For first-time visitors to Thailand, buzzy Bangkok and the sun-soaked islands in the south promise perpetual sunshine and boundless fun. Chiang Mai, tucked away in the country’s mountainous north, isn’t usually most visitors’ first port of call. Yet Thailand’s ‘second city’ offers a different perspective: a world away from Bangkok’s sleek skyscrapers and Phuket’s louche beach clubs, here you’ll find historic temples wrapped by swathes of dense rainforest, artisan markets, and swoon-worthy scenery worth exploring.
Life moves at a gentler pace, humming with quietly beautiful craftsmanship and creativity.
