Sustainability at Our Jungle Resorts

How we keep it green int he jungle

Our Jungle Resorts embraces a holistic approach to sustainability that encompasses both social and environmental aspects. Located minutes from the entrance to the idyllic Khao Sok National Park, the natural environment is essential to the design and atmosphere of Our Jungle Resorts. We are the only resort in Khao Sok to be located within the jungle, and 80% of our 25-acre property has been left untouched, meaning that the natural environment is incorporated into the resort's design. This is evidenced by the jungle sounds heard around the resort, including the rustling noise of monkeys jumping between trees. Biophilic design techniques create a sensation of feeling at one with the natural environment: accommodations are huts and treehouses made of bamboo and other sustainable materials that blend in with natural surroundings.

Sustainable buildings located within the jungle

Similarly, at Our Jungle Resorts, conscious efforts are made to ensure that practices are as sustainable and have the lowest environmental impact possible. All rooms, both in private accommodation and common areas, are equipped with low-energy lightbulbs and refillable water tanks, encouraging the use of reusable water bottles rather than the consumption of plastic bottles. We estimate that this practice reduces the use of single-use plastic bottles by around 10,000 plastic bottles per year. We also use water flow monitors to help track water use. Air Conditioning is also omitted in favour of the environmentally friendlier alternative of fans which also reinforce the sounds of nature. Reusable straws in the kitchen and towels in bathrooms in place of single-use items are provided to further reduce waste. As well as this, we offer guests dry bags to take on tours to Cheow Lan Lake to reduce dependence on single-use plastic bags.

Refillable water station and reusable towels for guests at Our Jungle Resorts in place of single-use items

A well-maintained 980 square metre organic farm and food forest featuring a variety of tropical fruits and vegetables including mangosteen, longan, durian, papaya, pumpkins, Thai Roselle, basil and other herbs, supplies the kitchens of Our Jungle Resorts, reducing the need to rely on imported food. Similarly, organic soap and shampoo are provided in refillable containers, with many ingredients also grown on-site. Our dedicated space for recycling also ensures that waste is separated properly and recycled where possible, which is currently a rare practice in Thailand. We also separate food waste and encourage staff to take home food scraps for dog and pig food.

Organic farm on-site supplying the kitchens of Our Jungle Resorts

We ensure that we operate in a socially equitable way. All of our resorts and tours are legally operated under local regulations and licences while providing state-of-the-art insurance for guests and employees alike. Further, we provide staff with equal salaries that are above average for the area, provide vacation days, treat all workers fairly and have a zero-tolerance policy towards any kind of harassment or violence, which combined, contributes to sustainable human resource management. We are passionate about providing opportunities to local people and Our Jungle Resorts are staffed predominantly by local people, and many of our staff also come from Myanmar. All resort staff and guides have been provided with first aid training and are educated about local wildlife and history. One success story is Por the Farmer, who returned from working as a soldier in the army to Khao Sok to work alongside 2 other full-time staff members on the farm and gardens at Our Jungle Resorts and is now learning English and working towards becoming a full-time tour guide.

Por the farmer providing a tour of the jungle trails at Our Jungle Resorts A Mahout guiding an elephant at Thongsuk Elephant Sanctuary

We also collaborate with local yoga instructors as well as other local tour and transfer suppliers to distribute tourism and tour suppliers from local communities to provide experiences for guests. We offer guests the opportunity to learn about the animals and nature of Khao Sok through ethical tours of the jungle and elephant sanctuary which supports local people. We work in partnership with Thongsuk Elephant Sanctuary, which implements a strict no-riding policy and is home to elephants that are retired from the entertainment industry. This also supports local people with years of experience working with the elephants. Thus, by booking a tour through us, you are directly contributing to the preservation of Khao Sok and the livelihoods of local people.

We strongly believe in encouraging the next generation to learn about sustainability and the natural environment and have 12 full-time staff members who are committed to this. By asking guests for a direct contribution of 150-300 THB for Our Jungle Life Camp we can collaborate with local schools and provide free weekly educational activities for the local children of Khao Sok at Our Jungle Life Camp, providing workshops on topics such as environmental change, sustainable farming, and recycling. In 2023, we provided 51 camps for 726 participants. Furthermore, we work with international schools and student groups, with age groups ranging from grade 3 to university students. In 2023 we worked with 507 participants across 14 camps. We also help to train local teenagers in skills such as survival, guiding, hiking and caving. We hope that these efforts will help to educate local people and inspire generational change in attitudes to nature and sustainability as children share what they have learnt with friends, family and future generations. We hope that this will in turn also inspire children to become future leaders in sustainability.

Environmental education workshop for local children at Our Jungle Life Camp

We also offer environmental education opportunities for guests, for example through evening talks and presentations and through offering a guided, educational walk along nature trails with one of our staff members. Furthermore, we are open to working with students and groups from other countries, in 2023 we also provided training in environmental education for 13 representatives of universities, national parks and governments from Laos. Furthermore, we are committed to making donations towards the local community. Recent donations have included donating bedding to the National Park and helping build a volleyball court at a local school. On top of this, we raised over 2 million baht in 2011 to help build a school for underprivileged Burmese migrant children (Andaman Centre for migrant education) who have recently moved to Thailand and lack access to education and have worked with this school since, for example, through building a playground and conducting multiple days of education.

Educational activities at the Burmese Learning Centre

Combined, these features contribute towards our sustainable and community-based tourism approach, making for a unique and eco-friendly stay for guests of Our Jungle Resorts. We are always working towards becoming even more sustainable and are open to suggestions on how to make this happen.