Cocoa Farm Lam Takhong · Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
Come to stay, not just to visit
A cocoa farm stay by Lam Takhong reservoir in Korat, Thailand, hosted by the whole village.
First guests arrive December 2026
A retired teacher's cocoa farm, with visitors most weeks
Cocoa Farm Lam Takhong belongs to Phaitoon Krathoknok, a retired teacher who grows cocoa in the valley beside Lam Takhong reservoir and makes chocolate from his own beans.
Universities, companies and farmers already come to walk the orchard and try making chocolate. Once Upon a Farm lets you stay on after that one day: sleep on the farm, wake up to work in the orchard, and eat with the village.
- WhereBan Ket Thip, Khlong Phai, Si Khio, Nakhon Ratchasima
- Grown hereSingle Origin Korat chocolate, and the cocoa behind Mira craft chocolate
- RecognitionA 2026 Success Case of Thailand's Department of Industrial Promotion
- Past visitorsKasetsart University with exchange students from Singapore, and a CP team with the Buriram agriculture office
Pick how long you stay, and see what's included
Prices are per person and cover everything in the table. The longer you stay, the less each day costs.
| Farm Taste4 days, 3 nights7,900THB per personRequest this | Farm Week7 days, 6 nights12,900THB per personRequest this | Farm Living21 days, 20 nights24,900THB per personRequest this | Work Exchange21 days, 20 nights · you work most days7,900THB per personRequest this | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per day, on average | 1,975 | 1,843 | 1,186 | 376 |
| Good for | A first taste of farm life | A week off, or a week of remote work | A long stay, working remotely from the farm | Learning to farm properly |
| Stay and travel | ||||
| A room on the farm | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Three meals a day from village kitchens | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| A neighbour picks you up and drops you off in Si Khio | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Wi-Fi and a desk to work at | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| On the cocoa farm | ||||
| Cocoa orchard work | Harvest through to fermenting | Every morning | Every morning, the full pick, ferment and dry cycle | Most days, as your main role |
| Bean-to-bar chocolate workshop | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| See the beans you picked become chocolate | Not included | Not included | Included | Included |
| With the village | ||||
| Help out on neighbours' farms | Not included | 2 days | Through the season | Regularly |
| A trip around Lam Takhong reservoir | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Evening talks at the sala | Not included | Included | Included | Included |
Launch prices for December 2026 to February 2027; they may change after that. Work Exchange is hands-on learning in return for a lower price, not employment. International guests need a suitable visa.
Coming as a group for the day?
A one-day Learning Visit is 450 THB per person: walk the cocoa orchard, make chocolate from the bean and have lunch from a village kitchen. For schools, universities and companies.
Ask about a group dateA day on the farm
December to February is the cocoa harvest; August and September are for feeding and turning the soil. The work follows the season, but most days run like this.
- Morning
Out to the orchard while it's cool
Pick ripe pods, split them and scoop out the beans, or help in the seedling nursery. Work at your own pace.
- Late morning
From the orchard to chocolate
Ferment the beans under banana leaves, dry them in the sun, roast and grind. Stay long enough and you'll see your own batch turn into bars.
- Afternoon
Your time
Work from the farm's desk, read in the shade, or go with a neighbour to cut banana leaves, tend the garden or help in the rice field.
- Evening
Dinner from a village kitchen, then talk at the sala
Home cooking from a village cook, followed by an easy evening talk about cocoa, farming, or somebody's work.
We never know who'll be free. The whole village can host you.
Once your dates are confirmed, we post what your stay needs to people around Khlong Phai. Whoever is free that week takes it on: someone with a pickup truck collects you from the station, someone who cooks well makes dinner, someone with a field takes you to help. The people looking after you are real neighbours, and they are paid directly.
- You send your dates
Tell us how many of you are coming, when, and what kind of stay you want.
- We post it to the village
Your stay becomes small jobs: a ride, a meal, a morning in the fields, a craft lesson.
- Whoever's free takes a job and meets you
When you arrive, the neighbour who took the ride is waiting at the station.
Pick up guests at Si Khio stationFriday, 2 pm · anyone with a car
TakenHome-cooked dinner for 2Saturday · anyone who cooks
OpenTake guests to help in a fieldSunday morning · anyone with a farm
OpenTeach weaving or a local sweetMonday afternoon · 1 hour
Taken
Anyone in the village can take part
No homestay licence, no need to be free every day. Take a job when you have time.
People with a car Station and bus pickups, trips around the reservoir · Cooks Meals from local produce, even just one · Farmers Take guests along for real seasonal work · Makers Weaving, basketry, sweets: teach a guest for an hour · Shops and producers Gifts and everyday goods made in the subdistrict · Local guides Walks around the reservoir and stories of the village
Live near Khlong Phai and want to host guests? Call Arnon and tell us what you can help with. We'll send you the next post when guests are coming.
Call +66 85 999 1060Every stay shares its income with local people
What you pay doesn't stop at the farm gate.
- Every meal is paid to a village kitchen
- Neighbours who take a job are paid directly
- The cocoa farm gets a share of every stay
- The gifts on sale come from people in the subdistrict
Photos from the farm
The veranda by the water, cocoa under tall shade trees, and the people who come to learn.
Photos: Cocoa Farm Lam Takhong
Getting here
Cocoa Farm Lam Takhong111 Moo 8, Ban Ket Thip, Khlong Phai
Si Khio, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand Open in Google Maps
- By carAbout 3 hours from Bangkok on Highway 2 (Mittraphap Road). Parking on the farm.
- By train or busGet off at Si Khio and one of our neighbours will pick you up. Included in every stay.
Near the farm
- Lam Takhong reservoirThe water and hills around the farm
- EGAT's "lake in the sky"On Khao Yai Thiang, open 06:00–18:00
- Pak Chong dairy cooperativeFresh milk and Korat's favourite snacks
Questions
How do I book?
Fill in the form below or call +66 85 999 1060. Arnon will get back to you to confirm your dates and how to pay.
What are the rooms like?
The rooms are on the farm, with a shared space and a wooden veranda looking over the orchard. We only take a few guests at a time, so tell us how many of you are coming and what you need.
Is the farm work hard?
No. It happens in the cool of the morning and you do what you can. Work Exchange is the exception: there, farm work is your main role.
Can I work remotely while I stay?
Yes. There's Wi-Fi and a desk on the farm, and Farm Week and Farm Living are designed for people who keep working.
Can I bring my family and kids?
Yes. Tell us the children's ages in your request and we'll plan farm work and activities to suit.
I'm vegetarian or have allergies
Tell us in your request and the village cooks will look after you.
Request your dates
Tell us when you'd like to come, how many of you there are and how long you want to stay. Arnon will get back to you to confirm.