The Flavours and Fragrances of Central Thailand - Wild Thailand Responsible Tours

Itinerary

Day 1 Amphawa / Samut Songkhram

07:00 Leave Bangkok and proceed to Samut Songkram

08:40 On arrival at Samut Songkram, we will visit Mae Klong Market. Local trains run through 8 times daily. As the train approaches the station, many vendors hastily raise their awnings, fold up their umbrellas and pull their stalls away. The hidden railway tracks suddenly appear. After the train has passed, everything is set in their previous position. The name of the market “ Talad Romhup ” is derived from the vendors’ closing umbrellas

09.00 We travel on to coconut plantations at Amphawa

09.30 At the coconut plantation, we see how villagers produce traditional coconut sugar which is a main ingredient for Thai desserts and a natural condiment in authentic Thai cooking. We see the whole process of natural sugar production, from climbing up a coconut tree to retrieve its nectar, collecting sugar in bamboo containers hung overnight, stirring in a large black iron pan over a wood fire until ready. You can taste a favorite local Thai dessert made from fresh coconut milk and coconut sugar.

10:00 Next, we visit Wat Phummarin Kudi Thong, located on the bank of Mae Klong River . The remarkable attraction is the Kudee Thong (Golden Hermitage) built by the father of Khun Nak, Queen of King Rama I, the founder of present Chakri Dynasty. She was the Mother of King Rama II, a great patron to arts and culture which have become national heritage.

10:20 We hop on board a boat to see agricultural villages along the Mae Klong River, passing various kinds of tropical fruit orchards - coconut groves, pomelo and lychees, and ancient style Thai houses rarely seen nowadays in the communities of Amphawa. Many riverside communities become crowded floating markets during the weekends. Our trip ends in Amphawa where you can walk around and see traditional lifestyle.

11:00 Next, we visit Baan Khanom Thai community (literally the sweets village) where guests will see demonstration of how to make traditional Thai desserts using methods specified in the poetry composed by King Rama II (can be changed without notice)

11:45 We proceed to the Community of Bang Phlap, well- known for its’ sweet, organic pomelo orchards. This community is a popular place to learn about local wisdom of chemical free agriculture, how to transform unused parts of fruits or plants into charcoals and wood smoke vinegar, conventional ways of fruit & vegetable preservation as well as the community’s profit sharing system which raises funds for their children’s education.

12:00 A local, authentic Thai lunch will be served at the community. After lunch, we visit Pomelo orchards where guests can learn how to plant organic pomelos and produce organic fertilizer, how to burn unused fruits into charcoal and produce wood vinegar, learn how the villagers preserve their fruits and how they produce a variety of interesting products.

15:00 Proceed to Baan Amphawa Resort and Spa, a Green Leaf Hotel in Samut Songkram which is approximate 2 hours drive from Bangkok. Baan Amphawa Resort and Spa is a Thai Style House Resort in the midst of lush green orchards and coconut plantations, by the riverside of Mae Klong River .

Check in to the Baan Amphawa Resort and Spa. Relaxation at the resort.

19.00 Dinner and overnight at Baan Amphawa Resort and Spa.

Day 2 Samut Songkram – Phetchaburi

06:00 We offer alms to Buddhist monks at the resort.

Breakfast at the resort’s restaurant.

09:00 By van, we start our journey along the “ Salt Road ” to visit the Salt Learning School and learn about traditional methods of producing salt from sea water. The Center is one of 6 Universities of Local Wisdom and Knowledge, which exist to support the transmission of cultural heritage to the next generation, especially local Thai children who lack opportunities.

10:00 Proceeding along the “Salt Road” we see lots of salt farming, local food stalls, dried fish and strange multi-storey buildings which are homes for thousands of swiftlets whose nests are made of solidified saliva and are the basic ingredients of ”Bird’s nest soup” an expensive favourite dish for Chinese.

10:45 A stop will be made at Wat Nai Klang where you will see a beautiful Thai style House dismantled from the old capital city and assembled here by the command of King Taksin the Great in order to thank to the people of Ban Laem who looked after his Royal Mother during the war.

11:15 We proceed to Banlad district in Phetchaburi.

12.15 Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

13.15 Depart for Tambon Ban Thamrong, Ban Lad District in Phetchaburi Province , famous for traditional Thai Desserts as there are a lot of sugar palm trees that stand side by side in rice fields. The sugar palm tree is economically useful to the locals as it can produce many items such as fresh sugar juice, authentic palm sugar, young palm seeds, toddy palm cake, palm seed in syrup, palm-leave hat, palm-wood containers, etc

13:30 At Ban Thamrong, we make a quick visit to a sugar palm tree plantation to learn more about sugar palm trees. Then, we drive through agro-forestry to local houses where we see the daily work of utilizing sugar palms. Besides yielding sugar, Ban Thamrong has various occupational groups, providing a great number of products and benefits to the villagers such as producing chili paste, Lod Chong ice-cream, basketry, cock farms etc.

14.15 Practise palm leave weaving at Uncle Pud ‘s house

15:00 We proceed to Petchvarin Resort and Spa, a Greenleaf Foundation smoke free hotel, set amidst tropical forest on the bank of Phetchburi River .

16:00 Arrive and check in at Petchvarin Resort and Spa.

Free time and relax.

19:00 Dinner at the resort.

Overnight at Petchvarin Resort and Spa.

Day 3 Phetchaburi - Bangkok (or extend to your Beach Holiday)

08:00 Breakfast at the resort’s restaurant

09:00 Check out and depart for the Wildlife Rescue Center .

09:30 Arrive at the Center. Visit to Wildlife Hospital . See how officers work to rescue wildlife injured by people who captured them as pets.

10:30 Depart for Wattana Garden in Cha-Am to see a variety of flowers in culinary art and drinks.

11.45 Arrive at Wattana Garden- an open private garden. Enjoy short course of cooking with freshly picked flowers, tasting drinks and various products from fruits and flowers.

12:00 Lunch at a local restaurant.

p.m. Transfer to Bangkok or proceed to hotel in Cha – Am / Hua Hin for your beach holidays.

Service and Sustainability Highlights in Central Thailand

BANG PHLAP COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM

A shady retreat from the heat of Bangkok and a serene picture of traditional central Thai life – teak Thai houses set amongst verdant fruit orchards

Visit the mixed organic orchards and enjoy tasting rare species of delicious Thai fruits - pomello, rose apple, lychee, mango, coconut and other seasonal fruits

Villagers have established an organisation to manage community-based, eco and agro tourism, and welcome visitors who wish to explore local ways of life and learn how to put the Thai King’s sufficiency philosophy into practice

Welcome tourists and students from Thailand and around the world

THE THAI SWEETS VILLAGE, THE SALT TRAIL AND BAN THUMRONG COMMUNITY

Benefits the local economy and preserves local knowledge for future generations

Womens’ group produce traditional Thai sweets, based on Royal history

The Salk Learning Center teaches disadvantaged students for free

Women of the Kanghunthong Sea Salt Occupation Group are trained to provide Thai massage, and use salt products to create innovative spa treatments

Ban Thumrong is a learning centre for traditional occupations. There are many community groups where guests can see local production processes.

Ban Amphawa Resort and Spa
Web site: http://www.baanamphawa.com/

Green Leaf hotel on the bank of the Mae Klong River, elegant haven in a lush
tropical garden… blending traditional Thai architecture with contemporary
luxury… the perfect hideaway to avoid Thailand’s mass tourism

Conserves traditional Thai acrchitecture, in harmony with nature

Policy to use local products and services, and employ local people

Energy saving measures and uses EM to clean the river naturally

Petchvarin Resort and Spa
Web site: http://www.petchvarinresort.com/

A Green Leaf Smoke Free hotel

Policy to use local products

Tree planting project together with the local community – we pay for the shoots



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		The Flavours and Fragrances of Central Thailand Tour code : WT. GR 02 Duration : 3 days 2 night, Type of tour :PrivateTour Start and end : in Bangkok Minimum passengers : 2 persons Trip Grade: easy Activities: Sightseeing, Community Based Tourism , Thai Traditional Massage and Cooking Class




	Itinerary Day 1 Amphawa / Samut Songkhram 07:00 Leave Bangkok and proceed to Samut Songkram 08:40 On arrival at Samut Songkram, we will visit Mae Klong Market. Local trains run through 8 times daily. As the train approaches the station, many vendors hastily raise their awnings, fold up their umbrellas and pull their stalls away. The hidden railway tracks suddenly appear. After the train has passed, everything is set in their previous position. The name of the market “ Talad Romhup ” is derived from the vendors’ closing umbrellas 09.00 We travel on to coconut plantations at Amphawa 09.30 At the coconut plantation, we see how villagers produce traditional coconut sugar which is a main ingredient for Thai desserts and a natural condiment in authentic Thai cooking. We see the whole process of natural sugar production, from climbing up a coconut tree to retrieve its nectar, collecting sugar in bamboo containers hung overnight, stirring in a large black iron pan over a wood fire until ready. You can taste a favorite local Thai dessert made from fresh coconut milk and coconut sugar. 10:00 Next, we visit Wat Phummarin Kudi Thong, located on the bank of Mae Klong River . The remarkable attraction is the Kudee Thong (Golden Hermitage) built by the father of Khun Nak, Queen of King Rama I, the founder of present Chakri Dynasty. She was the Mother of King Rama II, a great patron to arts and culture which have become national heritage. 10:20 We hop on board a boat to see agricultural villages along the Mae Klong River, passing various kinds of tropical fruit orchards - coconut groves, pomelo and lychees, and ancient style Thai houses rarely seen nowadays in the communities of Amphawa. Many riverside communities become crowded floating markets during the weekends. Our trip ends in Amphawa where you can walk around and see traditional lifestyle. 11:00 Next, we visit Baan Khanom Thai community (literally the sweets village) where guests will see demonstration of how to make traditional Thai desserts using methods specified in the poetry composed by King Rama II (can be changed without notice) 11:45 We proceed to the Community of Bang Phlap, well- known for its’ sweet, organic pomelo orchards. This community is a popular place to learn about local wisdom of chemical free agriculture, how to transform unused parts of fruits or plants into charcoals and wood smoke vinegar, conventional ways of fruit & vegetable preservation as well as the community’s profit sharing system which raises funds for their children’s education. 12:00 A local, authentic Thai lunch will be served at the community. After lunch, we visit Pomelo orchards where guests can learn how to plant organic pomelos and produce organic fertilizer, how to burn unused fruits into charcoal and produce wood vinegar, learn how the villagers preserve their fruits and how they produce a variety of interesting products. 15:00 Proceed to Baan Amphawa Resort and Spa, a Green Leaf Hotel in Samut Songkram which is approximate 2 hours drive from Bangkok. Baan Amphawa Resort and Spa is a Thai Style House Resort in the midst of lush green orchards and coconut plantations, by the riverside of Mae Klong River . Check in to the Baan Amphawa Resort and Spa. Relaxation at the resort. 19.00 Dinner and overnight at Baan Amphawa Resort and Spa. Day 2 Samut Songkram – Phetchaburi 06:00 We offer alms to Buddhist monks at the resort. Breakfast at the resort’s restaurant. 09:00 By van, we start our journey along the *“ Salt Road* ” to visit the Salt Learning School and learn about traditional methods of producing salt from sea water. The Center is one of 6 Universities of Local Wisdom and Knowledge, which exist to support the transmission of cultural heritage to the next generation, especially local Thai children who lack opportunities. 10:00 Proceeding along the “Salt Road” we see lots of salt farming, local food stalls, dried fish and strange multi-storey buildings which are homes for thousands of swiftlets whose nests are made of solidified saliva and are the basic ingredients of ”Bird’s nest soup” an expensive favourite dish for Chinese. 10:45 A stop will be made at Wat Nai Klang where you will see a beautiful Thai style House dismantled from the old capital city and assembled here by the command of King Taksin the Great in order to thank to the people of Ban Laem who looked after his Royal Mother during the war. 11:15 We proceed to Banlad district in Phetchaburi. 12.15 Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. 13.15 Depart for *Tambon Ban Thamrong, Ban Lad District in Phetchaburi Province , famous for traditional Thai Desserts as there are a lot of sugar palm trees that stand side by side in rice fields. The sugar palm tree is economically useful to the locals as it can produce many items such as fresh sugar juice, authentic palm sugar, young palm seeds, toddy palm cake, palm seed in syrup, palm-leave hat, palm-wood containers, etc 13:30 At Ban Thamrong, we make a quick visit to a sugar palm tree plantation to learn more about sugar palm trees. Then, we drive through agro-forestry to local houses where we see the daily work of utilizing sugar palms. Besides yielding sugar, Ban Thamrong has various occupational groups, providing a great number of products and benefits to the villagers such as producing chili paste, Lod Chong ice-cream, basketry, cock farms etc. 14.15 Practise palm leave weaving at Uncle Pud ‘s house 15:00 We proceed to Petchvarin Resort and Spa, a Greenleaf Foundation smoke free hotel, set amidst tropical forest on the bank of Phetchburi River . 16:00 Arrive and check in at Petchvarin Resort and Spa. Free time and relax. 19:00 Dinner at the resort. Overnight at Petchvarin Resort and Spa. Day 3 Phetchaburi - Bangkok (or extend to your Beach Holiday)* 08:00 Breakfast at the resort’s restaurant 09:00 Check out and depart for the *Wildlife* *Rescue Center* . 09:30 Arrive at the Center. Visit to Wildlife Hospital . See how officers work to rescue wildlife injured by people who captured them as pets. 10:30 Depart for Wattana Garden in Cha-Am to see a variety of flowers in culinary art and drinks. 11.45 Arrive at Wattana Garden- an open private garden. Enjoy short course of cooking with freshly picked flowers, tasting drinks and various products from fruits and flowers. 12:00 Lunch at a local restaurant. p.m. Transfer to Bangkok or proceed to hotel in Cha – Am / Hua Hin for your beach holidays. Service and Sustainability Highlights in Central Thailand BANG PHLAP COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM A shady retreat from the heat of Bangkok and a serene picture of traditional central Thai life – teak Thai houses set amongst verdant fruit orchards Visit the mixed organic orchards and enjoy tasting rare species of delicious Thai fruits - pomello, rose apple, lychee, mango, coconut and other seasonal fruits Villagers have established an organisation to manage community-based, eco and agro tourism, and welcome visitors who wish to explore local ways of life and learn how to put the Thai King’s sufficiency philosophy into practice Welcome tourists and students from Thailand and around the world THE THAI SWEETS VILLAGE, THE SALT TRAIL AND BAN THUMRONG COMMUNITY Benefits the local economy and preserves local knowledge for future generations Womens’ group produce traditional Thai sweets, based on Royal history The Salk Learning Center teaches disadvantaged students for free Women of the Kanghunthong Sea Salt Occupation Group are trained to provide Thai massage, and use salt products to create innovative spa treatments Ban Thumrong is a learning centre for traditional occupations. There are many community groups where guests can see local production processes. Ban Amphawa Resort and Spa Web site: http://www.baanamphawa.com/ Green Leaf hotel on the bank of the Mae Klong River, elegant haven in a lush tropical garden… blending traditional Thai architecture with contemporary luxury… the perfect hideaway to avoid Thailand’s mass tourism Conserves traditional Thai acrchitecture, in harmony with nature Policy to use local products and services, and employ local people Energy saving measures and uses EM to clean the river naturally Petchvarin Resort and Spa Web site: http://www.petchvarinresort.com/ A Green Leaf Smoke Free hotel Policy to use local products Tree planting project together with the local community – we pay for the shoots