A quiet and tranquil province, Nan is made up of many districts, all of which give a nostalgic and un-spoilt idea of what rural Thailand travel was once like. The provincial capital, Nan, is a small city some 668 km north of Bangkok, set into a lush valley some 320kms east of Chiang Mai. Most travellers heading to the north of Thailand travel straight to Chiang Mai or Chaing Rai, but with a little effort you will be rewarded with a town offering considerable charm. A little remote set out to the east of the north, Nan is very little visited by tourists but it was designated a tourist development area for its historical hybrid temples and stunning mountainous countryside. The old heart of the city, where many of the tourist attractions are located, is being attractively restored to increase the image of this town to tourists.
Once the main commercial, administrative, educational and hospital center of the province, Nan is now trying to entice more tourists to this beautiful part of Thailand. Home to the Thai Lue and other hill tribes, you can now find many local textiles for sale showing the traditional floral, geometric and animal designs in the red and black cotton fabrics. These textiles as well as local Mein embroidery and Hmong crafts are usually of far better quality as they are or mass produce like those found n Chiang Mai.
Getting To Nan
You can fly to Nan from Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phitsanoluk on several days of the week and the journey time is anything from 45mins – 1hr 30mins. There are daily buses from Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Chinag Rai that can take anything up to 10-13hrs but are far more economical and scenic than flying. One word of warning though is the road journey is very mountainous and can provide an uncomfortable journey, scenic or not! There is no direct train line to Nan with the closest train station at Den Chai, a three hour drive away, in the neighboring province.
Things to Do in Nan
The main attractions in Nan, other than the tranquil and untouched Thailand qualities, are the Nan National Museum and the Phrathat Chae Haeng Pagoda. If you plan on Thailand travel during October, then make sure you don’t miss the Nan Provincial Boat Race which is the main event of the Provincial Fair during late October.