Travelfish #358: Northern Thailand for first timers

Everywhere is on the way to somewhere Hi everyone, This week we have a completely revised [itinerary for Northern Thailand]( aimed at the first time traveller to Thailand. The Cameron Highlands are coming next week—our apologies for the delay. [Cook then eat. Photo: Mark Ord] Cook then eat. Photo: Mark Ord If you’re Thailand-bound for the first time, you may enjoy another newsletter we have called “Welcome to Thailand”. It starts with a series of seven daily emails, each covering an introductory aspect of Thailand. Then it switches to a weekly (Tuesday) instalment, each recommending a destination or attraction in Thailand that you may not have heard of. The newsletter is very much aimed at people new to Thailand, so if that is you, you can sign up here. All subscribers also get a complimentary PDF itinerary for Southern Thailand. [Sign up here](. Good travels, Stuart, Sam and the Travelfish crew Support Travelfish! If you'd like to chip in (if you haven’t already) for using the site, we'd love you to sign up for a year-long subscription for just A$35. [See more here](. Destination Itinerary: Northern Thailand for first timers When people plan their first ever trip to Thailand, the options can be pretty daunting. Gone are the days when a first timer would just head to Chiang Mai for a three day trek and maybe make it to Pai. Today people are heading all over the shop. So this week we have a revised two week itinerary for Northern Thailand aimed at first timers to the country. For the skinny, you can [read the entire itinerary online here](. The trip starts in [Chiang Mai]( and finishes in [Chiang Rai](. Convenient for those who want to fly in and out—and for those who want to connect it to other destinations. In between, we fit in backpacker stalwart [Pai]( along with our preferred [Chiang Dao](. Then north into tea country at [Mae Salong]( , before popping down to [Tha Ton]( for the boat trip up to Chiang Rai. All in all that is just six destinations. In two weeks you say, but one of the easiest decisions was to suggest people slow down. Sure you could feasibly do the trip in half the time, but you’d on the move all the time. The one thing we ummed and ahhed over was the touristy Kok River boat trip, but this is popular for a reason. Cruising down the river with some pretty scenery makes for a great introduction to the area. Plus, balance that out with the more obscure Mae Salong and Tha Ton and you’ve got a mixed range of experiences. Of course, this is just the skeleton of a trip. Chop and change the destinations—spend longer in Pai and less time in Chiang Dao. Add on the [Mae Hong Son]( scooter (or car) loop. Or maybe just continue on from Pai for a few days in [Soppong]( , then get back to the plan. Once you finish up in Chiang Rai, head south to [Phayao]( and [Phrae](. Or, head north to [Mae Sai]( [Chiang Saen]( and [Chiang Khong](. From there, pop over into Laos. Why not? You’re on holiday right! Any itinerary you read, be it on Travelfish or elsewhere, is just a starting point. Add a day or week here or there. Do your research. As we say here at Travelfish, “Everywhere is on the way to somewhere”. Good travels Stuart Premium members only: Book a round the world with [roundtheworldflights.com]( (must travel from the UK via Asia, Australia, New Zealand AND the Americas) and get £30pp off your trip. Offer valid for departures to December 2019. Log in to the Member Centre on Travelfish now for your coupon code and [start designing your own round the world trip »]( Ten things worth reading Fantastic Food Search Where do you want to eat? [Start here](. The mystery of the missing hotel toothpaste Big questions! The story is from 2013, but we found is [surprisingly interesting]( Tourist horrified at reality of viral Instagram location Destinations do not always match up to [what you may see on Instagram](. The schoolteacher and the genocide ‘When the meeting ended, the members of the delegation began walking back to their cars, but the Rakhine chairman lingered. He turned to the villagers with anger: “You complained about us and shamed our government,” he told them. “[There will be a big problem waiting for you.]( Body found in Malaysia likely to be Nora Quoirin “A body found in Malaysia is likely to be that of [15-year-old Nora Quoirin]( who has been missing for more than a week, the Lucie Blackman Trust said.” Ha Giang extreme north motorbike loop Absolutely everything you could possibly [need to know]( Explore Bukittingi “Existential threats aside, Bukittinggi and its surrounding villages are a [treasure trove]( of the Minang culture, from hand-woven songket to the archipelago-famous dishes of nasi padang.” Notes on Haiphong “I found an old market alley which has one of the most intact rows of colonial-era buildings I’ve seen in Vietnam.” [What more do you need?]( Religious discrimination in Myanmar “Nationalist sentiment, led by the military and the nationalist Committee for the Protection of Race and Religion, better known as Ma Ba Tha, has experienced a sharp increase in Myanmar in recent years. Experts say that [social media]( whose number of users has skyrocketed over the past decade, has played a role in this.” In defence of elephant pants “You know why backpackers love me? Because I’m lightweight, I breathe, I pack small and I’m easy to clean. I’m one-size-fits most, [and I’ll flatter any figure]( Something to read The Sad Part Was “Prabda Yoon won the prestigious SEA Write Award for Kwam Na Ja Pen (Probability) in 2002, but it’s only now that these stories have been [translated into English]( for The Sad Part Was.” Travel shot [Mist and mountains. Photo: Mark Ord] Mist and mountains. Photo: Mark Ord Till next time [Sam and Stuart.] That’s it from us for now. As usual, enjoy the site’s new additions and drop us a line if there’s something in particular you’d like us to cover in Southeast Asia. Travel light! Stuart, Sam & the Travelfish team [( You're receiving the Travelfish newsletter because you signed up at Travelfish.org. Not interested anymore? 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