Thailand's wine country

Think Hua Hin, and wine isn’t the first thing that springs to mind. But in the sultry heart of the southwestern Thai tropics, a region more famous for its beaches than its wine, there is a vineyard proving popular with tourists.

A hot climate isn’t conducive to grape-growing - according to text books anyway, but there are viticulture regions in Central Thailand where a new genre of wine and travel are flourishing.

Siam Winery is defying the belief that wine-making grapes can not be successfully grown in tropical climates. The company’s ‘Monsoon Valley’ wine, produced exclusively from Thai-grown grapes is exported to 20 countries. Last month, the label won five awards at the 13th Japan Wine Challenge, to add to its accolades.

Wines produced within this latitude band have been labelled New Latitude Wines. Many experts believe their terroir (the personality of a wine due to environmental factors) complements Thai cuisine.

The winery’s vineyard (huahinhillsvineyard.com) is located on a former elephant corral, around 40 kilometres from downtown Hua Hin. A transfer service from Hua Hin Market shuttles visitors to and from the site; minibuses depart from the town at 10:30 and 15:00. It is essential to book your seat on the minibus in advance (telephone: 032 526 351).

After a 40 minute drive through the rolling hills of Hua Hin, visitors are greeted by a landscape which could almost pass for Napa Valley. Until an ambling elephant gives the location away.

Neat rows of fruit-laden vines lead the eye to the winery’s Sala Bar and Bistro which overlooks the fruit fields. Designed by former Norman Foster architect, Sylvia Soh, the sala pavilion’s design was recently cited by the World Architecture Community Awards for receiving the admiration of many of their honorary members.

Under the free-flowing curved roof of the sala, the wine bar and bistro is the perfect perch for dining and drinking up the view through a glass of the winery’s finest.

The bistro’s menu offers guidance on pairing Monsoon Valley’s wine with a selection of Thai appetizers such as satay, calamari and seafood salad, as well as main course grills which include cuts of imported beef.

Pairing wine and Thai cuisine is often challenging – even for the experts, but the chef’s picks make perfect palate sense. For example, the aromatic Shiraz Special Reserve is a divine partner for the spicy beef salad with grapes, and the crispness of the Colombard complements the zesty seafood salad.

Standard fare, such as fried rice, spaghetti, and sandwiches, is also available but carries the usual levy for the above-standard setting.

Entrance to the site is free, but it’s a good idea to book an organized tour if you want to gain real insight into the concept of New Latitude wine.

A tour package consisting of a wine pairing and tasting session, video presentation, vineyard tour by elephant back, and a souvenir, costs 1,200 baht. For 600 baht more you can add a three course meal to the package. Transfer to and from the site is an additional 200 baht.

If the abounding nature or inspiring architecture tickles your artistic side, you can purchase a label-making set and create a unique souvenir. Sets including a mock-up wine bottle, stick-on label and paints cost 300 baht.

The winery is open all year but just before harvest season - from late November until early March – visitors can view the vines laden with bunches of plump rosy grapes.

A visit to the winery consumes half a day, freeing up time to explore other nearby attractions. Pa La-U Waterfall in Kaeng Krachan National Park is nearby and well worth a dip mid-afternoon. Hiking the 15 tiers to the top, is no walk in the park, but experiencing the unique natural beauty of each level makes it worth the mosquitoes, sweat and leeches.

Other local attractions include Khao Takiab (Chopstick Mountain) with its quaint little hilltop temple, and Khao Sam Roi Yod National Park which is home to one of Asia’s most diverse bird populations.

Travel between Phuket and Hua Hin is time-consuming: it’s a seven hour drive. Taking the scenic route through Ranong adds some visual pleasure despite lengthening the journey. Coaches take 10 hours and while the overnight train from Surat Thani guarantees a bed, it adds an extra leg to the journey.

Regardless of your mode of transport, be sure to make a stop at Hua Hin Railway Station. Thailand’s oldest and most beautiful railway station was once a Royal pavilion in Nakon Pathom.

Accommodation in Hua Hin varies from basic guesthouse digs to plush five star luxury pads. If being within easy access to the night market, beach, and local amenities is more important than in-room spa services and a squash court, you can find a good room for around 1000 baht.

Hua Hin still possesses most of the old Siam charm the travel guides rave about, but visit on a weekday so it isn’t obscured by Thai tourists.

Roughing it down south

Few places in the world boast landscape as diverse as the Andaman Coast. Handsome limestone outcrops rise from an emerald sea, fringed with brilliant arcs of white. Ancient forests cling to the peachy rock face, providing a sanctuary for families of the wild.

Along the coast, an organised entanglement of mangrove roots forms an important ecosystem, while inland, geo-thermal water pools in a jungle clearing.

This serene setting provides relief from the afflictions of city life. It’s an escape from monochrome shades and mundane routine. It’s also a reminder of a disappearing world, and the need to protect it.

As many coastal areas of southern Thailand have been greedily engulfed by a wave of commercial development, travellers seeking adventure a little more low-key, have to plough deeper into rural areas to find true adventure travel.

In the northwest of Trang province, the small coastal community of Bo Hin is becoming known as a destination abundant in natural riches and as a sought after location for farmstay holidays.

The farmstay consists of a series of rickety shacks, perched on the water’s edge. It is run by a team of 19 local boatmen, fishermen, weavers and cooks. Having pledged their skills, equipment and time, they offer visitors a captivating experience of the Bo Hin area.

The eco-mind behind the project is a warm and welcoming local, Mr Bonjoan. He explained two-fold purpose of the farmstay, “I wanted to develop a project that would bring prosperity to the community, and at the same time raise awareness about protecting our environment.”

Mr Bonjoan said the local community pulled together to make the farmstay a reality. “A group of us got together and made a list of what we could offer in terms of both skills and equipment. After adding it up we realized we could provide tourists an opportunity to experience local farming life, as well as our culture,” he said.

The stilted wooden homestead consists of three main rooms connected by a passageway, which also serves as a meeting point, restaurant, and pier. Within each main room there are private bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, plus a communal lounge area with TV, sofa and books. Accommodation is clean, airy and cool.

Visitors are invited to join locals as they complete their daily tasks. Early risers can learn how to tap rubber and the various stages of preparing the rubber for manufacturing.

There is also the chance to join local fishermen as they head out to the Gulf of Sikao. Guests can cast nets in the Andaman waters, and their catch of the day will be cooked and served upon their return.

Back on dry land, the village women exchange news and chat while making handcrafted goods from pandanus leaves. Joining in this activity provides the chance to enjoy some banter with locals while trying your hand at weaving.

A longtail boat trip with Mr Bonjoan, or one of his crew, is the best way to fully appreciate the natural beauty of the coastline. Boat trips take you through dense mangroves before navigating around groups of towards towering limestone karsts.

Rows of stalactites jut from overhangs on the rocks, while below the lapping water spills into a dark cave as a white bellied sea eagle skims the surface, talons clenched, ready to swoop on unsuspecting prey.

Patches of deep pile emerald carpet soften the harsh rock face while the creamy contours of the limestone melt into the turquoise sea. A small lonesome palm tree sprouts from a cliff; its trunk curling downwards but fronds reaching out towards the warm sun.

Mr Bonjoan is keen to share his knowledge of the local area with visitors, and points out the various islands, beaches, and caves where fishermen take shelter from turbulent monsoon storms. He is also involved in programs to preserve local marine life, a matter close to his heart.

The waters in the area are home to a population of dugongs, or sea-cows, an almost-extinct marine mammal, largely dependent on sea grass.

Recent surveys show that the number of dugongs in the area has dropped in the last year. In a bid to help, Mr Bonjoan has started a sea grass planting scheme to create a more abundant food source and save the species from extinction.

Bo Hin Farmstay is a fantastic example of how tourism can help preserve local nature, customs and traditions. Instead of adapting their ways to accommodate visitors, locals invite guests to share in their everyday life and learn about the environment. It’s quite an eye-opener.