the locals. The caves are thought to penetrate more than 10 km (6 miles) into the small town's guardian mountain, Doi Luang, but the sights in the lighted portion, which is only a few hundred yards, include spectacular stalagmites and stalactites, along with hundreds of Buddha statues and other votive items placed there by devout Buddhists. If you want to explore past the lighted areas, you can hire a local guide with a lantern for about B100. The mountain itself can be scaled in a day, but even just an hour or two of tough walking can bring you to viewpoints with amazing panoramas.