Any worthwhile places to visit along this route?

To be honest, not really although the scenery is nice. A diversion to Doi Phu nang park is worthwhile

If you take the 101 to the 11 at Den Chai you have a shyt pot load of great wood furniture shops. Well worth taking a look. As cooked says nice scenery.

Road 1023 no good?

Looks alright on Google Maps.

 

Starting in Phrae on the (good road) 1023 there are many curves in the beginning, but it's a beautiful drive through a river valley, subsequent forests and rice fields. As always, be careful.

 

An interesting national park close to town, Doi Pha Klong has the advantage of being connected to Phrae with public transportation (a blue songthaew from Chomphu Ming market) making it a perfect and cheap daytrip when you get bored of temples and ancient buildings.

Covering a mountainous area filled with forests, streams and waterfalls, it is the natural habitat for bears, deer, civet cats, wild boars and several species of birds. Many of the main attractions are located close to the visitor centre which is on route 1023, 20 km west of town.

Phukhao Hin Pakarang (the coral mountain) is a sort of natural tunnel formed by wind erosion where you can walk through rock formations that vaguely reminded us of underwater corals. The highlight for local tourists is when a cool breeze starts blowing in and everyone can enjoy free natural air-con.

Suan Hin Maharat (the rock garden) features a number of massive rocks of different shapes that over the centuries have been incorporated in the growing forest creating a quite scenic effect.

Tham Erawan is a beautiful cave that will need a bit of an effort to be visited since it’s 200 m up on the mountain but it’s definitely worth a visit; a couple of km from the cave two hill tribe villages will give you the chance to get closer to Lisu and Akha ancient cultures and traditions.

Wang Chin and Wiang Kosai NP (on the western side of 11)

The most popular attractions near the Phrae province district of Wang Chin are its surrounding national parks. Wiang Kosai National Park is located west of Wang Chin bus stop. There is regular bus service between Wang Chin bus stop and Bangkok's Mochit station, a distance of about 720kms. Lampang is the nearest city containing upper end hotels like Lampang River Lodge Hotel, Butnamtong Hotel, and Auangkham Resort.

Wiang Kosai National Park, on the other hand, can only be reached by car. The Phi Pan Nam mountains surround the Mae Chok hot spring as well as the Mae Koeng Noi and Mae Koeng Luang waterfalls in Phrae province's first national park. Wild boars and barking deer are now the biggest animals which roam in this park once filled with tigers and elephants. Wiang Kosai National Park contains a couple of bungalows.

(thanks to   12go dot asia)

But I'm afraid you will not see any bears or deer...

And in Ban Pin about in the middle between Phrae and the #11 you could have a break at the very interesting 'Bomb March Coffee'  -  กาแฟแห่ระเบิด.

After crossing the railroad tracks it's on the right side, may be 250 m.

The nice railroad station lies to the left.

 

Wolfmuc that is what I call a great answer. Well done thanks for taking the time.

 

Very good info. Looks like 1023 all the way into Wiang Kosai

Well done wolfmuc, but did you have to tell the world, now I will have all those pesky tourists around the village, [emoji2]

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Tourists are too busy tripping over each other in Chiang Mai.

That's close enough 160k, keep them there by all means

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8 hours ago, namoi said:

Well done wolfmuc, but did you have to tell the world, now I will have all those pesky tourists around the village,

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Thank you, namoi.

I have to admit I didn't think about that...

Sorry.

10 hours ago, Justfine said:

Very good info. Looks like 1023 all the way into Wiang Kosai

Thanks, Justfine. - Have a look at the map from   trekthailand dot net.

Btw, ChiangMai is indeed more interesting...

 

There is some beautiful country out the back away from the main roads, my wife used to go and do all the community health care in the villages.

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