Travel

Thailand’s southern Phatthalung province is generally overlooked by tourists, who tend to opt for neighboring Trang or the holiday hotspots of Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga. And while this province may not boast any real beaches, there is still plenty to discover both on and off the water that runs through intertwining streams throughout the rugged landscape.

Your homestay for the night on this “One Night Stay with Locals” trip is located in the old Tamod Community, which is tucked away out of sight in the Buntad Mountain Range and near Thale Noi. The mountains and adjacent river produce some stunning scenery, which you’ll be exploring via road and kayak. The community is also well-known locally for how it uses past knowledge from floods to create suitable water management systems, which you can learn all about on this trip.

Arrive relatively early on day-one at ‘Lhad Ton Sai’ – the name of your homestay in the Tamod community. After getting acquainted with some of the friendly southern locals (and trying to understand their unique regional dialect), you head off again to pay respect to Pho Tun Chuay at Wat Tamod temple with the chance to try some tasty (and a bit smelly) fried durian at the nearby clean-energy OTOP center.

After lunch, learn more about the community’s endeavors to create a sufficient agricultural economy. This is before another “Extraordinary Experience” of the trip – kayaking along the river until dusk falls, when it’s time to watch stunning the sunset at Kuan Ta Kom (or over the reservoir). To round off a memorable evening in Phatthalung, enjoy dinner together and head back to your quaint homestay for some sleep.

In fact, you’ll probably want to hit the pillow quite early, because the early morning of day-two presents an opportunity you won’t want to miss: seeing the sun rise and the sea of morning mist rise over the mountains like a silky white blanket. This is from a lookout point at Kuan Ta Kom.

By the time you’re back down, breakfast is served at around 8.00am before heading out for more community-focused activities. These include a trip to the Apis Cerena Knowledge Center, learning how to make crispy rotis (one of the all-time favorite Southern Thai snacks) and lunch ‘Krua Roi Sai’ style at Lhad Ton Sai.

Before heading home, there is time in the afternoon to participate in a knowledge-building activity at Soon Ruam Jai Song Sasana as well squeeze in a refreshing visit to Lan Mom Jui Waterfall to beat the heat.

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/.

For any native or foreign tourist familiar with Thailand, the southern province of Phang Nga conjures up images of dramatic limestone cliffs rising out of the turquoise waters (forming Phang Nga Bay), as well as the region’s stunning network of mangrove-covered canals and tropical jungles. Plus, let’s not forget those picture-perfect, white-sanded beaches either!

This popular destination, however, can get quite busy in certain places where tour agencies bring boat-loads of visitors each day, especially in high season. So, to get away from it all, we recommend a “One Night Stay with Locals” trip to Baan Sam Chong Nuea Community – thanks to its remote location that still makes for a perfect launch pad for many of the bay’s must-visit sights.

Perhaps the highlight of this specially-curated “Extraordinary Experience” is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the sunrise over Phang Nga Bay (at dawn on day-two), with your local guide taking you out on a boat to a secluded viewpoint overlooking the glowing sun which slowly rises above the horizon.

But this trip to Baan Sam Chong Nuea is not only about the sun, sea and sand. Many of the activities are located mostly inland. Starting from the later hours of the morning, learn about the history of this fascinating community at the village’s main center, and kayak through the mangrove forests and swamps while helping out with afforestation at the same time.

The afternoon of the first day provides an invaluable opportunity to learn more about the local villagers, farmers and fishermen’s way of life and how they earn income in this remote region. This involves checking out a shrimp paste-making demonstration, trying your hand at fabric tie-dyeing and observing traditional fishing techniques which use floating baskets, as well as visit a fresh oyster farm (with tasting, of course!)

Apart from the early morning sunrise trip (which is optional for the late-risers), even more adventure around the bay is booked for day-two. Hop into a long-tail boat – locally known as ‘hua tong’ – and observe the stunning beauty of Phang Nga Bay. Along the way, your expert local guide will take you to Petch Pakarang Cave, where you can walk up to discover the highest point for a bird’s-eye view. The scenery of Khao Phing Kan, Khao Tapu, Lod Cave, and Punyee Island is all incredible, making this long trip south (and back again) worth the extra effort.

After a short cruise back to your Baan Sam Chong Nuea homestay, it’s time to pack up your bags and bid farewell to your hosts – until next time!

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/.

Venture right in the heart of the wilderness of Nan province, with this “One Night Stay with Locals” at Sila Petch community. While tourists may flock to nearby Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in their millions, Nan province promises just as spectacular scenery, with mountains, jungles, rice paddies, wide rivers and cascading waterfalls all to see – just not as many other people to run into!

Many of the local villagers here at Sila Petch are of Tai Lue origin, an ethnic group mostly spread over Southern China and Laos. Upon arrival, learn more about their unique traditions and way of life, which stretches back hundreds of years, with a welcome ceremony and introduction to the community.

One of the best ways to learn more about a culture is to participate it yourself, and you’ll have the chance to do that by trying your hand at some Tai Lue weaving at a local knowledge center. Other fun and educational activities planned for your afternoon in Nan include picking local vegetables at a farm and inspecting the rice paddies the sit in the foothills of the famous Luang Phra Bang Mountains.

After returning to the Sila Petch community in the evening, soak up even more culture as you experience a traditional Bai Sri Su Kwan ceremony, Sa Lo So Sueng Show and Tai Lue dance. This is all before one of the highlights of your “Extraordinary Experience” in Nan – enjoying a northern-style ‘Khantoke’ dinner that involves sitting in a circle and sharing a range of small dishes together with your hosts, including fresh vegetables, spicy dips, grilled meats, sticky rice and herbal sausage.

Your homestay for the night is in the style of an old-age Tai Lue house, with the sounds of the nearby river creating a peaceful atmosphere as you fall asleep. Don’t go to bed too late though, as the next morning you’ll need to wake up at 6.00am for a visit to a local market and then a merit-making session (the monks from a nearby temple walk in procession in front of your homestay).

You’ll need a hearty breakfast of own, as the rest of the morning is packed with more activities. After visiting the Sufficient Economy Learning Center, your mini-hike through the forest and to Sila Petch waterfalls begins! Pass Luang Pho Phu Kha Shrine, Bo Namthip, Stone Bridge and Mon Lue Si, learning more about the surrounding nature and community’s history as you go. By the time you reach the waterfall, it’s more food awaits (lunch), with the chance to cool off in the refreshing water before heading back.

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/.