Thanatorn Orange Farm: Apples of Orange
One of the most beautiful trips through Thailand always starts with Tha Ton for me. This small place is located in the north of Thailand just above Fang.
You can get there by bus from the Chang Phuak bus station in Chiang Mai in about 4 hours. Buses run every day from 6 am to 15.00 pm to the small town on the river Mae Kok.
There are more than enough cheap and decent accommodation options in Tha Ton. It is a small place and getting lost is out of the question.
A difficult decision
In Tha Ton you will be faced with a difficult choice, because there are two fantastic options for continuing to Chiang Rai journey. Close to the bridge, a slender narrow boat departs every day at around XNUMX:XNUMX for an unforgettable trip across the Mae Kok River to Chiang Rai.
The other option is to make the approximately 90 kilometers, and also breathtaking drive, to Chiangrai by bus or car. Try to drive via the picturesque route along Mae Salong, which is located 40 kilometers from Tha Ton. Both trips are highly recommended and for me personally the pinnacle of northern Thailand.
Orange plantation
Whatever decision you make, make sure you arrive in Tha Ton in time to visit another attraction in the afternoon. Close to Tha Ton is a fantastically beautiful orange plantation listening to the name Thanatorn Orange Farm.
At first you may also think; what the hell is so special about that? A thought that also occurred to me on the several times that I drove past it without thinking. At the entrance along the road there are sales stalls where mandarins and oranges are offered for sale. In fact, nothing special because driving through Thailand you will often find these kinds of outlets.
Surprising
However, when you go inside you will really be in for a surprise. Before your eyes unfolds as far as you can see a beautiful extremely modern, fantastically maintained and beautifully landscaped orange plantation. For a small fee you can take a tour through the vast plantation with a kind of boat on wheels.
Too bad the explanation is only in Thai, but looking around you can really enjoy a lot of beautiful things. You can see that people are working here with love for their profession. Beautifully laid out and clean wide paths separate the many fields with the apples of orange.
Via the company's website, which is also entirely in Thai, I found out that the nursery consists of two large areas, 700 and 450 hectares respectively. More than 40 different types of oranges and mandarins are grown here.
When you arrive at the top of the sloping slope, you have a beautiful panoramic view of the whole and the apples of orange are accompanied by colorful flowers and a beautifully landscaped pond. The whole flows into a natural grove.
Thanatorn Orange Farm is well worth a visit.
Yes, I have been there and will go again in September. The hotel from 350 bht is clean with air conditioning. And of course there are also better hotels. I myself also saw an Orange plantation there, but due to sad circumstances it was completely destroyed. The farmer died and no skill with the bereaved. I also did that boat trip. Unfortunately in Aug and Sep it is a bit expensive because there are no tourists who also want to make the trip, you only pay the rent of the boat. After some negotiation 1200 Bht. Stayed in Chiangrai for a few days. And then with a local bus through the mountains back to Thaton you have to transfer. Very nice you are sitting with a bale of rice or other groceries between your legs from the people who have been to a market. And the last 2 hours of the ride is amazing what a nature. Try it to sit at the exit entrance because then you have a good view otherwise you look at the roof of the van because of our length. You will be checked twice on your papers. and drugs. Now just wait 24-8 I'm going again. First to my friend Jan who lives in Chiangmai and then to ICC to do my humane duty ICC which is an orphanage just above Chiangmai. And then on to Thaton.
This orange plantation is really worth a visit. I had an interpreter with me at the time, so I understood everything. The plantation is laid out according to Feng shui rules.