Route 1081 in Nan province (North Thailand) goes from Huai Kon at almost border with Laos along the valley of the Nan River and thru the mountains of Doi Phu Kha to Pua, while passing the ancient salt pits of Bo Klua. Yes Route 1081 is again a roller coaster thru the mountains and you will be passing some points of interest. Let's keep following route 1081 and find out! Photo above is the Snake Curve about 13 km south of Bo Klua. Photo's and text continue under the screen-shot of Route 1081 in Nan province.
Begin : Intersection with route 101 in Huai Kon
End : Intersection with route 101 in Pua
Length : 155 km
Curves : 245
Curves/km : 1.6
Lowest point : 220m (at Chiang Klang)
Highest point : 1.181m (near the road to Phu Phayak)
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| Route 1081 in Nan province |
Route 1081 begins in Huai Kon at the intersection of route 101, at a point where it is 6 km to the Thai-Laos border (POI 1). Although Huai Kon is nowadays nothing more as the first town in Thailand if you come from Laos, in the old days it was a battlefields between the so called Communists of Thailand and the army of Thailand. A bit behind the hospital is a museum and you can see what is said to be the remains of a battlefield (POI 2).
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| POI 1 : International Border Crossing Huai Kon |
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| POI 2: Remains of battlefield in Huai Kon |
Route 1081 starts in the mountains and will continue thru the mountains for the next 27 km where route 1081 meets route 1307 to Phu Phayak, what used to be a communist stronghold and where is a Communist Memorial. You can visit here Mountain 307 and an old communist shelter. Be aware that it is about 17 km to Phu Phayak and that at the end the roads become very narrow and sometimes steep.
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| Intersection to Phu Phayak |
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| Valley of Phu Phayak |
Continuing Route 1081 for another 15 km in the mountains and you will get to a valley of the Nan River. A beautiful valley full of rice paddies. Route 1081 partly goes parallel with the Nan River and at a few points you will be able to walk to the Nan River (POI 3).
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| POI 3 : Nan River |
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| Route 1081 |
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| Route 1081 |
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| Route 1081 |
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| Route 1081 |
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| Route 1081 |
Along the way you will be passing the Ban Wen (POI 4), there is a viewpoint from where you have a stunning view over the rice fields in the valley of the Nan River. In Ban Wen is some accommodation and from Ban Wen you can go to Piengsor along the Thai-Lao border.
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| POI 4 : Ban Wen |
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| POI 4 : Viewpoint at Ban Wen |
Continuing Route 1081 for another 32 km until an intersection with a road going to the village Ban Sapan, (POI 5) what has become a major tourist destination with many boutique resorts, coffee shops and a few restaurants. Personally for me de reason to go to Ban Sapan would be Namtok Sapan, not a spectacular waterfall but a nice walk thru the forest to get there (no entrance fee).
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| POI 5 : Overlooking Ban Sapan |
Continuing Route 1081 for another 7 km and you will be passing Khun Nan National Park (POI 6). And then you get to the intersection with route 1256 at Bo Klua where are the famous Ancient Salt Pits (POI 7).
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| POI 6 : Khun Nan National Park |
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| POI 7 : Ancient Salt Pits in Bo Klua |
Continuing Route 1081 for another 8 km and you will be passing the intersection with route 1333 that goes to Phu Fa Pattana Palace and Ban Sop Man where you can go rafting in the Wa River.
Continuing Route 1081 for another 24 km and you will be passing the intersection with route 1257 what is a nice upcountry bypass to Santisuk and you will be passing the village Ban Huai Hat where is a beautiful shrine (POI 8)
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| POI 8 : A shrine along route 1081 |
And continuing Route 1081 for another 4 km the famous Road 3 (POI 9). Because the road looks like the number 3 and this has become a huge tourist attraction or should I say selfie attraction?
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| POI 9 : Road 3 in Route 1081 |
Continuing Route 1081 for another 13 km over the ridge of the mountains. You will be passing a few coffee shops and camping site's. You will be passing the intersection with route 1169 to Nan town and Ban Nam Yao. From here on route 1081 is going back to Pua thru vallies along the mountains of Doi Phu Kha.
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| Atlas Coffee Shop |
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| Route 1081 |
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| Route 1081 |
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| Route 1081 |
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| Route 1081 |
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| Intersection with route 1169 at Route 1081 |
Continuing Route 1081 for another 6 km to Namtok Tat Luang (POI 10). The waterfall itself is about 2 km from the main road, after about 1.500m is a parking. Then you will have to cross the river and walk about 200m for the first level of the waterfall that is located in the jungle of the mountains.
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| POI 10 : Namtok Tat Luang |
Continuing Route 1081 for another 9 km is Namtok Sila Phet (POI 11). The waterfall itself is about 1.500m from the main road. There is parking, toilets and some places to buy food. After the parking you will have to walk about 100m to the first level of the waterfall. This waterfall is very popular for the local young people.
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| POI 11 : Namtok Sila Phet |
Continuing Route 1081 for another 5 km you will be passing a road going to the village Ban Hua Nam where you will find the famous Mushroom Farm Restaurant (POI 12). And next to the Mushroom Farm is Wang Sila Leang (POI 13).
Continuing Route 1081 for another 6 km and you will reach the end of Route 1081 at the intersection with route 101 in Pua. Along this part of Route 1081 you will be passing the famous Ban Tai Lue Coffee Shop (POI 14). And a bit further is the Wat Phuket (POI 15), about 1 km from the main road. And just before the end you will be passing the beginning of route 1256 to Bo Klua, what you also passed in Bo Klua.
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| POI 14 : Ban Tai Lue Coffee Shop |
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| POI 15 : View from Wat Phuket |
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| POI 15 : Wat Phuket |
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