Phrae
Northern Teak Town Of Wooden Mansions; Home Of Vongburi House And Near The Phae Mueang Phi Earth Pillars · Phrae, Phrae
Phrae is a small, unhurried provincial capital in the Yom river valley of northern Thailand, about 550 kilometres north of Bangkok, and one of the best places in the country to see traditional teak architecture. From the late 19th century the forests around Phrae were at the heart of the teak trade, worked by British and other foreign logging companies with Burmese, Shan and local labour, and the wealth built ornate wooden mansions. The finest is Vongburi House, a two-storey teak house with carved gingerbread fretwork, now a museum, and nearby Khum Chao Luang was the residence of Phrae's last ruling prince. The old town is still ringed by the remains of earthen walls and a moat, with quiet lanes, old temples such as Wat Luang and wooden shophouses. On a hill outside town, Wat Phra That Cho Hae keeps a golden chedi wrapped in satin cloth. Phrae is also the home of mo hom, indigo-dyed cotton, and it sits near the eroded earth pillars of Phae Mueang Phi. Come in the cool season and slow down.
Vongburi House, Kham Lue Road, Nai Wiang, Phrae, Phrae, 54000, Thailand
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The typical pattern: Vongburi House and Khum Chao Luang open daily from about 8 or 9 am to about 4 or 5 pm, with last entry about half an hour before closing, and private museums like Vongburi House can close on some days or for events; check. Temples open from early morning to about 5 or 6 pm. Phae Mueang Phi opens from about 8 am to about 5 or 6 pm; check. The old town lanes are public and open at all times. The traps that ruin a day are arriving at Vongburi House late in the afternoon or on an unexpected closing day, visiting Phae Mueang Phi at midday, stepping off a late train at Den Chai with no onward transport, and planning outdoor days in the smoky weeks of March and April. Confirm current times before relying on them.