Our trip to Phetchaburi was back in March.
Actually, we didn't plan to go see butterflies. That Saturday and Sunday, we were just going to visit a palm grove and go to the beach near Cha-am.
But then on Friday night, we saw a post on the Kaeng Krachan National Park page saying that the butterflies had started to arrive.
So we changed our minds. We wouldn't go to the beach. We'd go see the butterflies at Kaeng Krachan instead.

First, we stopped by the palm grove before checking into our accommodation, which we booked by phone while we were on the road.
We were pretty sure that it wasn't the tourist season, so we figured there would be vacancies for us to stay.
The next day, we went to see the butterflies.

Come along with us!

@ Uncle Thanom's Palm Grove

"When the sun is down and the wind is cool, the mind is at ease.
Travel to see the direction of the field in the middle of the way.
Throughout the country, the region of the region is flickering.
It seems to point to nothing but the palm tree.
Where they make palm sugar, a valuable resource.
With a knife tucked at the side like a soldier.
Long pole, step on the foot, climb up.
Palm barrels hanging, one for each person..."

#Nirat Mueang Phet #Sunthorn Phu

.......................................................

Let's go on a trip.

I can't remember which travel page I saw it on.

I thought to myself, "I've been to Phetchaburi many times, but I've never been here before."

Then let's do it.

Uncle Thanom's Palm Garden is located in Ban Lad, Phetchaburi. It is easily accessible and close to Bangkok.

**Uncle Thanom is a former village headman of Tham Rong Subdistrict, Ban Lat District.**

They are the owners of a palm orchard, which is probably the only large orchard remaining today.

This palm garden covers an area of over 10 rai. Uncle Thanom's palm garden is a learning and conservation center for local wisdom.

To let future generations see the value**

**Information from Google

Let me tell you, it's very shady and beautiful.

In the palm garden, there is a fresh sugar factory with an area for sitting and walking.

The wind is so cool and refreshing. It's amazing how the air circulates so well in this palm grove.

I don't know why, but I feel so refreshed.

We met Uncle Thanom, but we didn't talk much because he was in a hurry to go somewhere.

But I also spoke to his son, who seems to be the one looking after the palm orchard business.

Uncle's son is very welcoming and hospitable. He is super friendly.

Everyone who comes and goes is smiling brightly.

I am happy to answer any questions you may have.

You're inviting us to climb and collect sugar again?

Oh... what a pity if you dress a little tighter.

I would like everyone to visit.

This is a traditional way of life, which is becoming increasingly rare.

Go see the palm climbing, the boiling of fresh palm sugar, and experience the community way of life.

The Tal Garden is open every day. Admission is free.

There is a shop selling products made from palm sugar, so please support them.

Fresh from the tree, guaranteed no fakes.

Traveling is easy.

From Bangkok, head straight to Phetchaburi. When you reach the area around Tham Rong Subdistrict, Ban Lat District, you'll find...

There will be a U-turn under the bridge. Go under the bridge and turn left immediately.

Paddle along the canal, passing Wat Tham Rong.

Be careful driving lately, there are a lot of monkeys.

Drive a little further and you will find the wooden bridge in the picture on the right-hand side.

Then we turn left. When you reach the palm garden, turn right and go straight in.

Or….

If you go as a group to organize various learning activities,

For more information, please contact the Tham Rong Subdistrict Administrative Organization.

Tel. 0 3249 1467 or contact directly Uncle Thanom Phuengern Tel. 0 3244 0355 and 08 7800 7716

That's right, Uncle Thanom is riding his motorbike around.

Let's talk about accommodation.
After leaving the palm garden, it was already late evening, so we checked into our accommodation.
We called to book on the way, confident that it wasn't the tourist season, so there would be vacancies.
We've been to Kaeng Krachan many times before and never booked anywhere in advance, and there's always been a place to stay.
This time, we tried Viman Nam Resort.

Viman Nam is located on the banks of the Phetchaburi River.
To be honest, the rooms are nothing special.

What's special is the atmosphere around it is great for us.
The area is quite spacious, with lots of trees and flowers, quiet and undisturbed.

The riverside rooms are amazing, you can literally watch the river from your bed.
This zone is called "Red Elephant" and has 7 rooms.
They are named Red Elephant 1-7, I recommend Red Elephant 4 or 5, they have the best views.

We got Red Elephant 5, I was curious why they named it that but didn't ask, haha.

Other zones are located in the garden, and the prices vary, starting at 1,800.

The Red Elephant Zone room is 2,200.
If you're talking about the room itself, it's not really worth the price.
The room only has basic amenities,
which are a TV, refrigerator, water heater, and two bottles of drinking water.

But as I said, if you're going for the atmosphere, it's worth it.
Because the atmosphere is very good, the water is cool, clear, and clean.
It's perfect for soaking in.
The accommodation has life jackets and canoes. In the evening, you can play in the water, it's refreshing.
Oh, there are also bicycles to ride.

Let's talk about food.
This place is quite far from the city lights, so we left our stomachs in the hands of the resort's kitchen.
There were many delicious dishes to choose from at affordable prices.
We kept it simple and light so we could sleep comfortably. Just some tilapia, clear soup, and an omelet were enough.

The tilapia was huge and the meat was very sweet and fresh.
The chef told us it was a reservoir tilapia, not a farmed one.

Breakfast includes rice porridge with toppings and a set of fried eggs, ham, and sausages.
Drinks, bread, and fruits are self-service.
The rice porridge with toppings was delicious.

The breakfast spread was rather small, I'm not sure if it's because there weren't many customers.
When we went, there were only 2-3 occupied rooms.

Overall, we think it's okay.
The weather is very good, the wind is blowing all the time.
There are a lot of birds, the sound of birds chirping all the time.
We saw a lot of strange birds, but we couldn't take pictures in time.
We're not good at taking pictures of moving objects, or maybe we don't know how to use the camera. Sigh.

In short, we love this place.
Actually, we love every place we go, haha.
If you're looking to relax, swim, eat, and sleep,
then give it a try. But be sure to check beforehand that there are no seminar groups.
(This area has a lot of seminar groups / recreational activities.)
Because if you're unlucky enough to encounter a seminar group,
your search for peace and quiet will end abruptly.

The next morning after breakfast, we went to watch butterflies.

At Ban Krang Camp,
which is located in Kaeng Krachan National Park, Phetchaburi Province.

At home, we will see these guys all over the place. So cute!

The butterfly season here actually starts from April to June.
But this year, I guess the hot season is coming early, so the butterflies are coming early too.

Ban Krang Camp has long been famous for its butterfly viewing spot, because there are so many of them. We've heard that during the peak season, they fly around so much that it's a sight to behold.

The officer said that this is just the beginning, not much yet. Wow, even though it's not much, we're almost going crazy. If it's a lot, we'll probably go crazy.

From what I can see, there are a lot of them, flying around us.

Especially at the salt lick, they are clustered together. Oh my, there are so many, I'm telling you.

The stream is currently dry, with exposed clay that is salty. Butterflies love it and flock to feed on the clay.
I really want to lie down in the middle of the butterfly swarm. It would be amazing.

I really want you to go see it, it's really beautiful.
I'm thinking of going back again, I want to know if it's really more crowded in April as they say.
How much more crowded could it be?

Let's talk about the journey

If you're coming from Bangkok, once you reach Tha Yang District, take Highway 3499 to Kaeng Krachan National Park. There, you'll pay an entrance fee of 100 baht per person and 30 baht for a car.

(If you're coming from another direction, you can head straight to Ban Krang and pay the entrance fee at the camp.)

From there, follow the signs within the park until you reach Ban Krang Camp. From Ban Krang Camp to Khao Phanein Thung, you'll see butterflies along the way, especially near streams where they gather to feed on mineral deposits.

Actually, we would recommend going up to Pha Nen Thung. In the morning, you can watch the sea of mist, and in the late morning, you can come down to see the butterflies.

But we are the type who don't like heavy things and don't like to fight. We can't wake up early in the morning.
Even if we go up to pitch a tent and sleep on Pha Nen Thung,
We are quite attached to the comfort of the accommodation. Sigh, we need to fix this habit urgently.
It was late morning before we left the accommodation, and we stopped by all the time.
By the time we get to Pha Nen Thung, there probably won't be any fog left.
So let's just watch the butterflies.

The best time to see butterflies is from 8 am to around 10 am.
Actually, you can see them all day long, but in the morning and late morning, the butterflies will come and sit still, spreading their wings to bask in the sun.

Let's go on a trip, everyone.

April and May are the months when they say there are the most butterflies.

That's all for the review.

I'll be back with a new review. Thank you for visiting.