Founded in 1296 by King Mengrai, as the capital of the Lanna Thai Kingdom, this Northern town is at present one of Thailand's main attractions. Its history is still apparent in the old city walls, which were constructed to keep out the Burmese army and scores of ancient temples. Chiang Mai is now famous for handicrafts and art, and a great place to shop for Asian antiques. It's also a base for hill tribe treks in the mountains of Northern Thailand.