Mae Sot Hotels

Wattana Village Resort: Wonderful! Unbelievably wonderful!!

Unbelievably wonderful!! It seemed like we drove forever to get to this place, including over very narrow, dirt, dusty roads but it was definitely worth the wait. Much of what we did during our visit to Southeast Asia was very arduous and we returned to our lodgings very tired every day but lush, but not overcrowded, terrain and the warmth of the staff assured that this place would revitalize you and make the tough day just an unpleasant memory. The food was definitely local but seemed more Vietnamese than Thai to me. There was soup with every meal, including breakfast, and they were usually more like Pho than anything that Campbell or Knorr would offer us. During the entire stay of several days, we did not see any burgers, fries, pizzas, etc. Some of the food was a bit mysterious but travel is about new adventures, right. It was all good, though some was even better. It was hot while we were there but it always seemed that the temperature was a bit cooler at Wattana than the various places where we were working.

Unique Quality: The lush, almost jungle-like setting which had several large multi-room units as well as individual bungalows was both large and extensive in layout but wherever you were on the property, except perhaps at the dining pavillion, you felt a great deal of privacy. Meals were served family-style at large tables (for 10 or 12) and although our team took up most of the rooms in the resort, it was very common to dine with Thai nationals as well as other foreign tourists. Although we were not there in true rainy season, it rained nearly every day yet the arboreal canopy (consisting mostly of rubber trees) seemed to protect the walkways and other public areas from any water problems. During our first day in the bush, I was almost literally washed out of the country but when we got "home," there was no negative aftermath of the daylong downpour.

You may not really want to know the following but I must share an interesting (to me) anecdote about that first day. My luggage did not arrive with me from the United States so I was not really sartorially prepared for our time in the backcountry. That first day I had to wear leather soled shoes, or stay at the resort. I was not about to miss the adventure but those leather shoes made it much more of an adventure than any of us anticipated. I slid and fell so much that the seat of my underwear was literally full of mud when we returned to the resort that afternoon. I washed them that day and several more times when I returned to the States but am just keeping them now as a souvenir of one of my most rigorous travel experiences.

• Opinion of Price: less expensive than average
• Address: 373,373/1 Moo 2, T. Pratatpadang, A. Mae-sod, Tak Mae-sod
• Phone: (662) 674-8182
• Related to: Romantic Travel and Honeymoons, Spa and Resort, Family Travel
• Written November 30, 2006

Our little corner of Eden

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