Why should you go there and how do you do it right?

This is the city that existed before Chiang Mai. King Mangrai founded it in the late 13th century, but the river repeatedly flooded it until finally everyone gave up and moved north. What remains today are dozens of temple ruins, weathered chedis, and Buddha statues standing in open fields in Saraphi, southeast of the modern city.

Go for the ruins themselves, not for their perfection. Nothing here has been photogenically and neatly reconstructed, and that's precisely what makes it so appealing. Bricks, grass, the occasional overgrown wall. If you're starting to tire of restored temples of gold and mirrors, this is the antidote. Anyone expecting drama will be disappointed; these are low, sprawling remains, and it takes a bit of imagination to picture a city.

The great distance is the practical problem. The sights are so far apart that walking between them in the heat is very strenuous. Therefore, horse-drawn carriages offer their services locally. A ride is worthwhile on a sunny day.