Nakhon Pathom Day Trip : Lotus Farm, Paddy Fields, Floating Market and More !

With the weather said to be getting cooler, let’s escape the tall buildings and noisy traffic of Bangkok to  Klong MahaSawat canal in Nakhon Pathom area. For this trip , if you drive, you can also make a stop at the Lum Phaya weekend floating market.

We took our bicycles with us and parked at Wat Suwan temple. However, if you like to spend time on your bicycle a lot, it will be more fun to park at Phuttamonthon Park. After you explore the park,  you can ride across a pedestrian overpass to Mahidol University. Then, you can bike through this bicycle-friendly uni to Klong MahaSawat. ( please refer to map below)

Actually, at Wat Suwan , you can get a boat and go to all the places we bike to via the canal. Interesting things we found around Wat Suwan temple :

a mechanical shaved ice machine. Still in use !

Cola. It’s called R.C., like ,  ar-sey ??

There’s a small railway station at Wat Suwan. Nice quiet place to practice photo taking. If you are there at the right time, you’ll get to see a retro-looking train pass by.

We carried our bikes across the canal and  first stop was the orchid farm :

We have a kid with us who won’t let us take his photo 🙂  Outside the farm is a produce stall , you can get fresh coconut water here. Those rose apples are very tempting :

We turned around and found the orchid with the rice plantation. They’ll let you ride on their tractor for like 10 baht, I think, but that day it was in use. The lady let us ride our bikes inside though :

Rice is harvested around end of November till January, so this is a good time to visit. This area is developed as a part of a Royal project. Back then the farmers here were very poor as they do just one rice crop per year. Our late King gave them land and taught them mixed farming, which is now popularly known as sustainable farming. The farmers divide up the land using one third for planting rice, another third for a water pond, and the remaining for growing fruit trees , vegetables and for living. The water pond can be used as a water reservoir and they can raise fish in them too. Around the pond they grow herbs to deter soil erosion. They then eat what they grow and sell the surplus at local markets.

This brings us to the lotus farm who was awarded a red “sala ” ( pavilion ) for generating the most income. If you go early you see how the lotus flowers are harvested. There is also a boat you can paddle in.

By now you would be hungry. So you can drive to Lum Phaya Weekend floating market. Right next to the market is a riverside restaurant that serves coffee  called Tree and Tide. It’s good and many thoughts are put into presenting the dishes :

We were low on sugar that day. The bonus of ordering the flower pot dessert is you get to take the pot home and they also throw in a spade and some seeds … for growing a tree !

After that you can walk to the floating market for some shopping ,eh ?

The map is down below and if you visit these places ,  tell me about it !