Farm De Lek, Nakon Nayok

Admittedly, the 1.5-hr drive from Bangkok to the farm can be hectic as you navigate around construction detours, weave between cement trucks and try to make sense of Google Maps’ exhortations to “keep left at the fork” (what fork?) It’s also not a pretty drive, except for a few snatches of vivid green rice paddies and the last twenty minutes of klong-side cruising through what appears to be Bangkok’s plant and flower nursery. (We always come back with a boot-full of orchids.)

Farm de Lek doesn’t mean “Farm for the Little”. Lek is actually the nickname of the old landowner. Lek’s granddaughter, Gae, has given new life to the large, formerly disused plot of land. It’s now a “working farm” in that they raise vegetables and other produce for sale. But the main purpose of Farm de Lek is education and enjoyment: helping city kids understand where food comes from and, hopefully, teaching them to appreciate and protect nature.

The full-day program runs from 9:30 a.m to 3:30 p.m.. It starts with the animals: feeding slop to piglets and pellets to chickens; collecting eggs from the chicken coop; petting the horses etc. Next the kids ran around a flower garden looking for petals to complete a color wheel. Lunch (Thai food, but not too spicy) was on a large raised pavilion near the tree house & obstacle course. After lunch, the kids are basically cut loose to enjoy the playground, obstacle course, sand pit and then the pond/zipline. The pace was just right. And for the most part, the kids were engaged throughout the day.

While we signed up for the full program on the first visit, we’ve returned several times just for the water-based activities. The boys absolutely love riding the zipline and dropping off into the water. They’ll spend hours doing it. And if a friendly guide is manning the zipline tower, the kids can leap off the 6m platform straight into the water. (Three-year old Kiva may have set an age record!)

You can also paddle around the pond in a kayak, or bounce on a floating trampoline before launching into the water. And just to the left of the pond is a little ATV dirt track. It costs a bit extra but the boys howl with glee as we whip around the tight corners and catch air over little humps.

Reservations are essential, should book at least 2 weeks in advance. Farm de Lek is very popular with Bangkok-based families and school kids on field trips. If you’re just going for the water-based activities, try to book the area on the second floor of the little cafe next to the pond. The views are great and you get a bit more breeze.

Full-Day English Program 9:30 a.m. – 15:30 p.m.
Kids: Bt950/Adults: Bt450

Half-Day, 13:00-16:40 Post-Farm Activities (Swimming/Zipline)
Kids: Bt500/Adults: Bt300

Extras:
Pony ride – 100 baht per 3 rounds
ATV – 50 Baht per 2 track round