Rating: 3.7/5 (7 votes)

Open Days: Daily (recommended to call ahead and make an appointment before visiting)

Opening Hours: Recommended to call and ask for a convenient time – hours may change depending on the harvest season

 

Noi Raksa Garden is one of Bangkok’s standout agritourism spots, telling the story of a “real fruit orchard” without needing any extra polish. The place carries its own history, a strong community roots, and a mango variety that grew from a small stroke of luck into a name many fruit lovers recognize. The orchard is located in the Bang Bon area. According to the location information, it is at 76/8 Moo 11, Phetkasem 69 Road, Bang Bon Subdistrict, which is a zone where traces of orchard landscapes and agricultural life can still be seen, even within the capital city.

 

The charm of Noi Raksa Garden for first-time visitors often begins with the thought, “I can’t believe Bangkok still has an orchard like this.” Today’s image of Bang Bon can be dominated by main roads, housing estates, and convenience stores, but once you turn into the deeper lanes and find a pocket of greenery, the feeling shifts into a calm, suburban quiet right away. And if you come at the right time of year, you may get to see real produce, hold mangoes fresh from the orchard, and talk about cultivars the way growers do – more like people who live with the trees than people simply selling goods.

 

The heart of this story is the “Khao Niyom mango,” also commonly called “Nam Dok Mai Man.” According to the compiled history, it began around 1967 (B.E. 2510), when Mr. Chao Noi Raksa planted seeds from a Khiao Sawoey mango. By chance, one tree mutated, producing fruit unlike the others: large in size, beautifully shaped, and most importantly, “fun to eat in two ways.” When eaten green, the taste and texture resemble Khiao Sawoey; when fully ripe, it takes on a character similar to Nam Dok Mai. Mr. Khao then named it “Nam Dok Mai Man” and expanded the variety, planting it among relatives across Bang Bon and Nong Khaem, with the story describing a combined planting area of over 100 rai.

 

Put this way, even readers unfamiliar with fruit cultivars can see that what makes “Khao Niyom/Nam Dok Mai Man” special isn’t just the catchy name. It’s a variety that makes the eating experience more “flexible” than many mangoes. In real life, Thai mango lovers often split into two clear camps: those who prefer green mango with sweet fish sauce, and those who prefer ripe mango sliced and eaten as-is or with sticky rice. Khao Niyom feels like it helps both camps sit at the same table more easily, because it’s described as being Khiao Sawoey-like when green and Nam Dok Mai-like when ripe, while still having dense flesh, relatively thick skin, and a large, attractive shape – which is why many people see it as great for both everyday eating and as a gift.

 

Another reason the name “Khao Niyom” has been talked about more is that some sources mention official recognition/registration of the variety by a government agency. There is also an official Department of Agriculture document related to the plant variety law process, circulated in the form of an announcement file. For general readers, this helps build confidence that the story of the “variety” isn’t only word of mouth – there are traces of a formal process behind it, too.

 

If you’re planning to visit Noi Raksa Garden and want the best value from the experience, the key is: don’t just drop by casually – go with intention. Real orchards work on nature’s rhythm and harvest timing more than on storefront schedules. So the most practical move is to call ahead to check whether produce is available, what batches are in season, or if you want scions/seedlings or would like to enter the orchard area, how to arrange an appointment. A phone number that appears repeatedly across multiple sources is 02-445-5500, and some sources also list a mobile number for additional contact.

 

What fruit lovers often hope to see at an orchard of origin is the chance to understand the “mother tree/propagation system” and learn how fruit is selected – how sizes are sorted, or how maturity is judged to suit green-eating versus ripe-eating. You can read about these things online, but when you speak with an actual grower, it clicks in simple language: why some fruits are best eaten right away, why some should be ripened a little longer, and why different varieties have shorter or longer windows of peak deliciousness. Visiting an orchard like this feels like learning the “grower’s way of thinking” while also taking home fruit.

 

Seasonally, Thailand’s “mango season” naturally tends to peak from late summer into the early rainy season. But orchard care and water management can shift harvest timing a bit. For travelers, the surest approach is still to call ahead to check what is available on the day you plan to go. And if you’re buying a larger quantity as gifts, it’s smart to ask about grading and packaging, because some sources mention that the orchard can prepare gift baskets or boxed packing as well.

 

Getting There If you’re driving, the simplest idea is to pin the destination around Phetkasem 69/Bang Bon and follow navigation into the smaller lanes using the map route, or call the orchard directly for landmarks. If you’re using public transport, some travel guidance notes that certain bus routes pass nearby, and there are also mentions of travel by Khlong Phasi Charoen boat as part of broader access to the Bang Bon area. For most visitors, the most “sure and least tiring” method is to take public transport to a nearby zone and then continue by taxi or motorcycle taxi to the agreed meeting point.

 

Because this is a real working agricultural space, good orchard etiquette includes calling ahead, respecting the area, not picking fruit or climbing, and if you bring children or older family members, preparing drinking water, a hat, and comfortable shoes. The orchard ground can be uneven and may be slippery after rain. Small considerations like these make the visit smoother for both visitors and the orchard owners.

 

Finally, if you ask who Noi Raksa Garden is for, the answer is: people who want “another version of Bangkok” – a version that still has orchards, still has stories of plant varieties born from coincidence, and still has food where, when you buy from the true source, you take home both flavor and story together.

 

 

A: Published information states it is at 76/8 Moo 11, Phetkasem 69 Road, Bang Bon Subdistrict, Bangkok, and provides contact numbers for directions before traveling.

 

A: The key highlight is that it can be enjoyed both green and ripe. Sources describe it as resembling Khiao Sawoey when eaten green and resembling Nam Dok Mai when ripe, with a large size, attractive shape, relatively thick skin, and dense flesh.

 

A: The story says Mr. Khao gave this name because when ripe it has a character close to Nam Dok Mai while still keeping a dense, firm flesh – so it became known as “Nam Dok Mai Man.”

 

A: Naturally, mango season often peaks from late summer into the early rainy season, but for certainty it’s best to call ahead to confirm whether produce is available during your planned visit.

 

A: It’s recommended to make an appointment or call ahead, because real orchards work around harvest timing, and calling helps you get accurate information about what is available.

 

A: A number cited repeatedly across multiple sources is 02-445-5500, and some sources also list an additional mobile number (recommended to call to confirm the latest details before traveling).

 

A: There is travel guidance mentioning buses and public-transport access to nearby areas, but in practice it is usually easiest to take public transport to a nearby zone and then continue by taxi or motorcycle taxi to the meeting point.