Pua - Tha Wang Pha - Nan... leisurely

This trip was just to see the rice fields and walk around the walking street on the weekend. I didn't have to plan anything, I just went without knowing anything. This is the most fun, to go and see what I can see.

Traveling from Bangkok

- We opted for the 7:35 PM bus service provided by Sombat Tour, aiming to arrive in Pua by 6:25 AM.

Upon arriving at the Pua District Bus Station, the cool air was refreshing. Unsure of how to reach Wat Phra That Khao Kae, our first destination, we stood there for a moment before approaching a motorcycle taxi driver. (We wanted to call him "brother," but he referred to himself as "uncle.") We asked him to take us to Wat Phra That Khao Kae, and upon arrival, we inquired about our return trip and other sightseeing options. The driver offered to be our guide for the day. We agreed to a six-hour tour, as we planned to continue to Nan city afterwards. We expressed our desire to spend a significant amount of time at each location, and the driver readily agreed.

Let's start with Wat Phra That Doi Kham. Many people have probably seen pictures of this place already. We had seen so many that we were convinced to pack our bags and set off on a journey. Arriving at the temple as the first visitors, we were met with a peaceful silence and beautiful weather. The sun even peeked through the clouds and rain, making it a truly worthwhile experience.

A popular photo spot that everyone captures, and so did we.

The rain started to fall, so I turned into the church to take shelter for a while. I also took some photos of the peaceful atmosphere inside the temple.

The rain had stopped, and he walked down the temple stairs towards the village, passing a young monk returning from his alms round.

The first customer to order coffee at "Hug Nakorn Thai Lue - Hug Na Coffee" was delighted by the atmosphere and could choose a seat to their liking. We chose the last pavilion next to the rice field. We were very happy here, as we already loved rice fields, so we stayed here for an hour. We each had a cup of hot coffee and green tea. The friendly staff gave us ripe bananas and avocados to try, which were delicious and sweet.

After leaving here, Uncle Win finished designing a route to take us sightseeing. He must have known that we liked rice fields, so he arranged for us to visit all the places with beautiful rice fields. The second stop was "Baan Tai Lue Coffee - Lam Duan Weaving", another place that tourists visiting Pua should not miss. We ordered another cup of hot coffee and then went to explore the wooden bridge.

Our stay here was short, and we started to feel bad for Uncle Vin. Haha! But he told us to go all out, as he was full of coffee energy. We continued along the route he wanted to take us, with the third stop being "Mushroom Farm Baan Huanaam." Upon arrival, we immediately took photos, as there were people waiting to take our picture.

The barista at Hugna Cafe recommended the mushroom pizza, so I ordered it with a lemon soda. While waiting for the pizza, I decided to run to "Wang Sila Lang", which was 700 meters away according to the barista. I ran and walked, passing a weir and following the barrier until I reached Wang Sila Lang. The barista at Hugna Cafe told me that this place was formed by an earthquake that caused a crack in the mountain, and water flowed through it, creating what is now known as the "Grand Canyon of Pua". I didn't get too close because it was slippery, and my shoes weren't suitable for such an adventure.

I ran back to the mushroom farm, drenched in sweat. I enjoyed a refreshing lemon soda, and soon after, a six-piece mushroom pizza was served. We ate steadily, finishing four slices and taking the remaining two home. The pizza was delicious without any additional seasoning. The mushrooms were crispy, and the cheese was gooey.

We walked back to Uncle Win. He asked if we wanted to visit Wat Kong, which is located in Tha Wang Pha. The temple and the rice fields are beautiful, so of course we said yes. We hopped on the back of his motorbike and rode across the district. The sun was shining brightly the whole way, so we asked Uncle Win to take a picture of us together.

The journey was filled with beautiful rice fields, but we didn't stop to admire them as we didn't want to take up too much of our uncle's time. Soon, we arrived at Wat Kong, also known as Wat Si Mongkhon, in Ban Kong, Tha Wang Pha District, Nan Province. Before exploring other areas, we first entered the temple.

The area surrounding Wat Kong offers numerous captivating spots ideal for photography enthusiasts.

The museum within Wat Kong is also quite interesting.

It's time to descend to the bamboo bridge through the rice fields. This spot is very crowded, but it's still enjoyable for those who love the sun and rice paddies like us.

Exploring hidden corners of Wat Kong.

It was past one o'clock in the afternoon, and we hurried to ask the uncle to take us to the car to Nan city. We rode back to Pua and got on a shared taxi. The uncle charged us so little for the trip that we were surprised. But the uncle said that it was enough for him to make a profit. After paying, we raised our hands to thank the uncle for his kindness. After a while, we took a shared taxi into the city to visit the temples. The first temple we walked to was Wat Phumin.

Upon hearing the announcement inviting passengers with tram tickets to board, I rushed to purchase a ticket and joined a large group of strangers on the tram. A staff member provided commentary throughout the journey. As advertised, the tram offered a comprehensive tour of the city, completing a full circuit and returning to its starting point within an hour.

After disembarking from the tram, I rushed to take photos with the Lagerstroemia floribunda flower arch at the Nan National Museum. I managed to capture four photos before the large crowd overwhelmed me.

I decided to rent a geared bicycle to ride to Phra That Chae Haeng. It was almost too much for me in several places, especially when I was going up the bridge over the Nan River and the road up to Phra That Chae Haeng.

Cycling back to the city, I came across beautiful rice fields where I stopped to take some photos.

Following a detour at a fork in the road, I stumbled upon a picturesque pond amidst a serene setting.

Cycling around to the other side will lead you to rice fields.

It was time to return to Nan city, but when I arrived at the bridge over the Nan River, it was just sunset. So I carried my bicycle down to the road along the Nan River. During that time, there was a rehearsal for the boat race, which created a different atmosphere.

The light will fade soon, making it difficult to cycle. Let's hurry back to Wat Chang Lom. It will be quieter in the dark.

Continue to the Nan Provincial Court and Wat Ming Mueang, which are located in the same area.

We returned our rental bikes to the shop and concluded our leisurely exploration of Nan at the Khwang Muang Nan Walking Street.

After a satisfying meal, we walked back to Nan Bus Terminal to catch the 10:30 p.m. green bus to Chiang Mai. It was a refreshing change to be back on the road after a long break, and the trip to Pua, Tha Wang Pha, and Nan was definitely worth the effort.

Note: Apologies for the large number of photos and their lack of aesthetic quality.

Stay tuned.

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