17 Reasons to Skip Bangkok and Visit This Northern Thailand City Instead

From rice planting (which I did!) to cooking classes, art galleries, temple visits, museum tours, and the celebration of events like Loi Krathong and the releasing of lanterns at Yi Peng, Chiang Mai is a province and city with a rich, layered culture.

Thailand is known as "The Land of Smiles," which I believed had to be an exaggeration, until I spent time there and saw (and felt) for myself the kindness that exuded from so many of the people I interacted with.