Asia
Unusual & Unique Places to Stay in Thailand
Thailand's unusual stays lean on water and forest: floating raft houses moored on lakes and rivers in the west and the south, and treehouses and bamboo houses in the forested hills of the north and the national parks of the south.
The catch is that the two coasts keep different rainy seasons. The Andaman side, around Phuket and Krabi, is wettest from roughly May to October; the Gulf islands, around Koh Samui, are wettest late in the year. Raft houses and forest lodges are often basic by design, some with power for only part of the day, and the heat and humidity do not let up.
Cliffside & Capsule
RayavadeeRailay, KrabiDomed pavilions hidden among towering limestone cliffs by a hidden beach.See the stay
SAii Phi Phi Island Village ResortAo Nang, KrabiLocated on Phi Phi Island in the region.See the staySummer Sea Phi Phi IslandAo Nang, KrabiSee the stay
Treehouse & Canopy
KeemalaKamala, PhuketClay pool cottages and tented villas suspended in a rainforest canopy.See the stay
Overwater
What's the catch? Reached by boat or a long transfer, and open to sun and tides.
Loy La LongถนนทรงวาดA former riverbank residence turned boutique hotel.See the stay
The FloatHouse River Kwai ResortKanchanaburi, ThailandA former industrial location, now a luxury floating resort.See the stay
Wildlife & Sanctuary
Anantara Golden Triangle Jungle BubblesChiang Saen, Chiang RaiTransparent bubble domes pitched in the jungle beside a camp of rescued elephants, the herd grazing within view of the bed.See the stay
Nomadic & Tented
Elephant Hills Rainforest CampKhao Sok, Surat ThaniFloating luxury tents on a rainforest lake, run as an elephant-sanctuary camp where a rescued herd roams free rather than carrying riders.See the stay
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