Nan Attractions
Nan
Nan is situated near the border with the Menam Nan valley, one of the large tributaries of the Menam Chao Phraya, encircled by high mountain chains. The roughness of the terrain ensured the continued existence of a small kingdom up until this century. The town possesses important temple sites and the surrounding area will fill nature lovers with enthusiasm. Nan's sweet oranges are famous, likewise the art objects made of reeds, which women and children make in their homes.
By car: from Phrae Highway 101 (125 km (78 mi.)); from Chiang Rai Highway 1 to Ngao, Highway 103 as far as Rong Khem, then 101.
By bus: from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Lamphang, Phrae and Phayao.
By air: from Bangkok via Chiang Mai or Phitsanulok.
Traces of a settlement in the province of Nan date from about 1280. From the beginning of the 15th c. Nan was part of a kingdom, ruled by King Boroma Trailokanat (1448-88). For a time the kings of Nan were obliged to pay tribute to those of Chiang Mai, and for 200 years they were vassals of the Burmese, later the kings of Ayutthaya. However, the kings of Nan always held certain privileges. Nan was only annexed to the kingdom of Siam in 1931.
Nan is situated near the border with the Menam Nan valley, one of the large tributaries of the Menam Chao Phraya, encircled by high mountain chains. The roughness of the terrain ensured the continued existence of a small kingdom up until this century. The town possesses important temple sites and the surrounding area will fill nature lovers with enthusiasm. Nan's sweet oranges are famous, likewise the art objects made of reeds, which women and children make in their homes.
By car: from Phrae Highway 101 (125 km (78 mi.)); from Chiang Rai Highway 1 to Ngao, Highway 103 as far as Rong Khem, then 101.
By bus: from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Lamphang, Phrae and Phayao.
By air: from Bangkok via Chiang Mai or Phitsanulok.
Traces of a settlement in the province of Nan date from about 1280. From the beginning of the 15th c. Nan was part of a kingdom, ruled by King Boroma Trailokanat (1448-88). For a time the kings of Nan were obliged to pay tribute to those of Chiang Mai, and for 200 years they were vassals of the Burmese, later the kings of Ayutthaya. However, the kings of Nan always held certain privileges. Nan was only annexed to the kingdom of Siam in 1931.
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Wat Phumin
The Wat Phumin temple in Nan depicts a combination of architectural styles from the early Nan period. Dating back to 1596, the temple is a popular attraction to visit.
Elephant's Tusk
A 300-year-old elephant's tusk, one of Nan's chief attractions, is kept in one of the government buildings. Shorter and thicker than the usual tusk, its ivory color has gradually turned blackish-yellow over time.
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Wat Cham Kang
Wat Cham Kang contains impressive Sukhothai-style Buddha statues; one walking and one standing.
National Museum
Nan's small national museum, in Pa Gong Road, features some beautiful exhibition pieces representative of the different ethnic groups living in and around Nan.
Town Wall
The Mon-style town walls, built in an oval, were constructed in 1857, after the Menam Nan had flooded several times and destroyed the old fortifications.
Wat Suan Tan
Wat Suan Tan is situated at the northern end of Pakwang Road and was founded in 1456 by the wife of the first king of Nan. Its statue of a seated Buddha in the Sukhothai style with Chiang Mai style features and its 40 m (131 ft) prang-like chedi are of note.
Nan Surroundings
Sa - Scenery
At Sa, 24 km (15 mi.) south of Nan, Highway 101 turns off on to Road 1026 leading to Ban Na Noi. Here there is a type of canyon with three groups of eerily towering rocks: Nom Chom, Sao Dip and Sao Nin.
Wat Bun Yeun
Wat Bun Yeun, Sa's temple, is an example of the best of the Laotian style; particularly noteworthy are the well-proportioned wiharn with its wonderfully carved door, on which a deity is depicted, and the Chiang-Saen-style chedi.
Wat Phaya Phun
Leave the town of Nan in a southerly direction to reach Wat Phaya Phun on the other side of Road 101. Standing on a hill, this wat's chedi has been built in the shape of a pointed, stepped pyramid with niches. It remains unclear whether it dates, like the Buddha statues, from the second half of the 14th c. (when, after years of Hinayana-Buddhism, Theravada-Buddhism was reintroduced and civilized Animismus was renounced) or from the 18th c.
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Wat Phra That Chao Meng
The hilltop Wat Phra That Chao Meng was founded around the turn of the 14th C. Buddha is said to have visited this site and predicted the building of the temple.
Wat Phra That Khao Noi
Approximately 2 km (1 m.) past Wat Phaya Phun, stands Wat Phra That Khao Noi, whose chedi is in the Chiang-Saen style. A far-reaching view of the plain and the town of Nan can be enjoyed from Noi mountain.
