Overlooking the city from its mountain throne, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is one of northern Thailand’s most sacred temples. The wát is a beautiful example of northern Thai architecture, reached via a 306-step staircase flanked by naga (mythical sea serpents). The climb is intended to help devotees accrue Buddhist merit.

The terrace at the top of the steps is dotted with breadfruit trees, small shrines, rock gardens and monuments, including a statue of the white elephant that carried the Buddha relic to its current resting place. Before entering the inner courtyard, children pay their respects to a lizard-like guardian dragon statue known as ‘Mom’.

Formerly known as Doi Aoy Chang, Doi Suthep-Pui National Park is named after two mountains within tha park; Doi Suthep and Doi Pui. Doi Suthep is where the hermit Sudeva lived on its slopes for many years. The park is situated in Chiang Mai Province, only few kilometers northwest of Chiang Mai City covering 265 km².

The main attractions of the park are; Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Doi Pui Mountain, waterfalls, viewpoints and trails. The national park is one of the best in the country for hiking thanks to its “endless” trails throughout the park from all directions and elevations. Cycling is also very popular.

Also known as “The Roof of Thailand”, Doi Inthanon National Park covers an area of 482 km² in Chiang Mai province north of Thailand. The park is part of the Himalayan mountain range with elevations ranging between 800 and 2,565 meters asl. The highest peak at Doi Inthanon Mountain which is the highest mountain in Thailand. The park has high humidity and cold weather all year round.

The park is named in honor of the king Inthawichayanon, one of the last kings of Chiang Mai, who was concerned about the forests in the north of Thailand and wanted to preserve it. After his death his remains were placed in the park as he ordered and the forest was renamed to Doi Inthanon.

The flora consists of moist evergreen cloud forests, sphagnum bog on elevations over 1,800 meters asl, dry evergreen, pine, mixed deciduous teak and dipterocarp forests on the lower elevations.

The rainy season is May to October with most rainfall around July to September. The rest of the year is quite dry with colder weather around November to February.

One of seasonal attractions of the park is the blossoms of Siamese sakura flowers covering trees in pink during late January and early February, lasts only for a few weeks.

Birding possibilities is good in many spots along the main road, all the way up to the summit.

It is always cold at night in the park. During some winter days the temperatures may drop to as low as to freezing point. Campers are strongly recommended to have warmer clothes with them.

The exotic setup, nestled in a natural setting, gives visitors a glimpse into the life cycle of these insects and the plants that they love so dearly.

If you are interested in orchids, then this is the place for you. There are thousands of orchids being grown at the farm and there are also enclosures which you can enter to view hundreds of beautiful butterflies. There is a small waterfall located inside the enclosure which makes this a stunning location to take photos.

You can purchase an orchid before you leave at the on-site nursery and can even enjoy a meal here in the large dining room. The food is served buffet style and is replenished regularly. The food is generally vegetarian with noodles, thai curries, vegetables and spring rolls. They also serve coffee and sweets after the buffet.

Many tours stop at the Bai Orchid And Butterfly Farm as part of their journey, however you are also welcome to visit in a private car. The farm is open daily.

Bai Orchid & Butterfly Farm is located in Mae Rim district, Chiang Mai. Near many other popular attractions, it is a must-see for orchid enthusiasts and worth a look for everyone else.

There are two main areas in the gardens where the orchids are displayed. In the center of the garden is a butterfly breeding enclosure.

The gift shop sells jewelry, including electro-plated butterflies and orchids. Entry is free as part of a guided tour and, if you need more reasons to stop here, the buffet is one of the better places to eat lunch in this area.

Enjoy the colourful orchids and a hearty Thai buffet at the Bai Orchid-Butterfly Farm. The farm has a small but vibrant collection of orchids of many different colors, along with a charming butterfly enclosure, which makes it a great place for taking pictures. If you stop by here during lunch you can enjoy a Thai buffet with a good selection of tasty meals at a cheap price. You can also purchase some reasonably priced orchid themed trinkets and other gifts at the attached souvenir shop.

The Long Neck Karen are a tribe of women that are refugees from Burma living in the northern Thai hills. Mistreated in their own country, they fled to Thailand where they earn an income from tourism and an education for their children in Thai schools. Some say it is unethical to visit these hill tribes and equate it to visiting a human zoo. But because their status in Thailand is uncertain and because of the way the women have changed their bodies so cannot work in other jobs, being a tourist attraction themselves in the only way they can earn any money to support their families.

The brass neck rings weigh around 10 pounds (or 4.5 kilograms) and they can have up to an additional 30 pounds of rings that they wear on their arms and legs weighing them down.

Thailand hardly is the “modern world” to which we are accustomed, though it disappeared even further as we wandered down the path of stairs made from mud and the bamboo houses on stilts came in to view. The stilts provide a place for livestock to live underneath, for storage, and even a place to escape the intense rays of sun beating down.

The Long Neck Karen women really stand out because of the brass rings that they wear. There are a number of reasons that are thought as to why they wear them. It is said the neck rings prevented bites from tigers and the women themselves say it is to distinguish their cultural identity. Anthropologists have hypothesized the rings are worn to prevent slavery by making the women less attractive to other tribes.

A foot massage given by a female prison inmate would fit the bill nicely.

Chiang Mai is home to the Womens Correctional Institution where they have set up a massage rehabilitation program in order to help the inmates easily integrate into society.

Though these massages used to be done right on the prison grounds, the prison has been moved to a different location. Now the pampering is performed in an inviting teak building, located on Rachvithi Road, just a short walk from the closed prison doors.

Thanks to a rehabilitation program for women with non-custodial sentences, they learn the ancient art of Thai massage during their time in prison.

Once they have only 6 months left on their sentence they start working in the prison massage parlor earning a salary that will be given to them at the end of their sentence. Thanks to the program, they get a profession and a degree with which they can earn a living and never commit another crime. Besides, the reputation of good professionals will open the doors for them, because the professional level of the prisoners is recognized throughout Chiang Mai, as they have the advantage of having learned the art of massage and its techniques during their time in prison in an intensive way and with hundreds of hours of practice.