Once In A Lifetime Journey
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Djibouti
      • Kenya
      • Madagascar
      • Malawi
      • Namibia
      • Rwanda
      • Somaliland
      • South Africa
      • Sudan
      • Tanzania
      • Uganda
    • Europe
      • Albania
      • Andorra
      • Azerbaijan
      • Denmark
      • France
      • Germany
      • Iceland
      • Italy
      • Kosovo
      • Macedonia
      • Malta
      • Monaco
      • Montenegro
      • Russia
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • United Kingdom
    • North & Central America
      • American Samoa
      • El Salvador
      • Guam
      • Guatemala
      • Hawaii
      • Honduras
      • Mexico
      • United States
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Peru
    • Middle East
      • Oman
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Sudan
      • United Arab Emirates
    • Pacific
      • American Samoa
      • Australia
      • Cook Islands
      • Fiji
      • French Polynesia
      • Guam
      • Hawaii
      • Kiribati
      • Micronesia
      • Nauru
      • New Zealand
      • Palau
      • Samoa
      • Solomon Islands
      • Tonga
      • Tuvalu
      • Vanuatu
    • Southeast Asia
      • Brunei
      • Cambodia
      • Indonesia
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Myanmar
      • Philippines
      • Singapore
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Central & North Asia
      • Bhutan
      • Bangladesh
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Japan
      • Macau
      • Maldives
      • Mongolia
      • Nepal
      • North Korea
      • Pakistan
      • South Korea
      • Sri Lanka
      • Tibet
  • Inspiration
    • Inspiration

      Top tips for family travel stress

      January 21, 2021

      Inspiration

      How to mentally prepare for a solo trip

      January 21, 2021

      Inspiration

      Is El Salvador safe to visit for tourists…

      December 9, 2020

      Inspiration

      A local’s guide to one day in Barcelona

      December 9, 2020

      Inspiration

      The most unusual things to do in Barcelona…

      December 9, 2020

  • Reviews
    • Hotels & Resorts
    • Train, Planes & helicopters
    • Food & Drinks
    • Spa & Wellness
    • Tour & Activities
  • Resources
  • Wine Tourism
    • Australia
    • Indonesia
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Thailand
    • US
    • South Africa
  • Solo female travel
  • Countries visited: 115
  • Currently in : Singapore 🇸🇬
  • Partner with us
  • SOLO FEMALE TRAVELERS COMMUNITY

Once In A Lifetime Journey

Once In A Lifetime Journey
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Djibouti
      • Kenya
      • Madagascar
      • Malawi
      • Namibia
      • Rwanda
      • Somaliland
      • South Africa
      • Sudan
      • Tanzania
      • Uganda
    • Europe
      • Albania
      • Andorra
      • Azerbaijan
      • Denmark
      • France
      • Germany
      • Iceland
      • Italy
      • Kosovo
      • Macedonia
      • Malta
      • Monaco
      • Montenegro
      • Russia
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • United Kingdom
    • North & Central America
      • American Samoa
      • El Salvador
      • Guam
      • Guatemala
      • Hawaii
      • Honduras
      • Mexico
      • United States
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Peru
    • Middle East
      • Oman
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Sudan
      • United Arab Emirates
    • Pacific
      • American Samoa
      • Australia
      • Cook Islands
      • Fiji
      • French Polynesia
      • Guam
      • Hawaii
      • Kiribati
      • Micronesia
      • Nauru
      • New Zealand
      • Palau
      • Samoa
      • Solomon Islands
      • Tonga
      • Tuvalu
      • Vanuatu
    • Southeast Asia
      • Brunei
      • Cambodia
      • Indonesia
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Myanmar
      • Philippines
      • Singapore
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Central & North Asia
      • Bhutan
      • Bangladesh
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Japan
      • Macau
      • Maldives
      • Mongolia
      • Nepal
      • North Korea
      • Pakistan
      • South Korea
      • Sri Lanka
      • Tibet
  • Inspiration
    • Inspiration

      Top tips for family travel stress

      January 21, 2021

      Inspiration

      How to mentally prepare for a solo trip

      January 21, 2021

      Inspiration

      Is El Salvador safe to visit for tourists…

      December 9, 2020

      Inspiration

      A local’s guide to one day in Barcelona

      December 9, 2020

      Inspiration

      The most unusual things to do in Barcelona…

      December 9, 2020

  • Reviews
    • Hotels & Resorts
    • Train, Planes & helicopters
    • Food & Drinks
    • Spa & Wellness
    • Tour & Activities
  • Resources
  • Wine Tourism
    • Australia
    • Indonesia
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Thailand
    • US
    • South Africa
  • Solo female travel

Disclaimer: This page may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclaimer policy here. Never leave without travel insurance.

Tips to make the most of your Chalong Bay Distillery tour

by Mar April 29, 2018
Written by Mar
Chalong Bay Distillery Phuket tour feature
Chalong Bay Distillery Phuket tour main

Did you know that Thailand is the fourth largest producer of sugarcane in the world? Did you know there is an authentic rum distillery in Phuket? Did you know that all commercial rum brands (including Bacardi) are made with molasses and not sugarcane?

These and many other questions you probably never asked yourself about rum production are answered during the Chalong Bay Distillery tour, one of the most interesting activities you can do in Phuket. It’s also a fun trip to take if you only have one day in Phuket and have seen all the other touristy sites already. 

Souvenirs to get after your Chalong Bay Distillery tour
Souvenirs to get after your Chalong Bay Distillery tour

I put together this post to help you make the most of your visit to Chalong Bay Distillery.

Contents

  • Chalong Bay Distillery – How Chalong Bay rum is made
  • How to make the most of your visit to Chalong Bay Distillery
    • Parking is available
    • Bringing kids to Chalong Bay Distillery
    • Rum tasting
    • Stay for a drink or even some snacks
    • Buy the souvenir
    • Cocktail making

Chalong Bay Distillery – How Chalong Bay rum is made

The distillery is in a middle-of-nowhere-location but very near Wat Chalong and can be easily found following Google Maps. Once you get there, you feel like you could be somewhere paradisiacal. Oh wait, you are, and this is Phuket!

Chalong Bay Distillery was started by two Frenchmen and uses French copper equipment and distillation methods similar to those used for brandy production, to produce rum from sugarcane.

What makes the rum different from most of the commercially available rums like Bacardi is the fact that it is produced from sugarcane and not molasses, a byproduct of sugar production.

Did you know
The founder of Bacardi actually originated from my home town of Sitges? There is a Bacardi Museum there.

The rum produced at Chalong Bay Distillery is made from the distillation of sugarcane juice extracted from the organic and pesticide-free sugarcane produced in Thailand. That means that the totality of the raw materials used to extract the spirit is home-grown and hand harvested by the Thai farmers.

Sugar Cane fields at Chalong bay Distillery
Sugar Cane fields at Chalong bay Distillery

In fact, Thailand is the fourth largest producer of sugarcane in the world after Brazil, India and China.  

After the sugarcane is harvested, once a year, it is squeezed to make sugarcane juice, just like the one sold in the streets of Southeast Asia.

To produce the rum, the sugarcane juice is fermented first then distilled. That is, it is boiled at very high temperatures until the water and the alcohol both evaporate. The fermentation process turns the sugar into alcohol and this evaporates through a series of tubes in the French copper still. Because both water and alcohol evaporate at different temperatures, the separation occurs naturally as both gases follow different tubes. The tubes are cooled so the gas turns back into liquid form.

All of the Chalong Bay Rum is produced and hand bottled on site at the distillery. There are no production machines for the labeling process as this is entirely done by hand. In fact, the process is handcrafted end to end, from growing the sugarcane to bottling the rum.

How to make the most of your visit to Chalong Bay Distillery

The tour of the rum production area is quite short and usually finished in 20min but if you came all the way to Chalong Bay Distillery, you might as well make the most of your visit. You can even combine it with a trip to nearby Phuket Old Town and then a visit to Ka Jok See to compliment your journey. Here are some tips.

Parking is available

Are you exploring the island on a road trip like I did? Or maybe you’re having a hen or stag weekend? Then you will be able to find the distillery easily following Google Maps. Parking is available at the entrance and you should not have issues finding a spot.

Bringing kids to Chalong Bay Distillery

Eating area at Chalong Bay Distillery
Eating area at Chalong Bay Distillery

Although you may think that a rum distillery tour is not very adequate for kids, Chalong Bay it is in fact a pretty family-friendly activity to do in Phuket.

Why?

Because there is a large lawn area where kids can jump around and get entertained. If they are not able to stay still for the short tour part, you can always take turns with your partner and go on different tours. The tours run every hour from 2pm to 6pm so you could arrive for the 4pm tour, one of you could do the tour while the other chills with the children and then the other one could join the 5pm tour.

The tours include rum tasting at the end and a drink before the start so you could probably enjoy both of these parts together.

If your kids can stay out for the tour duration, the area is accessible as it all happens on the ground floor. There was a couple with two kids ages two and four and they seemed fine while the parents listened to the tour guide and very much enjoyed their lawn time.

Rum tasting

Bar at Chalong Bay Distillery
Bar at Chalong Bay Distillery

At the end of the tour you will be given the chance to taste the various flavoured rums as well as the pure version. You can pretty much taste them all so don’t be shy and just ask, you never know which one you may like best. I thought I would like the lemongrass best but I ended up buying the lemongrass infused one instead.

If you are visiting with someone else, you can also share the tasting amount so that you do not end up drinking a lot in a short period.

Stay for a drink or even some snacks

The distillery serves all the cocktails in their cocktail list but also a fair choice of snacks and food from chicken curry to salads and quesadillas. We did not try the food but it did look very nice. As the first tour is at 2pm and the last one at 6pm, you could have lunch before or dinner after at the distillery. The bar opens from 11am till 10pm and there is often live music.

Bonus: the Latin music played, the green lawn and the bamboo surrounding the bar, will make you feel as if you were in Cuba.

Buy the souvenir

Chalong Bay Rums
Chalong Bay Rums

You are visiting Thailand and everyone back home expects a souvenir. Don’t be the friend who buys the Same Same t-shirt or the ugly fridge magnet, buy something which people will actually enjoy and remember you for, every time they have a mojito.

Chalong Bay Distillery sells smaller half-bottle versions of all of their rums and they come packaged in neat boxes with a great cocktail recipe book. They make for such a cute gift. I bought a couple for friends and a large bottle of the pure rum for myself.

Cocktail making

Learn to make a mojito
Learn to make a mojito

Would you like to be the cool friend who knows how to whip the best mojito? My flatmate is actually that person and our kitchen wall has a cocktail menu for any visitors.

There was a time when I simply gave them a beer but now my flatmate offers them Negroni or some of her unique cocktails.

If you want to impress your visitors, you could also come enjoy a cocktail making class at Chalong Bay Distillery like I did when I stayed at The Boathouse, one of Phuket’s oldest institutions and most luxurious hotels. Workshops are available on Monday and Thursday and last 2h including a distillery tour.

Bonus!
I have visited Phuket so often and each time I discover something new about this marvelous destination. You can read my complete guide of the best things to do in Phuket here. I have also written about the top secluded beaches in Phuket, and the top places to watch the sunset in Phuket. Enjoy!

  • Check if you need a visa, get help processing it at iVisa.
  • Never ever leave without travel insurance. Get affordable coverage from World Nomads or long term insurance from Safety Wing.
  • I find all of my flights on KAYAK. Check their Deals section too.
  • Search for all your transportation between destinations on the trusted travel booking platform Bookaway.
  • I book all my day trips and tours via GetYourGuide, they are the best and their tours are refundable up to 24h in advance.
  • Get USD35 off your first booking with Airbnb.
  • Compare hotels EVERYWHERE at HotelsCombined and book with Booking.com.
  • Compare car rental prices at Rentalcars.com
PhuketrumThailandtour
0
FacebookTwitterPinterest

You may also like

Wine in Thailand – visiting Thai wine country

Why you should stay in Chaweng when you...

What to do if you only have 1...

Visit Bangkok Flower Market (Pak Klong Talad) for...

Unique Thailand – 10 undeniable reasons to set...

Things to see and do in Phuket Old...

Things to do in Bangkok that tourists don’t...

The Siam Hotel Review – Art Deco, riverside...

The Boathouse Phuket: One of Phuket’s oldest hotels...

The best Phuket luxury villa for your next...

Popular Posts

  • 1

    Maldives vs Bora Bora, where will YOU have the best vacation?

    June 30, 2020
  • 2

    All the hipster, fun and cool things to do in New York

    June 30, 2020
  • 3

    Original and fabulous gifts for travelers for any occasion

    December 3, 2017
  • 4

    The world’s least visited countries – Unknown and rare destinations

    June 22, 2020
  • 5

    300+ Instagram bio quotes and captions to rock your feed

    December 14, 2019
  • 6

    100+ Great Things to do in Seoul

    August 18, 2020

Recent Posts

  • All the best day trips from Seoul

    January 21, 2021
  • Winter in Korea – where to go, festivals, ski resorts

    January 21, 2021
  • Amazing South Korean festivals you cannot miss

    January 21, 2021
  • Complete Seoul Itinerary – 2, 4 & 7 Days in Seoul

    January 21, 2021
  • A night at the Bubble hotel in Iceland – All about the 5 Mn Star Hotel

    January 21, 2021
  • Top tips for family travel stress

    January 21, 2021

follow US on instagram

@shintamani_wild knows me wel: Wine + wilderness + @shintamani_wild knows me wel: Wine + wilderness + jungle + a pile of @natgeotravel magazines = Happy Mar
.
#ShintaManiFoundation #NatGeo #NatGeoTravel #ShintamaniSiemReap #bensleycollection #Cambodia #BensleyCollectionSiemReap #luxuryvillas #underthestars #catalanspelmon #ViatgersDC #damestravel #dametravel #sheisnotlost #girlswhotravelgirlswhotravel
A bathtub with a view and with its own waterfall s A bathtub with a view and with its own waterfall soundtrack - Result!
.
#ShintaManiFoundation #NatGeo #NatGeoTravel #ShintaManiWild #BensleyCollection #Cambodia #luxuryvillas  #catalanspelmon #ViatgersDC #damestravel #dametravel #sheisnotlost #girlswhotravel
DREAMING OF TRAVEL AGAIN - I have finally booked a DREAMING OF TRAVEL AGAIN - I have finally booked a flight again, not to an exciting place but to one that I'm very excited about: home.
.
And talking about travel dreaming...
This photo was taken at Bill Bensley @shintamani_wild at the @natgeo tent hence the many magazines, the tent was full of them some of the issues were 50+ years old, it was fascinating to read the first issues that covered Dian Fossey or some of really remote tribes. It was hard to peel my eyes off the stunning photos and enjoy the remote and beautiful destination, the piece of wild forest where the camp is.
.
I don't think I'll be doing much travel before the end of the year but I hope to travel to west Africa in November/ December / January, for a real adventure and maybe a safari too.
.
#ShintaManiFoundation #NatGeo #NatGeoTravel #ShintamaniSiemReap #bensleycollection #Cambodia #BensleyCollectionSiemReap #luxuryvillas #underthestars #catalanspelmon #ViatgersDC #damestravel #dametravel #sheisnotlost #girlswhotravel
A NIGHT UNDER THE STARS - have you ever slept unde A NIGHT UNDER THE STARS - have you ever slept under the stars? Where?
.
I did in Tanzania and in the Maldives at @gili.lankanfushi but I am sometimes worried about the mosquitoes 😂 thankfully, @shintamani.angkor.bensley sorted this with nets!
.
#ShintaManiFoundation #ShintamaniSiemReap #bensleycollection #BensleyCollectionSiemReap #luxuryvillas #underthestars #catalanspelmon #ViatgersDC #damestravel #dametravel #sheisnotlost #girlswhotravel
CELEBRATING - Today we're out of official lockdown CELEBRATING - Today we're out of official lockdown in Singapore though actually not much has changed. We still work from home, shops are still closed. How is it where you are?
.
So I'm reminiscing of my last trip, 4 months ago, to Cambodia and the weekend at our beautiful pool villa at @shintamani.angkor.bensley - bliss ❤
.
This is one of two Bill Bensley Collection luxury properties, only 10 pool villas that are uber private and luxurious. @billbensley interior design details are fabulous.
.
#ShintaMani #ShintamaniSiemReap #bensleycollection #BillBensley #BensleyCollectionSiemReap #luxuryHotel #TravelwithPurpose #SiemReap #ZngkorWat #Cambodia #catalanspelmon #ViatgersDC #LuxuryTravel
3 MONTHS WITHOUT TRAVELING - One last view at the 3 MONTHS WITHOUT TRAVELING - One last view at the dreamy Private Reserve overwater villa at @gili.lankanfushi - wish I was there!
.
This is the longest I've been without traveling in 15 years. And I must say time has passed really fast because of how busy I've been. When was the last time you stayed put for this long?
.
#GiliMoments #GiliStory #GiliLankanfushi #Maldives #Maldivien #Maldivas #maldivesvacation #MaldivesInsider #maldivesmania #VisitMaldives #maldivesig #beautifulMaldives #overwatervilla #Fromwhereidrone #girlswhodrone #LadyinRed #catalanspelmon #viatgersDC #luxuryresort #maldivesislands #maldivesresorts #SimplyMaldives
HAVING A MARILYN MONROE MOMENT at the beautiful ne HAVING A MARILYN MONROE MOMENT at the beautiful new pool villas at @gili.lankanfushi.
.
I feel like I've certainly become many things in this pandemic times, from best friend to chef, videographer, interviewer, podcast host, presenter, mentor, coach...I'm definitely not letting this crisis go to waste!
.
What are you up to these days? Have you taken up a new hobby? Got in touch with long lost friends? Started to meditate or do yoga?
.
Inspire me!
.
#GiliMoments #GiliStory #GiliLankanfushi #Maldives #Maldivien #Maldivas #maldivesvacation #MaldivesInsider #maldivesmania #VisitMaldives #maldivesig #beautifulMaldives #overwatervilla #LadyinRed #catalanspelmon #viatgersDC #luxuryresort #maldivesislands #maldivesresorts #SimplyMaldives
DREAMS - Where is the first place you will go to w DREAMS - Where is the first place you will go to when travel resumes?
.
#GiliMoments #GiliStory #GiliLankanfushi #Maldives #Maldivien #Maldivas #maldivesvacation #MaldivesInsider #maldivesmania #VisitMaldives #maldivesig #beautifulMaldives #overwatervilla #Fromwhereidrone #girlswhodrone #LadyinRed #catalanspelmon #viatgersDC #luxuryresort #maldivesislands #maldivesresorts #SimplyMaldives
"NEVER LET A GOOD CRISIS GO TO WASTE" Winston Chur "NEVER LET A GOOD CRISIS GO TO WASTE" Winston Churchill once said at the end of WWII.
.
What are you doing now to make the most of this?
.
I'm a firm believer that one needs to always stay positive and productive, always looking ahead no matter what, now more than ever.
.
Working in the travel industry, I have lost pretty much all of my income since this started, 6y of work all wiped out practically overnight.
.
I won't lie, it's tough to stay optimistic, to see the light at the end of the tunnel and to keep going ahead despite everything, knowing it's at least 6 more months before things really improve. If that wasn't enough, after 2.5 months of suffering the effects of the virus in Asia, Singapore declared a lockdown, so now we're home isolated and the numbers don't look good.
.
But I'm trying to stay true to myself, to be the eternal optimist that I am, so here is what I'm doing:
.
- Looking at images of my best trips to relive the experience. Like this absolutely beautiful shot from @Gililankanfushi my favorite place in the #Maldives
- I started a new blog about breakfast bowls and I'm loving it! I can implement all the things I learned in 6y and avoid all the mistakes. I eat super healthy home made food every day and I find caring about myself and my significant other through food, and cooking itself, highly meditative and therapeutic. So win-win-win, and hopefully I'll add a new income stream that is anti cyclical and not travel related.
- Accelerating the work to create a new portal for Solo Female Travelers with @mappingmegan for the FB group that has more than 55,00 members (and growing fast!) And which we manage.
- Taking a variety of online courses, on SEO, blogging, happiness, etc.
- Trying to exercise everyday at home even if it's just 10min. Since I also eat healthily, by the end of this I'll be super hot 😜 Haha #WishfulThinking
- Staying connected with friends and family, more than I ever have in 15y as an expat.
.
And YOU? What are you doing to "take advantage" of this crisis?
.
#GiliStory  #gililankanfushi #GiliMoments #StayAtHome #Covid-19 #StayPositive #SpreadPositivity #DigitalNomad #WorkOnline
DREAMING - I stopped planning trips or thinking ab DREAMING - I stopped planning trips or thinking about when or where my next trip will be.
.
But I have not stopped thinking of the great trips I've taken this year. Even in two months, I already made amazing memories.
.
This picture is so perfect it looks like a painting.
.
#GiliMoments #GiliStory #GiliLankanfushi #Maldives #Maldivien #Maldivas #maldivesvacation #MaldivesInsider #maldivesmania #VisitMaldives #maldivesig #beautifulMaldives #overwatervilla #Fromwhereidrone #girlswhodrone #LadyinRed #catalanspelmon #viatgersDC #luxuryresort #maldivesislands #maldivesresorts #SimplyMaldives
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Linkedin

About

  • ABOUT ONCE IN A LIFE TIME JOURNEY
  • ABOUT THE TEAM
  • WHERE WE HAVE BEEN
  • PRESS
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Reach Out

  • CONTACT US
  • PARTNER

Quick Links

  • SITEMAP
  • BOOKS
  • INCOME
  • DIGITAL MARKETING
  • DISCLAIMER

Copyright © 2019 . All Rights Reserved. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program