Northern Thailand is home to stunning natural scenery featuring dense jungle and stunning mountainous beauty, also known for its rich history, varied culture and ancient temples. Discover the best tourist destinations in Northern Thailand, most popular cultural and natural attractions, and the best places to visit in Northern Thailand.
Northern Thailand Destinations
Northern Thailand destinations offer a change of pace and is an ideal place to relax and soak up the local Thai atmosphere.
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is the capital of Chiang Mai Province and the largest city in Northern Thailand. Chiang Mai is a place to relax after the chaos of Bangkok. You can find fabulous food and real Thai atmosphere here will wandering around the backstreets of the city.
Chiang Mai was founded in 1296 and became the new capital of the ancient Lanna Kingdom. Traditional Lanna Thai culture can still be experienced here. The old city of Chiang Mai is a very scenic place to visit as it is full of impressive ancient temples and is surrounded by ancient walls and a lovely moat.
The city of Chiang Mai is relaxed by itself, but the best way to recharge your batteries is to get out outside the city where Chiang Mai’s green countryside and misty mountains offer limitless possibilities for nature explorations. You can visit Thailand's highest peak on this Doi Inthanon National Park Day Trip.
Sukhothai
Sukhothai is a small city in Northern Thailand, about 427 km north of Bangkok and 217 km south of Chiang Mai. The city is famous for the ruins of the ancient city Sukhothai.
Sukhothai Historical Park is about 12 kilometres from New Sukhothai. The historic town of Sukhothai with related areas is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Sukhothai Historical Park covers about 70 sq km and the ruins of about 200 temples can be found in the area. The park contains ponds covered with lotus flowers and lots of greenery making it a very picturesque place. The most popular way for exploring the park is by joining a Sukhothai Historical Park & Countryside Cycling Tour.
Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai is a quieter neighbour of Chiang Mai, where you can avoid the crowds while exploring nature of Northern Thailand region, visiting remote hill tribes and checking out the Golden Triangle, famous for being the former centre of the world’s opium trade.
Chiang Rai was established by King Meng Rai in 1262 as the first capital of the Lanna Kingdom. The capital was later relocated to Chiang Mai and since then Chiang Rai has been overshadowed by its sister city.
Nowadays, Chiang Rai is an excellent base for exploring the surrounding area. In the region you can find ancient temples, wonderful nature in the jungle, magnificent mountain scenery and hill tribe villages. You can visit the city from Chiang Mai by joining Chiang Rai Temples Guided Tour.
Pai
Pai is a popular destination for both foreign and local tourists during the high season in Thailand which coincides with Thai winter. Pai is small but constantly growing mainly thanks to the increasingly numerous people attracted by the beauty of its alternative environment of the mountains and stunning landscapes.
Discover the best way how to get from Chiang Mai to Pai.
The easiest way to visit it is by taking Day Tour to Pai Highlights by Private Car From Chiang Mai.
Lampang
Lampang is a province in Northern Thailand, which is still rarely visited by foreign tourists even if it has a number of impressive cultural and natural attractions to discover.
You can discover the gems of Lampang the hilltop temples and admire Buddhist art and views over the mountains by visiting Wat Chaloem Phrakiat Worawihan and Wat Phra That Lampang Luang on a private tour from Chiang Mai.
Northern Thailand Transportation
Transportation options for a trip in Northern Thailand can be found and transport tickets can be booked by this search form.
Weather in Northern Thailand
In the northern part of Thailand the seasons are clearly defined. Between November and May the weather is mostly dry with little rain expected throughout the region for much of this time. The dry season here is broken up into the periods of cool season (November to February), when it can get quite chilly at night, especially at higher altitudes, and hot season (March to May), when it is not unusual for the temperature to reach even 40°C.
The wet season in the northern parts of Thailand is from May to November. The region is dominated by the southwest monsoon, during which time rainfall is at its heaviest. The rain usually comes in the form of short showers, lasting an hour or two. As the rainy season progresses, the rain can become heavier and more constant, traditionally reaching peak levels in August and September.
For the best time to visit Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Sukhothai and other Northern Thailand destinations check our Northern Thailand weather ratings chart.
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After visiting Northern Thailand you are planning to continue your trip down south? Check when is the best time to visit Thailand's other destinations and choose destination with the best possible weather conditions wisely.
