Bangkok is an endless feast for the senses. Gilded stupas reflect in the neon of the Chao Phraya River, and amid the traffic and crowds, the smoke and warmth of ordinary life are everywhere.
Chiang Mai, by contrast, is time slowed down. Flowers bloom beneath the mottled brick walls of the old city, while morning mist in the hills and the clear chime of temple bells help you find a quietness inside yourself again.