mascot

The ‘Disneyland of Thailand’ that looks just like a European village with mascot parades and fireworks

IF you love a day out in a place that looks like a fairytale – put this spot on your list.

Called Chocolate Ville, the man-made village has become a popular tourist attraction with some even dubbing it the ‘Disneyland of Thailand.’

Chocolate Ville is a dining outlet in Thailand that has been compared to DisneyCredit: instagram/@chocolateville
It has al fresco dining as well as mascot parades, puppet shows and firework displaysCredit: Facebook/Chocolate Ville

The popular attraction that’s a European-style village is just 30-minutes from the centre of Bangkok.

Although, unlike Disneyland, Chocolate Ville has no rides.

Instead, it’s an outdoor dining attraction built to resemble it’s own little village with cobbed streets and fronts designed to look like toy shops and florists.

But it is filled with restaurants with al fresco seats where diners can dig into pizza, pasta, salads, steak, and of course, Thai dishes.

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Through Chocolate Ville runs a river with waterfalls, riverboat and dotted about are ponds with capybaras.

One visitors wrote about the destination: “Chocolate Ville is a picture-perfect dining village straight out of a fairy tale! Set around a charming European-style park with cobblestone paths, pastel buildings, and a scenic lake, it offers a magical escape from Bangkok’s hustle.

“Whether you’re snapping Instagram-worthy photos by the lighthouse, strolling through flower-lined streets, or enjoying a cozy dinner under twinkling lights, every corner is full of charm.”

The makeshift village is also dressed up during certain times of the year like Halloween and Christmas.

At 5pm, costumed mascots roam the streets and perform for visitors.

In some places there are puppet shows or even parades – just like they have at Disneyland.

The biggest event in Chocolate Ville happens in the evening when there’s a huge fireworks display.

It’s not clear how much entrance to Chocolate Ville is online, but one visitor reported paying 100 thb (£2.36) for a ticket.

But this can be used in exchange for a drink, snack, souvenir, or as used as a voucher at one of the restaurants.

During the evening the whole place lights upCredit: Facebook/Chocolate Ville

If you actually want thrilling rides then Thailand has some incredible parks like Siam Amazing Park.

It’s filled with rollercoasters, drop towers, log flumes and carousels.

The theme park is split into sections from Xtreme World with the tallest and fastest rides, to Adventure World, Family World, Small World and Water World – the water park.

Here’s where visitors will find the record-breaking wave pool along with signature water rides like Speed Slide and Super Spiral.

It’s a seven-storey-rainbow slide, which is the highest in Southeast Asia and was once recorded as the highest in the world.

Another popular theme park in Bangkok is Dream World which has 32 attractions.

There’s go-karting, a swinging Viking ship, bumper cars, a haunted castle, pedalos on the lake, an animal farm – and classic rollercoasters.

For theme parks closer to home, here are the 20 in the UK that you can reach by train.

Plus, this little-known theme park in England is getting two new rides this year in massive multi-million pound expansion.

Chocolate Ville has been dubbed the ‘Disneyland of Thailand’ by some visitorsCredit: instagram/@chocolateville

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Harry Westlake: Viral England mascot to U18 Six Nations squad

Now 17, Westlake has been included in an England training camp in preparation for a warm-up match against France next month and April’s U18 Six Nations Festival in Vichy, France.

“England Rugby was always a massive thing for me growing up,” says Westlake, looking back.

“I just loved England and I’m very patriotic.

“I remember getting into the tunnel and asking Chris Robshaw if he was ready.

“Then we cracked on, went out and I think I thought I was going to play!

“You see me walking out and almost staring everyone down.

“Before it, my mum had said to me, ‘Make sure you sing it loud and sing it proud’.

“So I just thought, ‘All right, I’ll do that’.”

Westlake was playing for Devonport Services under-7s at the time, but already had his eyes on the big stage, with plans to become England fly-half or centre.

That part probably won’t come to pass.

Westlake, who plays in Exeter’s academy, is now a hard-running back row, channelling the energy and drive of Ben Earl and Henry Pollock, even if he does cite childhood hero Owen Farrell as the embodiment of the mentality he aspires to.

Westlake has already had to show resilience to keep pursuing his dream.

“Rugby has always been the focus, even if the ride hasn’t necessarily been as smooth as it could have been,” he says.

Westlake has Crohn’s disease, a chronic gut inflammation.

“I’m on medication which I take every eight weeks, which sort of ticks me over and gets me through,” he explains.

“There was a two, three, four-year period where it was pretty tough, but we’re getting through it now.

“It affects energy levels so for two or three days before my medication is due, I’ll struggle and then a day after I’ll struggle as well.”

Harry’s anthem moment was not his even his first experience meeting the England squad.

After using an image of Harry on father Kevin’s shoulders at a match the previous year in publicity material, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) had brought both into the team hotel to meet the players and coach Stuart Lancaster.

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