24 January 2023 – RM Day 12
We all arrived at Wat Pahuaylad Temple at 10am. It was another enormous meeting hall that could cater to huge crowds. They had plans on display to show how the complex would grow. We were impressed by the scale of the temple and the intricate carvings on the walls.
We left Wat Pahuaylad Temple at 11:30am and headed to what must be the longest temple in Thailand. It seemed to spread forever down the ridgeline of a mountain. We spent several hours walking the long hallway, reading the life of Buddha. There was a large amount of wood crafted into this temple, and we were amazed by the detail of the carvings.
At 3pm, we took what we thought was a back road to Wat Pa Phu That Boek, the highest temple in Thailand. It was lucky we all enjoyed 4WD driving as we made our way up and down the bull dust filled tracks. The drive was challenging, but the views from the top were worth it. We were able to see for miles in every direction.
We started the steep drive down the winding road to the valley below at 5pm. The sun was setting as we made our way down the mountain, and the sky was ablaze with color. It was a truly spectacular sight.
We arrived at the Sunnery Ville at 6pm. We sat on the balcony and witnessed a beautiful orange sunset. After a long day of driving and exploring, we were glad to relax and enjoy the view.
We had dinner at a little local roadside cafe at 7pm. It was the same cafe that Steve and I had eaten at on our last three visits to this area. We ordered our favorite dishes and enjoyed a delicious meal.
We were all exhausted after our long day, but we were also happy and satisfied. We had seen some amazing things and experienced a lot of new things.
25 January 2023 – RM Day 13
We woke up early in the morning, excited to explore the city of Phitsanulok. We had been staying at the Sunnery Ville hotel, but it felt like a shadow of itself without the friendly staff who had always greeted us with a smile. Breakfast was delivered to our room, and it felt more like we were in a quarantine hotel than a luxurious resort.
We were eager to get out and explore, so we left the hotel shortly after breakfast. As we drove through the city, we saw a rubber tree that was actively producing rubber sap. We had seen many rubber tree plantations on our trip, but this was the first time we had seen one that was actually producing sap. The sap was a milky white color, which was different from the black rubber that we see on car tires.
Our first stop of the day was Wat Chan Tawan Tok, a beautiful temple that is currently under construction. We were impressed by the size and scale of the temple, and we were even more impressed by the skill of the workers who were building it. We watched as the workers used cement to create intricate carvings and decorations.
After visiting Wat Chan Tawan Tok, we drove to Wat Phra That Suthon Mongkhon Khiri, a temple that is famous for its giant elephant-headed chicken statue. The statue is about 10m tall, and it is said to be able to flap its wings and move its head. We were amazed by the size and detail of the statue, and we spent a long time admiring it.
We arrived at our hotel, B2, around 5:30 pm. We were tired from our long day of exploring, but we were also excited to explore the local night market. We walked to the night market, which was located just a few blocks from our hotel. The night market was full of stalls selling food, drinks, and souvenirs. We bought some food and drinks, and we spent some time browsing the stalls.
As we were walking back to our hotel, we saw a crowd of people gathered in the street. We went to investigate, and we found that there was a local festival happening. The festival was full of music, dancing, and food. We spent some time enjoying the festival, and we then returned to our hotel for a good night’s sleep.
We had a wonderful day exploring.
26 January 2023 – RM Day 14
We were back on the road by 8am this morning. We had a lot to see between here and Nan, so we were eager to get started.
Our first stop was Wat Pong Sunan, which is famous for its giant tortoise with a Buddha riding on its back. There is also a white temple here with many small steeples. We hadn’t had breakfast yet, so we stopped at the PTT – Amazon for a bite to eat.
By 9:30am we had reached the Phae Mueang Phi Forest Park. We were amazed by the unusual erosion formations here. We even found a quad bike to take some fun photos on. The reddish sandstone pillars with the rock capped tops were truly amazing.
After checking in at our hotel, we decided to go to the immigration office to get the paperwork started for extending our visa. We were surprised to find that the process was quick and easy, and we were out the door by 4pm. We were expecting to have to spend at least a morning at the office, so this was a welcome surprise. Now we could relax and enjoy our evening, knowing that we had one less thing to worry about tomorrow.
With the sun setting in Nan around 5:30pm, we headed to Wat Phrathat Khao Noi. We were hoping to get some great photos of the golden Buddha overlooking the city.
We were not disappointed! The Buddha was even more magnificent than we had imagined. The golden statue stood tall against the backdrop of the setting sun, and the city lights twinkled below. We spent a few minutes taking in the breathtaking view before heading back to our hotel.
It had been a long day, but it had also been an amazing one.
27 January 2023 – RM Day 15
Steve and I woke up feeling refreshed after a great night’s sleep at The Baan Nan B&B. We had one of the best breakfasts we’ve ever had, with delicious omelettes and desserts. After breakfast, we had a lazy morning, reading and relaxing inner room.
In the afternoon, we decided to explore the city. Our first stop was the Nan Noble House, a beautiful traditional Thai house that was once home to the Nan royal family. We spent about an hour exploring the house and learning about the history of the Nan royal family.
After the Nan Noble House, we walked to the Nan Riverside Art Gallery. The gallery is home to a collection of Thai art, including paintings, sculptures, and photographs. We spent about two hours exploring the gallery and admiring the beautiful art.
We ended our day at the local night market. We wandered through the market, trying different foods from the street vendors. We found a spot in the park to sit down and eat our food. We enjoyed the local music that was playing in the park.
We had a wonderful day in Nan.