The former center of Thailand’s teak industry, Phrae features many old teak mansions as well as protected forests ideal for hiking and spotting exotic wildlife.
Phrae is a province steeped in legend and that’s no surprise as the city was founded around the same time as the Lanna and Sukhothai Kingdoms nearly 800 years ago. Renowned for its vast teak forests, Phrae features a number of colonial style teak homes and mountainous forests including three national parks. There are a number of hill tribe communities in the countryside as well as villages where traditional handicrafts are produced. Those looking to expand their knowledge of the local culture can even spend some time at the local folklore museum or explore the quiet alleyways of the city’s old town, where many old and beautiful temples and teak mansions can be found.
(http://www.tourismthailand.org)