My wife tells me there is a flower festival in Chiayaphum and suggests we go for a few days.

We live in Pai, up the mountain from Chiang Mai, can anyone suggest a route from CM where we could see the best of Issan?

A place to stay in Chiayaphum would also be nice.

Thanks,

Colin

It's not really a festival but more of a national park that has lovely pink flowers that bloom once a year, (right now). I assume you are thinking of driving to Chaiyaphum. If that is the case you will spend more time travelling to get here than you will in the park! Chaiyaphum, and especially the park where the flowers are, (Pa Hin Ngam), is on the most western side of Issan and i would imagine the best route for you to drive would miss out any other province in Issan, so if you plan to visit anywhere else you need to expect a rather large diversion.

As for places to stay there are a suprising number of hotels here considering the lack of facilities. The best one that i know of is the Siam River Resort and prices there were 900 baht last time i checked. The only hotel i stayed in was the Sirichai Hotel and prices there started at 400 baht. Chaiyaphum is such a small city that you will easily find a hotel anyway.

Nidge.

I have never been to the flower festival but I have driven from Chiang Rai to Surin a couple of times.

I strongly recommend that you drive road number 12 from Phitsanulok to Khon Kaen. It runs through the Nam Nao nationalpark and many other really beautiful places. Quite memorable really.

Usually I stay one night at Pai Linn hotel (not sure how it´s spelled) in Phitsanulok. The standard of the hotel is ok and it´s 800 baht/night. It´s situated in the old part of the city. Take a stroll along the river Nan in the evening. It´s nice.

Watch out for tigers and elephants in Nam Nao. The park rangers claim that there still is a wild population there.

Cheers

Thank you for your replies, I think we will take highway 11 to Phitsanulok, turn left onto 12 then left again onto the 201.

We will have to make an overnight stop on the way so maybe the Pai Linn is trying to tell us something!!

Thanks guys,

Colin & Puangsoi

According to my wife the hotels name is spelled Pailyn.

The address: 38 Baromatrailokanart road. Phitsanulok.