Northern Thailand

Thailand is divided into 76 which are gathered into 5 groups of provinces by location.Surrounded by the tallest mountains in Thailand, Northern Thailand is cooler than the rest of the usually sweltering country and thus particularly popular in December and January. In the mountains at night temperatures occasionally dip below freezing, although in the plains the daily average is rarely less than 25 Centigrade.

The people of Northern Thailand speak their own dialect of Thai called kham meaung, however standard Thai is widely understood. In addition, the hill tribes speak their own languages.

Trekking is one of the main attractions in northern Thailand, there are trekking tours suiting everybody's needs. From one-day-all-inclusive to tours which last several days you can choose whatever fits you best. Many tours include rafting and elephant riding.

Hill tribes are another major attraction. The ethics of hill-tribe trekking are somewhat questionable, with tour groups tramping through some villages daily - particularly those inhabited by the famous long-necked

Karen women - and the tribes consequently abandoning their traditional lifestyle in favor of hawking trinkets to tourists. Some trek operators attempt to limit the damage by restricting the number of visitors and employing local hill tribesmen as guides, but the competition is tough and many simply aim to minimise costs and maximise profits.

Provinces  of North Thailand

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