fresh mountain setting

Phu Chaisai Resort

Tel.+66 (0) 2661-5898-9,+66 (0) 2260-2646
E-mail : contact@phu-chaisai.com

Features:

Holistic Healing *Yoga and Meditation *Outdoor Natural Setting *Local Organic Ingredients

Phu Chaisai Resort, “Mountain of Clear Heart”, is nature’s cozy spa in the mountains offering organic sustainability for your health and the community. They have their own certified organic tea plantation, fruit farm, and vegetable garden that is picked and used right away. The Bamboo Spa, a spiritual sanctuary, was created from their bamboo forest and includes 4 outdoor spa areas each named after a different flower. The service all around is exceptional! Most of the staff is hired from the local villages, which is another way they support their local resources.  The therapists participate in bi-weekly yoga classes to remain healthy and injury free.

Ms Siwika and their homemade bamboo car

Phu Chaisai offers a wide variety of activities including trekking, pottery class, elephant camp, rafting, yoga and meditation.  The rooms are beautifully designed to blend in with the natural surroundings.  You can chose between Resort or Bon Thai style and 7 of the 50 rooms have their own infinity pool.

Bon Thai room with infinitey pool

Note for vegetarians and vegans; their restaurant serves a beautiful salad filled with freshly picked organic greens but be sure to order it without bacon bits and cheese.  The spa manager, Nattamon Holmberg, recognizes the need for a healthy spa menu and will be creating one this year.

It is the proprietor, M.L. Sudavadee Kriangkrai’s, love of nature, joyful spirit and creativity that makes this resort so unique. She not only preserves the surrounding forest but also offers a popular free mediation retreat that is offered once a year; the next one is Sept 18-23, 2009.

Budget

Akha Hill House

Tel.+66 (0) 8999-7550-5
E-mail : apaehouse@hotmail.com

mud bungalow view

The Akha Hill Tribe hosts a guesthouse situated in the mountains one-hour outside of Chiang Rai.  They provide free transportation once a day to and from Chiang Mai.  The breathtaking views from the house are of the mountainous valley surrounded by tea plantations and a native jungle.  This is a great escape for relaxation and creativity! On average, a private bungalow in the off-season is $15/night.

They offer a unique herbal steam sauna using vine blood.  One of the tribe members prepares the sauna, by request.  He cuts down the vines and burns them under the hut for the herbal steam to heat up the small dark room.  You can sit in it for as long as you desire.  I savored the quiet, nurturing time alone and used it to chant and meditate for an hour.  The herbal steam and smell made me feel cleansed and vibrant.  When I exited the hut my skin was glowing and delicious.  The best $6 I spent all week.

nature's herbal steam hut

A note about their food; order the Akha specials over the traditional Thai dishes.  My favorites were the Akha chili paste (very spicy) with wild vegetables and the fried banana flower with egg and vegetables (very flavorful).  Each dish cost only $1.50.

Free

Huay Keaw Waterfall

Akha offers paid guided trekking tours but I opted for more alone downtime and left the exploring up to my own spirit.  The Huay Keaw 3 tiered beautiful waterfall was only a 10 minute trek away and had exceptionally well made bamboo bridges to cross.  I also discovered a nice quiet bamboo platform hut up on the mountain where I was able to take in the fresh air and journal.

relax, reflect and create