Chiang Mai: Temples, Night Markets and Elephant Sanctuaries

Chiang Mai is Thailand at a gentler pace, and it's brilliant value. This guide keeps the old-city temples manageable, gets you up to Doi Suthep for the city view, and books you a half-day at a genuinely ethical elephant sanctuary (no riding — I explain why). You'll learn to cook the curries you'll crave forever, wander the Sunday Walking Street, and eat khao soi until you're full for a dollar or two. Add a sunrise at a hilltop temple and a Thai massage and you've got the north at its best.