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One of the major tourist attractions that can be done as a day trip
from Bangkok, is the Rose Garden Riverside in Nakhon Pathom Province.
Located along the Tachin River, the 70 acre resort is only an hour's
drive from Bangkok. But don't be fooled by the name. It is not just a
botanical garden. Although it started as a Rose Garden and restaurant
over 40 years ago, over the years it has evolved and developed into a
cultural center, together with a hotel, restaurants and a spa. Today,
foreign tourists mainly go to the Rose Garden to watch the
internationally acclaimed Thai Village Cultural Show as part of a day
long tour that includes a visit to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market.
We went there a couple days ago and had a really enjoyable time. We
also had a delicious lunch in a restaurant with grand views of the fast
flowing river.
Tourists who turn up on the tour buses usually arrive at 2 p.m. just
in time for the elephant and cultural shows. However, there is plenty
of activities at the Rose Garden to keep you busy all day long. We were
there for about six hours and the time went by very fast. In the
morning we took part in the art and craft activities in a program
called "Living the Thai Culture". This takes place between 10 a.m. and
12 p.m. and costs 480 baht per person. Situated around the Thai
Village, there are about twelve different bases where you can learn
more about every day traditional life in Thailand. These include:
Dancing and Musical Instrument, Garland Making & Fruit Carving,
Traditional Pottery, Thai Martial Arts, Silk Processing, Traditional
Weaving, Umbrella Painting, Thai Country Kitchen, Orchid Nursery, Thai
Herbal Pavilion, Bamboo Dancing and Rice Farming.
Although this new attraction has been going on for three years, not
so many people seem to know about it. So we nearly had the Thai Village
to ourselves which actually worked to our advantage. At each base, we
were given a personal demonstration. We were then actively encouraged
to try these for ourselves which is almost a unique experience amongst
tourist attractions in Thailand. How often do you get a chance to plant
rice?. If you didn't want to get your feet wet in the rice paddy, you
could have a go at grinding the rice. If you are feeling artistic you
could try making a fish mobile from palm leaves or carving a flower out
of a carrot! Or if you feel a bit more energetic, you could have a go
at the bamboo dancing or the sword fights called krabi krabong. At
other bases we learned how Thai herbs are used in traditional medicine
and also how to look after orchids. Seeing the silkweaving process was
also fascinating and a learning experience for all of us. Although you
can turn up at any time, it is best to arrive before 10 a.m. as you
will need the full two hours to experience all the activities.
After our busy schedule during the morning, we were now hungry for a
good lunch. The resort has seven different venues that cater for people
of all budgets. From the basic 40 baht a meal to the more lavish
international buffet of 460 baht per person. We chose the Inn-Chan
Restaurant which provided fine views of the river. I remember seeing
this restaurant the other month when I was on a boat tour from the Don
Wai Market. We came as far as the Rose Garden before turning around.
The Rose Garden also have their own converted rice barge which you can
join for a tour up the river to a local temple. After our delicious
lunch, we set off to explore the grounds. We walked around, but you can
rent a bicycle for 60 baht per hour or even hire a boat to go on the
lake for 40 baht for 30 minutes. As well as the large variety of exotic
flowers in the garden, there are also many traditional Thai houses. One
of them is used for wedding receptions. Another for a spa. The other
seven houses can be rented out by hotel guests. The attention to detail
every where is really impressive and something you don't often see in
Thailand. I particularly liked what they did with their interpretation
of a floating market. Unlike Damnoern Saduak, the surroundings helped
make our pictures more beautiful.
The highlight of any visit to the Rose Garden is of course the Thai
Village Cultural Show. Most tourists turn up just for this event. Gates
to the Thai Village open at 1 p.m. This is the same place which we
explored in the morning. So we didn't go in until later. This afternoon
session costs 480 baht and so you have to pay again if you want to do
both. However, many of the activities are not available in the
afternoon as the people are getting ready for the performance. But
there is still a lot to see, so it is worth going in as soon as you
can. For example, you can ride an elephant for as little as 50 baht per
person. Then there are the shops and interesting displays. There is a
short elephant show at 2.15 p.m. and then the main cultural show is at
2.45 p.m. Then straight after the cultural show, there is a second
chance to see the elephants in action. A small tip, some people skip
the first round of the elephant show and go straight to the auditorium
in order to make sure that they get a good seat. A sign says rows
nearer the stage can get hot due to the spotlights. The best seats are
obviously the ones in the central block.
The Thai Cultural Show is certainly impressive and gives you a long
lasting memory. I was last here about seven years ago and I could
remember it all. There is a cast of over 120 people who very cleverly
tell you about many different aspects of Thai culture and the Thai way
of living through a series of performances. For example, a Harvest
Dance, Bamboo Dance, and a Thai Mythical Dance. We are also introduced
to the different traditional clothes and dancing methods of all regions
of Thailand. Then there are demonstrations of Thai sports such as short
pole fighting and Thai boxing. There is even a grand procession for a
young man who is about to be ordained. He rides in the procession on
the back of an elephant. Another highlight is the Thai wedding
ceremony. There is certainly a lot to take in during this 40 minute
show. If you haven't witnessed anything like this before in Thailand,
then you will find that the Rose Garden offers an easy introduction to
Thai culture.
You can easily book tours to the Rose Garden from your hotel. Or,
you can go independently. If there is a small group of you, then you
can rent a taxi from Bangkok for not much more than 1,000 baht. You can
visit the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market in the morning, then either
Nakhon Pathom or the Thai Human Imagery Museum before finishing at the
Rose Garden. The tours are good, but some members of our ThailandQA.com
forum reported that they were dropped off at the Rose Garden a bit late
and missed the start of the show. They will also take you to a gem
factory on the way back which is not advertised. You can also go by
bus. Any bus leaving Bangkok for Nakhon Pathom can drop you off at the
Rose Garden. Or you can do this on the way back from a trip to
Kanchanaburi.
Related links: Video Clips
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