Three hours from the city, Thailand’s favourite mountain escape is more welcoming to dogs than it first appears, as long as you know which gate stays shut.

29 dog-friendly hotels, cafes, parks and road stops — in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Chiang Dao, plus stops along the drive up — every policy tested in person on a real 8-day, 1,500+ km trip with Zui the Mini Poodle.

Dog-friendly cafés, a glowing cave temple, a riverside farmstay, and a Mini Poodle named Zui. Here is exactly how we spent a two-day weekend in Phetchaburi with our dog — where to go, what it costs, and why it is the perfect first road trip from Bangkok.