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.