From Nan to Chiang Rai: itinerary ideas? (page 3 of 3)

You:

That said, Thierry, I’m sending you this message because you mentioned a daily bus to Chiang Rai, so I didn’t look into that detail. Which is no longer a detail—it’s a real pain now—because there’s no bus to Chiang Rai. Only taxis... at least 2,500 baht for the cheapest one... I’ll go check the bus station directly tomorrow. Because online, it’s only taxis, no buses.

Me:

Update: as of 01/22/2026, the Nan-Chiang Rai bus still runs daily except on Thursdays*. Departs at 9 AM, 250 baht, arrives at Chiang Rai’s downtown terminal. ~5h30 trip. Buy your ticket the day before. For the first half of the trip, the bus heads straight north to Tha Wang Pha, then turns west onto a road that more or less follows the Laotian border, passing through some gorgeous mountain scenery. The second half descends into the plains, heading northwest through Chiang Kham and Thoeng.

*Except on Wednesdays in the opposite direction.

So how did you end up making the trip? 2,500-baht taxi or the 250-baht bus as described above?

Hey, I haven’t even talked about Chiang Rai yet—I was still in Nan, enjoying that three-day getaway that I loved so much... Yes, of course, I took the 250-baht bus... And I think I already thanked you for the tip when you gave it to me... I was just too eager to post photos in your "Countryside Escapes" thread to talk about my arrival in Chiang Rai. It was my way of thanking you for your advice by contributing more actively to your discussion. I’m losing my mind... juggling multiple threads at once. Plus, ever since my brain was deprived of oxygen, I’ve had some lingering cognitive issues...😉

I was planning to talk about the bus later... It’s really great, and I didn’t even notice the time passing...

Attention forum administrators

Hello, Since January 31st, I haven’t been receiving any email notifications. Neither replies in the threads I follow nor new threads that have been opened. It’s really quite annoying. I’ve already reported this several times, but to no avail. Thank you. Best regards, Marien

I’m wrapping up my second trip to Thailand in style today with a little excursion into the border area with Myanmar at Doi Hua Mae Kham. Tomorrow and Saturday I’ll be unwinding, and on Sunday I’m off to Bangkok for a couple of days before flying to India. I’ve said it a few times already—there wouldn’t be a travel journal. But if I had a great trip, it’s really thanks to the tips and advice from Joël and Thierry. A special shout-out to Thierry (Songsam), who helped me discover two highlights: NAN and THA TON. So yes, especially for them, to say thank you, I’ll put together that travel journal. I owe them that much. But you’ll have to be a little patient—right, Joël?—to give me time to readjust to my Indian life, or more precisely, my Indian pace: deep-cleaning after the trip, grocery shopping, laundry, friends eager to see me again, delicious meals and desserts to prepare, my bougainvillea, my hammock, my early-morning walks—especially with the start of the brutal hot months ahead... In France, people complain about a heatwave after a few days at 28°C or 30°C... But where I’ll be, it’ll be three months, each hotter than the last.

That’s really nice, for us and for a few others who unfortunately probably won’t respond. We’ll be patient. My reward might be publishing a travel journal that’ll give you more to read than the last one (and a different destination). That is, if the format of these old photos is downloadable and if VoyageForum technically allows it. Based on my first tests, it’s not looking promising...

I’ve repeated several times that there wouldn’t be a travel journal. But if I had a great trip, it’s thanks to the tips and advice from Joël and Thierry. A special shout-out to Thierry (Songsam), who helped me discover two highlights: NAN and THA TON. So yes, especially for them, to say thank you, I’ll make this travel journal.

Not sure how to respond to all that, so I’ll keep it simple and short: thanks.

I didn’t know you’d also stopped in Tha Ton. If you liked this little town, it’s probably because it’s regained all its charm after the destructive floods it suffered in September 2024.