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At home with the Thai

Route: Sida - Kopet - Sida

Our Thailand homestay provides a chance to experience Thailand life in rural areas. It will give you the opportunity to get to know the Thai people, traditions, and countryside. You'll stay with a family in the village of Kopet, deep within the sleepy Isaan province, discovering firsthand their warm-hearted hospitality and curiosity of foreigners. During the trip, you'll be taken by your English-speaking host(ess) to the nearby temple city of Phimai and introduced to all aspects of village life.

Duration	Three days / two nights	Accommodation	Two nights in a characteristic Thai house including Western style WC and hot shower. Comfort level 2 (see accommodation).
Price	£180 per person - based on 2 people sharing	Includes	Transport, accommodation with breakfast, 2 x dinners and an excursion with an English-speaking guide.
Transport	Return transfer from Sida to Kopet	Excludes	Travel to Sida. Drinks and other meals, excursions and entrance fees not listed in the daily itinerary.

Day 1: Arrival in Sida - Walking in Kopet

Your Thailand experience begins in Sida, four hours to the east of Bangkok. Your bus will arrive around 1pm, and you will be met by your host who will take you to Kopet (approx. 20 minutes). Kopet has only 800 inhabitants and you will be staying in a typical house on the edge of the village. Your English speaking host will take you on a guided walk of the area. What you see will very much depend upon the time of year you visit, as different seasons support different crops and fruit trees. Livelihoods here change according to the season.

The walk will also take you to the village temple, the local school and the Tree Garden, bursting with silkworms. You'll be invited to take a look inside the house where the silk is woven by a group of elderly women. Your hostess will act as interpreter and answer any questions you may have, giving you a fascinating glimpse into local life.

After the walk, you can enjoy the sunset from your veranda. The evening meal provided is traditionally Isaan. You are welcome to observe Lamai at work in the kitchen. You'll eat with your family and you'll be invited along to any special events happening in the village. If you're lucky, you might get to go frog-hunting with the locals- a real Thailand experience!

Day 2: Kopet, school visit, ruins of Phimai

You'll start your day with breakfast on the veranda while the sun rises over the lake, a real highlight of your rural Thailand experience. After this, you'll take a walk back to the school. It's a great honour for the school to have foreign visitors and you will be asked to sign the visitors’ book. The inspectors will consider a visit by a foreigner as confirmation that the school has been kept in good order. Feel free to look in the classrooms and ask the children about their lessons. School visits are only on Monday-Friday and the school is closed from March up to and including May, in October and on national holidays.

From the school, Jim, your host, will take you to the ruins of Phimai (approx 1 hour journey). Jim has a vast knowledge of the area and temples and when you have taken your time wandering through the enchanting ruins, you can ask him any question you like on your journey home.

During the Khmer period, Phimai was on the direct route to Angkor in Cambodia - the grand capital of the Khmer kingdom. The Khmer built their holy places in a very different style to that of their Thai ancestry. Khmer temples are dedicated to the Hindu gods and originated as early as the 9th century, long before Buddhism was introduced to Thailand.

The Hindu temples of the Khmer kingdom symbolise the Holy Mountain with their high towers. Later, Buddhist elements were added to the temples and sculptures, which still bear the ‘animal’ influence from centuries ago. The air is heavy with history, making Phimai a remarkably magical place to visit during your Thailand homestay.

Day 3: Kopet - End of Thailand homestay

After breakfast, it is time to say goodbye to your hosts. This is sometimes a slow process as half of the village will come out to send you on your way. It is an old Isaan tradition to tie a ribbon to your wrist for good luck, so you can expect to begin the next stage of your journey with an arm full of ribbons.

Our Thailand National Park tour is a logical next step for your journey, and will enable you to spend the day amongst the exotic wildlife of Thailand's oldest national park. Alternatively, Jim can take you to Sida where you can head south to Bangkok.

If you are particularly interested in Khmer history, we would definitely recommend a visit Phanom Rung. This is built on a volcano and may be reached as a day trip from Sida or Kopet. Feel free to ask one of our Travel Specialists for details of this extension to your Thailand homestay.

Experience Thailand - departure from your host family

Your Thailand homestay experience

Jim will be your friendly guide and host during your Thailand homestay. You will stay with him, his wife Lamai and his daughters Lizzy and Jolie. He originates from Wales, but has been living in Thailand since 1999. There are three airy double/tripple rooms and you can upgrade from fan to air-con on arrival for a small extra charge. There is a Western style toilet and hot shower for the exclusive use of your party. There is a veranda surrounded by a huge garden with sun loungers and hammocks- a perfect chill out space. You will eat with the family and you are more than welcome to observe the cooking if you wish. The family themselves live in a separate part of the house, and Jim asks for no payment or any gifts for them or the locals. If you wish to contribute to the community the best way to do so is by buying their silk products. There is no bank, cash point or restaurant in the village and you are expected to pay for your own drinks during our Thailand homestay, so make sure you take small denomination of Thai baht.

Experience Thailand - Accommodation (click to enlarge)

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