Now home to many Hill Tribes including the Karen and Paduang (noted for stretching their necks using metal hoops) to name a few, the region is mountainous and covered in areas of dense forest. The area is also rich in ancient relics, particularly around Sukhothai, which was the first ancient capital city of Siam. Sukhothai Historical Park and Satchanalai National Park are therefore well worth a visit. Other popular destinations include, Chiang Mai (the Northern region's capital), Doi Inthanon (boasting the highest "spot" in Thailand), Chiang Rai, the Golden Triangle (the area between Thailand, Laos and Burma) and for those looking to get away from it all Mae Hong Son (the City of Three Mists) is not to be missed!
Covering an area of over 1,000 meters, Doi Inthanon National Park sits within the foothills of the Himalayas and at 2,565 meters it is the highest place in Thailand. Situated around an hours drive from the northern province of Chang Mai, the park contains many beautiful vistas overlooking exotic, subtropical forests. Life in the forests here is quite different from that found further south, due to the colder influence of the Himalayan mountains.... READ MORE
Royal Elephant Conservatory is roughly an hour’s drive south of Chiangmai along the main northern highway. Thailand is one of the few countries in the world that still uses elephants, mainly to harvest lumber in the northern reaches of the country. Sadly, most of the injuries come from landmines still present on the border with Myanmar (Burma)... READ MORE
I really love to drive around Thailand, the roads are well maintained and driving gives you the opportunity to see parts of the countryside that are outside of the normal tourist routes. Seeing the nation this way gives you a better understanding of the way the Thai people live. I mean, how many tourists would be able to recognize the way rice paddies look right before they are ready to harvest?... READ MORE
Wieng Ko Sai National Park is located east of Lamphong. One of the park's highlights is a wonderful cascade of waterfalls. Visitors can walk the trails that surround the creek that feeds the falls and admire the huge variety of flora and fauna along the way... READ MORE
The Kingdom of Sukhothai flourished between the 14th and 16th centuries and extended across the Moei, Lower Yom, Ping, Nan and Upper Pa Sak River Valleys. Sukhothai, Thailand's ancient capital city and the region's second most-important town Si Satchanalai are situated about an hour's drive apart from each other. For over two hundred years these ancient cities were the economic and cultural centers of the country and so they are now rich in historical remains. The site was designated as a World Heritage site in 1991... READ MORE
Khao Yai National Park is the second largest national park in Thailand and is about a 5 hour drive northeast of Bangkok and takes some planning to visit but is well worth the effort. The park lies largely in Nakhon Ratchasima Province (Khorat), but also includes parts of Saraburi, Prachinburi and Nakhon Nayok provinces... READ MORE
Ayutthaya is located less than 2 hours drive due north of Bangkok, close enough for a fabulous day trip to one of Thailand’s historical wonders. Many travelers take the day tour from Bangkok, which allows about 3 hours at the sites, but for folks with an interest in archaeological ruins... READ MORE
The Bridge was made famous by a 1960's film of the same name. The film, however was in fact fiction based loosely on the events surrounding this bridge. I will not go into detail of the differences between the film and this bridge but will let that up to you... READ MORE
