This is a short city escape trip of mine. I will travel back to visit Nan Province, which I haven't been to for over ten years. This time I came back, it has changed a lot. There are many more shops, but Nan is still as peaceful and slow-paced as ever.

This trip's concept is to travel at a leisurely pace, without a packed itinerary, and to complete the trip within a weekend. The planned destination is to visit the green rice fields in Pua District and find delicious restaurants to eat at. The ideal time to see the green rice fields in Pua District is between August and September. However, there is a chance of occasional rain showers.

This trip, we traveled from Bangkok by bus and plane. We took the bus on Friday night and arrived on Saturday morning. We flew back on Sunday evening.

(However, I had work on Friday evening and had to go to a factory outside the province. I missed the bus and had to fly to meet my friends on Saturday morning, which was quite painful. //crying)

My friend departed from Bangkok in the evening and arrived in Nan at approximately 7:00 PM. I flew from Don Mueang Airport and landed in Nan at 9:00 AM. For our transportation within Nan Province, we rented an Eco Car from Avis Thailand to accommodate three passengers. We drove around Nan city and Pua district. The car rental cost approximately 1,800 baht for one day and six hours. Fuel expenses amounted to 460 baht, resulting in an approximate cost of 800 baht per person. We picked up the car at the airport, and the process of receiving and inspecting the vehicle took about 15 minutes. My friend took a local bus from Nan Transportation Center to meet me at the airport (the bus fare was 50 baht).

Once everyone has arrived, let's begin our trip.

---

The first stop was Wat Phumin, a renowned temple in Nan province. Inside the ubosot, the main prang faces all four directions, and the murals are magnificent. The highlight is the image of Pu Man and Ya Man, the "Whisper of Love," which is exquisitely detailed and vividly depicts the customs and traditions of the era, including the attire and gestures of the Burmese couple. The murals were created by the renowned Tai Lue artist, Nan Buakhuan.

Across the street from Wat Phumin, you'll find the Nan Provincial Museum, which features a "Lilawadee Arch" at its entrance. This arch is a popular landmark for young people visiting Nan, and many take photos beneath it. Opposite the museum is Wat Chang Kham, named after the Sukhothai-style pagoda with elephant statues at its base.

Next, we head to Wat Phra That Khao Noi for a panoramic view of the city. It's about a 20-minute drive from Wat Phumin. The view from this temple is breathtaking, especially at night when the city lights illuminate the landscape. The nighttime view is arguably just as stunning as the daytime vista.

As the morning heat began to rise, we sought refuge from the sun at Baan Baan Nan Nan, a charming library, bookstore, craft shop, café, and guesthouse. Housed in a traditional wooden structure enveloped by lush greenery, the space offered a cool and inviting respite. We savored delicious coffee and cake, and admired the delightful handcrafted items on display.

After the heat subsided, we traveled to Pua District, which took about an hour from Nan city. The asphalt road was easy to drive on, with some narrow curves here and there. We headed straight to Baan Hu Na Mushroom Farm, which is located just outside Pua town. The restaurant here specializes in mushroom dishes. We ordered mushroom pizza, mushroom laab, five-mushroom salad, and fried mushrooms, along with a tom yum catfish soup for some protein (and draft beer).

From the restaurant, walk down to the bottom, which will lead to Wang Sila Laeng. It is a waterway flowing through a rock channel, creating beautiful patterns. It is one of the Unseen Thailand of Nan Province. However, during our visit, it rained continuously, causing the water level to rise so high that the patterns were not visible.

(The path is a bit steep and slippery, so please walk carefully.)

Leaving the mushroom farm and returning to Pua town, you will pass by a Thai Lue coffee shop. When we went, it was raining heavily, so we couldn't walk around. We could only sit and enjoy the view from the coffee shop.

After checking in, we headed to our accommodation, "Tanong Homestay," a renowned lodging in Pua district. The surrounding views lived up to the homestay's reputation. Stepping out of our room, we were greeted by verdant rice paddies, creating a picturesque morning vista. While the entrance was somewhat secluded and pitch-black at night, the advantage was a clearer view of the stars compared to staying in the town center. Tanong, the homestay owner, was incredibly hospitable and friendly.

Accommodation fills up quickly, so book early. If possible, request a room on the top floor for the best views.

(The accommodation is located slightly outside of Pua town, so there are not many restaurants nearby. However, you can order dinner from the accommodation.)

We were stuck at our accommodation until the evening due to the rain, unfortunately missing the sunset. Once the rain started to subside, we went out to find dinner in the town of Pua. Previously, there was a walking street in the town, but it has been closed down. Therefore, we had to rely on restaurants for dinner. The restaurant we went to this evening was Ton Tal Lerdsin, which focuses on northern Thai dishes such as sai ua, nam phrik ong, and gaeng som muang.

After that, we returned to our accommodation. Fortunately, the rain stopped and the sky cleared in the evening, giving us the opportunity to see the beautiful stars in the night sky of Pua.

The sunrise at Tanong Homestay is a highlight. The sun rises directly opposite the accommodation, gradually emerging from the mountainside, casting beams of light onto the rice fields, creating a beautiful interplay of light and shadow. As the sun rises, the mist begins to roll in. Unfortunately, during our visit, there was a lot of rain, so there wasn't much mist.

After a satisfying stroll through the picturesque rice fields, we checked out of Tanong Homestay and visited our final destination before leaving Pua town: Phuked Temple. The temple boasts a platform offering stunning views of the rice fields, but as we arrived quite late in the day, the sun was scorching, and we only stayed for a short while.

At the foot of Doi Phukha, there is a newly opened (or soon to be opened) accommodation called Tub Na Tai Lue Homestay. This accommodation is located next to a rice field in the style of Pua town. There are many props for taking photos together. There is also a small coffee shop next to it. This is another option for those who are looking for accommodation in Pua.

We then headed back to Nan city center. Initially, we planned to have lunch at Heuan Hom restaurant, which was recommended by users on Pantip.com. However, upon arrival, the restaurant informed us that they were expecting a tour group and could only offer khao soi and khanom jeen. Therefore, we moved to Khao Soi Ton Nam restaurant on the opposite side of the street. This restaurant is another famous eatery in Nan, with slightly higher prices but delicious food that justifies the cost.

Adjacent to both restaurants is the city pillar shrine, where we stopped to pay our respects. Behind the shrine is a whitewashed ordination hall.

We then proceeded to Pa Nim's Dessert Shop, another renowned establishment. We arrived around noon, but the black sticky rice had not yet arrived. Only lotus seed dumplings and ice cream were available, so we were unable to sample the shop's signature dish. (The prices here are also quite high.)

Across the street from Auntie Nim's dessert shop is Wat Si Phan Ton. The highlight of this temple is the golden ordination hall and the magnificent naga statues on the grand staircase.

Our final stop was at a fantastic cafe, where we enjoyed coffee while waiting for our flight home. The cafe is situated right next to the Nan River, offering a beautiful and serene atmosphere. As we sat there, we could hear the loud sounds of longtail boat rehearsals coming from the opposite bank of the river.

Nan is a small city where driving from one side to the other takes approximately 30 minutes. The city's size makes it ideal for cycling, although the hot weather and occasional light rain during our visit presented some challenges.

Our flight departs at 4:00 PM, so we plan to arrive at the airport around 3:00 PM. Returning the rental car will not take long. We will call Avis 5 minutes before arriving and park the car in front of the Terminal.

Nan Airport is quite strict about carry-on luggage weight. There is a market scale placed in front of the gate entrance. Your main luggage should not exceed 7 kilograms. If you can choose a seat on the plane, it is recommended to sit by the window. The view above Nan Province is very beautiful from a high angle. You will see the Nan River winding its way through the landscape.

Our short city escape has come to an end. Nan is a laid-back city where even the cars drive slowly and peacefully. If you're looking for a relaxing getaway to experience the fresh air and scent of rain, Nan won't disappoint. Besides Pua District, Nan has many other beautiful attractions, including Doi Phukha National Park, which is blanketed in pink flowers, Sri Nan National Park, and Doi Samer Dao, a mountain where you don't have to look up to see the stars. And there's much more to explore!

Thank you to everyone who has followed along. I hope the information from this review will be helpful for your travels. : )

:: Mountain Seal ::