The Ceramics Factory

time for lunch!

After leaving Khao Ngu, it was time for lunch. Noi took us to a really cool old restaurant dating back to the mid 20th century. The restaurant was run by a Chinese-Thai family who have lived in Ratchaburi Province for generations, and the half open-air restaurant is built inside a really cool retro shop house.

we sat at small wooden tables, kept cool by fans

Unsure of what to order, I asked our guide Noi for a suggestion. He told me that the shop's specialty is a type of soup made of stewed pork and herbs. It sounded good, so I ordered it. The meat was incredibly soft, and really just melted away when you took a bite.

herbal pork soup... their specialty

After lunch, Noi took us to the Tao Hong Tai Ceramics Factory. We stepped off the van in a clearing in the forests around Ratchaburi and into a world of crazy colors and wild shapes. Thousands of pots, jars, and vases were stacked up, ready to export.

lots of pottery

We got to look around the factory itself, too. All of the ceramics here are hand made, and as you walk through, you can watch the artisans sculpting the clay. Further on, you can see artists painting the vessels in intricate designs.

The factory dates back to 1943! All of the ceramics are made using clay from the different regions in Thailand, and the factory creates vessels of all colors and sizes as well as custom pieces. The factory's purpose is to preserve and promote Chinese-Thai ceramics in a modern style.

Chinese-inspired ceramic tiles

By now, we were feeling hot and tired. Luckily, the ceramics factory had a coffee shop! It was the perfect time to stop in for an iced coffee before heading on to our next and final destination of the day.

beautiful orchids