Chiang Mai is the hub of northern Thailand. With a population of over 127,000 registered residents in the city (as of 2016), and almost one million in the metropolitan area, it is Thailand's fourth-largest city. On a plain at an elevation of 316 m, surrounded by mountains and lush countryside, it is much greener and quieter than the capital and has a cosmopolitan air and a significant expatriate population, all factors which have led many from Bangkok to settle permanently in this "rose of the north" - Wikivoyage - Image by @robin_shoots