By Abigail Javellana
Wonderfruit, is an international Music & Arts Festival set in Thailand’s backpacker heartland Siam Country Pattaya, is said to be one of the hippest festivals in Asia.
Although known to be a sin city, Pattaya is far from that with it’s long stretch white sand beach, lush hills, creeks, and well-manicured lawns are reminiscent of the world-famous Coachella.
We love the various workshops held every day, enriching ourselves with the arts, yoga, and health, it is definitely a perfect venue for an adventure filled with an exciting music line-up, yummy feasts, and nature activities that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
It zeroes in on advocating creative cultures, eco-friendliness, and sustainable living. You could say, it has the same change-making concept as to Philippine’s very own Malasimbo.
Here’s a short photo essay of Wonderfruit’s festivities last December 17-20, 2015…
Wonderfruit Festival
The Fields at Siam Country Club, Pattaya
50 Moo 9, Bang Lamung, Pong, Chonburi 20150, Thailand
Website: www.wonderfruitfestival.com
Facebook: wonderfruitfest
Twitter: @wonderfruitfest
Instagram: @wonderfruitfestival
Pattaya, Thailand is a beach city boasting it’s 4 km crescent beach and sand coastline.
How to Get There By Car (from official website):
Directions from Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi Airport or Pattaya (North):
From ChonburiPattaya Highway Route 7, take Route 36 east towards Rayong. After approximately 8 km, you will see a large blue sign for “Siam Country Club” on the right hand side, make a Uturn and immediately turn left at the sign. Pass Bira GoKart Circuit and at the roundabout, go straight towards “Siam Country Club Waterside” and follow signs for “Wonderfruit”. Follow appropriate parking signs to Main Entrance and General Camping to the north, Boutique Camping only to the south.
Directions from Pattaya (South):
From Sukhumvit Road Route 3, take the road leading east opposite Na Chom Thian Patrol Police Office (Soi Na Chom Thian 6) towards Wat Huai Yai. After approximately 7 km, turn left before Wat Thepphabut, pass Ban Bueng School, and follow signs for “Wonderfruit”, heading towards “Siam Country Club”. Follow appropriate parking signs to Main Entrance and General Camping to the north, Boutique Camping only to the south.
Google locations:
Road to main entrance and general parking: Click Here
How to Get There By Free Shuttle:
Central Festival Mall (Pattaya) to Wonderfruit:
8:00am, 4:00pm, 6:00pm
Wonderfruit to Central Festival Mall (Pattaya):
2:00pm, 8:00pm, 12:00mn
Tip: If you want to go home on a different hour, don’t forget to haggle the prices for taxis and shuttles.
Before going to the festival be sure to download the free Wonderfruit app and easily make a skedule of the workshops and lineups you’ve been wanting to go to. (Available in iTunes and Android)
Entrance to Wonderfruit…
Be captivated by the festival grounds brought to life with incredible art installations that interact with the local ecology.
Wonderfruit uses a cashless system, you’ll get RFID wristbands were you can top-up and pay for your expenses.
Wonderfruit guests holding a general admissions ticket automatically have access to the general camping area. The general camping area is equipped with toilets, shower facilities, and water stations.
One of the things the Wonderfruit crowd loved the most is the yummy food line-up in the festival. It’s a foodie paradise where an emphasis is placed on the range of unique and delicious dishes available. Local restaurants bring simple Thai dishes, Taiwanese baobun burgers, and US style comfort food.
Don’t miss a chance to book a seat at Wonderfruit’s Farm to Feast, a full course meal prepared by world-renowned chefs using produce harvested in the festival grounds.
The feast includes free flowing wine and drinks.
Thai snack platters with herb, northern sausages, and seafood followed by an array of popular Thai street food by Err. (TBH 1000/head)
Renowned Chef Gaggan prepares a feast inspired by regional flavors of his childhood using fresh ingredients deconstructed in a playful way. (TBH 2500/head)
Chef Gaggan’s restaurant in downtown Bangkok is ranked number 1 in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants at number 1 in Asia.
Too bad all the Farm to Feast slots were fully booked, would have loved to try the dishes these top chefs had in store.
Tip: Book early to get a seat. We planned to book at the festival itself and failed to get tables. 🙁
Foodie favorites Hong Bao, Bad Motel, Fillets, Broccoli Revolution, Knock, Rocket, Surface and Peppina, Maison Jean Philippe, Moo Ping Hea Owen and more than 20 traditional Thai street food outlets.
Bad Motel ang Knok’s Moo Ping with sticky rice. (TBH 75)
Very succulent grilled pork skewers popularly found in the streets of Thailand. We love eating them as is or with the sticky rice. Don’t forget to dip it in jaew (Spicy and sour northeastern Thai dipping sauce).
We also heard they have really good burger sliders. 🙂
We love the freshness of their Pad Thai. (TBH 150)
Be adventurous and take a bag full of Bamboo worms from Exotick. (TBH 80) Surprisingly it tastes like sun dried fish.
One of the best vegetarian burger I’ve had so far. Broccoli Revolution’s burger patty is made from quinoa and broccoli, topped with guacamole and salsa in bamboo charcoal and walnut buns. (TBH 250)
We also loved the Chasu Donburi of Fillet. (TBH 180)
Chasu, teriyaki sauce on Japanese rice, onsen egg and nori.
Also try Hong Bao‘s dim sum. Too bad the creamy salted egg buns were sold out, I heard they were delicious. (TBH 120)
For drinks, we loved Whapow’s greenergizer vege & fruit shakes.
We liked the Chocolate Banana Drink made from dark chocolate, milk, banana, cacao and Whapow mix and the Double Passion made from passion fruit, mandarin orange, fruit juice and Whapow mix. (TBH 100)
Try Sato commonly known as Thai rice wine is a traditional northeastern Thailand style beer made from glutinous rice. (TBH 90)
It’s taste a little sweeter like the Lambanog (Coconut alcoholic beverage) in the Philippines.
Be sure to dress up for the Festival or get a hippiefied makeover at the Wonder Salon.
Free hair makeover using flowers and leaves from nature by guest stylist Fiow Tarini Graham.
Make-up, tattoos, hennas and costumes galore.
… even a barbershop is available. 🙂
Be early to have the full Wonderfruit experience. We loved the exciting workshops held by skilled practitioners, from yoga and dance to arts and crafts down at the sharing neighborhood.
Noted illustrator Kru Parn covers basic portrait painting.
Pattani kite-making from the south of Thailand. We got to design our own kite and fly it after.
Flow Yoga classes while being accompanied by the hypnotic music of DJ Papercutz.
Meditation, self-defense, breathing exercises and foundational yoga at the Goddess camp.
Join the Tiger Club for a native ceremonial drum circle.
Enjoy Wonderfruit’s Natural Wonders like their man-made pool.
Bootcamp obstacle courses.
Younger festival goers too can get creative with the activities in dedicated kids’ area, Camp Wonder. From free running workshops with champions Team Farang and a kids’ disco, to foraging and traditional kite-making, plus storytelling, magic, and a puppet show.
They also have a Nanny day care center for kids. (TBH 100/hour from 10am-6pm and TBH250/hour from 6pm-12mn)
World-class international live acts and DJs. From hip-hop and electronic to alt-R&B, Thai folk, techno and circus arts, as well as a variety of regional Asian acts, Wonderfruit is set to spellbind audiences with the best music and performances from around the globe.
(Living Stage) We loved Submotion Orchestra, the British 7 piece create powerful layered musical landscaped with bass heavy electronica influenced by jazz.
(Molam Bus) The Molam Bus sets the stage for northeastern Thai music.
Curated by Jim Thompson Art Center, the bus is a traveling cultural station with authentic Molam music revived by contemporary bands.
(Living Stage) Rhye based in Los Angeles presented their unique brand of alternative R ‘n’ B. We loved Milosh’s pure and haunting voice.
(Living Stage) Don’t miss the Lucent Dossier Experience, be spellbound by their sexy cirque stylings with breathtaking aerial performances…
and stunning fire shows and original live music.
(Soi Stage) Welcome, Asian artist from all over Asia.
Tarsius from Manila, the electric duo Diego Mapa and Jay Gapasin creates unique compelling soundscapes.
Overall, we loved the hippiefied new world of Wonderfruit Festival. One of the things we can’t forget is experiencing new culture and music along with meeting friendly people from all around the world.
Tickets begin at $160 (THB5,500 or £100) and boutique and RV camping and hotel packages are also available.
Wonderfruit is produced by Scratch First , a Thaibased social enterprise using the arts as a means to engage and create communities of sustainable and socially responsible growth.
Wonderfruit Festival
The Fields at Siam Country Club, Pattaya
50 Moo 9, Bang Lamung, Pong, Chonburi 20150, Thailand
Website: www.wonderfruitfestival.com
Facebook: wonderfruitfest
Twitter: @wonderfruitfest
Instagram: @wonderfruitfestival
Live an Awesome Life,
Abi
Team Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: Our Wonderfruit experience was courtesy of Scratch First, Third Culture Music and Air Asia. Read Our Awesome Planet Complete Disclosure Policy here.
P.S. For International guests don’t forget to purchase a sim card in the airport to get unlimited access to the internet during the festival. 🙂
If you have time visit the “Sanctuary of Truth” (Entracne fee TBH 500/person) temple 30 minutes away from the Central Festival mall by taxi (TBH 250/one way). You’d be surprised to find out the whole temple is made of just wood. 🙂
