| Northern Thailand | |
| Information | |
| Country |  Thailand |
|---|---|
| Area | 93 690,85 km² |
| Location | |
 17 ° 49 ′ 48 ″ N 99 ° 52 ′ 12 ″ E | |
Topped by the highest mountains in Thailand, the Northern Thailand is cooler than the rest of the generally stuffy country and therefore particularly popular in December and January.
Understand
Culturally, the North of Thailand shows deep influences from neighboring cultures of Burma and Yunnan (China). The Lanna Kingdoms (centered on Chiang Mai) and Sukhothai were the first Thai states.
Much of northern Thailand has long been inaccessible due to an endemic communist insurgency as well as the aftermath of the drug wars and civil wars from Burma. Both issues have largely been resolved, although caution is still required in the provinces of Tak and of Mae Hong Son.
Regions
|
Cities
- 1 Chiang Mai – - the largest city in the North, famous for its temples
- 2 Chiang rai – the usual gateway to the Golden Triangle, where the Thailand, the Laos and the Burma meet.
- 3 Mae Hong Son – a small town in the Northwest surrounded by magnificent landscapes and one of the major starting points for hiking trekking, in particular towards the various hill-tribes (Montagnards)
- 4 Mae sai – the northernmost city of Thailand and access point to Burma
- 5 Nakhon Sawan
- 6 Pai – another small village, located between Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai - a good stopover place with a relaxed atmosphere that appeals to backpackers / travelers and to organize trips treks.
- 7 Phitsanulok – a good place to stop between Bangkok and Chiang Mai and the gateway to historic Sukhothai.
- 8 Sukhothai – The original capital of Thailand.
- 9 Nope – The former capital of a small kingdom filled with history and temples and surrounded by mountains.
Other destinations
- 1 Chiang dao – known for its caves and close to Chiang Dao National Park
- 2 Chiang khong – access door to Laos
- 3 Mae salong – a very interesting place to stop on the road to Chiang Mai
- 4 Tha Ton – located on the border of the Burma, we can take the boat there to Chiang rai
- Mae Fah Luang Garden – beautiful botanical garden
- The numbers National parks of this mountainous region make it a popular destination for hiking.
To go
By plane
The main airport in Northern Thailand is Chiang Mai, which has connections with the rest of Thailand and some with the rest of the world as well. Domestic flights serve Chiang rai, Mae Hong Son, Phitsanulok and Sukhothai.
By train
Trains from Bangkok depart regularly for Chiang Mai via Phitsanulok.
By bus
There is a dense network of coach lines with Bangkok and Chiang Mai as the main centers. From Chiang Mai, buses go northwest to Mae Hong Son and Pai, and further north to Chiang Rai.
Circulate
By plane
There are regular flights between Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Sukhothai and Mae Hong Son.
By train
The only railway line in northern Thailand connects Bangkok and Chiang Mai. It passes through Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Phitsanulok and Lampang.
To reach Sukhothai, take a bus to Phitsanulok.
By bus
There is a dense network of public bus services with major intersections in Phitsanulok and Chiang Mai.
Minibuses, songthaews and tuk-tuks also serve many places that are not directly accessible by bus. They are inexpensive but not always comfortable.
To speak
The people of northern Thailand speak their own dialect Thai called kham meaung ; however fluent Thai is widely understood there. In addition, the hill tribes (Mountain people) speak different languages.
To see
The visit of the temples of Chiang Mai and of Nope as well as historical sites of Sukhothai are the main attractions of Northern Thailand, the cradle of Thai civilization.
Do
- The Trek (Trekking) is one of the main attractions of Northern Thailand. Tours adapted to individual needs are offered: from a full one-day tour to tours lasting several days, you have the choice. Many tours include rafting (rafting down the river) and an elephant ride.
- The Hill tribes (Montagnards) are another major attraction in the region. One can wonder about the ethics of hiking-discovery of Hill tribes when they bring groups every day to certain villages - in particular those inhabited by the famous Karen "giraffe-women" - whose tribes come to live by selling trinkets to tourists to the detriment of their traditional way of life . Some tour operators try to limit the damage by restricting the number of visitors by employing local Montagnards as guides, but the competition is fierce and many are simply looking to minimize costs and maximize profits.
- Thailand Golf Courses Association 96 Moo 3, Viphavadi-Rangsit Rd, Bangkok,
66 2 6625234
Eat
The cuisine of northern Thailand is somewhat different from that used in the rest of the country. Northerners prefer sticky rice to white rice, bitter to spicy flavors, and avoid using coconut milk. The preferred meat is that of pork which is found in a variety of sausages (cooked or fermented) and whose skin is fried in the khaep muu, a snack that can be found everywhere. The traditional way of presenting northern cuisine is a round coffee table referred to as the khan tok, (loaded with dishes). Some of the most popular dishes include:
- kaeng hang the, a Burmese-style pork curry
- kaeng khae, a liquid curry flavored with bitter herbs
- khao soi, a curry noodle soup considered to be of Burmese origin, very much in favor of Chiang Mai, served with shallots, lime and pickled condiments of your choice
- khanom jiin naam ngiew, rice and noodles with pork ribs and a complex tomato and black bean sauce
- nam phrik, term covering a variety of thick sauces used to accompany rice and raw or boiled vegetables.
