Thailand

Thailand

You smell it before you see it — incense and grilled pork and jasmine, drifting out of temple compounds and night market stalls in equal measure. Chiang Mai is northern Thailand's old walled capital, ringed by a moat and backed by forested mountains. Inside the old city, 300 temples compete for attention between coffee shops and massage parlours. Outside it, rice terraces step up into hill-tribe country. The pace is slower than Bangkok, the food is arguably better, and everything costs half as much.

Thailand

Thailand's frenetic capital — a city of gilded temples, canal-side markets, street-food stalls, and rooftop bars, where ancient ritual and round-the-clock modern life collide.