Why you should visit Chokchai Farm in Khao Yai, Thailand
A couple of years ago, I went on a three day trip to Khao Yai, Thailand, with the company I was working for at the time. One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to Chokchai Farm in Khao Yai, a family-oriented dairy ranch I have visited several times since, and one of the area’s most popular tourist attractions.
Now if somebody said you were going to spend five hours at a dairy farm, your first question would probably be “why?” Mine was, too. That’s why I was incredibly impressed when I got there to see how much fun it was going to be.
Chokchai Farm is South Asia’s largest dairy farm and, if you’re not into farming, you’d think you’d be bored. Wrong! Chokchai Farm is also one of Thailand’s most popular tourist attractions. It’s less than 160 kilometres outside Bangkok, so you can get there in a couple of hours. It’s also a fun place for all the family but especially for the kids.
So, if you’re looking for an interesting and unusual place to visit the next time you’re in Thailand, don’t miss Chokchai Farm and here’s why.
Chokchai Farm Tour – When you first visit Chokchai Farm in Khao Yai, you buy a ticket and then wait for their next Farm Tour. We didn’t have to wait as we were in a group of over 100 people, so the tour was already set up for us. When we arrived, we were shown into a small theatre and watched a short movie about Chokchai Farm – how it started, how it grew and what products they made.
Surprisingly, there were also English subtitles, which is unusual outside of Bangkok, so the western expats in the group knew what was going on too.
After the movie, we were shown out of the movie theatre and then walked around part of the farm to see a prize bull and hear about Chockchai Farms breeding program. We also saw a demonstration of milking, and volunteers from our group were asked to try their hand at milking a cow. We saw how the milk was processed, how the famous Chokchai ice cream was made, and even saw an old Ferguson tractor and the first pick up truck in Thailand, a 1957 Peugot.
From there, we climbed onto a tractor caravan (like an open sided train), and we were driven around the farm to see the land and the cattle.
After about 10 minutes, we stopped at a mock cowboy town and here we could buy iced coffee, milk or ice cream all made with the famous Chokchai Ummmm….Milk! (It was delicious!).
The kids could ride horses, adults and kids could ride ATVs around the farm, and then we were treated to a short demonstration of cowboy skills with whip cracking, gun skills and horse riding.
Moving on in the Farm Tour, we next stopped at a small petting zoo where the kids could feed the rabbits, calves, lambs and deer. Across from the zoo was a small animal show where Golden Retrievers, calves, and even a monkey doing funny tricks.
Finally, there was a demonstration of sheep dogs rounding up cattle and then onto the Chokchai Farm shop where we could buy souvenirs, or go into the cafe next door and get coffee, juices, milk or one of the many flavors of delicious ice cream.
Educational Value of Chokchai Farm – Visiting Chokchai Farm in Khao Yai is not only a fun day for the family but it’s also a wonderful educational experience for kids.
After all, many city children have little idea about what happens on a working farm, so it’s fun for them to see where milk comes from, how it’s processed and what products you can make from it.
Chokchai Farm also seems to take good care of its animals. Everything was pristine and clean, and the cattle seemed to get a lot of freedom, so you could tell the owners of the farm value and love their livestock.
The Clean Air and Beauty of Chokchai Farm – Living or spending a lot of time in Bangkok, it was nice to be able to get out of the city, see a blue cloud-free sky and breath clean air. Chokchai Farm is in a beautiful area near Khao Yai, one of Thailand’s largest national parks, and it’s lovely just to walk around, admire the green fields, the orchards and the hills in the distance.
Other Events at Chokchai Farm – Chokchai Farm also puts on a couple of ice cream workshops every day. Each workshop runs for around an hour and here you’ll learn how to make your own ice cream, even being able to choose your own flavor.
Chokchai Farm even runs 2 and 3-day camps, where you can not only learn about the farm and how it works, but you can also stay on the farm for one or two nights in a seminar room or out in a boutique room in the middle of the forest. A wonderful way to get back to nature and relax.
Chokchai Food – Chockchai Farm is famous for its steak and hamburgers, the best in Thailand, and available in many of Bangkok’s shopping malls.
At Chokchai Farm, you can buy amazing steak and one of the best hamburgers you’ll ever eat. If you’re driving by, you don’t even have to visit the farm as Chokchai has food stalls set up all along the side of the road right outside the farm that sell amazing food. Get the french fries too – thick and so delicious.
And, if you love the food, there are Chokchai Steakhouses in Bangkok where you can eat it again.
Chokchai Farm is one of the most impressive tourist attractions I’ve been to in Thailand. It’s in a lovely area of the country, less than two hours from Bangkok, and is a fun and educational place for all the family.
I highly recommend a visit.
Chokchai Farm is located at Friendship Highway, Nongnamdaeng, Pakchong, Nakhon Ratchasima 30130. Telephone : 0 4432 8485