Weekend Wanders in a Nan Wonderland

Today I’m in Nan Province to check out one of six destinations highlighted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) for solo female travel in their recent publication: Me, Myself & Thailand.

Hands up who loves to travel solo?

Solo female travel is such a growth area in tourism.  I’m pleased TAT are giving this sector of the market the attention that WE deserve.

There is more discussion on solo female travel and the Me, Myself & Thailand publication on my previous post here.

NAN PROVINCE

When our Nan tour guide introduced herself as Alice, I immediately thought of Lewis Carroll’s beloved ‘Alice In Wonderland’ a fantasy tale, later brought to life by a Disney film. When Alice, a restless young British girl, falls down a rabbit hole, she enters a magical world.

As this is fantasyland, you’ll have to use your imagination because I’m not so young, but Nan, Thailand, certainly turned into my magical wonderland.

Not only was it stunningly beautiful, but it also gave me one of life’s lovely eureka moments!

Won’t you come for a wander with me and see what you think?

Getting there

Nan is tucked away in the far eastern corner of Northern Thailand. It is 650 km north of Bangkok. So it is drivable … well if you want an epic adventure!

We took the easy route. Flights within Thailand are affordable, easy and quick. It was a simple Air Asia flight just over 1 hour from Bangkok’s super Don Mueang Airport.

NAN’S RICH HISTORY

Nan Province has a total area of 11,472 km2. It has plenty to offer the solo female traveller, and amongst this pretty land of endless rice fields, was the unique Northern Thai culture.

The province has been impacted by a combination of influences, from the local Lanna people to its border with Laos, and from its close proximity to Myanmar.

You’ll find a rich history dating back at least 700 years to when Siam was the ancient capital of the Sukhothai people. You will not be bored in Nan!

Four Buddha statues of Wat Phumin

5 REASONS YOU’LL LOVE NAN:

NATURE LOVERS

If you are a nature lover then you can’t go wrong in Nan. It is a quiet, green province.  Even in the main city of Mueang Nan, it is more of a sleepy town where no building extends beyond 3 floors due to planning regulations. Nan people are the masters of the slow life.

If you like to hike, camp and to conquer mountains, you can head to Si Nan National Park.

HISTORY LOVERS

If you love history and visiting some impressive wats – we will show you the famous 200-year-old ‘Whispering of Love’ mural at Wat Phumin, not to mention the Buddha relics and panoramic vista from Phra That Khao Noi.

FOODIE LOVERS

If you are a foodie then you will be delighted by the variety of gastronomic cuisines. I especially liked traditional Pua-style ‘Khaipam’ a type of omelette cooked with no oil with a distinct banana leaf flavour fragrance. We’ve got great suggestions for coffee stops and you will be making your own chocolate.

CREATIVES AND PHOTOGRAPHY ENTHUSIASTS

If you love art then at the Nan Riverside Art Gallery nestled by the Nan river you are in for a treat. This private art gallery was founded by Winai Prabripoo, a leading Thai artist and has been developed as a regional centre of art and culture in Nan Province.

Any photographers amongst us with have a hard time putting away their cameras. Just about any of our stops will have you reaching for your camera for sure.

SEEKING LOCAL CULTURE

If you want to experience local culture and connect with local people then the 200-year-old Thai Noble house at Hong Chao Fong Khao is worth a visit. Or the perhaps meeting the ladies at the traditional Tai Lue Village will be more your style?

Photo credit: Richard Barrow

NAN’S UNIQUE EXPERIENCES

Come for a wander with me in Nan and let’s see what unique landmarks and experiences it can offer you.

Let’s start with the picturesque overview of Nan Province at Phra That Khao Noi, on the western side of Nan town. The phrathat chedi is made of bricks and cement, it is our first look at the combinations of Myanmese and Lanna arts. It dates back to 1283. 

However, I have brought you here for two other reasons: the lanterns and the view.

Phra That Khao Noi

Jet-fresh from Bangkok as we were, it was a happy and colourful start with the lanterns gently bobbing in the breeze. You could, if you wanted, climb the 202 steps to the top of Khao Noi hill.  We cheated and drove to the top. Well, we have a lot of sights to see!

ZEN, CALM EXCITEMENT 

Don’t all these lanterns just make you feel happy? There is something about this part of the world that oozes zen calm excitement – if I can use all those words together!

Phra That Khao Noi

At its centre, we find a viewpoint which looks out across Nan town.  A 9 metre Buddha image stands in the giving blessing posture on a lotus base.

This is one of the famous Nan panoramas and it gives us our first impressions of the never-ending green Nan Province countryside all the way to the Thai-Laos border. The low-rise buildings in the valley gently framed by the rolling mountains beyond.

They say the sunset here is serene and spectacular under Buddha’s gaze, but there’s no time for us to linger we got things to see, people to meet.

Phra That Khao Noi for more details see Mike Thailandee’s post here

We were in Nan for two days, here I will highlight some of my wow moments and beware they contain lots more lanterns!

SEARCHING FOR MY SOUL

“Walking in the rain in the rice fields”

It was at Wat Sri Mong Kol ancient temple that I enjoyed an unexpected moment of self-discovery.

Rainy daydreams at Wat Sri Mongkol (วัดศรีมงคล)

It was raining heavily and we were gathered looking out on this most beautiful visa of bamboo paths and buildings amongst the paddy fields.

Umbrellas at Wat Sri Mongkol (วัดศรีมงคล)

Our guides were a little disappointed for us that the weather was preventing us from experiencing the true beauty of the area. I remember saying “Never apologise for the rain, without the rain the crops won’t grow.”

Looking out towards the Doi Phukhua mountains at Wat Sri Mongkol (วัดศรีมงคล)

And I walked away.

Searching for my soul at Wat Sri Mongkol (วัดศรีมงคล)

I just got the weirdest feeling that I needed to go and walk in the rain out in the fields. I knew that the clock was ticking and soon we’d have to get back on the bus and

I felt the earth was calling!

As I walked on that slippery bamboo path, my feet held firm. I pondered what I had just done. I felt like an amazing heavy door had opened in my life, In front of me, could be a future as a travel writer and blogger and Thailand was saying

‘come and dance in the rain’

 

Or, had I just stuffed up and walked away from possibly the best offer I was never going to get?

I felt calm.  I had found my direction in Thailand.

Finding my direction at Wat Sri Mongkol (วัดศรีมงคล)

The earth was calling post-career, post children, post my previous work in the not for profit sector.

I would share this world, my very own Me, Myself AND Thailand through my writing. I would connect communities that I meet with the outside world. In that way, I could make a difference.

They were all waiting for me back on the bus. A drowned Wren rat dressed in a pink Gladwrap, Clingfilm coat but I knew I had had a ‘moment’.

You will know too. You can’t make it happen. The world brings it to you when it is ready and you are ready to receive.

Learning new skills

We made our own chocolate!

I always certainly like to come back from a trip feeling like I’ve learnt something new – how about you?

I learned how to cook chocolate but not only that, we started the day at an organic cocoa plantation where we picked the ripe cocoa beans! As we wandered amongst the trees, we were shown which cocoa was ready to be picked and we chose the best cocoa for our cooking.  The staff showed us how to process the cocoa (in my case very unimpressively, it certainly was not as easy as it looked)

Then we took it back to the resort and made it into the most delicious chocolate. Not only that we all took a bar of chocolate home with us – winner!

You can read more here at Thaizer’s In search of Thailand’s best chocolate.

We made chocolate during our stay at Cocoa Valley Resort

Experience new Cultures

Tai Lue Village: the women in Tai Lue have the biggest smiles. They were encouraging of us to try on some of traditional Tai Lue Costumes. As they wrapped us up skillfully in their clothes we could feel their heavy cocoa weave. Before long we were wearing their clothes and walking in their footsteps in the rice fields.

We ate lunch underneath and ancient Tai Lue House. The tasty banquet having been prepared especially for us. I couldn’t help but marvel at their cooking skills and the differences with my kitchen full of different appliances and thinking if 30 people turned up at my place I’d be all of a flap for weeks.

I hope you have enjoyed this little wander around Nan province with me. For more information and a full destination guide to Nan please check out: Me, Myself & Thailand

For further resources please check out my fellow bloggers for their insights as follows:

• The Culture Trip: Leslie Finlay: A Solo Female Traveller’s Guide To Thailand
• www.richardbarrow.com: Richard Barrow: Me, Myself & Thailand trip to Nan Province
• www.thaizer.com: Roy Cavanagh: Nan

We travelled with the following Tour Operators. If you are looking for a locally based Travel Agency you might like to check out these travel agencies:

• Backyard Travel
• Guide Guru
• Go Vacation
• BlackRice Travel
• Exo Travel
• Local Alike

Little Wandering Wren travelled to Nan as a guest of the Me, Myself & Thailand team. All views here are entirely my own.