Author Topic: Chanthaburi, Thailand  (Read 550 times)

TropicalFruitHunters

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Chanthaburi, Thailand
« on: April 23, 2023, 07:48:29 AM »
Roadtrip this past Friday for a few days of tropical fruit hunting...and some relaxing.  Brutal heat.  Hovered around 100 degrees each day.  Heat index in some areas reached 130.  It is so dry throughout, it was like walking thru a furnace.

Durian orchards/farms were everywhere.  It seemed like nearly everyone's yard, field, and farm had durian trees.  So many new plantings too.  Huge areas cleared with big retention ponds being dug for irrigation.  Lindsay says some farmers are removing other fruit trees in favor of durian.  Most are planted on mounds, at least the younger groves and newer plantings.  Lots are doing the two trees per mound as well for insurance.  The slower/weaker tree will be removed in a few years.  Many are also jumping on the pruning wagon.  Even older trees are being topped while younger trees are kept at a much shorter height.  Another thing I noticed was that older trees on some of the farms looked horrible.  Not sure if due to Roundup spraying around the trees or maybe phytopthera catching up to them.

Durian Land.  I believe they said that this is the largest commercial durian farm in Thailand.  It was massive for sure.  Mostly mongthong, but have 40 other varieties.  The Chanthaburi #1 was pretty good.  This is a cross between mongthong and chanee.  They also have a zip line adventure where you can speed right thru big durian trees.  Pretty fun.  There is a nice cafe at the top serving all kinds of cool fruit drinks and a big menu of food...and durian!





Suriya Cacao Farm.  Yeah...Thailand is growing cacao on several farms now.  This farm was the first to successfully grow and export their beans.  About 7 years now.  Their beans are not only used for chocolate here in Thailand, but get exported to Belgium and California.  They grow durian, mangosteen, and some others as well.  The durian I'm holding is a 9kg beast of a mongthong.










Auntie Eat durian farm and cafe...I believe this is how it translates to.  Can sit down and stuff yourself with durian varieties and/or walk their farm.




Lindsay and Richard from Year Of The Durian.  Anyone who knows even a little bit about durian probably knows who Lindsay is.  We hooked up with them late afternoon and spent the evening catching up and talking durian.  Dang...but she is a busy busy lady!  She has several tours coming up starting next week here in Thailand and will continue as durian ripen in neighboring countries.  Always on the move.  It was good seeing her.  The last time we were all together was back in 2013 for our annual trip to Puerto Rico.




Finca La Isla

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Re: Chanthaburi, Thailand
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2023, 09:36:06 AM »
Sounds like a lot of fun.
I was with Lindsay and Richard in January for almost 3 weeks. Always time very well spent.
I’m shocked at how hot you say it is. I’ve never felt crazy hot in Malaysia. Penang and KL are slightly hotter than where I am in CR but not 100f!
Are you guys able to get tree dropped durian?
Peter

TropicalFruitHunters

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Re: Chanthaburi, Thailand
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2023, 11:21:00 AM »
Yes...plenty of tree-dropped fruit.  Even the markets were selling them, supposedly.  Wasn't cheaper, but I'm guessing hey wanted to get rid of it before it ripened much further.  Most were 80-100 baht/kilo.

Eggo

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Re: Chanthaburi, Thailand
« Reply #3 on: April 23, 2023, 11:50:50 AM »
Amazing, sounds like so much fun. I need to do a durian tour of Asia that will include Thailand some day!

fruit nerd

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Re: Chanthaburi, Thailand
« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2023, 06:54:07 AM »
Nice, out of curiosity, how do you eat monthong there? I've had a couple of monthong this season and fresh/room temp, I didn't find it that great but really enjoyed it chilled/frozen. On the other hand, I've had other durians that are amazing freshly dropped from the tree and rapidly lose their flavour.

Regarding temperature, moving further away from the equator, you can expect more temperature variability. Also, there is more landmass around Thailand/Cambodia/Laos etc compared to Malaysia which would help with getting those high maxes. In Far North Queensland, we can get into the low 40's.

TropicalFruitHunters

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Re: Chanthaburi, Thailand
« Reply #5 on: April 24, 2023, 07:35:50 AM »
Every variety has it's best peakness and I've learned that tree-dropped is not the best for all.  For me, mongthong is best when the skin is a little snappy, but the actual flesh is creamy...nowhere near sloppiness though.  I like it chilled or not.  I've had really great mongthong and some that were just okay.  Lindsay always has more durian than they can eat at once, so freezes many.  These were really good also and was very refreshing.  However, I do no care for the frozen durian in the stores.  Also keep in mind that many Thais eat their fruit much earlier than we do.  I have to set aside fruit for myself from the market, or trees, letting them ripen further.

ben mango

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Re: Chanthaburi, Thailand
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2023, 09:42:04 AM »
Durian land is a tourist trap. When I went they only Had 2 durians for sale, neither were drops, didn’t look like anything special. Overpriced. Juices in the cafe were not freshly made, they were pre-bottled, store bought crap.  Employees didn’t speak English so couldn’t talk about what’s what. Hate how you aren’t free to come and go, you have to wait for their shuttle to take you to /from the cafe area. Waste of time

TropicalFruitHunters

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Re: Chanthaburi, Thailand
« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2023, 10:36:10 AM »
Ben...that really sucks.  But not so this trip.  Big menu.  Drinks were freshly made...will admit probably a puree blended with ice, but they were fantastic.  Several durian varieties were available and at different stages.  Ours was perfect.  The meals did take quite a long time and didn't come out together.  They were okay, but it was nice to sit and relax.  The shuttles were pulling up pretty regularly and if one wasn't there, all you had to do was tell someone and they would send for it.  While the zip line adventure was far from something we experienced in PR or what you'd find in CR, it was still fun.  There were lots of folks there and I didn't see a single one that wasn't enjoying themself.  We didn't feel it was a waste at all.  The heat was a downer though.

Bush2Beach

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Re: Chanthaburi, Thailand
« Reply #8 on: April 25, 2023, 11:17:24 AM »
Thanks for the heads up. I hate tourist traps. That sounds like a waste of time and money.
Same way though , when the employees do speak English , they still often don't know the cultivar and are just like yeah very sweet, very good, blah blah bs. you gotta have your own good picker.

Durian land is a tourist trap. When I went they only Had 2 durians for sale, neither were drops, didn’t look like anything special. Overpriced. Juices in the cafe were not freshly made, they were pre-bottled, store bought crap.  Employees didn’t speak English so couldn’t talk about what’s what. Hate how you aren’t free to come and go, you have to wait for their shuttle to take you to /from the cafe area. Waste of time

cassowary

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Re: Chanthaburi, Thailand
« Reply #9 on: April 26, 2023, 03:37:30 AM »
Thanks for sharing, will add this to my Thailand locations post for future reference.
80-100 bath, wohoho! I used to pay 40 a kilo for good monthong five years ago.

Thats a fully filled monthong!!! What a beauty!
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