 |
| Swimming-pool side of the resort |
Baan Souchada is a country resort & spa located in the province of Saraburi, north of Bangkok. It takes between 2 and 3 hours by car to get there. It is past the city of Saraburi, close to Lopburiburi refers to a Thai word meaning a 'fortified town' at the time of its foundation. On the other end, the word sa means a 'swamp'. So Sara-buri is litterally 'the town in the middle of the swamps'.
 |
| Pool waterfall |
province. The word
This account is by no means meant to be an advertisement for this resort. It is there because I enjoyed staying there and truly loved the surrounding quiet atmosphere and the beauty of the place. It is worth to know that it is better to have a vehicle to stay there, as it is completely isolated in the countryside. The surrounding landscape is made of rolling hills, pastures and vast fields of sunflowers, a sort of hallmark for this lovely province; the type of countryside you would not expect to find in Thailand.
The resort in itself does not simply consist of a hotel and spa. It is spread
 |
| Lounge corner |
out on a vast estate thay includes a well-tended garden, ponds, an orchid greenhouse and a farm displaying some of the local animals, among which a herd of water buffaloes.
Designed in a modern Thai architecture, the resort hotel is a good example of the beauty inspired by the Siamese culture. Needless to say, it is also tastefully decorated in the local style, offering all the modern comfort expected to fit the expectations of modern travelers.
Therefore, Baan Souchada (the word baan means 'home') offers three main attractions on site: its beautiful Thai architecture, an interesting estate, and a green and lovely natural countryside.
 |
| A lovely modern Siamese atmosphere in the countryside |
Modern Siamese Architecture
 |
| Decorative lounge bell |
Whether it is the curved roofs, the interior design or all the decorative items, the guests feel they are truly in Thailand. Both the spa and the quality of the food at the restaurant bring an additional touch to the feeling. Outside, statues and a profusion of plants and flowers complete the picture.
 |
| Main lounge view |
 |
| The spa |
 |
| Modern Thai design |
 |
| Bungalow setting in the garden |
The Estate
 |
| A view of the garden and the hills |
 |
| Thai pavilion |
There are several types of accommodations to choose from. Bungalows are spread out in a landscape garden that gives the impression of being on a hill village. Flowers are everywhere. But there are also a few ponds, some have been designed to resemble small rice paddies. There is also a wide variety of plants and trees that indeed attract many birds. To this effect, they have buit an observation tower on a hill that enables people to admire the countryside and watch the birds.
One of the main attractions in this huge park remains the orchid farm with
 |
| Orchid specy |
a great variety of species. Some orchids can also be seen in the garden, but the greenhouse offers a larger variety of course.
The farmhouse keeps many different familiar animals that children enjoy seeing. There are hens, ducks, rabbits, but also poneys, goats, sheep and a set of boars. Besides the water buffaloes already mentioned, there are a few deers as well.
The surrounding environment
 |
| Garden rice paddy |
 |
| Frangipani flowers |
The province of Suraburi is mostly agricultural. Thre are ponds, rivers and even a large man-made lake nearby. The hills break the monotony of the flat lands and some higher karstic mounts can be seen in the background.
One of the province attractions is the intensive culture of the sunflowers with their byproducts that include natural honey.
It is clear that this district offers a natural diversion from the usual perception people may have of an exotic land like Thailand.
 |
| Sunset time over a sunflower field |
 |
| Thai country bungalows at Baan Souchada |
No comments:
Post a Comment