Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai is the largest city in northern Thailand, home to roughly 1.2 million residents and sitting about 700 km north of Bangkok at an elevation of 300 meters. Founded in 1296 by King Mangrai as the capital of the Lanna Kingdom, the city retains its original 1.6 km square old town, still moated and partially enclosed by brick walls. The 1383 Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple perches 1,056 meters up Mount Suthep, reached by a 306-step staircase. The 1441 Wat Chedi Luang once housed the Emerald Buddha for 80 years, leaving a question of what else lies hidden in its fractured remains.