Thailand

Lampang Province (จังหวัดลำปาง) is a vast, mountainous area known for its natural beauty, a pleasant provincial capital and for some of Northern Thailand’s most emblematic Buddhist temples. Formerly associated with the logging trade, today the province is more closely linked to industries such as mining and ceramics.

Songkhla Province’s two main commercial centres, Hat Yai and Songkhla, are less affected by the political turmoil plaguing the cities further south, although some state travel advisories warn against travel here. You won't be tripping over foreign backpackers, but you'll see a fair number of tourists drawn to wandering through local markets, savouring Muslim-Thai fusion cuisine, relaxing on breezy beaches and tapping into Hat Yai's fun and eclectic urban vibe.

The former seat of the Lanna kingdom is a blissfully calm place to relax and recharge your batteries – in a city still firmly Thai in its atmosphere and attitude.

The Sukhothai (Rising of Happiness) Kingdom flourished from the mid-13th century to the late 14th century. This period is often viewed as the golden age of Thai civilisation. The remains of the kingdom, known as meuang gòw (old city), feature around 28 sq miles (45 sq km) of partially rebuilt ruins, making up one of the most visited ancient sites in Thailand.

Norra Thailand är fattigt men samtidigt rikt på både kultur och storslagen natur i ett land av floder, berg och dalar som är perfekt att upptäcka genom lågmält luffande med buss eller kollektivtaxi.

The baby of the Samui–Pha-Ngan–Tao trio, Ko Tao may still be the smallest in size but in many other ways it's all grown up. The island is consistently gaining in popularity and going more upscale, but for now this jungle-topped cutie has the busy vibe of Samui mixed with the laid-back nature of Pha-Ngan.

South of Krabi, Trang Province has an impressive limestone-covered Andaman Coast with several sublime islands that see marginally fewer visitors than their nearby and better-known counterparts. For the adventurous, there’s plenty of big nature to explore in the lush interior, including dozens of scenic waterfalls and limestone caves. And it’s nowhere near as popular as Krabi, which means you’re more likely to see working rubber plantations here than rows of T-shirt vendors. Transport links are good and during the high season (November to April) you can easily island-hop all the way to Malaysia.

Most visitors to Trang are in transit to nearby islands, but if you’re an aficionado of culture, Thai food or markets, stay a day or more. Here is an easy-to-manage, old-school Thai town where you can get lost in wet markets, hawker markets and Chinese coffee shops. At nearly any time of year, there will be some minor festival that oozes local color.

Gör en utflykt från Bangkok med tåg! Här kommer fem bra alternativ för en resa på räls.

Nan (น่าน) is not the kind of destination most travelers are going to stumble upon, as it's remote by Thai standards. But if you take the time to get here, you’ll be rewarded with a relaxed city rich in both culture and history.