In March 2013 we were lucky enough to be part of the first homestay in the Sapan Tao community. The program was amazing, a true insight into local life. We learned about rubber tapping, collected local vegetables by the river and learned how to transform them in local dishes and desserts. The highlight however was the warm heart of our hosts and the people we met during the stay. We went swimming in the river and enjoyed a full afternoon canoeing with our host family.
As part of our ongoing support of the local community, Our Jungle House has partnered with Andaman Discoveries to rebuild and maintain the Burmese Learning Center in nearby Kuraburi. This school and community center is a hub of opportunity for the underserved migrant Burmese population that lack access to other Thai schools. Our manager, with the help of guests, staff and supporters, raised 600,000 baht toward this endeavor.
In its previous location, the school would flood during monthly high tides, bringing in trash from nearby slums to the already inadequate classroom, bathroom and kitchen areas.
To be honest, I was initially a little nervous when embarking on this two-day, one-night “survival” trip into the jungle. I am usually quite the outdoor adventurer, but I had just bruised my tailbone while hiking a few days previous. Luckily, through the incredible help and patience of our guide Tuk, my fears turned out to be unnecessary.
Our day started with a stroll along a wide dirt road into Khao Sok National Park. Almost immediately, Tuk was stopping to call our attention to different plants and animals.
Khun Hia, the local man sat cross legged on the floor in front of us, brandishing a pair of large metal shears in his right hand. He plucks a large Beetlenut out of the bowl beside him and begins to expertly slice it out of its thick outer shell. He proceeds to take the small inner stone and grind it together with a herbs and a red spicy powder, mashing it into a dry paste.
He cracks a smile and motions towards us, wondering if we’d like to partake in a spoonful. Having tried it before, I know that this is the equivalent of a mouthful of sawdust, but we oblige and tip it back.
When we first arrived in Thailand two months ago the first thing on the agenda was relaxation, sun and ocean. Standing in front of a group of eight year old Thai children trying to teach the difference between, “my, his and hers”, was a little far from our minds to put it lightly. But here we were, and we can say now, we couldn’t have been more content being anywhere else.
But how did we get there? Well that’s a long story that can most simply be explained with; opportunity (Bodhi and Lena) met us at Our Jungle House,
At our time of departure from Our Jungle House, thanks to the lady at the reception, we saw a hornbill sitting in the trees. These giant birds always live in pairs and we could hear the calls of the second one from beyond the river. Even with our superzoom camera the bird is hard to distinguish but we were happy anyway to having seen one of these majestic animals.
We picked up guests from other resorts to complete our group of 11 people plus guide. The minibus stopped at a street market where we bought a second head lamp since we would pass through a cave as part of the tour. After we arrived at the lake we boarded a long-tail boat and the actual lake trip started.
Majestic Mountains, Mystical Morning Mist & aMazing Mammals
Special Wildlife tour at the Chiew Larn Lake
My visits at the Chiew Larn lake can be counted on two hands, yet never have I been so high up North. Departing from Our Jungle House at 9am, our group of eight introduced each other in the van. The atmosphere was joyful as Iat, our guide, outlined the activities for the trip. A small stop at the market in Ta Khun and we were more than ready to hop on the boat at the pier. The hour-long ride on the traditional long-tail boat gives a breathtaking overview of the diverse beauties of the lake.
or what we do outside Our Jungle House with Andaman Discoveries
“Where are you from?, we asked the guides from the village. “From the Moken” they said. Patiently we asked again: “Alright you are Moken, but… where are you from?” Their answer remained the same: “From the Moken”.
Eco friendly places and Community based initiatives are part of the vision for sustainable and respectful travel in Thailand. Our Jungle House manager Bodhi and his volunteer team spend their free time outside the jungle in cooperation with local communities at the Andaman coast. Together with Andaman Discoveries, an award winning responsible organization for community based tourism, they have started to work with the Moken Sea Nomads on the Surin Islands.
by Hal Wershow
The dinner menu for the Jungle Survival trek is an eye-opening introduction to just how much food the jungle can provide. While hiking earlier in the day, we had stuffed two plastic bags full of leaves, some for spicing, others for eating. We had brought uncooked rice with us, to be cooked jungle style (taking a length of bamboo and stuffing rice wrapped in banana leaves into the hollow, filling with water, and leaning the bamboo over the fire). But leaves and rice do not quite satisfy the ravenous appetite that jungle trekking inspires…
When traveling Thailand, the rivers, lakes, and rain forests should not be overlooked, and there are many ways to experience this in Khao Sok National park. Our Jungle House offers a half day canoe trip which is a perfect mixture of relaxation and wildlife interaction. It is accompanied by a mid trip stop in the on the jungle-clad riverbank where our guides make a campfire to prepare hot chocolate and coffee, followed by a snack from the local fruit trees. Have a look at our new testimonial video and see what our guests are saying about this fun and unique activity.
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