Mention "floating market" when you are in Thailand and one place floats to the top of the list: Damnoen Saduak in Ratchaburi province, some 2 hours away west of Bangkok. But travel-savvy folks, and those probably on the jaded side of things, would be quick to retort: "touristy!", "fake!".  So is this floating market still worth a visit?

Doi Inthanon towers above the other peaks in the mountainous northern Thailand, and at 2563 MASL, it is the highest point in the country. Its one of the most popular destinations for both local Thais and foreign tourists, offering attractions like waterfalls, bird watching (home to nearly 400 bird species), hill tribe villages, and forest trails.

Located near the peak of Doi Suthep, this Theravada Buddhist temple is one of the most iconic temples in northern Thailand and a sacred site to many Thai folks.

Standing at around 82 meters during its glory days, the chedi (or stupa) must have been the tallest structure in ancient Chiang Mai. A great earthquake in 1545 toppled the spire, reducing its height to 60 meters, but this brick chedi is still a marvel to look at.

They are known as Thailand's "hill tribes" or "chao khao" which literally translate to mountain people. Most of them are originally from parts of Tibet, Myanmar (Burma), Laos and China, and today make up less than two percent of Thailand's total population. Most still live in small villages in scattered in the northern and western parts of Thailand, a good number of them are technically "outsiders" -  have refused to assimilate or refused Thai citizenship, or have been refused citizenship.

If you like cats, getting really close to a big one like a tiger without ending up as their afternoon snack,  is maybe one of the things in your bucket list. Sure some zoos offer you a glimpse of these apex predators, but in Thailand,  you get to sit near one and pat it on the back, and still retain both hands.

When I was researching for a trip to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, a visit to an elephant camp always seem to come in every material (mostly blog articles and travel websites) I read. Its not just in Chiang Mai, it seems that when you visiting Thailand, your trip will not be complete without some form of interaction with an elephant.