Friday, February 10, 2012

The Golden Triangle


Four Seasons Tented Camp

Perched on a hill above the Ruak River, the Four Seasons Tented Camp is hidden in a beautiful forest with tents overlooking the famed Golden Triangle.

Burma bar
Before you get there, the excitement of the Tented Camp begins with a 90-minute Land Rover ride from Chiang Rai through the northern countryside. You then reach a little boat pier on the Ruak where there's a long-boat waiting to take you up the river to Camp.

Our Tent
The Golden Triangle was, until just recently, a no mans land of drugs and violence. According to the CIA Fact book, it was “the world’s second largest producer of opium” behind only Afghanistan. Quite a place… historically it was  infamous for its connection to the opium trade. Then, along with the relentless efforts of the Thai Royal family, many worked to transform the agricultural landscape from poppy growing to one of producing coffee, tea, fruits and other highland crops in neatly terraced fields. Today, the term Golden Triangle simply designates the confluence of the Ruak and the Mekong Rivers at the junction of Thailand, Laos, and Burma (Myanmar).

Tent Interior
After a 15-minute private long-boat trip, the camp has a luxurious feeling of a turn of the century asian safari camp and the resort truly lives up to its high rankings. The experience of staying in one of the nicest tents you'll ever sleep in is great, while waking up to the sound of birds and looking over the river with an outdoor shower is sublime…

Another nice thing about the resort is it’s all-inclusive. Really inclusive; starting with breakfast, lunch and dinner; then cocktails, a wine cellar with cheese plus the Burma bar for the daily drinks and hors d'oeuvres during “Sundowners”. 

And that’s just the food… also included are daily guided tours to nearby destinations in Thailand and Burma. Then a full day of mahout training and riding elephants to the river for their daily baths. It's great to be a mahout for the day.

Wine Cellar
It's a very personal, intimate experience with just14 tents and there were only 20 guests while we were there. All in all you will be amazed at this resort and it's truly one of the great and unique travel experiences one might have. Highly recommended!

2 comments:

  1. I will never visit since I will not subject myself to the foolishness of the TSA. Sorry...

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    Replies
    1. Your loss. You only have to deal with it once if you never return.

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