Ban Bang Phae Travel Guide
Located in Ang Thong Province, Ban Bang Phae is one of the most famous and culturally important towns in the area and is renowned for being home to the craft of drum making.
- Worth It?
- Only if there is enough time in your schedule and you are in Ang Thong already.
- What to Do
- view the process of drum making and buy a souvenir drum.
- Best Time to Go
- during the dry season from December to April.
- How Long?
- one day is long enough to see the sights on offer.
- Trivia
- during harvesting time, all drum production stops in Ban Bang Phae and the town's workers head into the rice fields.
It is scenically located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River and throughout the non-harvesting season, the entire town is involved in making drums and has been since 1927. The skills of the drum makers have been passed down from generation to generation and involve highly intricate and difficult work.
People come from all over Thailand to watch these craftsmen at work and the final products can be seen at events throughout the country. It is a very traditional town, with most people living in houses on stilts which have housed their parents and grandparents for many decades. It offers visitors the chance to see the 'real' Thailand, not just the one found in glossy magazines.
The largest drum in the world is located here and is on display outside the headman's house. While this drum is for display only, many replicas can be bought from shops along the main street. As well as touring the drum making factories and shops, simply walking around the city will provide the chance to experience sights not seen in many Thai tourist destinations.
Travel to Ban Bang Phae - Getting There
Ban Bang Phae is just over 100kms outside of Bangkok and best reached by car or bus. There are regular buses from Bangkok (2 hours) and Ayutthaya (1 hour) on air-conditioned or local buses. If you are driving from Bangkok, follow Highway 1 to the junction for Highway 32. You need to follow this highway through many towns and villages before you will reach Ang Thong Province.
Ban Bang Phae Things to Do
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