Northeast Thailand villa accommodation
| country: | Thailand |
| location: | Near Udon Thani, NE Thailand |
| price: | From £175 per villa per night, all inclusive (including transfers, all meals and drinks and local service / assistance). The villa sleeps 4 persons |
| offers: | Relax and enjoy your private Thai pool villa to the full! For all bookings of two nights or more, enjoy freshly-prepared Thai meals throughout your stay (breakfast, lunch and dinner) free of charge. In addition, book 7 and pay for only six nights! |
description
This villa was designed to reflect the architecture of traditional Thai houses, whilst also placing a premium on privacy and comfort. It is set in over 25,000 sqm of private grounds, surrounded by woodlands, plantations and rice fields, in Thailand’s rural northeast.
A local family living in a nearby village will look after you throughout your stay, either allowing you to enjoy the privacy of the villa to the utmost, or simply using it as base from which to show you the local sights and places of interest. Your personal cook will prepare fresh Thai meals for you throughout your stay at no additional charge, and will be happy to share some of the secrets of the Thai kitchen with you – from the organic gardens at the property to the plate.
A reclaimed wooden staircase leads up through typical wooden doors to the heart of the property. The house offers two eclectically designed bedrooms each with a four-poster bed and en-suite bathroom, a living room, dining room, fully-equipped European and professional Siamese kitchens and a typical "sala" - all set around a large wooden deck and its private swimming pool. The property was constructed entirely by local craftsmen and mixes traditional Thai design features (such as steeply pitched roofs for cooling and rainwater collection, raised living platforms permitting excellent views of the surrounding countryside, as well as ensuring both cooling breezes and maximum privacy, external showers etc.) with all modern comforts.
Escape from the tourist crowds at the villa and discover the true heart of the kingdom, in the knowledge that all proceeds from your stay directly benefit the local community in full.
Near the property you will find forest temples and the resident monks, village schools, numerous rural villages made up largely of old wooden houses, rice paddies and a variety of plantations, and the large lake and wetlands of Nong Han.
A local family living in a nearby village will look after you throughout your stay, either allowing you to enjoy the privacy of the villa to the utmost, or simply using it as base from which to show you the local sights and places of interest. Your personal cook will prepare fresh Thai meals for you throughout your stay at no additional charge, and will be happy to share some of the secrets of the Thai kitchen with you – from the organic gardens at the property to the plate.
A reclaimed wooden staircase leads up through typical wooden doors to the heart of the property. The house offers two eclectically designed bedrooms each with a four-poster bed and en-suite bathroom, a living room, dining room, fully-equipped European and professional Siamese kitchens and a typical "sala" - all set around a large wooden deck and its private swimming pool. The property was constructed entirely by local craftsmen and mixes traditional Thai design features (such as steeply pitched roofs for cooling and rainwater collection, raised living platforms permitting excellent views of the surrounding countryside, as well as ensuring both cooling breezes and maximum privacy, external showers etc.) with all modern comforts.
Escape from the tourist crowds at the villa and discover the true heart of the kingdom, in the knowledge that all proceeds from your stay directly benefit the local community in full.
special things to do and see here
- Learn to cook Thai and Isaan specialities.
- Visit the museum at the World Heritage site of Ban Chiang.
- Listed wetland excursions by boat through the lotus flowers.
- Participate in rice field ploughing, planting, or harvesting.
- Visit local villages that weave silks and cottons.
- Visit the cobra farm.
- Visit local forest temples and make merit in giving alms.
- Visit local village schools to make a donation of educational materials, used notebooks, or blankets during the cold season.
- Visit the Mekong river at Nong Khai, or cross the friendship Bridge to visit Vientiane, the capital of Laos.
- Traditional Thai massage.
- Muay Thai (Thai boxing) lessons can be arranged with a professional boxer.
Near the property you will find forest temples and the resident monks, village schools, numerous rural villages made up largely of old wooden houses, rice paddies and a variety of plantations, and the large lake and wetlands of Nong Han.
rooms, food and facilities
- 2 bedrooms with large four poster beds, each with en-suite bathroom and air-conditioning.
- Large living and dining room furnished with antique Thai furniture, with additional WC.
- TV snug with satellite LCD TV, IPOD compatible stereo system, DVD and CD player.
- Fully equipped Thai and European kitchens with microwave, oven, kettle, toaster, cafetiere, blender, high-power wok burners, pots, pans, plates, cutlery etc.
- Organic herb and fruit gardens.
- Thai sala or covered, raised outdoor seating area with table and chairs for al-fresco dining, large sundeck and private and negative-edge salt-chlorinated swimming pool.
- Sun loungers on the deck afford a chance to soak up the tropical sun.
- Your personal chef will prepare delicious Thai meals for you daily.
- Laundry service provided free of charge.
- Internet access.
- Towels provided.
- Bed linen provided.
how to find us
The villa is set in Thailand's Northeast - locally known as Isaan. About 30 minutes out of the main town of Udon Thani. Udon Thani is easily accessed by car, train, bus or plane. Its international airport is very well served with numerous flights. Free transfers are provided. We will collect you from Udon Thani airport (UTH) or train station and transfer you to the villa.By air: There are daily non-stop flights from Bangkok to Udon Thani (airport code UTH). Daily flights operate between Chiang Mai and Udon Thani.
By train: The nearest small railway station is Huay Sam Phat, but the house is also easily reached from Udon Thani train station. Tickets can be booked ahead of the date of travel (or immediately prior to departure) via the State Railways of Thailand or a travel agency.
By car: If you wish to drive your own car (or a rental vehicle) to the house, we will arrange a place to meet you so that you can then follow us on the last leg of your journey into the property.
how this holiday makes a difference
|
From the inception of the project, those involved were keen to ensure that the villa be designed, constructed and finished using local skills and labour, and then be operated by local villagers who would maximize the use of local produce and encourage the preservation of indigenous traditions.
From the builders and craftsmen who worked on the construction, through to the use of traditional Isaan silks, cottons, cushions and Isaan-heritage Ban Chiang pottery in the decoration, to the emphasis on fresh organic ingredients in the property’s gardens and a policy of strictly local employment, the goal was realized. Facets of the project, such as local employment, an emphasis on a meaningful interaction with the locals and the protection of natural resources may all be tenets of modern buzzwords such as “sustainable tourism”, but at this villa they underlie the concept. As Bongkot says, “collecting rainwater and minimizing water usage is automatic in a location where there is no mains water supply; using salt water chlorination in the swimming pool (as opposed to chlorine) makes sense in an area where salt is abundant; growing vegetables organically is a local tradition in villages whose inhabitants do not want to waste scant funds on fertilizers, and creating enduring local employment is something that the villagers of Isaan have sought for decades.” Then he adds, with a wry smile, “...and as for interaction with the local people, there are no other farang (foreign visitors) here, so who else can the visitors talk to!” This property is operated by local families, who use local produce and services in the day to day running of the villa. Some of the produce grown organically on site includes pandanus leaves, kaffir lime leaves, limes, mint, coriander, mangoes, papaya, passion fruit, jackfruit, dragon fruit, banana, and papaya. All revenues are distributed within the local community, and we aim to support reforestation, waste disposal programmes and education wherever possible. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |