Phuket to Bangkok domestic flight got delayed nearly four hours with barely any communication from ground staff at the airport. It ate straight into our one full day in the capital that we'd planned around temples and food. Nobody from the airline offered so much as an update, let alone compensation. Rest of the trip mostly made up for it, but that day stung.

Engagement trip through Krabi, Phuket, Bangkok and Chiang Mai, and every stop earned its place.

Bangkok's Chinatown food crawl at night with my fiance was chaotic in the best possible way. Could have used one more full night there before flying to Chiang Mai.

The mist rolling over Doi Inthanon's pagodas mid-trip was the pause we did not know we needed after the beach hopping. Ending on Doi Suthep watching the sun drop over Chiang Mai sealed it as the best trip we have taken together.

Bangkok Chinatown's food crawl was electric, though one more night there would have beaten the rush to Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai's Doi Suthep temple at sunset, with views stretching over the whole valley, was the perfect romantic close to ten days in Thailand. We'd done beaches and cities already, so ending on something spiritual and quiet felt right. My partner said it was her favourite single moment of the trip. Would build a whole return trip around Chiang Mai alone.