THAILAND – Phrae – Cycling Tour with Local Handicraft Visits

During this tour, travelers have the opportunity to see what everyday life in a Thai town looks like while they visit local homes and workshops, where handcrafted products are made (woven hats, handmade bricks, bamboo sticky rice containers, a textile design workshop, blacksmiths, wood carvings, etc.).

Theme

Art & Culture, Classic, Family, Honeymoon

Country - City

Thailand

Market segment

Groups, Thematic Leisure

Price Level

$$

Level of difficulties

LEVEL 1

Max pax

30

Seasonality

Possible all year round but subject to weather conditions. Best period is November until February.

Arrival city

Phrae

Departure city

Phrae

Description

The tour starts with exploring the surroundings of Phrae as well as its historical center. The area has a lot of historical significance and used to be an important trading post for teak wood. Today it is a quiet city with local communities located on the outskirts of town: the perfect place for cycling. During this tour, travelers have the opportunity to see what everyday life in a Thai town looks like while they visit local homes and workshops, where handcrafted products are made (woven hats, handmade bricks, bamboo sticky rice containers, a textile design workshop, blacksmiths, wood carvings, etc.).

Selling points

  • An authentic way to experience everyday life in one of Thailand’s less-visited regions
  • To escape the busy city area
  • To have some peaceful moments with locals
  • A surprising and worthy discovery of handcrafted products for curious travelers! 
  • A nice escape for family with kids over the age of 10

Level Of The Excursion

Medium – This activity offers tangible positive contributions to the local community, culture and/or environment

The Impact Of This Excursion

Social/cultural Impact

Cultural Conservation

Empowerment and education

Environment Impact

Transportation

Economic Impact

Local individual benefits

Additional Information

Positive impact

Guest use a bicycle which is a sustainable means of transportation. Along the way they visit small workshops which encourage locals to continue their traditional crafts

Negative impact

Not all places are committed to reducing waste and single-use plastics

Time And Transportation

From To Distance By Duration Road condition
Phoom Thai Garden Hotel Mae Yom Palace Hotel  2 kilometers Car 5 minutes Good
Huern Nana Boutique Hotel Mae Yom Palace Hotel  2 kilometers Car 5 minutes Good
Mae Yom Palace Hotel Mo Hom Village 3,5 kilometers Car 5 minutes Good

 

Duration

Approximately 2 hours – 2hr 30min

Min pax

1

Max pax

30

How to sell it

  • Year round but subject to weather conditions
  • Maximum 30 pax (40 bikes available but not all are in good condition)
  • Suitable for all kinds of travelers
  • The tour starts and ends at Mae Yom Palace Hotel, bicycles are kept on the spot
  • Parking available on the spot
  • Cycling is best done in the morning, it will be cooler and travelers can visit a school where they play/sing the national anthem at 08:00
  • The hotel will provide a cycling tour “manager” – he shows the routing, manages traffic and informs handicraft visits in advance. Easia guide can join the tour FOC and help the “manager”
  • Private tour
  • There are no alternatives since Mae Yom Palace is the only place with sufficient bicycles

Why this activity

  • Easia signature activity
  • A cycling tour in a less-visited area
  • Look behind the scenes at local handicraft producers

Good to combine with

  • Silk painting workshop with a renowned designer
  • Mo Hom workshop
  • Dinner at Vongburi house

Do not combine with

  • Very long transfer to another destination

Market suggestion

AUSTRALIA

CANADA

FRANCE

ITALY

SPAIN

PORTUGAL

BENELUX

SCANDINAVIA

CEE

US

GERMANY

UK

Competitor comparison

All the DMCs

Pros

  • Easy to organize
  • Easy to book with supplier

Cons

  • Heavily dependent on the weather
  • Needs overnight in Phrae
  • No alternatives, only 1 supplier
  • No real alternative for people who cannot/do not want to cycle

Information

  • EASIA SIGNATURE TOUR
  • If travelers stay at another hotel we can still get bicycles, however we do need to inform them in advance very clearly (at least 2 weeks) that we need a manager for the tour as well, since they use staff from the hotel and we need to make absolutely sure that they are available.
  • If there are travelers who are not able/willing to cycle the hotel can arrange for a songthaew to follow along with the cycling group so that they can still enjoy the stops along with the people who are cycling. A songthaew can be arranged by the hotel, the price for 1 songthaew is 800 THB and can seat up to 8 pax comfortably. As with the point above, this needs to be informed well in advance. => add on factsheet

Important information

  • The tour actually consists of 2 parts (handicrafts & old city) and passes close by the hotel after 14 kilometers. Clients who are tired can stop after the handicraft part if they like.
  • Description of cycling itinerary, see link for google map (https://drive.google.com/open?id=11mJq2Fy0FMH9NajY26I_omO8zEw&usp=sharing):
    • Leave the hotel and short cycle towards a local school, if done in the morning the national anthem will be played at 08:00, in this case clients should not leave later than 07:45
    • Near the school visit a house where a lady weaves hats, clients can see how they are made
    • Visit a local house where bricks are produced all by hand. Here we can see how the clay is mixed, how the actual bricks are formed and the furnace where they are fired
    • Continue to a house where an old couple makes sticky rice containers. They start out from whole pieces of bamboo and are cut into small pieces. Clients who are interested can give this a try if they like
    • Continue to Baisri workshop where clients will see how silk fabric are designed and decorated. Clients can try it out themselves but this is an additional activity (not included in regular cycling route)
    • Cycle through a local blacksmith community
    • Have a short stop near a wood carver/carpenter. Clients can take a break have some water while they visit the wood workshop
    • Visit Wat Chom Sawan, an old Burmese style temple
    • After this part clients who are tired or want to relax can return to the hotel, other can continue as below:
    • Cycle through the old city gate and along local communities
    • (An optional visit to Baan Pratab Jai is possible)
    • Visit Wat Luang, the oldest temple in Phrae
    • Shortly visit the teak wood museum to learn about the importance of teak wood for Phrae province
    • Continue through the old city center and back towards the hotel

Quotation guideline

Package price in the tariffs:

  • 100THB/bicycle
  • +300THB/cycling “manager” (1-10pax à 1 manager, 11-20pax à 2 managers, 21pax< à 3 managers)
  • 800THB/songthaew in case it is necessary for people who cannot cycle

Inclusion

  • Bicycle rental
  • Cycling tour “manager” who arranges the tour
  • Water during a drink break

Exclusion

  • Back-up vehicle
  • Drinks other than water during the activity
  • Entrance fee to Baan Pratab Jai

Possible Extra

  • A visit to Baan Pratab Jai (official entrance fee for foreigners is 100THB/pp)

Special Guide notes

Please inform the clients that a tip at the end of the tour is appreciated for the tour manager (according to their discretion). The agreement is that tour manager receives 300THB+tips from the group.

Contact

Book by Maeyom Palace Hotel reception, tel: 054 – 521028-35

Special Information

Tour name on contract: Cycling tour around Phrae with handicrafts visits

  • Cash payment on the spot

English

Cycling tour with local handicraft visit

During this half-day trip you will explore the surroundings of Phrae as well as its historical center. The area has a lot of historical significance and used to be an important trading post for teak wood. Today it is a quiet city with local communities located on the outskirts of town: the perfect place for cycling. During the trip you will get to see what everyday life in a Thai town looks like while you visit local homes and workshops, where handcrafted products are made (woven hats, handmade bricks, bamboo sticky rice containers, a textile design workshop, blacksmiths, wood carvings, etc.).

French

Excursion à vélo et visite d’artisanats locaux

Lors de cette demi-journée de visites, partez explorer les alentours de Phrae, son centre historique et les communautés des environs. C’est une ville importante pour le commerce du bois de teck et l’endroit idéal pour circuler à vélo. Vous pourrez observer le quotidien d’une ville thaïe et visiter quelques maisons et ateliers où sont confectionnés des produits artisanaux comme des chapeaux tressés, des briques faites à la main, des récipients en bambou pour le riz gluant, un atelier de textile, des forgerons, des graveurs sur bois, etc.

Spanish

Pedalata alla scoperta dell’artigianato locale  

Durante questa mezza giornata, esplorerete non solo il centro storico di Phrae, bensì anche l’area circostante. Regione significativa del punto di vista storico e centro nevralgico degli scambi del legno di teak, la cittadina vanta un’atmosfera rilassata, con comunità autoctone stanziate nella periferia: un’ottima zona per una pedalata. Durante l’escursione, assisterete alla vita quotidiana della gente locale, visitando abitazioni tradizionali e piccole botteghe d’artigianato. Cappelli intessuti a mano, contenitori di riso i bambù, caratteristici oggetti di legno intagliato sono solo alcuni dei prodotti locali che avrete la fortuna di ammirare lungo il vostro percorso.

Italian

Pedalata alla scoperta dell’artigianato locale  

Durante questa mezza giornata, esplorerete non solo il centro storico di Phrae, bensì anche l’area circostante. Regione significativa del punto di vista storico e centro nevralgico degli scambi del legno di teak, la cittadina vanta un’atmosfera rilassata, con comunità autoctone stanziate nella periferia: un’ottima zona per una pedalata. Durante l’escursione, assisterete alla vita quotidiana della gente locale, visitando abitazioni tradizionali e piccole botteghe d’artigianato. Cappelli intessuti a mano, contenitori di riso i bambù, caratteristici oggetti di legno intagliato sono solo alcuni dei prodotti locali che avrete la fortuna di ammirare lungo il vostro percorso.

German

Fahrradtour mit Besuch eines lokalen Handwerks

Während dieser Halbtagestour werden Sie sowohl die Umgebung von Phrae als auch das historische Zentrum der Stadt erkunden. Die Region hat eine lange historische Bedeutung und war einst ein bedeutender Handelsposten für Teakholz. Heute ist es eine ruhige Stadt mit lokalen Gemeinschaften, die sich in den Randgebieten der Stadt befinden: der perfekte Ort für eine Radtour. Bei der Tour werden  Sie sehen, wie das Alltagsleben in einer thailändischen Stadt aussieht, während Sie dortige Häuser und Werkstätten besuchen, in denen Handwerksprodukte hergestellt werden (gewebte Hüte, handgemachte Ziegelsteine, Klebreis-Behälter aus Bambus, eine Textildesign-Werkstatt, Schmieden, Holzschnitzereien etc.).