Where to stay in Nan: old town or mountains?

Nan's compact old town centres on Wat Phumin, famous for its cruciform chapel and the murals of a whispering couple, and on the Nan National Museum, a short walk away. Guesthouses, boutique hotels and cafes sit in the quiet lanes around them, alongside other fine temples such as Wat Phra That Chang Kham. On weekend evenings a walking street with food stalls and local crafts sets up near Wat Phumin. It is the most convenient area by far, and still calm and uncrowded compared with Chiang Mai or Pai.

Getting around: Walk or rent a bicycle in town; scooters and cars can be rented for trips into the province.

The Nan River runs along the eastern edge of the town centre, and a string of guesthouses, resorts and riverside restaurants lines its banks, some on the town side and others across the bridges. Rooms are often more spacious than in the old town, with gardens and river views, and the setting is ideal for sunset dinners. The river comes alive during the traditional long-boat races held on weekends from around September to October, around the end of Buddhist Lent, when accommodation fills up. The old town is a short walk or ride away from most places.

Getting around: Most riverside places are within walking or cycling distance of the old town; otherwise use a scooter or local tuk-tuk.

Bo Kluea is a mountain district north-east of Nan town, roughly 100 km away via Pua on the spectacular but steep and winding road through Doi Phu Kha National Park. The village is known for its salt wells, where locals still boil brine to make mountain salt, and for its river valley setting. Accommodation ranges from homestays and wooden bungalows to a few pleasant resorts overlooking the hills. Nearby Ban Sapan, with its rice fields and waterfall, is a favourite stop. It is cool, green and very quiet, especially outside Thai holidays.

Getting around: You need your own vehicle or a hired driver; the mountain roads are steep, so scooter riders should be experienced.

Pua is a small market town about an hour's drive north of Nan town, at the foot of the road that climbs into Doi Phu Kha National Park. It has simple hotels and homestays, local markets and a good choice of rural resorts in the surrounding rice fields and hills. It works well as a base for the park's viewpoints and waterfalls, and as a stop on the way to Bo Kluea or the Laos border area. The town itself is ordinary, but prices are low and the countryside around it is lovely, especially when the rice is green.

Getting around: Buses and songthaews link Pua with Nan town; to explore the park and villages, you will need your own transport.