Truly Northern Thailand: Chiang Rai, Pai and Mae Hong Son in 10 Days

You are met on arrival in Chiang Rai and taken to your hotel. The rest of the day is free. Chiang Rai is a small, relaxed city, easy to explore on foot. In the evening, stroll to the night bazaar or the gilded clock tower in the center, which lights up after dark, and try a northern Thai dinner nearby.Overnight: Chiang Rai

Drive into the hills to Doi Tung, the former residence of the King's mother, set in a valley of large flower gardens. Inside you see fine embroidery and paintings, and from the balcony a wide view of the mountains. Continue to Mae Sai, the northernmost town of Thailand, with its busy border market. In the afternoon, reach the Golden Triangle, once a center of the opium trade, and take a boat ride on the Mekong where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet.Overnight: Chiang Rai · Meals: B

Start at Chiang Rai's morning market, where local people buy vegetables and fruit. Visit Wat Phra Kaew, where the Emerald Buddha was once found, and the Mae Fah Luang Art and Culture Park with its fine collection of Lanna teak art. Then see Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple, an ongoing work of artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, with murals that mix Buddhist themes and pop culture. In the afternoon, drive to Thaton and climb to the hilltop temple for a view over the Kok River.Overnight: Thaton · Meals: B

Drive to Chiang Dao and explore its cave temple, a long network of chambers filled with stalactites, stalagmites and Buddha images. Continue toward Pai, stopping at the market of Mae Malai. Walk a shady forest trail to Mork Fa waterfall, which falls from a cliff into a pool and flows all year. Then stop at Pong Duet, a quiet geothermal park where hot springs bubble up and natural pools are warm enough for a swim. Arrive in Pai in the evening.Overnight: Pai · Meals: B

Begin with a boat trip along the Pai River to see the valley and the simple riverside life. Then follow the mountain road west, with its many curves and viewpoints, to Mae Hong Son. In the afternoon, drive or climb the long staircase to Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu on the hill above town for a view over the valley. End at the twin temples of Wat Jong Kham and Wat Jong Klang, built in Burmese style beside the lake, which are especially pretty at dusk.Overnight: Mae Hong Son · Meals: B

This morning, visit Tham Lod, a huge limestone cave with a river running through it. A local raftsman poles you on a bamboo raft into the dark chambers, full of stalactites and home to bats and swifts. In the afternoon, visit a Lahu village, where families farm rice and corn on the hillsides, and a Lisu village, known for its bright embroidered clothing and silver work. Your guide explains their customs and daily life before you return to Mae Hong Son.Overnight: Mae Hong Son · Meals: B

Visit Mae Hong Son's morning market around 7:00, then set off for Chiang Mai on a scenic mountain route via the valley of Mae Chaem. The road crosses Doi Inthanon National Park, the highest mountain in Thailand, rich in plants and birdlife and home to several hill communities. Stop at some of the finest waterfalls in Chiang Mai province on the way. It is a long but beautiful day, and you reach Chiang Mai in the evening.Overnight: Chiang Mai · Meals: B

Explore the old city on foot. Visit Wat Phra Singh, one of Chiang Mai's most sacred temples in pure Lanna style; Wat Phan Tao with its teak prayer hall; and the vast brick chedi of Wat Chedi Luang. Then ride a rickshaw through lanes of old houses and walk through Warorot Market, where local people shop. In the afternoon, drive up Doi Suthep and climb the staircase or take the lift to the golden chedi and a view over the city. The evening night market is yours to explore.Overnight: Chiang Mai · Meals: B

Spend the day with a Thai cooking school on its organic farm outside the city. After a visit to a local market, learn about Thai herbs in the garden, cook jasmine and sticky rice, pound your own curry paste, and prepare a curry, a soup, a noodle dish and a dessert. You eat your creations for lunch. The rest of the afternoon is free for a massage or shopping in the old city.Overnight: Chiang Mai · Meals: B, L

Enjoy a free morning in Chiang Mai. Depending on your flight time, you can visit a last temple or a café in the old city. At the right time, you are taken to Chiang Mai airport for your onward flight. Chiang Mai airport is only about 15 minutes from the old city, so even a short morning leaves time for a walk along the moat or a visit to the market for a few last souvenirs.Meals: B