Things to do in Nan Province
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Fhu Travel
Offers treks to Mabri, Hmong, Mien, Thai Lü and Htin villages, and can also arrange elephant trekking, rafting and kayaking trips and city tours. The operators have been leading tours for more than 20 years.
reviewed
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Doi Phu Kha National Park
This national park is centred on 2000m-high Doi Phu Kha, the province’s highest peak, in Amphoe Pua and Amphoe Bo Kleua in north-eastern Nan (about 75km from Nan). There are several Htin, Mien, Hmong and Thai Lü villages in the park and vicinity, as well as a couple of caves and waterfalls, and endless opportunities for forest walks. The park headquarters has a basic map and staff can arrange a local guide for walks or more extended excursions around the area, as well as rafting on the Nam Wa. The park is often cold in the cool season and especially wet in the wet season. The park offers a variety of bungalows (Tel: 0 2562 0760; www.dnp.go.th; 2-7 people 300-2500B), an…
reviewed
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Nan Riverside Gallery
Twenty kilometres north of Nan on Rte 1080, this private art gallery exhibits contemporary Nan-influenced art in a peaceful setting. Established in 2004 by Nan artist Winai Prabipoo, the two-storey building holds the more interesting temporary exhibitions downstairs – sculpture, ceramics and drawings – as well as a permanent painting collection upstairs – which seems to be mainly inspired by the Wat Phumin murals. The unusual building is a light-filled converted rice barn with an arrow-shaped turret. The shop and cafe have seats right on the Mae Nam Nan and the beautiful manicured gardens are nice to wander around. From Nan, take any northbound bus or sŏrng·tăa·ou…
reviewed
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Wat Phra That Chang Kham
This is the second-most important temple in the city after Wat Phra That Chae Haeng. The founding date is unknown, but the main wí·hăhn, reconstructed in 1458, has a huge seated Buddha image and faint murals that have been partially recovered. (Sometime in the mid-20th century an abbot reportedly ordered the murals to be whitewashed because he thought they were distracting worshippers from concentrating on his sermons!)
Also in the wí·hăhn is a set of Lanna-period scrolls inscribed (in Lanna script) not only with the usual Buddhist scriptures but with the history, law and astrology of the time. A tam·mâht (a 'dhamma seat' used by monks when teaching) sits to one si…
reviewed
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Pu Som Restaurant
Like a misplaced Texas barnhouse, this popular local restaurant is decked out in cowboy hats, cow skulls, gun holsters, and a plethora of images of the Marlboro Man. Fittingly, the emphasis here is on beef, served in the local style as lâhp, or as néu·a nêung, steamed over herbs and served with an incredibly delicious galangal dip.
reviewed
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Wat Suan Tan
Reportedly established in 1456, Wat Suan Tan features an interesting 15th-century chedi that combines prang (Hindu/Khmer-style chedi ) and lotus-bud motifs of obvious Sukhothai influence. The heavily restored wí·hăhn contains an early Sukhothai-style bronze sitting Buddha.
reviewed
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Nan National Museum
Housed in the 1903- vintage palace of Nan's last two feudal lords, this museum first opened its doors in 1973. In terms of collection and content, it's one of the country's better provincial museums, and has English labels for most items.
The ground floor has ethnological exhibits covering the various ethnic groups found in the province. Among the items on display are silverwork, textiles, folk utensils and tribal costumes. On the 2nd floor are exhibits on Nan history, archaeology, local architecture, royal regalia, weapons, ceramics and religious art. Of the latter, the museum's collection of Buddha images includes some rare Lanna styles as well as the floppy-eared local …
reviewed
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Pizza Da Dario
This Italian restaurant does pizza and pasta, as well as other Western treats and Thai dishes.
reviewed
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Kamlang Dee
This tiny, colourful restaurant is known for its sôm·đam tôrt, deep-fried sôm·đam. It’s an equal parts crunchy and refreshing snack. They also do great fruit smoothies and other basic dishes.
reviewed
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Hot Bread
This cheery, foreigner-friendly restaurant does breakfasts and coffee, as well as a lengthy menu with heaps of veggie options. The attached noodle shop sells kâo soy and other noodle dishes until 5pm.
reviewed
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Tanaya Kitchen
Neat and tidy, with a creative selection of dishes made without MSG, and a variety of vegetarian (and non-vegetarian) options, Tanaya is a good choice for any diet. It caters to a mostly tourist clientele.
reviewed
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Yota Vegetarian Restaurant
Run by the friendliest lady in town who will not let you leave hungry, this is perhaps the best deal in Nan. It's popular and once the food is gone after lunch, that's it for the day.
reviewed
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Muanjai Coffee
With its modern decor and militant self-service policy, this cafe is the Starbucks of Nan. They do good coffee, and even have a fireplace for those cold northern winters.
reviewed
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Dhevee Coffee Shop
Modest, clean and reliable, Dhevaraj Hotel’s restaurant does good buffets (lunch buffet 69B), has a huge menu and is open when many other places are closed.
reviewed
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Eskimo Roll
Eskimo Roll, run by the amicable Mr Boy, conducts two- to three-day, all-inclusive, rafting and/or kayaking trips.
reviewed
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Peera
A short walk from Wat Phumin, this place offers high-quality local textiles, mostly women's skirts and blouses.
reviewed
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Pongparn
Pongparn, a short walk from Wat Phumin, offers a variety of local textiles and handicrafts in one location.
reviewed
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Suan Isan
For Isan food, this semi-outdoor spot is 200m up the lane off Th Sumonthewarat past the Bangkok Bank.
reviewed
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Doi Phu Kha National Park
This national park is centred on 2000m-high Doi Phu Kha, the province’s highest peak, in Amphoe Pua and Amphoe Bo Kleua in north-eastern Nan (about 75km from Nan). There are several Htin, Mien, Hmong and Thai Lü villages in the park and vicinity, as well as a couple of caves and waterfalls, and endless opportunities for forest walks. The park headquarters has a basic map and staff can arrange a local guide for walks or more extended excursions around the area, as well as rafting on the Nam Wa. The park is often cold in the cool season and especially wet in the wet season. The park offers a variety of bungalows (Tel: 0 2562 0760; www.dnp.go.th; 2-7 people 300-2500B), an…
reviewed
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Q
Wat Phumin
Nan's most famous Buddhist temple is celebrated for its exquisite murals that were executed during the late 19th century by a Thai Lü artist called Thit Buaphan.
The exterior of the temple takes the form of a cruciform bòht that was constructed in 1596 and restored during the reign of Chao Anantavorapitthidet (1867–74). The bòht exemplifies the work of Thai Lü architects, and the ornate altar sitting in the centre of the bòht has four sides, with four Sukhothai-style sitting Buddhas in mahn wí·chai ('victory over Mara' – with one hand touching the ground) posture, facing in each direction.
reviewed
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Wat Phra That Chae Haeng
Two kilometres past the bridge that spans Mae Nam Nan, heading southeast out of town, this Buddhist temple dating from 1355 is the most sacred wát in Nan Province. It's set in a square, walled enclosure on top of a hill with a view of Nan and the valley. The Thai Lü-influenced bòht features a triple-tiered roof with carved wooden eaves and dragon reliefs over the doors. A gilded Lanna-style chedi sits on a large square base next to the bòht; visit late in the day and the structure practically glows in the afternoon light.
reviewed
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Wat Hua Khuang
Located diagonally opposite Wat Phra That Chang Kham, this temple features a distinctive Lanna/Lan Xang-style chedi with four Buddha niches, an attractive wooden hŏr đrai and a noteworthy bòht with a Luang Prabang-style carved wooden veranda. Inside is a carved wooden ceiling and a huge naga altar. The temple's founding date is unknown, but stylistic cues suggest this may be one of the city's oldest wát.
reviewed
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Som Tam Thawt
This tiny restaurant is known for its sôm·đam tôrt, deep-fried sôm·đam. It's an equal parts crunchy and refreshing snack. They also do great fruit smoothies and other basic dishes.
reviewed
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OTOP
The showroom of this government-funded development initiative has everything from local snacks to silverware.
reviewed
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Nan Touring
This outfit offers a variety of rafting trips for groups of at least five people.
reviewed
