Discover hotels and villas with private pools in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Until 1938, Chiang Mai was the sleepy capital of the ancient Lanna kingdom. Today, it is a magnificent contradiction, where life’s pace ranges from glacial to frenetic: tourists crowd Burmese-style temples and ornately carved teak houses; vendors in hilltribe costumes ply souvenirs beside fast-food outlets; and a raft of cool boutiques and youthful design galleries tempt cosmopolitan denizens. Chiang Mai may have lost some of its somnambulant charm, but if you spend some time wandering the sleepy backstreets, you’ll find refreshing remnants of its peaceful past.