Chiangmai is further characterized by being one of the world’s largest centers of cottage industries. Numerous handicrafts are traditional to the region and craftsmen, using skills passed down from generation to generation, continue to produce marvels is silverware, lacquerware, celadon pottery, silk and cotton, hand-painted paper umbrellas and more.

Here is the true shopper’s paradise and there is plenty of scope for browsing for unusual gifts and souvenirs. But buying is not all, and just as thrilling are visits to workshops, even whole villages devoted to handicrafts, like Bo Sang, to see the crafts in the making.

The valley of the Ping River is a fertile plain, a patchwork of rice paddies and fruit orchard, of villages and small historic towns, such as Lumphun, where the majority of people follow the unchanging lifestyle of traditional farming communities. Beyond, easily reached on half- or full-day excursions from Chiangmai, are several natural beauty spots. Among there are Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest peak at 2,565 meters where flora and fauna are protected in a National Park; Mae Klang Waterfall, a popular picnic area; and the Mae Sa Valley, an area of breathtaking natural scenery

The North is also teak country where elephants used to work in the forests. Logging is now banned to protect the environment, though elephants displaying their forestry skills can still be seen at any of several training camps.