People of the plains planting the year's rice crop. Fishermen harvesting the produce of the sea. Southern villagers tapping rubber trees. Throughout its history, agriculture has been the backbone of Thailand's wealth. The long-held traditions of fishermen and farmers have defined the cultural uniqueness of the land, characterised by a deep-rooted awareness of the blessings of the earth and the bounty of the sea.

That's the concept behind agrotourism, a direct extension of ecotourism which encourages visitors to experience agricultural life at first hand. For many tourists, it's fun to get a little dirty -- to work in the fields alongside real farmers and wade knee-deep in the sea with fishermen hauling in their nets.

Agrotourism is gathering strong support from small communities around the country, for rural folks have realised the benefits of sustainable development brought about by similar forms of "green tourism". Meanwhile foreign visitors are starting to enjoy these close encounters with the fertile soil of Thailand.

A trip to Phuket and Krabi, two star destinations in the southern Thailand, will surely disclose some of the options the provinces have to offer. In Phuket especially, people often head straight from the airport to one of the island resort's pristine beaches. But if you've soaked up enough tropical sun, a visit to the little-known Koh Maphrao ("Coconut Island") is a pleasant surprise that will enrich your island experience.

It takes just only ten minutes from downtown Phuket to Laem Hin pier, to board a long-tail boat to Koh Maphrao. From there it is a ten-minute ride along the crescent of beach to the island.

With the support from the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Department of Agricultural Extension, the Muslim village of Koh Maphrao has become a model prospect for agrotourism. This community of 120 households is geared up to welcome tourists, though it carefully maintains the innocent charm of a rural society.

The villagers' main income is from rubber plantations and fishing. When tourists arrived in 2000, a few bungalows (sexily wall-less, but with fascinating curtains made of seashells) were built beside a serene pond, and an attractive restaurant was added. Now 20 families are officially licensed to operate a homestay service there.

Instead of sunbathing, visitors here receive a demonstration of how latex is collected on a rubber plantation. You can closely observe a villager using a special sickle to slice the bark of a rubber tree and let its milky sap trickle into a container -- or you can ask for a crash-course and try to do it yourself. After that you can hop on a bicycle and embark on a breezy ride around the island. More awaits you if you decide to stay overnight in Koh Maphrao, since you're welcome to tag along when local fishermen go out to make their daily rounds. You'll be welcome to lend a hand when they retrieve the nets and see how many poo maa (blue swimming crab) and pla kraphong (red snapper) the Andaman Sea has yielded.

Rubber-tapping

Clusters of freshly-harvested mussels A fisherman and his prize lobster

What most impressed all, though, is a visit to the feeding beds, or kra chang, that floated like aquatic outposts between the shores of Koh Maphrao and Phuket. Kra chang are basically underwater cages attached to thin wooden poles connected into checker-like squares. They're used as nurseries for oysters, mussels, lobsters and several kinds of fish. Farmers would procure, say, baby oysters and raise them in kra chang for six to eight months until they're ready for sale.

On a fine day, a smiling fisherman can guide you around his kra chang. His prize commodity is lobster, which can fetch a hefty 1,200 baht per kilogramme. Also swimming jubilantly in his compound is a bunch of pla kao (groupers), while the mussels seemed perpetually sleepy. That's the unique charm of agrotourism: you begin to appreciate the beauty -- and reality -- of the land through the eyes of the local people.

Mangrove forests - a rich habitat

Before leaving Koh Maphrao, visitors should take a boat tour to see the island's mangrove forests. The twisty roots of mangrove trees resemble alien fingers, but as any ecologists would tell you, this exotic environment provides a nursing ground for many marine creatures. As you cruise along you will hear the sound of crabs clicking their mighty arms. Rare water bird glide overhead, and a glimpse of monkeys will certainly assure that you are now in the embrace of unspoiled nature.

From Phuket you can easily travel on to Krabi, a coastal town well-known for its soaring limestone outcrops and for being the home of Koh Phi Phi. The first stop is Krabi's Horticultural Centre, the largest breeding ground of dok naa woaw, or anthurium, in southern Thailand. The sensual, colourful anthurium is a flower that generates income for people in the region, and Krabi's Horticultural Centre is a governmental agency that provides research information to local growers.

Anthurim beds at Krabi's horticultural centre

In the hush of the centre's greenhouses you'll find rows of blossoming anthurium of many different kinds on display. Their brilliant colours range from blood-red and royal purple to pure white and dark chocolate. The knowledgable staff member can guide you around is ready to answer all queries.

As well as anthurium, the centre houses a variety of orchids and wild plants indigenous to the area. This is another advantage to agrotourism since it provides a reason to visit Krabi even in the rainy season, because that's when the flowers proudly assert themselves in full bloom.

From Krabi's Horticultural Centre it is an hour's ride to Khlong Thom, where you can begin trekking along the nature trail near Khao Nor Jujee. It is a convenient one-kilometre walk into the heart of pa pru, or swamp forest, an inundated swampland that can be found only in the southern part of Thailand.

Nature trail near Khao Nor Jujee

The area around Khao Nor Jujee is home to some rare plants and birds like nok taew laew tong dam, or gurney's pitta, an endangered species whose number has been reduced to only a few pairs. If you're lucky, you might spot its bright plumage as you hike into the forest. If not, another spectacle awaits you at the end of the trail: the Emerald Pool. The name is apt because this spring-fed pool is brimming with turquoise water originated from porous rock layers below.

Algae in the pond and water temperature render different hues to the surface: greenish-blue where the temperature is high, and pale green where it's cooler. It's OK to make a splash by swimming in it -- but be careful not to drink the water.

Your next trip to Phuket and Krabi need not be limited to the conventional schedule of sun, sand and sea. There are delightful surprises awaiting you in the forest and under the water, if you care to look for them. Agrotourism will help you to appreciate the land from more than one new angle -- and to fully enjoy the unpretentious beauty of fertile Thailand.