Chiang Mai City

Chiang Mai needs 3 days: the walled old town with its over 300 Buddhist temples on one, an ethical elephant sanctuary on another, and the night market or a mountain excursion on the third. November-February is the cool, dry season, ideal for walking (unlike the heat of March-May). It's among Thailand's cheapest cities, with a notably lower cost of living than Bangkok or the southern islands. It's northern Thailand's cultural capital, with a lantern festival (Yi Peng) that fills the sky with floating lights every November, one of the most photographed sights in the whole country.