Nong Khai/Ubon Thani To North(Chiang Khong, Phrae Or Nan)

[healthcaretaker]

I am planning a trip from Ubon Thani or Nong Khai towards Nan, Phrae to Mai Sai or Chinag Mai bus public bus or train.

Must I take the 10 hours bus from Ubon Thani to Chiang Mai via Pitshanulok ?

I intend to travel north first and come down to Chiang Mai later. Any way ?

Thank you.

[gotlost]

I am planning a trip from Ubon Thani or Nong Khai towards Nan, Phrae to Mai Sai or Chinag Mai bus public bus or train.

Must I take the 10 hours bus from Ubon Thani to Chiang Mai via Pitshanulok ?

I intend to travel north first and come down to Chiang Mai later. Any way ?

Taking this rout you need to change buses in Pitshanulok for Phrae. If you skip Phrae you can change buses in Lampang for Nan and Chiang Rai then Chang Rai to Chiang Mai. There are no direct trains from Udon to Chiang Mai only via Bangkok.

[thrilled]

!st off ya said ubon thani,I believe your referring to Udon thani.If ya look at some of the forums on udonmap,you'll see that the bus service isn't fantastic.

From udon I took nokair to bkk,and then bkk to chiang mai.

[jazzbo]

The bus ride between Udon or KK and Chiang Mai via Pisanoluk is without a doubt one of those bus rides from h-ll ... but if you only really have to do it once, what's the big deal ... however as Kuhn T. says above, flying via BKK / Don Muang is better.

... or as Sophie Tucker once said: "I've been rich and I've been poor... rich is better."

[healthcaretaker]

It's a pity they don't make a direct road from Loei to Phrae. It will be so much nearer.

I want to do bus to visit the towns but already been to Phtisanulok twice.

[jazzbo]

Direct from Loei to Phrae? ... No Problem > Helicopter over the mountains... careful to avoid PDR Lao airspace.

Edited August 25, 2010 by jazzbo

[isanbirder]

If you take the bus Udon to Chiangmai via Phitsanulok, you can get off at Denchai, where you can also pick up the bus to Phrae and Nan. If you go on to Lampang, the bus comes back this way anyway.

To do the border route from Loei to Phrae, you have to go by car; there are no buses on this route; quite a nice road to go, though.

[jazzbo]

Personally, if I wanted to make a tour of the villages outside of Phrae and/or Nan, I would get myself to one of those cities and then negotiate for a rental car for a couple of days with driver -- probably there is no other way to navigate those areas and retain semblance of sanity.

[healthcaretaker]

If you take the bus Udon to Chiangmai via Phitsanulok, you can get off at Denchai, where you can also pick up the bus to Phrae and Nan. If you go on to Lampang, the bus comes back this way anyway.

To do the border route from Loei to Phrae, you have to go by car; there are no buses on this route; quite a nice road to go, though.

Thank you. Is Denchai a nice place ? Do you know much time do I need to spend in Phrae and Nan minimum ? Which has got more to see ? Are there many regular buses between these places ? Once I was caught somewhere between Chiang Mai and Mae Salong where buses stop after midnoon.

[isanbirder]

If you take the bus Udon to Chiangmai via Phitsanulok, you can get off at Denchai, where you can also pick up the bus to Phrae and Nan. If you go on to Lampang, the bus comes back this way anyway.

To do the border route from Loei to Phrae, you have to go by car; there are no buses on this route; quite a nice road to go, though.

Thank you. Is Denchai a nice place ? Do you know much time do I need to spend in Phrae and Nan minimum ? Which has got more to see ? Are there many regular buses between these places ? Once I was caught somewhere between Chiang Mai and Mae Salong where buses stop after midnoon.

There's nothing at Denchai as far as I know. The bus stops outside a shop on the main road where the buses Chiangmai-Phrae-Nan pass. But check with your local bus station for connections.

Phrae two days, Nan as long as you like... but it depends what you want to do/see.