Phitsanulok

Phitsanulok — locals call it "Phit-lok" — is home to Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat (Wat Yai), which houses the Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, widely considered the most beautiful Buddha image in Thailand. The gilded bronze statue has been copied in temples nationwide, but the original in its flame-adorned niche is something else entirely. The riverside temple complex also includes a good folklore museum and boat-noodle vendors along the Nan River.

As a city, Phitsanulok functions as the transport hub for the lower north — it's the jumping-off point for Sukhothai Historical Park (an hour's drive) and the gateway to Phu Hin Rong Kla and Thung Salaeng Luang national parks. The city's night market along the river is one of the best in Thailand for flying vegetable (pak boong loy fah) — stir-fried morning glory tossed through the air from wok to plate. Phitsanulok also has a quirky houseboat community on the Nan River, the last of its kind, visible from the riverside walking paths.