Travel Tips about Pua district in Nan province

Welcome to Pua, a district in the northern part of Nan province and about 60 km north of Nan town. A  group of 8 villages as Ban Prang makes Pua town along route 101. Nowadays Pua is a small provincial town but it is said that Pua was where the Tai Lue and other migrants settled first before settling in what is now Nan town. Although you not find direct remains of the old Pua some temples in Pua are said to be older as the oldest temples in Nan town. But the small city wall is 100% new, and one could even doubt if there has ever been a city wall. Pua town is along the Pua River in a valley surrounded by the mountains of Doi Phu Kha and Doi Sakad that are part of the Luang Prabang mountain range. And although Pua at first does not look like a tourist destination it is a great base to stay while exploring the northern parts of Nan province like Manipruek, Doi Phu Kha and Bo Klua. Pua has all the accommodation you need from simple guesthouses & homestay's to comfortable resorts with swimming pool. And there are a few nice restaurants & pubs in town to enjoy the evening. For the market lovers there are 2 main fresh markets, the morning market (Pua Farmer Market) along route 101 and the evening market near the round-about. Then there is a Weekend Market, mostly at the round-about. Pua is the center for the Tai Lue & Hmong hill-tribe people who are living in small villages nearby like Pha Klang and in the mountains of Doi Phu Kha. Ban Sakad, Sila Phet and Ban Pa Luang are within Pua district.  

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Orientation in Pua town

Pua town consists of what could be considered the old part of town where is the round-about with the clock tower and Pua Evening Market. Then there is the newer part of town along route 101 with the new center of town at the main T-intersection of town with the Morning Market, Pua Songtheauw Station and the old PTT Gasoline Station. There are 5 7-11's in Pua and a Tesco-Lotus supermarket. The most restaurants & pubs are along route 101 in the center of town. Read all my postings about Pua.

For information about other places in Nan province click on their name below here.

Ban Bo Suak - Ban Huai Kon - Ban Pak Nai - Ban Pa Klang - Ban Sakad - Ban Sapan - Ban San Charoen - Ban Kew Muang - Ban Luang - Ban Manipruek - Ban Nong Bua - Ban Wen - Bo Klua - Chiang Klang - Mae Charim - Na Noi - Pha Tub - Phu Phayak - Pua - Santisuk - Sila Phet - Song Khwae - Tha Wang Pha - Thung Chang - Wiang Sa

How to get in Pua?

• By public transport take the bus from Nan town to Thung Chang and get off in Pua. Some inter-regional busses passing Nan town and Pua will also accept passengers from Nan town to Pua.
• By private car or motorbike there are 2 routes from Nan town to Pua. The fastest is to just follow route 101 north of Nan town, passing Tha Wang Pha. The most scenic route would be route 1169 and 1081 via Santisuk. About same distance but more mountains and surely for motorbike riding highly recommended!

But Pua is public transport wise a bit weird place, there is indeed the Pua Bus Station. This bus station is openend in 2017 and since 2021 it starts to be used more and more by all bus companies. But still it looks like an old & abandoned bus station and is 1 km out of town.

Then there is a kind of Pua Songtheauw Station, it is not really a station but a parking place where the Songtheauws park and wait for customers. It is along route 1081 about 100m from the main T-intersection in Pua town, opposite the old PTT Gasoline station. From here you can take a Songtheauw to Nan town but also to place's within or near Pua district like Bo Klua and Pha Klang. You can also rent a Songtheauw for a private trip to anywhere in Nan province.

What to do in Pua?

Pua itself is famous for its beautiful views over Pua valley and the mountains of Doi Phu Kha. And Pua is a great base to stay while exploring the northern parts of Nan province like Doi Phu Kha, Manipruek, Bo Klua and Chiang Klang. For people who like to make selfies the Wat Phuket or the remake City Wall of Pua are the places to go. Read more at my travel blog about what to do in Pua. And of course Pua is a great base to make motorbike tours in the Northern part of Nan province. Other things to do in Pua are 

• ATV riding with Siam ATV
• Paramotor flying over Pua with Pua Sky View

Points of Interest in & near Pua

1. Wang Sila Laeng : A kind of mini Grand Canyon about 5 km east of Pua town
2. Doi Phu Kha National Park : Along route 1256 about 30 km from Pua town
3. Ban Tai Lue OTOP : Selling traditional cloths from Tai Lue & Hmong hill-tribes
4. Doi Silver OTOP : Factory & showroom of the famous silverware
5. Ban Sakad : Mountain village about 20 km from Pua
6. Tat Luang Waterfall : About 15 km from Pua
7. Hat Nam Pua : Relax along the Pua River but only in the cool & hot season
8. Phaeo Phafai : Traditional weaving of Tai Lue cloths in Ban Hia

Massage in Pua

After a day of sightseeing a massage is a great way to relax. Along route 1081 near the hospital are a few massage places.

1. Paphatsara Thai massage (along route 1081)

Markets in Pua

Have a look at my travel blog about Markets in Pua :

1. Evening Market : Near the round-about in Pua town
2. Farmers Market : Along route 101
3. Wednesday & Saturday Market : Along route 1081
4. Walking Street Pua : At the round-about, only at Friday, Saturday & Sunday

Temples in Pua

Have a look at my travel blog about Temples in Pua :

1. Wat Phuket Sonthaya, 3 km east of Pua town, a modern temple where is also a school for young monks but most people visit this temple for the stunning view over the valley of Pua.
2. Wat Phrathat Beng Sakat, behind the Farmers Market and with a nice view. Under the temple is a replica of the "old city" wall of Pua.
3. Wat Prang (in town)
4. Wat Hia, in Ban Hia about 4 km east of Pua town, a modern temple with beautiful murals.
5. Wat Phra That Chom Cheang
6. Wat Ban Ton Leang, an old temple in Tai Lue style.
7. Wat Phra That Sila Leng.
8. Wat Rong Ngae, in Ban Rong Ngae, said to be the oldest temple in Nan province but the temple itself is more or less new.
9. Old temple ruin more or less along route 101.

Festivals in Pua

1. Hercules Festival
2. Hmong New Year, celebrated in Pua town and Pha Klang.

Food & Beverages in Pua

There is a good selection of restaurants, coffee shops and even pubs in Pua for lunch and dinner. Coffee Shops are serving of course Hot & Cold drinks and sometimes also cakes and other sweet desserts. Some coffee shops also serve Thai snacks or the very popular Italian spaghetti. As of restaurants you should consider them all serving Thai food only, except when when marked for Western food. Some restaurants are actually a kind of pub and some pubs are actually also a restaurant.  For Thai food our favourite is Plara Hom Cafe serving delicious Isaan food. For the best western food Little La Cuisine Restaurant is recommended.

For a list of almost all Food & Beverages in Pua have a look at Travel Tips Food & Beverages Pua.

Accommodation in Pua

Nan province used to be of little intrest of travellers and Pua was totally of the tourist map. But since a few years those days are gone and Pua has nowadays a good selection of accommodation available from simple guesthouses to luxury boutique hotels, some even with a swimming pool. As the prime asset of Pua is the countryside of Pua valley you will also find most accommodation out of Pua town, mostly between the rice-fields. Most accommodation is small scale and privately managed with maximum 4 rooms but in the cool season they offer a tent for camping. But also here the new trend is boutique homestay's with open-air bathtub or jacuzzi. Be aware that Pua is 60 km north of Nan town, it is not a suburb of Nan town! 

For a list of almost all accommodation in Pua district have a look at Travel Tips Accommodation Pua.

Emergencies in Pua

• Crown Prince Pua Hospital, along route 1081 about 3 km east from the main T-intersection
• Pua Police Station, along route 1081 about 1 km east from the main T-intersection

Gasoline stations in Pua

• PTT Gasoline station, along route 101 on the north side of town. Here is also an Amazon Coffee Shop, 7-11, Pharmacy, Kerry Express, OTOP shop and Five Star Chicken.
• Shell Gasoline station along route 101 in town when you go from Pua to Nan.
• Bang Chak Gasoline station along route 101, just 2 km before town coming from Nan.

Shopping in Pua

• Tesco-Lotus Super Market (along route 101 north of town)
• There are five 7-11's : 
• Near the hospital (route 1081)
• At the T-intersection (route 101)
• Near the round-about 
• At the PTT gasoline station (route 101)
• Opposite the police station (route 1081)
• Near the round-about are a few local supermarkets
• OO Bakery (along route 101) with delicious croissants!
• Doi Silver OTOP, factory & showroom of the famous silverware
• Lamduan Woven Shop, selling traditional cloths from Tai Lue & Hmong hill-tribes
• Along route 101 near the T-intersection are most of the shops in Pua like motorbike shops, Gold Shops, 20 bath shops, Banks (Kasikorn, Krungthai, Bangkok Bank), Hardware shops, Telephone shops, Dental Care, Pharmacies.

Where to go next?

From Pua you can go

• South via Route 1081 to Santisuk and Nan town.
• North via Route 1256 to Bo Klua. 
• South via Route 101 to Tha Wang Pha and Nan town. 
• North via Route 101 to Chiang Klang, Tung Chang and Huai Kon / Laos.
• West via Route 101 & 1148 to Song Kwae, Phu Lankha and Chiang Rai.

Map of Pua district

Pua district in Nan province

Map of Pua town

Map of Pua town in Nan province

Disclaimer : All information is created in good faith and is an expression of fair comment.