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Green Gecko
Green Gecko is a traditionally Thai styled villa, set amongst the rice paddies and plantations of Thailand's Northeast (Isaan) on extensive grounds, out of Udon Thani. It is the perfect solution for those wishing to avoid the tourist traps of Thailand, to get off the beaten path and discover and experience the heart of the country, yet in comfort and style. The property itself reflects traditional Thai architectural traditions, being raised on stilts and with a steeply pitched terracotta tiled roof, and was constructed entirely by local villagers. The villa is equally managed and owned by local villagers as part of a sustainable tourism initiative in this traditionally agricultural area.
An impressive wooden entrance staircase leads up through wooden doors to the main deck, with its loungers, pool and sala, around which the living spaces are centred. The deck boasts excellent views over the surrounding verdant countryside, and is an excellent place from which to watch the sunset in the evening. The villa has two bedrooms, finished in wood and cottons, with en-suite bathrooms, and the master bedroom features a shower garden.
The villa also offers a living and dining room, fully-equipped kitchens and extensive gardens and orchards. Green Gecko is neither a typical rental villa nor a resort, but combines elements of both, blending the privacy and space of the former with the Thai hospitality of the latter. Guests may either enjoy the villa in complete privacy, or allow themselves to be integrated fully into the local ways of life by the local villagers who run the property, and are the best placed to explain time-honoured traditions and details of the local culture, and to accompany visitors to hard-to-find local areas of beauty or historical interest. Furthermore, stays at Green Gecko are fully catered, with deliciously zingy Thai meals prepared for guests throughout their stay, at no additional cost.
Things to do include:
An impressive wooden entrance staircase leads up through wooden doors to the main deck, with its loungers, pool and sala, around which the living spaces are centred. The deck boasts excellent views over the surrounding verdant countryside, and is an excellent place from which to watch the sunset in the evening. The villa has two bedrooms, finished in wood and cottons, with en-suite bathrooms, and the master bedroom features a shower garden.
The villa also offers a living and dining room, fully-equipped kitchens and extensive gardens and orchards. Green Gecko is neither a typical rental villa nor a resort, but combines elements of both, blending the privacy and space of the former with the Thai hospitality of the latter. Guests may either enjoy the villa in complete privacy, or allow themselves to be integrated fully into the local ways of life by the local villagers who run the property, and are the best placed to explain time-honoured traditions and details of the local culture, and to accompany visitors to hard-to-find local areas of beauty or historical interest. Furthermore, stays at Green Gecko are fully catered, with deliciously zingy Thai meals prepared for guests throughout their stay, at no additional cost.
Things to do include:
- Learning to identify the ingredients of, and then how to prepare, traditional Thai dishes, with an emphasis on Northeastern, or Isaan, cuisine.
- Trying your hand in the rice fields, either at ploughing or harvesting rice, and learning about the rice growing cycle .
- Excursions by boat through the lotus flowers at the local wetlands
- Muay Thai (Thai boxing) lessons, which may be arranged with a former professional boxer
- Indulging in a traditional Thai massage - either in the local village or in the comfort of Green Gecko itself.
- Cycle trips around the countryside on the villa’s bicycles, to soak up the rhythms of these typical rural villages
- Attending local festivals and traditional rites – whether these are typical holidays such as Loy Krathong or Songkran, or private weddings or initiation rites.
- Attending a morlam music festival to witness this age-old musical tradition with its particular dancing style
- Visiting the museum at Ban Chiang, and the village itself to see traditional pottery being crafted.
- Visiting the local village temples, or awaking early to participate in morning alms giving.
- Visiting a local school - and encouraging the children to practice their English skills.
- Visiting local places of interest such as the local waterfalls (in season), Phu Phrabat Park with its prehistoric cave paintings, Phu Foilom park, the silk and cotton weavers of Nha Ka village, the cobra farmers of Koke Sanga, or the border town of Nong Khai on the Mekong river.
Umjaan |
Latest page update: made by Umjaan
, Jul 22 2009, 7:26 AM EDT
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