Maybe Traveling to Nan

[sante]

A friend recommended Nan as a place to visit. I'd probably take a bus there. Any tips on transport or guesthouses?

Also, when searching this forum I found information about a Nan province map. Has anyone seen it for sale in CM?

Thanks.

[Big Pinkie]

you dont need a map on public transport. google maps on your phone is all you will ever need,

[sante]

Actually I'm probably one of the few people who doesn't have a smartphone but just a simple tiny lightweight old-fashioned samsung B2100 so Google Maps isn't an option.

[CMSteve]

Try any of the local bookstores. They have maps of all the provinces.. DK Books, Suriwong, any of the shops in the malls.

[Chicog]

you dont need a map on public transport. google maps on your phone is all you will ever need,

Until you have no data connection and then it's useless.

[neilrob]

Nan Noble House Garden Resort as a place to stay---it's great---www.nannoblehouse.com

[Johpa]

Nan is a great place to visit. If possible, rent a scooter/motorcycle as the roads to Nan, as well as the roads outside of Nan, are outstanding for scenery. There are many guidebooks to find places to stay or eat. Or just visit the gt-rider website to find recomendations. As I ride I don't know much about public transportation specifics, but I am sure you can ctach buses to Nan via Phrae. And there is probably local songthaew or buses from Nan up to Pua and then songthaew from Pua up and over to Bo Klua.

[Big Pinkie]

Actually I'm probably one of the few people who doesn't have a smartphone but just a simple tiny lightweight old-fashioned samsung B2100 so Google Maps isn't an option.

i am not convinced you cant use google maps on http://www.samsung.com/ie/consumer/mobile-devices/mobile-phones/bar/GT-B2100SRAXEU-spec

download it and see what happens

my phone is not expensive, not touchscreen, not android and i still can do google maps but i had to download it, it wasnt preinstalled.

[Big Pinkie]

you dont need a map on public transport. google maps on your phone is all you will ever need,

Until you have no data connection and then it's useless.

yeah its probably useless if you've got one of those cheap replacement brains from Woolworth too,

[sante]

>i am not convinced you cant use google maps on http://www.samsung.com/ie/consumer/mobile-devices/mobile-phones/bar/GT-B2100SRAXEU-spec

Not my phone. I guess I have the cheapee version because I'm lacking a camera and many of the other options. But I like it because it's very small and lightweight.

[Thighlander]

Green Bus goes to Nan from Arcade. Personally, I really like Phayao, and they also have an Aeon ATM.

[LivinLOS]

you dont need a map on public transport. google maps on your phone is all you will ever need,

Until you have no data connection and then it's useless.

Simply download the general area before you go.. Then store it locally on the phone.

Google maps has evolved a lot.

[Thighlander]

if you look or book on Agoda, they will have links to google maps for each hotel they book. I've heard Nan is nice. I would expect some great Thai food.

[Chicog]

you dont need a map on public transport. google maps on your phone is all you will ever need,

Until you have no data connection and then it's useless.

Simply download the general area before you go.. Then store it locally on the phone.

Google maps has evolved a lot.

Oooh I didn't notice that, I'll give it a try.

Cheers.

[chuang]

Yeah go to Nan...a nice place no such traffic like CM...hotels just google it....drove from CR to Nan to Phrae to CM two months ago..nice quiet place..

[femi fan]

Does anyone recommend which way to go to nan from chiang mai? I see one route goes down to lampang and then up to nan through phrae. Another route goes up and across to just below phayao and then down to nan. Is one route more scenic? More suited to cars? Quicker?

[FiftyTwo]

Nothing to see, nothing to do, and the food is unbelievably bad.

(Unless you like deep fried chicken sinew).

You can't even buy decent meat to cook yourself from the local market.

But they did have a Tesco Lotus (mid-size) built last year, and there is a 7-11.

Decent road Prae and up.

NIghtmare road Payao and down.

Edited January 15, 2014 by FiftyTwo

[Thighlander]

yes, 52, I heard it is a very twisting-turning 5-6 hours from Phayao. I inquired, when I was in Phayao and decided not to go after learning the duration of the trip. Phayoa can be done on the way to/from Chiang Rai, very easily. Super good food there; if you like Thai food.

[bjohn34]

yes, 52, I heard it is a very twisting-turning 5-6 hours from Phayao. I inquired, when I was in Phayao and decided not to go after learning the duration of the trip. Phayoa can be done on the way to/from Chiang Rai, very easily. Super good food there; if you like Thai food.

If you're just going to Nan, the best route is 11 south past Lampang to Denchai, then straight ahead on 101 through Rong Kwang and Wiang Sa to Nan.

On the bus, take Green Bus from Arcade. 14:30 departure has VIP seats available which are more comfprtable

[neilrob]

Nothing to see, nothing to do, and the food is unbelievably bad.

(Unless you like deep fried chicken sinew).

You can't even buy decent meat to cook yourself from the local market.

But they did have a Tesco Lotus (mid-size) built last year, and there is a 7-11.

Decent road Prae and up.

NIghtmare road Payao and down.

If you could find nothing to see, nothing to do, nothing to eat in Nan, that reflects badly on you rather than Nan. Just to cite a couple of examples, visit Wat Phumin which is a small gem of a temple in the centre of the old city, or for a complete contrast, ride a white water raft down the unspoiled Waa river, running through a national park near the Laotian border. As to food, then you will not find good Western food there, but this is Thailand and Nan has excellent Thai and Northern Thai restaurants.

[femi fan]

Has anyone been to nan in the march april time? Do they have the same kind of air problems as chiang mai?

[FiftyTwo]

Has anyone been to nan in the march april time? Do they have the same kind of air problems as chiang mai?

yes i have

yes they do

[Johpa]

Does anyone recommend which way to go to nan from chiang mai? I see one route goes down to lampang and then up to nan through phrae. Another route goes up and across to just below phayao and then down to nan. Is one route more scenic? More suited to cars? Quicker?

If you are driving then take the 118 out to Doi Saket and then the 120 to Phayao. When you t-bone with Hwy 1 turn left towards Phayao but then just south of town turn east on 1021 and then look for the right turn onto 1251 (not well marked). The 1251 will intersect with 1091 which will take you straight into Nan town. You might need to take a road map or print our a few google maps, but it is pretty straight forward. This is by far the most scenic route.

[khwaibah]

Does anyone recommend which way to go to nan from chiang mai? I see one route goes down to lampang and then up to nan through phrae. Another route goes up and across to just below phayao and then down to nan. Is one route more scenic? More suited to cars? Quicker?

If you are driving then take the 118 out to Doi Saket and then the 120 to Phayao. When you t-bone with Hwy 1 turn left towards Phayao but then just south of town turn east on 1021 and then look for the right turn onto 1251 (not well marked). The 1251 will intersect with 1091 which will take you straight into Nan town. You might need to take a road map or print our a few google maps, but it is pretty straight forward. This is by far the most scenic route.

Done this route a couple times and it is fantastic. Just be aware when there is bad weather.

[jackr]

Does anyone recommend which way to go to nan from chiang mai?

East.

[misterfloppy]

I just came back from Nan with the missus where we stayed a couple of nights in the clean and very reasonable Huang Khueng Nan Hotel (THB 500/night). a bit noisy from the nearby temple and poor soundproffing but friendly and right in the town (city?) centre. Two or three other reasonable looking hotels are nearby.

We took the scenic route to Nan via Chiang Klang, turning left after Pau market via Doi Phuka National Park. However, although the views are jaw-droppingly spectacular for most of the way - so many opportunites that we gave up stopping to take photographs - the roads are hard going: two hundred plus kilometres of up and down, often dropping to second gear - and first on one occassion - trying not to overheat the brakes on the way down, in my three litre, four-wheel-drive Hilux, with only two passengers and their luggage, is not for the inexperienced driver though the road surface is good, with light traffic in the middle of the week when we went. The return journey to Chiang Mai via Route 11 was a doddle in comparison. We have a big road map - try Asia Books or other good bookshop - which purports to be in English and Thai. This was adequate, just about.

Nan itself is quaint with little development in the compact centre. No malls or high rises is a reminder of what the boring parts of Chiang Mai no doubt looked like a decade or two ago. Nan will surely become more developed over the coming years as it gets clogged with traffic and speculators so best grab a slice of history now. There are already many farangs about and, apparently, property prices have leaped in the last couple of years.

We did see a red taxi, though we had been advised there was no public transport or taxis. Best to hire a motorcycle, we were told, but found the town centre small enough to just walk round and didn't venture any further.

We had dinner in the excellent Poom3 Chinese Restaurant but didn't try to find any other decent places to eat.

Have a nice trip!

[sante]

Thanks for the replies. I intend to visit Nan next month and will post any interesting travel tips and experiences.

[Johpa]

I just came back from Nan ........ No malls or high rises is a reminder of what the boring parts of Chiang Mai no doubt looked like a decade or two ago.

I can't think of anything more boring than malls and high rises.

[john1000]

I intend to visit from Pattaya so maybe fly to CM then bus it. Hope I can hire a moped or something to look around.

[Joop50]

Just came back from a visit to Nan. Not really a town that lives, some nice Wats 2-3 decent restaurants and that's it. But the surroundings are very nice, some villages with pottery history and beautiful natural sceneries. We also visit Phayao and that is a more living town with many restaurants, small shops and accomodations.Around the lake a beach like scenery where many people picnic every day.