Amazing Thailand Travel

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.

Filed under : Northern Thailand Travel, Thailand Travel

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Only 22km south-east of Chiang Mai on route 106, often called the Old Chiang Mai Road, Lamphun is famed for hand-woven silk, two ancient temples, its beautiful women and its production of the sweetest logan fruit (lam yai). This is the smallest province in the north of Amazing Thailand and being situated inland away from the sea, it has the longest drought or dry season usually about 6 months. The climate is typical for this area with 3 seasons dividing the year. The hot seasonof any Thailand travel is usually between March and April, the rainy season from May to October and the cool season from November to February.

Things to do in Lamphun

Over shadowed by the tourists in Chiang Mai, Lamphun is usually visited as a half day tour or as part of a full day tour of their Thailand travels, taking in other sights south of Chinag Mai. Lamphun does however come alive during the Longan festival, which takes place each August. During this time floats are paraded along the streets, drum beating competitions and the local beauty competitions take place.

During your half day Lamphun trips you should try and get to see Wat Phra That Haripunchai and the bell-shaped, 51 m high golden Chedi, an enormous bronze gong (said to be the largest in the world, but this has been disputed) and the beautiful ordination hall, or Bot, although this is often closed. Wat Kukut is a second Wat you should consider visiting if you have time. It’s on the opposite side of town to the previous Wat and should take about 30mins walk. It gives you a chance to view the rest of the town as you wander there.

Getting To Lamphun

Situated so close to Chiang Mai, Lamphun doesn’t have much in the way of accommodation for the Thailand traveller. Travel usually involves a trip along route 106 and back to Chiang Mai.

Filed under : Northern Thailand Travel, Thailand Travel

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