Location: Phrae
Top Things to do in Phrae
The 10 Best Things to Do in Phrae, Thailand
Phrae in Thailand, from Asia region, is best know for Specialty Museums. Discover best things to do in Phrae with beautiful photos and great reviews from traveller around the world here!
Restaurants in Phrae
1. Wat Phra That Cho Hae
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 91 reviews
Reviewed By 918teresah - Manchester, United Kingdom
The impressive step entrance might put you off seeing, but there is an elevator which makes it much easier. The temple is beautiful and the covering of brass is very impressive especially in the sunlight. It was fasinating to see the visitors putting coins in the pots. even the children enjoyed this
2. Khum Chao Luang
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 33 reviews
Reviewed By LarsJohnsson - Bangkok, Thailand
This old style mansion is great. And I can't belive how few people that visit it. The house is very nice. And the inside is fantastic. A lot of rooms and old style furnitures. Descriptions in both Thai and English. And a lot of old photos that was very nice. Don't miss it, it's the number one attraction in the city center. And no entrance fee.
3. Vongbury House Museum
Overall Ratings
4 based on 41 reviews
Reviewed By Chuck B - Steilacoom, Washington
The architecture of the Big House is cleaner, otherwise it is tacky, tacky, tacky. The Vongbury House demonstrates that great wealth does not preclude good taste. It is open and uncluttered and the furniture and accouterments are not only opulent, but elegant in the finest way. The place is a little pink for me, and I am not one for luxury, but these are hardly criticisms.
4. Wat Chom Sawan
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 31 reviews
Reviewed By Arthurrvr - Marlborough, United Kingdom
The Wat is on the busy Yantrakit Koson Road on the main road into Phrae if coming from the north. It is a Shan Burmese style temple built virtually entirely in engraved teak wood which was mainly constructed between 1900-1912 (but started in 1894) and has been recently restored. Unusually the main building combines both an ubosot (an ordination hall meant to be primarily for use by monks) and a viharn (building used by both monks and lay people) as well as being used as living quarters for the monks. The roofs are multi layered and very distinctive. Inside the building are a number of different Buddha statues made from a variety of materials including marble, ivory and one in black lacquered woven bamboo with gold leaves. Not sure why but apart from the Buddha statues there are very few other items inside the main part of the building so it feels more like an empty museum rather than a standard temple - especially as there were no monks visible while we were there.
In the grounds near the entrance there is what looks like to be a very old and crumbling chedi though no indication of its actual age. Most of the rest of the grounds consist of large areas of grass.
Worth seeing this wat if one is fond of teak wood, as we are.
5. Phae Mueang Phi
Overall Ratings
4 based on 38 reviews
Reviewed By Business-hippy
It took about half an hour to get there on motorbike, and another half an hour to recover from wrongly going down a "walk rally" forest walk before getting to the main site.
Stunning!
We visited in the late afternoon, and were treated to a near empty venue and beautiful orange sunlight which complemented the orange brown mushroom rock formations that rivers once ran through and carved out.
Think of it as a mini Grand Canyon.
No staff there when we went, therefore no entrance fee. A highlight of the Phrae leg of our trip.
There is a canal road running north south which runs somewhat parallel to highway 101. Very local and relaxing in the twilight.
6. Phae Mueang Phi Forest Park
Overall Ratings
4 based on 59 reviews
Reviewed By Anchalee S - Bangkok, Thailand
This is the most famous natural attraction in Phrae where everyone have to visit but actually , it's not that big so , don't expect to see such a thing here if you are not natural lover or geologist. There are many high soil pillars here which is very wonderful . This place is 15 mins from the airport so maybe you can stop by there.
7. Wat Pong Sunan
Overall Ratings
4 based on 25 reviews
Reviewed By Raymond W - Chengdu, China
Thailand is a land of temples. There are dozens in even a small Thai city, so you should be selective or you will quickly get 'chronic wat fatigue'. While this wat is nicely maintained, most of it only dates from 1929, with the possible exception of the chedi behind. At that point this wat was a complete ruin and most of it was reconstructed from scratch. Overall, I would recommend that you save your temple-viewing for older and more artistically important wats. On the other hand, it won't hurt to have a quick peep.
8. Ban Thung Hong
Overall Ratings
4 based on 26 reviews
Reviewed By Zingle - Chiang Mai, Thailand
Just a few kilometers outside Phrae, this village is famous for indigo-dyed cotton, which is traditionally made into the popular Thai farmer pants and tunics. I was expecting a hamlet, with people dyeing and weaving at their homes, but those days are gone. Shops selling all manner of blue and white clothes are strung out along the main road, and there’s something for everyone. Many of the fabrics are tie-dyed, but beware. Along with cotton and rayon, there’s also “cotton” that’s not cotton, a fabric that doesn’t breathe and is less than perfect for the Thai climate. The highlight of our visit was chatting with ladies at the teahouse behind the market; they were so wonderfully friendly.
9. Wat Phra Bat Ming Mueang Worawiharn
Overall Ratings
4 based on 18 reviews
Reviewed By Arthurrvr - Marlborough, United Kingdom
This temple on Charoen Nakhon Road was created only in 1955 by combining two much older 18th Century temples which were next to each other, Wat Phra Bat and Wat Ming Mueang.. It is now a 'Royal' temple and is regarded as one of the most important in Phrae. Highlights include an old chedi in which is a 600 year old replica of a large Buddha footprint and the Phra Phutthakosai Sirichai Mahasakayamuni Buddha statue regarded as the main Buddha statue in Phrae There is also an unusual octagonal teak drum tower and a lovely old wooden hall in the temple grounds. The grounds also houses the Foundation for the famous Thai writer Chote Phraephunor Yakob, who was an heir of the last Rulers of Phrae.
Worth visiting because of its importance to Phrae although the temple is quite hemmed in by the surrounding buildings as it is in the centre of Phrae which makes it more difficult to fully appreciate its attractions.
10. Wat Phra That Chom Chaeng
Overall Ratings
4 based on 22 reviews
Reviewed By Arthurrvr - Marlborough, United Kingdom
Wat Phra That Chom Chaeng, aka Wat Phra That Jom Jang, is only a couple of kilometres beyond the much more famous Wat Phra That Cho Hae on the same 1022 road, around 10 kms to the east of Phrae City. Most visitors to Phrae will only get as far as Cho Hae but it is a pity as although Chom Chaeng is not nearly as opulent or well known, it has its own very distinctive and interesting character.
The wat is set amongst extensive woods though not far from Phrae airport so possibly not the most isolated in temples! However, Phrae's airport is not very busy and indeed we didn't hear any planes at all in the hour or so that we were at the temple. The trees lend a nice rural feel to the temple, a contrast to the more urban nature of the vast majority of Thai temples.
The main Buddha statue in the ubosot is fine, but what makes this temple different is the large number of tall statues all around. In particular a very tall standing Buddha statue which greets you as you come in through the gates, plus also a huge reclining Buddha statue set away from the main temple between the trees. There is also a tall 29 metre high golden coloured chedi which is reputed to house a strand of Buddha's hair. In addition there are a number of other large statues (including some large elephants and other animals), some looking more like Chinese style rather than more standard Thai style.
The temple was founded in 788 BE, ie late 13th Century CE - but I don't think any of the original buildings remain though there is some of an old brick chedi visible outside the main wall which certainly certainly looks very old, - as indeed does some of the gateways which are large and unusual, though more intact. Although on a small hill, because of the trees, there is not much of a view.
A curious temple with a wide mixture of styles, but one well worth the time.
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