 |
|
|
|
|
Agricultural Products & Seafood
Shrimp Farms, Fruit Farms, Pumpkins
There are a few shrimp farms and exotic tropical fruit farms in the region. If you ever get a chance, they make for an
interesting visit.
shrimp farm
The province of Phang Nga as a whole, is famous for its shrimp paste, called kapi, which comes in several styles (eg. Kapi from the islands of Ko Yao and Ko Panyee).
Also popular is goong siab, which is dried shrimp eaten with a kapi based spicy condiment called nam prik.
These items can be found in local stores and markets.
For pumpkin lovers, there is actually a popular hybrid winter squash called Thai Muang Squash (Genus: Cucucurbita Species: Maxima Cultivar: Thai Muang ).
This hybrid variety produces medium-sized fruits in flat shape, which have rought textured dark green skin and bright yellow flesh inside.
The dense flesh is very sweet and well flavored, excellent for soups. The plant grows vigorously in warm climates and is very productive.
Fruits are 2-3 Kgs. in size and can be ready for harvest in 85-90 days. Most winter squash need curing before they reach peak flavour.
Since it is a hybrid, the plant does not set seed, and/or the flowers are sterile, and/or the plants will not come true from seed.
Thai Muang squash (pumpkin)
Other popular Thai winter squash are the Cucurbita moschata - Thai small pumpkin and Thai large pumpkin - but these are non-hybrid varieties.
Artificial Flowers
Phang Nga is also famous for Artificial Flowers which are ingeniously conceived and handmade by women in the different tambon villages. They are made from rubber tree leaves and fish scales.
This meticulous form of handcraft has been handed down for generations. Originally they were made from items such as lotus tissue.
|
|
WaterFalls
There are several beautiful and picturesque waterfalls in the vicinity. Please refer to our National Park guides for more details.
To summarise:
Khao LamPi National Park
|
Nam Tok Lampi
Nam Tok Ton Phrai |
- close to km 32 marker on route 4
- 7 km from km 29 marker on route 4 |
Lam Pi waterfall
|
KhaoLak LamRu National Park
|
Ton Pling
Chong Fah
Hin Lad
Lam Ru
Sang Fong |
- just south of HQ
- 10kms from Khaolak
- approach via Kapong
- approach via Kapong
- west of Kapong (not in official park) |
|
Ton Pling waterfall Khao Lak
Hot Springs
Ban Bo Dan hot springs are located a few kilometers south of Thai Muang town at Ban Bo Dan in Tambol Na Toey.
The waters have quite a high mineral content, including calcium and sodium, and also various iodides and chlorides, and are of course popular for relieving stress, arthritis
and promoting skin care.
One can just lie there for hours and soak up the goodness!
The springs are open for bathing and soaking daily from 06.00 hrs to 21.00 hrs, and the service costs something like just 10 baht.
The location is equipped with a swimming pool and spa. A long sandy beach is close by.
Directions: If travelling from Phuket, proceed north on route 4 past the Klok Kloy intersection. At approx kilometer marker 6, take the turning
next to Ban Bo Dan school and proceed for about 3 km.
|
|
|
| | |
|
Conservation Centre of HRH Princess Chulabhorn Undersea Park Project
This centre is close to Thap Lamu pier, provides knowledge and information on undersea natural environment and its resources.
The exhibits demonstrate the value and importance of undersea natural resources and environment, the new aspects of marine eco-tourism, and the wonders of the undersea world.
The two storey building has an exhibition hall, performance sala, meeting room, dining room, and rooms displaying the work of Princess Chulabhorn.
The exhibition hall itself has 4 rooms detailing the Chulabhorn Projects origins, the importance of undersea resources and environment, new ideas in undersea eco-tourism, and an exhibit of artworks focusing on undersea world themes.
There is also an exhibit entitled Progress in Tourism Through Circulation of Information and Knowledge.
Tel: 076 443 299 and 076 443 300 for more information.
|
|
|
| | |
|
Royal Thai Navy's Third Fleet Sea Turtle Nursery
This nursery is at the naval base at Thap Lamu. Infant turtles from various areas on the Andaman seaboard are brought here, nursed along until strong enough to fend for themselves, then released into the sea.
One of the main such releasings takes place on the well known Turtle Releasing Festival at Thai Muang beach, several kilometers down the coast.
It is the country's most important such nursery on the Andaman coast.
Click here for more details on turtles
| |
|
| | |
|
Rubber Tapping Demonstration
The rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg is indigenous to the Amazon basin. During the nineteenth century, Brazil was the main supplier of hevea latex, which was collected through tapping of trees in the natural forest.
Rubber seedlings smuggled out of Brazil became the parent planting stock for all rubber plantations developed in Southeast Asian countries at the turn of the twentieth century.
The most important rubber producers today are in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia). Today Brazil plays an insignificant role in international markets.
Tapping of rubber trees starts in the fifth to seventh year after planting and then continues for 25 to 30 years. A special knife is used to incise the bark so as to wound the resin canals without damaging the cambium.
After 30 years, the tree suffers a decline in latex production - thus making further tapping of the trees uneconomic. The old trees are then removed and replaced with new seedlings.
A 30-year old cultivated rubber tree is about 30 m tall with an average branch-free bole of 3 m. The diameter at breast height (dbh) may reach about 30 cm. The stem tends to taper. Young rubber trees have a smooth brown-green bark.
At a typical rubber tapping demonstration, one can observe an expert use a special sickle to slice the bark of the rubber tree and let its milky sap trickle into a container. You can also consider asking for a crash course and have a try for yourself.
|
|
|
