Chiang Rai is Thailand’s unofficial capital for offbeat travel. Start your trip in the north with a day trip to Doi Tung, where farmers are embracing sustainable agriculture instead of cultivating opium and a botanical garden originally created by the Princess Mother wouldn't feel out of place in Europe. Stop by to see the Golden Triangle, where the Thai-Myanmar converges with the Laotian border before returning to town to track down a khao soi for dinner. After two nights in the city, head into the foothills of the Doi Mae Salong range, where Thoo, Aong and their children are waiting to host you at their farm, with a program of immersive activities lined up for your stay.

It’s time to delve even deeper into the remote reaches of the northern mountains as you move west through the provincial towns and villages to Fang. Here, Shan influence seeps across the border from Myanmar and into Lanna and Lahu communities speckled through the hills. Stop to swim beneath waterfalls, picnic in tropical forest and browse markets brimming with fruit and flowers. At 1,306m above sea level, visit tea plantations to learn how the leaves are picked and processed, exploring Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park by four-wheel drive.

Continue on the the backpacker hub of Pai, where the night market offers sterling souvenir-buying opportunities. You'll spend the next few days immersed in the Mae Hong Son loop - a spectacular road that winds its way through the northern mountains. The first leg of the journey will see you stop to explore Tham Lod Cave by bamboo raft and visit the village of Jabo, where Black Lahu tribe residents will demonstrate their culture. The next day you'll head over to Mae Hong Son; Thailand’s most remote town and a cultural stew of Shan, Thai, Lisu, Karen and Hmong peoples from the surrounding mountains. Stop at Ban Rak Village, where Yunnanese culture has lingered for centuries, and Su Tong Pae Bamboo bridge stretching across the rice paddies before you reach Mae Hong Son this evening, where you’ll be rewarded with stunning views over mountains, town and valleys from a beautiful hilltop temple. As scenery goes, it doesn’t get much better than this.

With its 11th century temples and trendy cafés jostling for space along laid-back, leafy streets, you’d have to try quite hard not to enjoy the vibe in Chiang Mai. Soak up the region’s venerable history at the temples of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and Wat Umong, with a blessing from the monks. Head into the countryside one final time to meet the resident elephants at ChangChill then, to round off your Thai adventure with a final unique experience, don a pair of “fisherman’s pants” and spend the day at a family house outside the city, observing basket-weaving, wandering the family orchard, and cooking up a storm of Northern Thai flavours for lunch.