I have many fond memories of Chiang Mai, not the least of which is the day I walked my wife from the YMCA Hotel to Ram Hospital to have our second child. What an amazing experience that was! It certainly was easy, for this reason alone, for Chiang Mai to crack the top 10.

But, it would have made it anyways. Chiang Mai is a quaint little city in northern Thailand, surrounded by beautiful mountains and a laid back, friendly spirit. Chiang Mai has great food. I still remember fondly a small shop that served this out of the world ginger pork curry. It has one of the best and largest night markets in Asia, a sprawling scene with untold riches ready to be found. And it’s always fun to arrive in the Tuk Tuk, the small motorized vehicle which seats 3 or 4.

Just outside the city limits, you can go for elephant rides (a truly fun experience) see the massive snakes and a myriad of other interesting day trips. You can even head to the Golden Triangle for the day where China, Thailand, and Myanmar all meet.

If you ever get a chance, put it on your list!  Here’s my daughter in Chiang Mai, testing out the wooden elephants.

The list so far:

10. Malacca, Malaysia

9. Chiang Mai, Thailand

8. ?