Thailand’s eastern seaboard which stretches from Bangkok down alongside the Gulf of Thailand is home to most of the country’s salt production.
The largest number of salt fields are within the province of Phetchaburi which has a long history of salt production that has been handed down in some families over many generations.
From the air, the fields represent a stunning mosaic of blues and browns.
The farms utilize seawater and the sun to harvest salt from the briny water that is channeled in from the gulf.
The shallow sea water that is left for around ten days until the sun evaporates all the water, leaving the salt to be collected and carried away in shoulder baskets to be bagged.
Tourists heading to the nearby popular beaches of Cha-am or Hua-Hin, pass by the fields and salt is available from countless roadside stalls.
As in many countries, salt was first used in Thailand as a preservative in the days before refrigeration, but salty flavours are now an essential part of the Thai way of eating.
It goes well with the locally-caught fresh seafood that is also a mainstay for the local people of the province.
You can explore the fishing villages, sample the catch of the day at scores of seaside restaurants or jump on a local fishing boat tour of the gulf and the surrounding islands.
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