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


There are opulent hotels that look like they're from an ancient storybook.
For part of my time in Northern Thailand, I stayed at what was by far the most beautiful resort I've ever been to — the Dhara Dhevi in Chiang Mai. Spread over 60 acres of paddy fields and tropical landscapes, the property hosts several restaurants and bars, including one that offers authentic Lanna cuisine (spicy and delicious fare!), a renowned Chinese restaurant, and a place serving modern French cuisine.
The Dhara Dhevi was created based on the concept of an ancient Lanna city, "a place where traditional Lanna culture and Asian colonial splendour have been carefully brought together in harmony."
Guests can enjoy a drop-dead-gorgeous spa and wellness center that will relax them the moment they walk in, visit a crafts village on site that shows the daily life of the ancient Lanna culture, drop children off a kids' club, shop at the Kad Dhara Shopping Village on the property, or enjoy the serenity of a Dhara Dhevi's very own Jum Sri Hall Library.