Our Village

In a small rural village, Baan Um Jaan (near  Udorn in the Northeast of  Thailand),  I ("Ten", 28)  live with my wife and two sets of young twins.

Here, water is still pumped from wells,  the roads are of dust,  and paddy   farming and livestock rearing are practised to the rhythm of the seasons. No tourist brochure can bring you here - there are no hotels, only simple temples and no nightlife: yet a visit would surely be memorable as you help plant the rice paddies with emerald, participate in the harvest, clamour in the local rocket, boat race  or water festivals, are blessed by elders in a Puk Xiow ritual, or savour the fiery local cuisine before learning how to conjure up each magical dish...
 

Our Food
 
Amongst the main ingredients in our regional cuisine are fresh and dried chillies, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, shallots, mint, ground dried rice, mongkut leaves...

We'll grow what we need then show you how to make some superb Isaan dishes such as Nam Tok, Laab, Som Tam, Sticky Rice,  Bamboo Shoot Soup or  Isaan Sausages. Then we might pick some mangoes in the garden and enjoy them with sticky coconut rice, or make a mango freeze...
 
Or perhaps you prefer to learn to cook more traditional Central dishes - Tom Yam Kung, curries and spicy salads...

 

Our Seasons

In the hot season, it is as if the world has forgotten how to breathe. At night, the clarity of the sky beckons you to read the poetry of the twinkling planets, punctuated by shooting stars...

Psychotic thunder rages across the skies and frogs "glug glug groat groat" in the rainy season.
 
 

In the cool season, the days are hot and the nights almost cold. In the early morning, saffron-robed monks seek alms against the paddy greens, and my children wend their way to school. We work in the fields and  snare fish.
 

Things to do

Bring merriment to the villagers as you help us plant or harvest the green or golden rice fields.

Try fishing on the huge lake for fish and shrimps...but don't fall in or you'll be befriended by our leeches! Find peace  on these calm marshlands reminiscent of the Camargue...

We'll drive you to Nong Khai on the Lao Mekong river border: catch the spectacular Longboat Races if you can!

Help bring us rain during the rocket festival; experience  giving alms to our  monks; feed our Great Dane;  try riding a water buffalo, Mor Lam dancing, or a traditional massage.

Nearby is Ban Chiang, a cradle of ancient civilization, and worth a visit.

And if learning our language and culinary secrets gets tiring, enjoy our food and rice whisky  and listen as cicadas take the pulse of the night...

Visit us!

Even though this is another world,  getting here is easy - by plane, train or bus from Bangkok. Should you wish to experience the real Thailand - we will be delighted to accommodate you and to introduce you to the wonders of Isaan....for more info please visit us now at GECKO VILLA

 

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