Phayao

Phayao is defined by its lake — Kwan Phayao, a massive freshwater lagoon in the heart of the city, is the centerpiece of daily life. The lakeside promenade fills with joggers at dusk, fish restaurants line the shore, and the submerged ruins of Wat Tilok Aram (a 500-year-old temple now underwater) can be visited by boat during the dry season when the water is clear enough to see the foundations below.

The province is quietly mountainous and rural, with a growing coffee culture in the hills around Doi Luang National Park. Phu Sang National Park has a rare "fire waterfall" — water cascading over a limestone face with flammable methane seeping through, creating an eerie fire-and-water effect. Phayao's old town has a handful of well-preserved Lanna temples, including Wat Si Khom Kham with its large seated Buddha, and the local night market serves excellent northern food without the tourist markup of Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai.