Hey allโผ๏ธย How have you spent your 2018 year end breakโโ๏ธ
SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ปย would like to sharing ๐ฉ๐ปโ๐ป๐ about her 2018 year end travelling ๐๐ถ๐๐งข with Take Me Tour, Thailand ๐น๐ญ
Pick 1๏ธโฃ ~ย Samut Sakhon from Bangkok: Salt Farm Tour & Homemade Seafood ~ย
Yes โ , she ๐ฉ๐ป has booked ๐ฉ๐ปโ๐ป๐ more than a tour…do stay tune for her next blogging ya ๐ฉ๐ปโ๐ป๐
Actually not just a wide variety of day tours, Take Me Tour also providing private car ๐๐ airport transfer โ๏ธ, SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป has booked ๐ฉ๐ปโ๐ป๐โ for a few & really impressed ๐๐ป๐คฉ with its reliable, safe & comfy ride ๐๐ to/ from Don Mueangย International Airport โ๏ธ
Do consider for your convenience especially with night ๐๐๐ฌ arrival ya
Before she ๐ฉ๐ป has decided on this tour, she ๐ฉ๐ป has read ๐ about the local expert of this said tour named Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธย who has introduced herself as a wanderer in this small village & then become a close friend to many villagers ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ
During the tour, SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป has observed that Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธย really having a great ๐๐ป relationship with the villagers ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ซ & communicating well ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ค๐ฅ with them. Definitely a strong healthy bonding ๐๐ป๐ค & friendship being built, bravo ๐๐ป๐๐ป to her ๐๐ปโโ๏ธโผ๏ธ
She ๐ฉ๐ป also truly believes that Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธhas chosen โ to lead this day tour to introduce to all guests ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ about this small village in a less travelledย province ~ Samut Sakhon, Thailand ๐น๐ญ i.e. from the salt water ๐ฆ๐ง gate, mangrove forest ๐ณ๐ณ , salt farm, home made seafoods ๐ฝ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ etc.
Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธย also aims to help to boost โฌ๏ธ the economy of this small village & increase โฌ๏ธ the earning power ๐ฐ of the villagers ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฌ here especially during the raining โ๏ธ๐ง season where most of the salt farmers here will be experiencing the low โฌ๏ธ salt harvesting
Hmm…How’s this day tour thoughoutโโ๏ธ
She ๐ฉ๐ป woke up early that morning ๐ ๐ & went for a local Thai “bak kut teh” breakfast ๐๐คค , a non-halal dish ~ herb pork ๐๐ท๐ฝ soup ๐ฒ๐ฅฃ served with riceย ๐๐๐คค It’s just a stall outside of a local Thai ๐น๐ญ๐ซ‘s home ๐ ๐ก & within walking ๐ถ๐ปโโ๏ธ distance fromย her hotelย ๐ขย namedย Bangkok Loft Innย
This hotel ๐ข is located at๐55 Somdet Phra Chao Taksin Rd., Bangyeerua, Thonburi, Bangkok 10600, Thailand ๐น๐ญ A nice ๐๐ป comfy stay ๐๐ฟ๐ฝwith its strategic location๐ i.e. 5๏ธโฃmins walking ๐ถ๐ปโโ๏ธ distance to the Wongwian Yai BTS skytrain station ๐, very convenient ๐๐ More details for your hotel booking ๐ฉ๐ปโ๐ป๐จ๐ปโ๐ป๐ via ๐ http://www.bangkokloftinn.com/ย
After breakfast ๐ฝ๐ด๐๐คค, she ๐ฉ๐ป then proceeded ๐ถ๐ปโโ๏ธto take the BTS skytrain ๐ from Wongwian Yai station ๐ย Oppsss…Too early arrival ๐ ๐ atย BTS stationย named Wutthakat ๐, not because of the time difference ya…
Yesโ , she was about 1๏ธโฃ hour early from meet up @ 9๏ธโฃam to meet up with Khun Hansaย ๐๐ปโโ๏ธย as stated in her Take Me Tour booking ๐ Just too excited ๐ for the day tour, Ha…Ha…Don’t laugh ๐๐ at her ya
Yeahโผ๏ธ A very niceย ๐๐ปย morningย ๐ ๐ย view with riverย ๐ฆ๐ง, long boatย ๐ถย & watย โฉย from the BTS stationย ๐ย during her wait for the meet up ๐ฉ๐ป๐๐ปโโ๏ธ
Hmm…She ๐ฉ๐ป was a bit lazy, else she would have walk๐ถ๐ปโโ๏ธto visit this wat ย โฉย nearby that morning ๐ ๐ Instead she ๐ฉ๐ป seated down in the BTS station ๐ & then logged in to her social medias ๐ฑ & catching up with her friends & family members ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌย with her new ๐ ย Thai simcard named DTAC , more details via ๐ย http://www.dtac.co.th/en/home.html
Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธย was early to arrive too, so both ๐ฉ๐ป๐๐ปโโ๏ธ then started this day tour slightly early that the scheduled time of 9๏ธโฃam
Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธย is so friendly & shares the same travel passion as SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป, hence lots of common interest to chit chat ๐ฃ๐ค about during their approximately 30mins journey ๐ to Samut Sakhon province, also known by the locals as “Maha Chai” ๐
Both happily ๐ exchanged lots of respective travel stories, always a nice ๐๐ป meet & catch up with a travel lover during travel journeys ๐
As you have reading ๐ her earlier blogging ๐ฉ๐ปโ๐ป๐ here, she ๐ฉ๐ป has visited plenty of mangrove parks ๐ณ๐ณ in her home country ~ Malaysia ๐ฒ๐พ
However, this is SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป‘s 1๏ธโฃst visit to a Thailand ๐น๐ญ‘s natural coastal mangrove forest ๐ณ๐ณ,ย a home to a wide variety of birds ๐ฆ ๐ฆ & mudskippers ๐๐ & along the Gulf of Thailand ๐๐น๐ญ
Oppsss…The mudskippers ๐๐ here are fat & huge, it was high tides ๐ during her visit, so not able โ to note the colourful Hermit crabs ๐๐ฆcrawling on the muddy field ๐โบ๏ธ
Not to missed a visit to its mini museum / perhaps more to a conservation project centre ๐๐ with a collection of whale ๐๐ณ skeletons, details about some small animals lived in this forest ๐ณ๐ณ before as well asย some its on-going marine conservation initiatives ๐๐๐ here i.e. mangrove trees planting ๐ณ๐ณ, a bamboo ๐๐ border project to avoid further water ๐ฆ๐ง & soil erosion to this forest ๐ณ๐ณ etc.
These eco ๐๐ sustainable initiatives aim to buidling the bamboo borders ๐๐ within the mangrove forest ๐ณ๐ณ were observed by SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป during her visit to protect the mangroves ๐ณ being sapling from the sea waves ๐ ‘ destruction, then soil erosion ๐ง๐ฒ๐
Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธย also into eco tourism ๐ & a green person as SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป,ย so they have more conversational topics ๐ฃ๐ค Ha…Ha…it’s rare to meet a new friend ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ with similar travel & conservation passionate ๐
She ๐ฉ๐ป has shared a recent sad ๐ news ๐๐ฐ of the high โฌ๏ธ potential of the de-gazette โ of Pulau Kukup Johor National Park ๐ดย to Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ during this day tour, you may check out this said dissappointingย ๐ย online newsย ๐ฉ๐ปโ๐ป๐จ๐ปโ๐ป๐๐ฐย viaย ๐https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/12/05/why-did-johor-quietly-degazette-pulau-kukup-national-park-asks-lawyers/
SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป has wrote ๐ฉ๐ปโ๐ป๐ about this Pulau Kukup Johor National Parkย ๐ด via link ๐ https://siennylovesdrawing.wordpress.com/2018/02/18/traveloguemalaysia-pulau-kukup-tanjung-piai/
Guess whatโโ๏ธ
Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธnot just a great ๐๐ป local expert in sharing her knowledge about this village, she is also a great photographer ๐ธ
Special thank you ๐๐ป for theย beautiful ๐ photos ๐ธ of SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป during this mangrove forest ๐ณ๐ณ walk๐ถ๐ปโโ๏ธya ๐ค
Next, Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธย also brought her to a local cafe ๐ฝโ๏ธย (Hmm…In Thai name which SiennyLovesDrawing is unable to share the name, refer photo below for the cafe details) by her friend named Joy ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ & her adorable shy daughter named Minnie ๐ง๐ป It was a pleasure to meet them & had a quick chit chat about Joy ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ’s recent visit to her orchard plantation ๐ฑ๐ฟ in Central of Thailand ๐น๐ญ , she plants ๐ฑ๐ฟ for macadomia nuts ๐ฅ , coffee trees โ๏ธ๐ณ, pineapples ๐ etc. Love ๐ all the photos ๐ธ๐ฑ shared by Joy ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ, you will definitely note her passion in plantations ๐๐ฑ๐ฟ
This cafe ๐ฝโ๏ธ is located๐next to a river ๐ฆ๐ง, it’s really relaxing ๐ to dine ๐ฝ here to enjoy ๐๐คค the canal view. She ๐ฉ๐ป had a Thai tea ice stick โ๏ธ๐ฆas well as try stir fried fresh vegetables ๐ฅ planted by Joy ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ with sardines ๐, yummy delicious ๐๐คคโผ๏ธ
She ๐ฉ๐ป has observed during the car ๐ journey towards the salt farm that some of the farmers ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฌ here busy hand picking cockles ๐ in the farms ๐
Yeahโผ๏ธ Next, she ๐ฉ๐ป has proceeded to visit the salt farm ๐
Yes โ , the highlight โจof this tour & she ๐ฉ๐ป has been long awaited for. Hmm….Whyโโ๏ธ
This is because she ๐ฉ๐ป wanted to visit salt farm in Kampot village, Cambodia ๐ฐ๐ญ during her Phnom Penh trip in Nov. However, due to a last mins plan, no โ hotel available ๐ข as it was the annual water ๐ฆ๐ง festival celebration ๐๐ , so SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป was forced to cancel โ the Kampot visit plan, hence no โ chance to have her 1๏ธโฃst visit to a salt farm ๐๐
Everything happens for a reason, then this Take Me Tour booking ๐ฉ๐ปโ๐ป๐โ has now fulfilled ๐๐ her wish to visit a salt farm, so happy ๐โผ๏ธ
Salt farming is seasonal & visiting during the dry season between January to April would capture the best view ๐๐ป๐
Sea water ๐ฆ๐ง is 1๏ธโฃst being pumping into the farms.ย Then, the sea water ๐ฆ๐งwill be evaporated over a period of time, the layers of salt will be manually collected by the salt farmers ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ
She ๐ฉ๐ป has met with the salt farmers ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ’ family, learnt & discovered how the salt formed & also enjoy a home cooked lunch ๐ฝ๐ดwith the top ๐๐ปnotch salt & fresh seafood ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ served from the salt farm to table ๐๐คค
Do click inโ๐ปto SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป’s IG photos album ๐ธ of her salt farm visit & delicious ๐๐คค home cooked seafood dining ya ๐ฝ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฆ๐
Curious ๐ค about the home-cooked dishes that she ๐ฉ๐ป has enjoyed ๐๐คคโโ๏ธ
Salt-Baked Seafood ~ Flower crab ๐ฆ , prawns ๐ฆ & sea bass ๐
What’s the best ๐๐ปway to enjoy fresh seafoods๐ฆ๐ฆ๐โโ๏ธ
Of course not โ to fried them, but to steamed them โจ๏ธ๐ฆ๐ง
Hmm…Not just that, SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป has just learnt a new ๐ home cooked style i.e. to salt-baked the fresh seafoods ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐
Her 1๏ธโฃst salt-baked dining experience ๐ฝ๐๐คค & she ๐ฉ๐ป loves ๐ so much as she gets to taste the original sweetness of the seafoods ๐๐ป
How to eat the flower crab ๐ฆ the local way ๐ฝ๐น๐ญโโ๏ธ
Do click inโ๐ปto this short clip ย ๐น๐ฅย captured while Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ was explaining to her how to enjoy crab ๐ฆ the local Thai way ๐น๐ญ๐ฝ๐๐คค
She ๐ฉ๐ป loves ๐ this dish the most as she loves to enjoy fresh seafoods ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐
Ohh ya…No need โ to worry as this salt-baked style will not make the seafoods taste too salty to dine ya ๐๐ป๐๐คค
Fresh & tasty delicious ๐๐คค , she has missed this dish the most from this day tourโผ๏ธ๐
You may opt to enjoy the seafoods either by dipping with the home made spicy ๐ถ sauce or not
Seepweed Leaf Salad ๐ฅ with Sauteed Dried Shrimps ๐ฆ
This seepweed aka suaeda plants ๐ฟ only grow next to a salt farm, wow ๐ฒโผ๏ธ
Another 1๏ธโฃst tasting ๐๐คค experience of this green vegetable ๐ฟ๐ฅ, actually not just green, it’s also in purple colour ๐
The darker the purple ๐ of the seepweed ๐ฟ, it signifies the higher โฌ๏ธ of the salt concentrate as observed from her salt farm visit ๐
Guess whatโโ๏ธ
A special local Thai ๐น๐ญ way to enjoy this salad ๐ฅ dish, do click inโ๐ปfor a short clipย ๐น๐ฅย captured from Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ’s demo during the lunch๐ฝ๐ด
The coconut ๐ด๐ฅฅ milk ๐ฅ & lime juice ๐ blends well ๐๐ป with the seepweed๐ฟ๐ฅ, then the crispy crunchy dried shrimp ๐ฆ add the boost โฌ๏ธ to its overall taste in a spoonful ๐ฅ So satisfied to enjoy this salad ๐ฅ๐คค๐
Seepweed ๐ฟ Leaf Curry with Oysters ๐๐
Very appetitive ๐คค curry fragrance to enjoy, especially the fresh oysters ๐ taste so sweet in this curry๐
SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป not really an oyster fan, however she loves ๐ the original sweetness of the fresh oysters in this dish ๐๐๐คค
Fried Rice ๐ with Crab ๐ฆ Roes
It served with a small bowl of spicy ๐ถ seafood dipping sauce, specially for spicy lovers โค๏ธ
SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป has enjoyed the original taste of this fried rice ๐ , as you all are aware she is never a spicy lover โ๐ถ
Fresh vegetables ๐ฅ๐ฅ & fresh Thai mangoes served with sea salt dip too
After satisfied delicious ๐๐คค tasty local homemade seafood lunch ๐ฝ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ served, she went to have a walk ๐ถ๐ปโโ๏ธin the salt farm with Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ
Ohh ya…A reminder ๐ for sun โ๏ธ๐ protection during this tour, do wear comfy clothing ๐๐, bring a hat ๐/ cap ๐งข, sun โ๏ธ๐ screen, sun glasses ๐ถ, sandals ๐ก/ washable shoes ๐ Or you may borrow from the salt farmers ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ
Definitely worth your time to enjoy a slow pace walk ๐ถ๐ปโโ๏ธin the salt farm, you will observe the a few of the salt farms with salt starting to crystallize ๐ ๐ Wow ๐ฒโผ๏ธ
During her visit, no small pyramids ๐ผ of salt being piled up as it was in between dry โ๏ธ & raining โ๏ธ๐ง season, so the salt harvesting not as great this season
SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป also personally observed how the locals handpicked ๐๐ป & performed the salt grading ๐ข too. Definitely great ๐๐ป eye sight ๐๐๐ is required for this manual process โ
She ๐ฉ๐ป also visited a traditional salt storage & learning how the salt farm is being formed & then harvested from the salt farmers/ local communities ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ
Before you left the salt farm & headed back to Bangkok city ๐๐, you may shopping ๐๐ for some salt products e.g. sea salt, soap etc. which produced by the locals as souvenirs ๐ for friends & family members ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ซ
Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ is very friendly, willing to share & helpful as she has patiently helped SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป to askโ& communicate ๐ฃ๐ฅ a numbers of questionsโโin Thai ๐น๐ญ to the villagers during this day tour ๐ฌ๐ซ๐ญ
Highly recommended๐๐ปif you are looking for a quick getaway fromย Bangkok, a peaceful village, to observe & experiencing the local agriculture ๐ lifestyle at salt farm, then dining for fresh home cooked seafood ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐, this day tour would be your pick โ
You may experiencing a natural sea ๐ salt foot ๐ฃ spa here by just walking ๐ถ๐ปโโ๏ธ๐ถ๐ปโโ๏ธ in the salt farm bed with bare foot ๐ฃ
Do sign up โ this day tour with Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ, it definitely worth your time ๐๐คฉ
Truly an eye ๐๐๐ opening experience to discover & learnt much more about the secret of sea salt production as well as an exclusive โค๏ธ chance to savour the homemade seafood ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐from salt farm prepared by the local villagers๐ญ๐ซ๐ฌ
SiennyLovesDrawing ๐ฉ๐ป has created her vlog ๐น๐ฅ๐ about thisย perfect ๐๐ป slow pace private tour ๐ with Khun Hansa ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ, the local expert with an escape from the busy Bangkok city ๐๐to a less travelled province in Thailand ๐น๐ญ , do enjoy her visual ๐ฅ๐น experience captured ya ๐๐คฉ
Are you now interested for a tour with local experiences, to support nature ecotourismย ๐๐ย & local communityย ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซโโ๏ธ
If yes, do enjoy a 500 THB discountย โฌ๏ธย for yourย 1๏ธโฃst booking viaย ๐http://takeme.tours/r/sienny-yย ๐
Also welcome ๐ค to check out SiennyLovesDrawingย ๐ฉ๐ปย โs top contributorย ๐๐ปย account viaย ๐https://www.tripadvisor.com.my/members/siennylovesdrawingย forย her recent reviews on the Thailand ๐น๐ญ โs tourist attractions, food & accommodation stay yaย ๐ฉ๐ปโ๐ป๐
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