While the majority of Thailand’s tourists head south to the islands – especially the sun-seekers and the scuba divers – the north of the country offers less-trodden paths to take in stunning scenery, marvel at ancient temples, and visit mountain-dwelling minority tribes. Northern Thailand, also known as the Thai Highlands, is a vast, mountainous region with lush valleys, wending rivers, and plenty of points of interest for the intrepid traveller to admire. 

The Northern Thailand cities house temple ruins from the Hariphunchai and Lanna Kingdoms eras; the mountains – foothills of the mighty Himalayas – provide shelter and sustenance for ethnic hill tribes as well as breathtaking wildlife-spotting opportunities for hikers; and, at the end of the day, you can kick back with a bowl of award-winning khao soi as you look forward to another day exploring the delights of Northern Thailand.

Must-See Cities And Attractions In Northern Thailand

1. Lampang

Lampang was a major city in the Lanna Kingdom, yet it still lives somewhat in the shadows of the neighbouring Northern Thailand cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Lampang is the name of both a province and its capital, and if you want to explore some of Thailand’s impressive temples without the crowds, it’s a great place to visit.

The city, known as Nakhon Lampang to differentiate it from the province, lies to the south-east of Chiang Mai and offers an authentic Thai city experience. You can swap Thailand’s ubiquitous tuk-tuks for a more relaxing horse-drawn carriage to navigate the city and to take you from temple to temple.

• Wat Phra That Lampang Luang is a Lanna-style temple which is said to house a relic of the Buddha in its chedi
• Wat Si Rongmuang is famed for its exquisite interior, bedecked with teak from the surrounding rainforests
• Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat – the ‘sky temple’ – is a must-see for the more adventurous and energetic explorer.

2. Chiang Rai

A little bigger than Lampang but smaller than Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai is the second largest of the Northern Thailand cities. In 2023, the city was inscribed as a ‘Design City’ by UNESCO, and it is also the administrative centre for Chiang Rai province. The city’s most famous attraction is Wat Rong Khun, better known to tourists as ‘The White Temple’. The temple’s exterior is almost entirely white, and it’s a must-see whilst in town. The new temple was built at the end of the last century, as there were no funds available to renovate the original temple, which sat on the same site.

After taking in what is perhaps Northern Thailand’s most iconic temple, you can also check out Wat Phra Kaew, which once housed the Emerald Buddha that now resides in Bangkok’s own Wat Phra Kaew – Thailand’s most sacred temple. As an alternative, if you fancy a more colourful temple experience after visiting the White Temple, you can head to Wat Rong Suea Ten, known as the Blue Temple.

After exploring the temples and other city attractions, you can refuel with some amazing street food at the Chiang Rai Night Bazaar. You can pick up some handmade souvenirs here as well as indulge in some delicious eats. If you don’t like your food too spicy, remember the phrase ‘mai ped’ – literally ‘not spicy’.

For those looking to venture a little farther from the city, Chiang Rai province has many more spots to explore. One option is to head north for a sail on the Mekong, which forms the border between Thailand and Laos. On the way you can also stop off at Tham Luang Cave (famous as the cave where the young football team were trapped in 2018) and the Choui Fong Tea Plantation for a nice cuppa with beautiful views across the plantation.

3. Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai, the second largest city in Thailand, sits at the heart of the Thai highlands. As a cultural hub of Northern Thailand, it offers plenty of shopping opportunities and interesting places to visit. A great place to start is Doi Suthep. This mountain, 12 kilometres outside the city, offers superb views of Chiang Mai and is also home to the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple.

Another excellent temple to take in is Wat Chedi Luang, which was badly damaged during an earthquake in 1545. A few years later, the Burmese captured Chiang Mai, and the temple was left to fall into disrepair.

For those looking to relax, Chiang Mai also has some great options. You can take a boat ride down the placid Ping River, one of the two major tributaries of the Chao Phraya River that flows through Bangkok and empties into the Gulf of Thailand. There is also a peaceful orchid and butterfly farm just outside the city, and for cat lovers, there’s the delightful Cat Café for a coffee and some feline company.

Whilst in Chiang Mai, and indeed anywhere in Northern Thailand, it would be criminal to not try the delicious khao soi. The dish is the pride of Northern Thailand and has won several international awards. It comprises soft and crispy egg noodles, pickled mustard greens, shallots, lime, chillies, and your choice of meat in a coconut-based curry sauce.

4. Pai

For those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the Northern Thailand cities, Pai could be your idyll. The small town has a reputation of being a ‘hippy retreat’, but don’t let that put you off. It’s a perfect place to recharge the batteries and kick back surrounded by green hills, hill walks, waterfalls, and hot springs. Getting there involves a 3- to 4-hour drive from Chiang Mai along a twisty-turny road through the mountains, with spectacular scenery lining the entire route.

Pai Canyon, a short drive back towards Chiang Mai, is a great place to enjoy a few wild walks and hikes. You will find many great views as you hike through the area, including some top spots to soak in the sunset before heading back to Pai for dinner. Pam Bok and Mo Paeng Waterfalls are also not far from the town centre and worth checking out. If you’re feeling the chill – it can get cold overnight in Pai – you can also start your day with a short ride out to Tha Pai Hot Springs for a warming dip. The hot springs are also nice if you’ve spent the day trekking and need to treat your aching legs before dinner and bed.

5. Doi Inthanon National Park

Doi Inthanon is Thailand’s highest mountain. Its peak sits 2,565 metres above sea level, but it is relatively easy to reach the summit – you won’t be starting from sea level! The mountain is part of the Shan Hills range, and it, along with the forests that surround it, makes up Doi Inthanon National Park, which was one of the first of Thailand’s national parks. On the way to the summit, you will pass Naphamethinidon and Naphaphonphumisiri – two chedis that make great subjects for photos, with the mountainous terrain of the area making the ideal backdrop.

Aside from Doi Inthanon itself, there are also many other things to do in and around the national park. Wachirathan Waterfall cascades down the mountainside and is well worth a visit. You can also trek to a Karen hill tribe village along the Pha Dok Siew Nature Trail. Mae Klang Luang Village is also nice to visit, especially if you like good coffee. The region received royal grants to help it move away from the opium trade, and this Karen-run plantation is one of the fruits of this royally endorsed project.

The area is littered with several other waterfalls and nature trails, and you can spend a few days here if you choose to. Many tourists hike Doi Inthanon as a day trip from Chiang Mai, but a night or two here will help you see much more of the park’s treasures.

6. Mae Hong Son

Mae Hong Son province sits between Chiang Mai and Myanmar. Pai is in this province, and the town of Mae Hong Son is another great place to escape the crowds and see a different side to Thailand than most visitors see. Mae Hong Son is the most mountainous of Thailand’s provinces, and it is also the least populous. The town is nicknamed “the city of three mists” as it is hemmed in on all sides by the high mountains of the Shan Hills, which helps the mists to form.

Mae Hong Son is one of the best locations in Thailand for visiting ethnic hill tribes – be aware though that special permission is needed to visit some of the remote villages. It is also a great place for trekking, with the mountainous terrain forming many waterfalls along the trails. There is also the opportunity to enjoy a rafting expedition down the river, and the town is also the midway point on the Mae Hong Son Loop.

The Loop is a famed circular drive through the province which usually starts and finishes in Chiang Mai. The drive is traditionally done on scooters, but if you prefer a bit more comfort and protection from the elements, you can also complete it in a car or as part of a tour in a minivan. The Loop also takes in Pai and Doi Inthanon.

7. Sukhothai Historical Park

Sukhothai Historical Park sits at the boundary between the Central and Northern Thailand regions. The city of Sukhothai was founded in 1238 and served as the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Siam for 140 years. With this rich history, there is plenty to see, especially for those interested in the history of Thailand. The Historic Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – is the area inside the old city walls, which encompasses the remains of the royal palace and twenty-six temple sites.

Wat Mahathat is the most famous and impressive of the temples in Sukhothai Historical Park. The temple’s name means ‘temple of the great relic’, and it was founded between 1292 and 1347 as the main temple of the Sukhothai Kingdom. Wat Si Chum was built in the late 14th century by King Maha Thammaracha II and is also a popular temple with visitors who come to see the large seated Buddha image: the “Phra Achana“.

Read more: Sacred Siam ruins: exploring ancient Thailand temples

Hidden Gems Of Northern Thailand

While a trip to Northern Thailand already gets you away from the tourist crowds of Bangkok and Phuket, you can stray even farther from the beaten path to uncover some of the region’s even more hidden gems:

8. Chiang Khan

Chiang Khan is a town on the banks of the Mekong in the northern part of Thailand’s Loei province. This province, officially in Isan (Northeastern Thailand), sits at the confluence of three of Thailand’s main regions – Isan, Central Thailand, and Northern Thailand. It is one of the country’s least populated provinces and is well off the traditional tourist trails.

If you fancy seeing authentic Thailand away from the madding crowds and enjoy some excellent trekking, Chiang Khan could be for you. The area is blessed with many beautiful trails of varying degrees of difficulty. There are many easy hikes as well as a few more that require a decent level of fitness. The trails also vary in length, from a few hours to camping trips of one or two nights.

9. Mae Salong

Nicknamed “Little Switzerland”, Mae Salong is a picturesque mountain retreat in northern Chiang Rai province. It’s a unique location that seems to have more in common with the nearby Chinese province of Yunnan at first glance. The town sits 10 kilometres south of the Thai-Myanmar border, but a quirk in history means much of the population are descendants of the Chinese ‘lost army’. These soldiers fought for the Republic of China Army in the Chinese Civil War, and upon defeat by the Communists, fled south into Myanmar and Northern Thailand.

Mae Salong town sits on a steep mountain ridge, and hikes and treks in the region offer superb mountain vistas. Visitors to the town enjoy visiting the myriad tea plantations, and there are also several minority ethnic villages, including those of the Akha, Lisu, Shan, Lahu and Mien people.

10. Chiang Dao

Chiang Dao is another oft-overlooked gem in Northern Thailand. It lies between Chiang Mai and Chiang Mai and is perfect for an overnight stop if you are travelling between the two iconic Northern Thailand cities. It’s another delight that coffee lovers and hikers will appreciate. This area too was once covered by opium poppy fields, but nowadays, with help from the government, many of the former poppy farmers have switched to growing coffee and other such crops.

It’s a great location for undertaking more challenging hikes – fuelled by the local coffee – and you can choose between a few overnight trails that will take you well off the beaten tracks of the average Thailand tourist. The region is also well-known for its extensive cave system, much of which can be explored.

A Suggested Northern Thailand Itinerary

One way to take in many of the locations that we have covered so far is our Incredible Thailand itinerary. The itinerary starts and finishes in Bangkok and takes a circuitous and interesting route to and from Northern Thailand, taking in Ayutthaya, the Maeklong Railway Market, and traditional floating markets along the way.

The itinerary also takes in: 

• Sukhothai
• Lampang
• Chiang Rai
• the Golden Triangle Hill Tribes
• Chiang Dao
• Chiang Mai. 

At the end of this Northern Thailand itinerary, the tour also includes a few days of rest and sun worship in the southern seaside resort of Krabi, close to Koh Phi Phi.

This itinerary can also be tailored to suit your own preferences. You could, for example, opt for different routes from Bangkok to Northern Thailand. One option would be to travel through Isan, taking in Ubon Ratchathani, Sakon Nakhon, Udon Thani, and Chiang Khan on the way.

Alternatively, you could also vie for the western approach to Northern Thailand. This route could include Kanchanaburi and Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary before reaching Sukhothai. Kanchanaburi is famed for the World War II Bridge over the River Kwai that was part of the infamous Death Railway. Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to Thailand’s biggest tiger community (although you will still need a bit of luck to see one).

The American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said, “It’s not the destination; it’s the journey.” When you tailor the itinerary to discover Northern Thailand to suit your preferences, both the journey and the destination will be spectacular!

When To Visit Northern Thailand

In general, the best time to visit Northern Thailand is between November and February, when the weather is a bit cooler and drier. But it depends a little on what you plan to do whilst there. This period’s cooler weather is also more comfortable for hiking. The dry weather is also the best time to visit for those looking to venture inside the region’s many caves.

The wetter season falls between June and October and may be better if you are particularly interested in rafting or seeing the myriad waterfalls in full effect. Hotel prices may also be a little lower during this period.

You should also be aware of ‘burning season’. From late February through April, many farmers burn their fields in preparation for the next sowing season. This creates a lot of smoke and haze, which severely impacts the fantastic mountain views of Northern Thailand.