Northern Thailand: a place where verdant jungle mixes with hillside hippy towns, cultural cities, huge temple complexes and indigenous tribal communities.
Be amazed by open aired markets selling multi-coloured fish, acres of tropical woodland, and some of the friendliest people in the country. This is the place to get away from it all, while not straying too far from civilization!
The north is also as cheap as the country gets, where it’s possible to rent rooms for £2 a day, and live on £10!
Getting to Northern Thailand
On a previous article we focused on the provinces around Bangkok. You can fly into Chiang Mai, or from Bangkok you can head to Hualampong Train Station and book a sleeper for your 13 hour overnight ride into the north.
Don’t be surprised when it looks like your bed has been misplaced, because before bedtime, porters will come and convert the seating areas into very comfy beds! Fall asleep looking outside at a concrete jungle, and wake up in the lush, green world of the real thing as we take you on a tour of the north.
1. Chiang Mai
The cultural jewel of the north, Chang Mai is a brilliant destination. A world away from the frenetic, non-stop madness of Bangkok, here the locals casually drive around on motorbikes, hill tribe women from the mountains sell trinkets, and a relaxed, but heady nightlife scene thumps away until the early hours.
Make sure you visit the array of ancient temples, including the hill top Wat Doi Suthep 15km away. Take the cable car up the mountain, where unbelievable views of the surrounding countryside award the traveller. The striking, golden Pagoda of the Holy Relic stands in the centre of the complex, home to bare foot Buddhist monks who bless the sacred.
Bargain for souvenirs, trendy t-shirts, and electronic goods in the night market, which stretches for several blocks and is always full of life. Drink a Singha beer or two in the food court, and make sure you try the delicious Khao Soi – a curry noodle dish served with chicken or beef. Rasta Cafe is great for some reggae beats, while Northgate Jazz Co-op is a funky jazz joint on Sri Phum Road.
The city is also brilliant for taking a cooking course, where you’ll learn between five to seven dishes on your own personal cooking station, visit a food market, and receive a recipe book. Baan Thai is a good option, and a day normally costs £20.
2. Elephant Nature Park
Elephant Nature Park is a sanctuary and rescue centre for elephants in Mae Taeng District, around one hour from Chiang Mai. This sanctuary is home to lots of elephants who have been rescued from the logging or wildlife entertainment trade.
This is one of the best elephant sanctuaries in Thailand founded by the inspirational Sangduen “Lek” Chailert. If you fancy spending a gap year in Thailand volunteering, then Elephant Nature Park is a great place to go.
3. Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai is a beautiful city in northern Thailand, which is really underrated. Most people add Chiang Mai to their Thailand itinerary but sometimes miss Chiang Rai which is a mistake. The mountainous province scenery around the city is beautiful and there are so many temples. The city is also located near the borders of Laos and Myanmar (formerly Burma) if you fancy a trip to either of these countries.
4. The Golden Triangle
Before the food, nightlife, and riverside setting, most visitors to the northern capital are after one thing: trekking! While North Thailand in general is a trekker’s paradise, Chiang Mai is the most accessible. But that doesn’t mean it’s the best, and for truly wild hiking its best to head for the Golden Triangle. But the Chiang Mai trekking scene is great for meeting new people and witnessing the most stunning landscapes imaginable.
Most guesthouses can organise one to three day trips, taking in a hill tribe village or two, and even staying overnight in some! Most also throw in an elephant sanctuary and bamboo rafting excursion. You need to be polite when entering minority village, as most indigenous communities are traditional and shy. And even though you probably won’t interact with them much, the main benefit of trekking lies in learning about Thai culture from your guide, and meeting many other travellers.
Waking up in a mosquito net to the sound of rain is also pretty spectacular. Expect towering jungle clad mountains, rivers and torrential rain – lots of rain! Most trips cost around £10 per day.
5. Pai
Just three hours drive west of Chiang Mai is the darling little town of Pai. If you like music, relaxing, and partying, then this is the place for you. Surrounded by beautiful limestone mountains and jungle wild lands, rent a scooter for £2 a day and explore your own hill tribe villages, remote waterfalls, hot springs, elephant camps, and road side eateries. There’s even a spot to do some imported piranha fishing!
With a local population of 3000, this is northern Thailand at its most rustic. The town is jam packed full of guesthouses like Ban Pai Village, but its best to head out of town for a rural bungalow. Farmer’s House offers bamboo huts for £4 a night, in one of the most picturesque settings imaginable.
Party all night in Ting Tong as you watch locals twirl with fire, or relax in the Edible Jazz Bar (which doesn’t really play much jazz). The owners do a mean omelette. This is the place for a street side fruit shake, and many vendors serve incredible cheap noodle dishes. After a week, you’ll probably want to stay for another three!
6. Sukhothai
The first capital of Thailand, Sukhothai, flourished from the mid 13th century to the late 14th. Seen as a relic of the golden age of Thai civilization, the 45 acre site 12km away from the new city is packed full of ancient temples and Buddhist statues.
Make sure you factor in a whole day for exploration as there really is a lot to see, and don’t forget your camera! Get lost in the overgrown jungle surroundings and feel yourself morph back into the dynastic time. The concrete town of New Sukhothai has sprung up nearby, and what it lacks in sights makes up for in charm.
It has a cracking guesthouse scene, and many travellers base themselves here for exploring the UNESCO listed temples complex. The most popular are the wooden Banthai Guesthouse, and scenic Garden House. And with a guesthouse scene comes a good bar scene! So head out to Chopper Bar to meet some new friends and drink a Chang beer or two.
The north of Thailand really is where all the beauty is: a spectacular destination and one of the top places to visit on a gap year in Asia, full of bargain deals and mystical wonder. You might like to check out this Thailand travel guide for more information about visiting this amazing country.