Phrae

[AjarnP]

Hi folks,

Yes, silly season is here again and two of us wrinklies will be cycling from Bangkok to CR starting on 19th Feb and hopefully arriving on 26th in time for an ale or sixteen at Rico's (you better be open Rico!!!)

We'll be passing through Phrae and I must say that despite having driven through it scores of times, I have never stopped there so don't know the lay of the land, restaurants, houses of imbibation or even a hostelry.

Anyone have any tips? (no, "just take the plane" is not a tip I'm looking for, but thanks anyway)

Thanks for the heads up chaps.

Cheers :jap:

[raylo]

Check TV.

I saw a mention of a "good" German restaurant there. Cannot remember who rated it as good but if you try it and it really is - post it.

[TPI]

Well you could always try "Thepvong Place ", it's a hotel ran by a Falang (Carl) and his Thai wife (Mam) of one of the main streets, it has an outside bar and restaurant and a good, if crazy, cook! If you call him I'm sure they can either direct you or pick you up from where ever?? His number is 08 3478 1244. I'm not Carl by the way, just a happy customer! <IMG class=bbc_emoticon alt= src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif">

[AjarnP]

Well you could always try "Thepvong Place ", it's a hotel ran by a Falang (Carl) and his Thai wife (Mam) of one of the main streets, it has an outside bar and restaurant and a good, if crazy, cook! If you call him I'm sure they can either direct you or pick you up from where ever?? His number is 08 3478 1244. I'm not Carl by the way, just a happy customer! <IMG class=bbc_emoticon alt= src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif">

Thanks for that useful contact. I'l definitely drop in when I'm there.

Cheers

[wanderingstraycat]

Second Thepvong Place, stayed there last Dec. Google for their website. It's down a lane off the south side of Charoen Muang Rd (parallel to Charoen Muang Soi 1 & Yantarakit Koson Rd), so you don't get noise from the main road. Has sheltered space for parking bikes. They had rooms cheaper than those mentioned on their website. B350 got me the cheapest - a bright clean double with AC & hot shower (no meals). Cook didn't seem crazy to me but the Thai food was good (didn't try any of the Western food options). Though menu prices didn't seem to be up to date...

Phrae is good for exploring by bicycle, there's some 'free use of pink bicycles for tourists' system & a map of recommended routes around the flat old town area (demarcated by the old city walls), which has relatively little traffic. Best info + maps from the coffee place called Nok Bin located along Wichairacha Rd near Wat Siboonreuang, in the southern part of the old town. Lonely Planet mentions a branch outlet near Pratuu Chai, but it has closed down, although Nok Bin now has a small shop in Phrae bus station.

Temples - i liked Wat Phra Non (something about the overall structure that resembles the temples of northern Laos). There's also Wat Pong Sunan (IIRC) with a large reclining Buddha outside, plus two Burmese-style wooden temples, though not as impressive as the one in Chiang Kham (Wat Nantaram). Many old teak houses, with a few converted into museums. Every evening food stalls pop up at the Pratuu Chai roundabout. Also one small Thai food place at the corner of Charoen Muang & its Soi 1 that seemed quite popular with locals. A few coffee places & other restaurants along Charoen Muang Rd esp closer to Pratuu Chai, & there's supposed to be a walking street along this road on certain days (need to check my notes). Directly facing the southwest entrance of Wat Phra Ruang (in the old town) is the home+studio of an artist who paints reproductions of the temple murals from Wiang Ta (somewhere along Rte 1023, west of Phrae city), quite an interesting character...the original murals are like a less well-known version of the Wat Nong Bua murals of Nan province & have all been removed to Rai Mae Fah Luang in Chiangrai.

[AjarnP]

Second Thepvong Place, stayed there last Dec. Google for their website. It's down a lane off the south side of Charoen Muang Rd (parallel to Charoen Muang Soi 1 & Yantarakit Koson Rd), so you don't get noise from the main road. Has sheltered space for parking bikes. They had rooms cheaper than those mentioned on their website. B350 got me the cheapest - a bright clean double with AC & hot shower (no meals). Cook didn't seem crazy to me but the Thai food was good (didn't try any of the Western food options). Though menu prices didn't seem to be up to date...

Phrae is good for exploring by bicycle, there's some 'free use of pink bicycles for tourists' system & a map of recommended routes around the flat old town area (demarcated by the old city walls), which has relatively little traffic. Best info + maps from the coffee place called Nok Bin located along Wichairacha Rd near Wat Siboonreuang, in the southern part of the old town. Lonely Planet mentions a branch outlet near Pratuu Chai, but it has closed down, although Nok Bin now has a small shop in Phrae bus station.

Temples - i liked Wat Phra Non (something about the overall structure that resembles the temples of northern Laos). There's also Wat Pong Sunan (IIRC) with a large reclining Buddha outside, plus two Burmese-style wooden temples, though not as impressive as the one in Chiang Kham (Wat Nantaram). Many old teak houses, with a few converted into museums. Every evening food stalls pop up at the Pratuu Chai roundabout. Also one small Thai food place at the corner of Charoen Muang & its Soi 1 that seemed quite popular with locals. A few coffee places & other restaurants along Charoen Muang Rd esp closer to Pratuu Chai, & there's supposed to be a walking street along this road on certain days (need to check my notes). Directly facing the southwest entrance of Wat Phra Ruang (in the old town) is the home+studio of an artist who paints reproductions of the temple murals from Wiang Ta (somewhere along Rte 1023, west of Phrae city), quite an interesting character...the original murals are like a less well-known version of the Wat Nong Bua murals of Nan province & have all been removed to Rai Mae Fah Luang in Chiangrai.

Great stuff, thanks muchly.

Cheers

[klikster]

Couple of things noticed from my last visit.

1. The town seems especially clean .. nice change from many
   
2. A fitness park with a number of workout station and fair amount of green space
   

Quite some time back I was taken to a temple a short distance outside Phrae to visit a beautiful temple. It was raised on teak columns more then 1 m diameter.

North of town is a great stopover place. High on a hillside with a great view of the valley to the south. And naturally, roast chicken, sticky rice and papaya salad.

[AjarnP]

Hi chaps

Just a quick thank you note for the good advice regarding Carl's place in Phrae. Stayed there, found the rooms good and very reasonably priced. The food and beer weren't bad either.

Thanks again for your help

AjarnP

[villagefarang]

Thanks for the followup post.