Hotels in Nan

Nan

Nan is a province in rural northern Thailand, named for both the province and the capital city. It’s mostly rice farming and fruit production fields which surround the Nan river valley and high mountains. It’s a sleepy, mellow town that doesn’t have a lot of nightlife, but more than makes up for it with its stunning natural beauty.

The main activity to engage in while visiting Nan county is to enjoy the town’s charms and breathe in the fresh air. There are also six national parks within the province, including the absolutely breathtaking Doi Phukha National Park which contains some of the best hiking that Thailand has to offer. Some of the mountains are as high as 2,000 meters! There are also plenty of ancient and modern temples in this province, definitely worth a visit if you have some time. There are also some fishing villages to explore.

A fantastic and more rural and off the beaten track version of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, Nan sees far fewer visitors and thus there tends to be less tourist based comforts and accommodations. However, what the town is lacking in terms of Western amenities, it makes up for in a more traditional and authentic version of northern Thai life. This region tends to have a high amount of diversity in its culture, language and history due to the proximity to Laos.

However, don’t fret if you do enjoy some restaurants and riverfront views, as there has been an influx of visitors compared to the past in the last few years, and thus establishments are popping up to accommodate these new visitors.

History of Nan

For centuries, Nan was an autonomous kingdom with few relationships with the outside world. The people tended to be content with simple and fulfilling lives. However, due to proximity to the neighboring kingdom of Sukhothai, which played important roles for political and religious development, development and architecture was slowly built in the late 14th century.

In 1558, the Burmese invaded the town and a complicated history began. Many of the inhabitants of Nan country were taken to Burma as slaves. The town was then taken over completely by the Burmese and then promptly abandoned until the late 1700s when the town was taken back by Thais.

Once the town was taken back by Thailand, an alliance was formed with the group from Bangkok which centered around the Rattakosin Kingdom. Nan province continued to exist as a semi-autonomous kingdom with various kings that ruled from 1786 to 1931.

Today, Nan remains the home of numerous Thai Lue and other hill tribes who retain many of their fascinating customs, traditions, and cultural history.

Parts of the old city wall and several early temples dating from the Lanna period can still be seen in contemporary Nan. The city's wats are distinctive; some temple structures show Lanna influence, while others belong to the Thai Lue legacy brought from Xishuangbanna in China, where the Thai Lue people originated.

Surrounding Environment

Uttaradit

Once a trading port located next to Nan province, the town’s main claim to fame now is the Queen Sirikit dam, which provides water for the people nearby. In the past, much of the province was covered in teak forest which was the main product of the town of Uttaradit. It also contains three national parks, Klong Tron National Park, Lam Nam Nam National Park and PHu Soi Dao National Park.

Phrae

A town with much history in the Lanna era, it’s now a sleepy mellow town renowned for cultural festivals and scenic beauty. There are a few museums worth seeing in this town, as well as some caves and waterfalls in the surrounding national parks. Phae Muang Phi is a large area within the province that has no large trees due to environmental reasons. Therefore, the harder elements of nature remain and have formed into the shape of exotic-looking mushrooms.

Phayao

Located on Phayao Lake, the city is in the valley of the Ing River. The city is surrounded by mountains, Doi Luang, Doi Khun Mae Fat and Doi Khun Mae Tam. The city originated as a small city-state kingdom, and slowly grew in importance during the Lanna and Sukhothai kingdom rule. When the Burmese invaded in the 18th century, the town was deserted, but was reinstated when it became a party of Chiang Rai. In 1977, Phayao was separated from Chiang Rai and gained standing as its own province.

Sainyabull

The only Laotian province that is completely west of the Mekhong River, it is quite mountainous since the Luang Prabang Range runs north to south within this province. It’s home to the largest concentration of elephants in Laos. The town is rich in timber and rice farming since most of the rest of Laos is too mountainous to grow rice in. Other crops that the region produces include oranges, cotton, peanuts, sesame, sugarcane, cucumbers and beans.

Hotels in Nan

Sasidara Resort Nan

A small resort that brings together serenity, luxury and modern facilities while retaining a homey ambiance. There’s 24 hour reception, a gorgeous garden to enjoy picnics and sunsets in, an international and multilingual staff, a restaurant, and a booking service that can help you find the best tours and activities to enjoy in Nan.

Baan Iyara

A beautiful and chic boutique hotel in a convenient location, this is a wonderful place to call home base while exploring Nan. Incredibly close to Nan airport, there’s also a swimming pool, free WiFi, breakfast, an international staff, meeting facilities and a terrace to enjoy the wondrous beauty from.

Pukha Nanfa Hotel

A gorgeously decorated hotel full of wonderful atmosphere, it’s also close to tourist attractions such as Wat Phra That Chang Kham as well as the Nan National Museum. The rooms are decorated in a modern and chic ambiance, and the staff is known to be friendly and always ready to answer questions and provide helpful tips to help you make the most of your stay. The airport is only a 10 minute drive away.

Apirata Resort

Located in a convenient location only about 1km from all the main attractions of the town, but still quiet and away from the hustle and bustle of town. There is free WiFi, modern amenities, friendly, international staff, parking, breakfast, and laundry service for those who have been traveling for a while and need a refresher. The perfect place to call home base while you explore the beauty of Nan Province.

Winhouse Hotel

A simple Thai style hotel, there’s nothing particularly fancy about the Winhouse, but that’s part of its charm. It’s close to all the temples that are worth visiting, as well as the national museum. There’s a coffee shop on premise, 24 hour reception, luggage storage, free WiFi, as well as plenty of parking. A great way to experience Nan in its true form.

Transportation

By plane

There’s a small domestic airport in Nan that only offers flights to Chiang Mai and Bangkok. You may be better off just flying into one of those cities and grabbing a connecting flight, rather than booking it all at once. Chiang Mai and Bangkok are two of the biggest airports in Thailand, so flights to and from them are easy to find and run often.

By bus

You can catch the bus from Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal to Nan. There are sleeper bus options that are quite comfortable, with ample legroom and air conditioning and plenty of bathroom breaks. The trip from Bangkok takes about 10 hours.

You can also catch the bus from Chiang Mai, which will take about 5 hours.

By train

There is no train service directly to Nan, and although there are ways that you can take the train and combine it with a few other methods, it’s not worth the trouble and amount of time it will take. A bus or local flight is much more advisable.

Main Areas

Nan is quite a small province, with just a main area where the temples and National Museum are. Everything else is out in the suburbs and where the national parks are.

Tourist Attractions

Boat Races

Boat racing has been an annual tradition in this province, especially longboat racing. Considered a traditional rite which commemorates the end of the Buddhist rainy season, it usually takes place in September/October when water levels are at their peak. Racing boats are made from dugout tree trunks and can accommodate up to 60 oarsmen in a double row. The festival attracts many spectators, so make sure to book your hotels early!

Opening hours: held in September/October, usually from morning to evening

Entrance fee: none

Wat Phumin

Considered one of the most attractive temples in Nan, this colorful temple was founded in 1596 but has undergone many renovations since then. There are several murals that show scenes from daily Nan life. The temple consists of a combined viharn/ubosot with an unusual cruciform floor plan. There’s a two storey building that contains the Ho Trai library, as well as a dome like structure that has a diorama with scenes from a Buddhist hell that leaves little to the imagination. This wat is most famous for its beautiful and colorful mural paintings. One of the most famous paintings is one of a couple, where a man covered in tattoos is whispering into the woman’s ear.

Opening hours: 06:00 to 18:00, daily

Entrance fee: 50 THB