There's really so much more to visit and to explore in Thailand that one visit will never be enough. That is why we're so happy that we're back again in Thailand few weeks ago for an Amazing Thailand experience in Ratchaburi and Chiang Mai. This is through the invitation of TakeMeTour, LocalTable, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand to let us experience more activities and the culture outside the capital city of Bangkok.
Ratchaburi Day Tour from Bangkok
For our first activity, we had an amazing Ratchaburi Province day tour. From The Spades Hostel in Bangkok where we are staying, we were fetched by our local guide whom we booked through the TakeMeTour website. The Inherit the Pottery Traditions and Taste Noodles Cooked in Dragon Jars local tour is organized by TakeMeTour's local expert Prayuth, or you may also call him "Tommy" to easily remember it. He's a young, nice man who is very enthusiastic and very eager on sharing the experience with us. He knows a lot about Ratchaburi because his family came from this province and he knows a lot about the local culture, traditions, and where is the best place to eat local dishes.
Located about 80 kilometers west of Bangkok, Ratchaburi Province is situated right by the Mae Klong River and parts of the province border with Myanmar. Best known for the Damnoen-Saduak Floating Market; but aside from that there are many interesting sites and things to do in Ratchaburi which makes it an ideal day tour destination for tourists looking for a different adventure outside Bangkok. With this, let me share to you some of the most popular things to do in Ratchaburi that we visited and was curated by TakeMeTour's local expert.
Visit Coconut Plantation and Learn Coconut Sugar Making
After driving for about 1.5 hours from Bangkok, we arrived in Ratchaburi and visited a Coconut Plantation where we saw how the locals make Coconut Sugar. We also visited a traditional Thai house and have a taste of fresh coconuts. There's also a small shop where they sell products made from coconuts and a souvenir shop where you could buy something to bring back home to your family and friends.
Coconut Plantation
Coconut Sugar Making
Learning more about coconut sugar with our local expert Tommy
The huge traditional Thai house
Some items for sale made from coconut
Souvenir Shop!
Refreshing coconut juice!
Explore Khao Ngu Stone Park
We then drove to Khao Ngu Stone Park which gives a welcoming break from the usual sightseeing activities. This scenic attraction will let you enjoy nature, climb the platform to have an overlooking view of the park, have a leisurely walk along the promenade, cross a hanging bridge, and see the monkeys. You can also rent a pedal boat and enjoy the charm and serene vibe of the place.
It is not frequented by hoards of tourists which adds to it charming ambiance. For those who love nature and enjoy it with less crowd, visiting the Khao Ngu Stone Park will surely be a memorable experience.
Eat at a Local Restaurant
After spending our time at Khao Ngu Stone Park, Tommy brought us to Guay Tiew Ong which is dragon jar-themed restaurant. It's the locals' favorite restaurant serving delicious noodles cooked in dragon jars. This local dish of chewy fresh noodles cooked in dragon jar has Pork Rinds and Vegetables in mouthwatering soup. We had a huge bowl of noodle soup which the three of us happily shared.
Why cooked in dragon jars? Because Ratchaburi is known for its many places that makes these dragon jars. I'll share more of this in the next item, so keep reading below.
Learn the Art of Pottery
As I've mentioned, Ratchaburi is known for its dragon jars. So, after our sumptuous lunch at Guay Tiew Ong we visited Pottery Legend Factory and had a very insightful tour of the facility. They have a small museum where they showcase different old dragon jars as well as the history of these jars.
The superior quality of the clay found in Ratchaburi has allowed production of quality ceramics and pottery which makes them famous for water jars containing designs of the mythical dragon also called "Naga". This technique of making earthen jars were brought to Thailand from ancient China when the first Chinese settlers visited Thailand. In the olden days, these earthen jars are very important as it is used in keeping water and also as a container to preserve food. They are also used in fermentation when making the famous fish sauce which is a very popular ingredient in Thai cooking.
They also have a workshop area where we got dirty and tried our hand in pottery making. We had so much fun molding clay and also got amazed by the demonstration of their master potter showing us jar molding and designing the dragon jars. This is where we spent most of our time during our Ratchaburi day tour because there are so many things to do at the pottery workshop. I'm quite sure, you'll also enjoy your time here.
Overall, we had an amazing time in Ratchaburi, Thailand. We learned a lot of things, enjoy the scenery, and of course induldged on great tasting local dishes. I highly recommend our local expert / tour guide Tommy to take you there! You may reach him through the TakeMeTour's website.
Ratchaburi Day Tour Itinerary
- 08:00 AM - Meet up at hotel lobby (in Bangkok area)
- 09:30 AM - Arrive at the coconut farm. It's an amazing place where you will learn how to make coconut sugar. We'll also visit the traditional Thai house and enjoy fresh coconuts.
- 10:30 AM - Head to Khao Ngu Stone Park, a nice place with mountains, lakes, caves and lots and lots of monkeys.
- 12:00 NN - Lunch time. Since Ratchaburi is the land of dragon jars, we'll have special noodles cooked in these jars and other delicious food.
- 01:00 PM - Arrive at Ratchaburi's legendary pottery. Have fun with molding clay yourself and enjoy the demonstration of jar molding and patterning.
- 03:00 PM - Head back to your hotel. If you visit on a weekend, you can also add Amphawa Floating Market in Samut Songkhram in your itinerary.
Travel Tips:
- Wear breathable clothes and comfortable shoes. There will be some walking at the Khao Ngu Stone Park.
- To stay connected to the internet while in Thailand, be sure to buy a local 4g SIM card with unlimited data that you can easily claim at the airport. Most recommended is the Happy Tourist SIM from dtac. Amazingly, mobile data signal in Ratchaburi in quite good.
- For your accommodation in Bangkok, I highly recommend The Spades Hostel if you're on a budget. But if you want to splurge a bit, check out the newly-opened Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 4 located at the heart of Bangkok.
- For cheap flights to Bangkok, Air Asia has daily flights from Manila or Cebu to Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) in Bangkok. Be sure to book it in advance to save on airfare expenses.
- For safe and convenient transfer from Don Mueang Airport (DMK) to you hotel in Bangkok, you can also book a private car transfer, as well as your airport transfer from your hotel in Bangkok to DMK airport with TakeMeTour.
how much is this tour?
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