🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
The whole appeal of coming to Chanthaburi in fruit season is getting to be inside a real working orchard. The orchards around town and in the outer districts like Makham, Tha Mai and Khlung grow mostly durian, mixed in with rambutan, mangosteen, longkong and salak. Many of them let you ride a trailer or tram around the grounds, walk under durian trees hanging heavy with fruit, and eat what's just been cut down fresh. Some charge a flat buffet price for all you can eat; others let you pick and pay by the kilo. This article focuses on the orchard visit as an activity. If you want to get into durian varieties and which markets to buy from to take home, see the Chanthaburi durian and fruit article.
How an orchard visit works — buffet vs pay-by-the-kilo
Before you pick an orchard, it helps to know there are two main formats, and they feel quite different. Choose based on how many of you are coming and how big your appetites are.
- Flat-price buffet — you pay per person and eat durian, rambutan and mangosteen in the orchard all you can within a set time. Little kids usually go free or half price. Great value if you eat a lot and come as a group, but you can only eat on-site — no taking it away.
- Pay by the kilo — you pick the fruit yourself and pay by weight. Better if you don't eat much or want a specific variety. Some orchards let you pack up what you bought and take it home.
- Ride through the orchard — bigger orchards often throw in a trailer or tram ride around the grounds, and some have a guide who'll tell you about the durian trees. Kids love it.
- Extras on the side — many orchards have a café on-site, animal feeding, bike riding, or photo spots, so you can easily make a half day of it.
Come hungry
A fruit buffet is more serious than it sounds — durian is rich and sweet and fills you up fast. Have a light breakfast just to take the edge off, don't arrive full, and start with milder-smelling Monthong before moving on to the stronger varieties. Switching to mangosteen and rambutan in between cuts the richness and lets you keep going longer.
Want more out of Chanthaburi? Book tours & activities
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
Recommended orchards that are actually open
These are the orchards taking visitors this fruit season, picked from ones with clear reviews and confirmed opening info. Prices and opening dates are rough figures that shift year to year with the harvest, so always call the orchard to check before you set off.
Rinradee Orchard
A large orchard near Khao Khitchakut with a fruit orchard, café, steak-and-pizza restaurant and accommodation all in one spot. Shady and quiet, priced by the kilo so you pick your own. Has Monthong durian and seasonal fruit. Good for families who want to spend the whole day or stay overnight.
KP Garden
A pesticide-free fruit buffet orchard open weekends and holidays. The draw is being able to bike around the grounds, feed the goats, and plenty of photo spots, so kids have fun. Good for families or groups of friends.
Suan Lamai
A seasonal durian buffet that runs in set windows, with genuine Monthong plus fresh fruit from the orchard — rambutan, mangosteen, longkong, salak, mango, pineapple. Adults around 800 THB, kids 101–120 cm half price, under 100 cm free. Runs roughly mid-April to mid-June.
Suan Khun Yai
A buffet orchard that sells itself on variety — five or more durian cultivars, including the small, hard-to-find Puang Manee, plus seasonal fruit and desserts. Good if you want to try several varieties in one place.
Phu Yai Samkhuan Orchard
A buffet orchard open every day through the season, with durian, rambutan, mangosteen and salak, plus durian sticky rice and old-style ice cream to snack on. Easy on the wallet, little kids free, good for a stop along the way.
Baan Suan Isaree (Organic Farm + Horse Farm)
An organic farm with a horse stable for kids to see and do activities around. The fruit is grown organically, with both buffet and pay-by-the-kilo options. Good for families travelling with young children.
Arun Burapha Orchard
A café-style orchard with good-grade Monthong and fruit to sample, a relaxed place to sit with photo corners. Priced by the kilo. Good if you want both fruit and a coffee.
Suan Por Ruay (Organic)
An organic orchard focused on pesticide-free durian and mangosteen, priced by the kilo. Good if you want to pick your own clean fruit and buy some to take home. A real, unpolished orchard atmosphere.
Prices shift year to year
Buffet prices this year run roughly 450–800 THB per adult, depending on how many premium varieties an orchard has and how big the harvest is that year. Most little kids get in free; older kids are half price. Call ahead for the day's price, what varieties they have, and whether you need to book — you'll plan your budget far more accurately.
Booking and planning before you go
Fruit orchards aren't shops you can walk into any time. Many open only in fruit season and some only on weekends. A quick call ahead saves you a wasted trip.
- Call to book 3–7 days ahead — especially for buffet orchards and long-weekend periods, so the orchard has enough fruit ready. Some cap the number per session.
- Ask which varieties they have that day — Puang Manee and Kan Yao have short seasons and sell out fast. If you're set on a particular variety, check first.
- Check opening days — plenty of orchards open only Saturday–Sunday. If you're coming on a weekday, pick one open daily, like Phu Yai Samkhuan or Arun Burapha.
- Come a bit early — the fruit is freshest in the morning and it's not yet crowded, with cooler weather that makes wandering the orchard more pleasant.
- Bring cash — some outer-district orchards take only cash or bank transfer, and signal is patchy in spots, so keep cash on you.
Getting to the orchards
Most orchards are in the outer districts like Makham, Tha Mai and Khlung, 20–40 minutes from town. Driving yourself is easiest since they're spread out. If you don't have a car, you can hire a car or a local taxi for a half-day round trip. Some Google Maps pins lead you down deep lanes, so allow a little extra time in case you get lost.
A 2-day, 1-night orchard trip
If you're staying overnight in fruit season, two days laid out like this covers a big orchard, sampling a few others, and the standout sights of Chanthaburi too.
Into the orchard — taste off the tree
Morning orchard — more sightseeing
What fruit you'll actually get to eat
Besides durian, the star of the show, most orchards have other fruit of the same season to switch between, which keeps the buffet from getting too rich and lets you eat for longer.
- Durian — mostly Monthong, with some orchards also having Puang Manee, Chanee, Kan Yao and local varieties to try.
- Rong Rian rambutan — red skin, crisp sweet flesh that comes clean off the seed; good between durian to cut the richness.
- Mangosteen — white flesh, sweet with a hint of sour; pick ones with skin soft enough to press for the best-textured flesh.
- Longkong / salak — sweet and fragrant, easy snacking; many orchards let you pick them straight off the tree.
- Desserts on the side — some orchards have durian sticky rice and coconut ice cream to finish on.
Plan a full Chanthaburi trip — food, sights and where to stay
See the Chanthaburi travel guide →