Phayao lies on the scenic eastern shore of Kwan Phayao, a large lake measuring about 1 kilometre in length and 4 kilometres in width, and is framed by high mountain ranges. Once the capital of an independent kingdom before its incorporation into the Lanna Kingdom in 1338 A.D., the town retains a sense of historical depth. A circular tour around Kwan Phayao and visits to pilgrimage sites offer a journey that is both captivating and beautiful.

Chiang Saen is a charming little town in Chiang Rai province, spread over the ruins of considerably larger, fortified Wiang, the first capital of the Lanna Kingdom, much of which now lies concealed beneath trees and dense vegetation. While many visitors stop by on a day trip from Chiang Rai, those who stay longer will find a tranquil retreat from the bustle of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Stone tools unearthed along the Mekong River and in areas around the town attest to prehistoric human settlement, and there is also evidence suggesting that the Khmer exerted influence over the region as early as the 9th century.

One Chiang Mai chronicle recounts that in 1327 A.D., King Saen Phu, the grandson of King Mengrai, founded a new city at Chiang Saen and established it as one of the principal centres of the Lanna Kingdom. In 1558, Chiang Mai fell to the Burmese, and from that time until the late 18th century, Chiang Saen and much of Lanna came under Burmese suzerainty. In 1775, the Thais reclaimed Chiang Mai and, over the following three decades, gradually restored control over the entire Lanna region. In 1804, King Rama I of Bangkok ordered Chiang Saen to be razed in an effort to discourage further Burmese incursions, leaving only the temples intact. The town remained largely abandoned until the 1840s, when King Rama V instructed a prince of Lamphun to resettle it with people from Lamphun, Chiang Mai, and Lampang.