The Golden Triangle Rider

[ernothai]

(see the first part in earlier report)

I left Nan on the very busy 101. Fortunately continuing on the much quieter 1026 is really fun. In Na Noi I turned onto the 1216 towards Khun Satan (the turnoff is not quite easy to find, but asking for Khun Satan helps).
This road looks partly like a track on the North Thailand map, but it is all paved now, and is in parts very spectacular. It crosses a pass near The Doi Khun Satan with magnificent views. There are a few crossings, which are confusing, but always look for a sign Khun Satan NP. Or ask – in a little shop a very friendly old man (no word English) was even drawing a map for me. This slow, but very rewarding road ends at the big 101, which brings you straight into Phrae.
Here again you have a very untouristy town, with wonderful old teak houses and the really beautiful governers palace and museum. At night there is a very lively food market near this museum, very nice to eat there.
When I drove in I checked a couple of very cheap hotels (around 100B), but I found them too shabby for my taste (but maybe ok for just a nights sleep). Eventually I ended up in the often mentioned Phrae Hotel (350B), which proved very comfortable and right in the centre. But as I read somewhere else in this forum: don’t look for any nightlife in Phrae. Unfortunately just there I did not want to go to bed so early for a change.
My next stop was Lampang, really a very short trip on the 1023 and then 11, but I had a nice stop and walk in a very small NP (forgot the name, no entrance fee, instead they took care of my luggage and offered me free cold water).
Lampang was very busy with a festival, in my hotel, Asia Hotel (490 incl.BF), a big wedding with thousands of people. The Riverside Restaurant, nicely situated at the river is very popular with farangs, I had expected better food and music. For this town one visit is enough.
Well, there is nothing to write about the ride back to Chiang Mai on the motorway. The visit of the Elephant School on the way I found not very rewarding.

Maybe here a few words about nightlife on this trip: Don’t expect much in all the places I have stayed. Of course there is Chiang Rai with some bars. I would recommend the Cat Bar, on Jed Yot Rd., which is no girlie bar, but has a nice pool table, cheap beer and excellent life music every night from about 10:30.
If anybody knows something about nightlife in Nan, I would be curious myself.

[Davidfl]

Dieter
Good to see you on the board with a nice little trip report mate - good work.
I reckon that the more you put in the more you get back....
Now to Nan & one of my fave towns & provinces for riding.
http://board.gt-rider.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1431
For night life try
1. the Verachon pub & restaurant
2. Channel X for the delinquent teenager disco.
3. Muang Nan or Muang Mai? not sure which name is right, for another Pub & restaurant.
But I think that the Verachon will be the one you are looking for.

[BignTall]

I can second the Channel X club. Though my teenage years are many decades ago I and an unamed other GT rider had success and loads of fun there.

[honda honky]

yep i can vouch for the channel x club, however i am not that other gt-rider big and talls on about........its a bastard to find lucky we were chauffeur driven there in the back of a BMW. great stuff nan.