September, 2018 - Accommodation Med

Adventure awaits at the lush hillside community of Baan Khiri Wong Kot, Udon Thani

by Donald Steven on September 13, 2018

This actioned packed “One Night Stay with Locals” promises adventure, fun activities and lots of deliciously spicy food (this is Isaan, after all!) The journey takes you up to the northeastern corner of Thailand to Udon Thani province, where you’ll carry on deep into the forest until you reach a mountainside community known as “Baan Kiri Won Kot”.

The friendly locals will be waiting to give you a warm welcome into their homes, as well as show you around the village and provide a ceremony to mark the beginning of your stay. Now, the adventure really starts with a tractor tour of the nearby rice paddies and jungle, before making your way to a nearby waterfall for lunch and perhaps a dip in the refreshing water.

The afternoon provides an opportunity to learn more about the Baan Kiri Won Kot community, and how the locals live and make money off the land and natural resource available to them. For instance, there’s time for a lively fruit picking session at a nearby orchid and you can stop by one of the many shops along the route back to pick up some local souvenirs to take back for your own friends and family.

Before bedding down for the night in your rustic but comfortable homestay accommodation, your hosts will treat you to another ceremony showcasing their unique northeastern Thai culture. You won’t go to bed with an empty stomach, either, as a traditional ‘Palang’-style dinner is served up, including many vibrant Isaan dishes you probably know and love – as well as some you may never have tried before! This style of eating involves sitting in a circle on mats on the floor, which is a great way for you to get to know more about the local villagers and exchange ideas as you tuck into dishes such as grilled chicken, somtam, sticky rice, grilled fish, and dill soup cooked inside bamboo.

After a good night’s rest, make sure you set your alarm clock early, as you don’t want to miss seeing the morning mist rise over the mountains. You’ll be heading up on the tractor to a viewpoint to catch the sunrise and the sea of clouds cover the jungle down below. It’s the perfect way to start the morning while sipping a cup of locally brewed coffee, rounding off this truly Extraordinary Experience in Udon Thani.

To learn more about “One Night Stay with Locals” in Thailand or to book a trip for up to 10 people at a special price, please visit www.1nightstaywithlocals.com or www.facebook.com/AorSorSocial/.

Travel

Head up to the ‘Thai Highlands’ and into the forest at Baan Pi Miang, Lampang

by Donald Steven on September 5, 2018

Stretching 400km across of a remote section of the ‘Thai Highlands’, the Phee Pan Nam Mountain range is home to dense tropical forests, sandstone peaks that rise above the clouds, and networks of gushing streams feeding some of Thailand’s major rivers. A particular point of interest in this unique area is the people who live here almost hidden away from the rest of the world, allowing their traditional cultures and ways of life to remain preserved.

One such community of local villagers can be found at Baan Pa Miang, which is comprised of a small collection of homes and simple shops surrounded by the lush Miang forest and a coffee plantation. This 2 day / 1 night trip takes you into the heart of this friendly community, which is located in Thailand’s Lampang province.

Surrounded by greenery in all directions, life at Baan Pa Miang revolves around the forest, which gets its name from the abundance of miang leaves that grow here; these are collected and used to make miang kham – a type of northern Thai snack that roughly translates into ‘one bite wrap’ (due to the fact that you can eat the little parcel all in one go!) While visiting the village, you’ll have the chance to wander through this majestic forest to find some miang leaves of your own before heading back to base to discover how to wrap, prepare and – most importantly – eat this local delicacy, which is normally filled with spices, herbs, nuts and dried shrimp.

Another community-based activity takes you to see a nearby coffee plantation that grows and sells Arabica-style coffee beans. Discover how local villagers have mastered the art of coffee growing and pick up a bag of these richly-flavored beans to take home – or grab a cup for an afternoon energy boost. It’s then back to the village to enjoy a traditional ‘Bai Sri Su Kwan’ ceremony before dinner and music with your friendly hosts.

As well as trekking through the forest, you’ll also be able to literally rise above it. The morning of the second day presents another “Extraordinary Experience” to see the sunrise and misty clouds at Giew Fin. Here, the spectacular views stretch across Lampang and into neighboring Chiang Mai province from the very top of the Phee Pan Nam Mountain Range.

If you’re planning on visiting Baan Pa Miang in the winter, green isn’t the only color you’ll see covering the countryside. The colder months from January to March are when the region’s orchid trees begin to blossom, with bright white flowers making this little hillside village even prettier. This time of year also coincides with the local ‘Bauhinia’ vegetarian festival… just remember to bring some warm clothes to stay snug at night during your One Night Stay with Locals!

To learn more about “One Night Stay with Locals” in Thailand or to book a trip for up to 10 people at a special price, please visit www.1nightstaywithlocals.com or www.facebook.com/AorSorSocial/.

September 2018