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Pearls are the rarest of all gems and were traditionally
the most desired gem in the world until earlier this century when
marketing wizards for the Debeers Group, convinced the world that
"that diamonds are a girl’s best friend". To promote
general knowledge about pearls and with a specific goal of introducing
you to the famous farm produced ‘South Sea’ pearl is what
lead to the development of this tour. You will see a demonstration
about how the different types of oysters are selected and carefully
implanted with a foreign substance to trigger the pearl creation
process. You will see the growing frames where the oysters are regularly
cleaned, gently rotated, and bathed in special water rich in plankton
nutrients for the eighteen month period required to develop the
special cultured pearls this farm is famous for. The largest pearl
ever grown came from the Naga Pearl Farm. To round out you education
about pearls you will be taught how to distinguish a true pearl
from a fake, and a quality pearl from an inferior one. Finally,
experts will demonstrate how the finished pearls are removed from
the shell measured, graded, and prepared for the export market.
The jetty at Ao Po is the departure point for the
30 minute boat ride to Naga Island. If you have not already made
other arrangements to visit the Naga Pearl Farm there are always
several longtail boat operators there who can arrange a boat ride
to the island. Barter a price, using 300 Baht per person as a guideline
for a return trip. This tour is included on many of the package
tours of the island or you may book directly bySSS calling 219-870
or visiting the Naga Pearl Farm office at the ST Hotel on Sakdidet
Road.
This full day tour usually begins at 9am with hotel
pick-up and a boat ride to Naga Island. After a seafood lunch on
the beach with time for a relaxing swim your tour of the farm lasts
for about an hour and a half. After the tour you return to town
with a shopping stop at a Thai handicraft showroom, arriving at
your hotel around 5pm.
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