Phil returned from his week-long adventures in Laos on Thursday night so in efforts on spending some quality time together before we embark on yet another exciting week of reconnecting with visiting friends who are passing through Bangkok I booked us a relaxing quiet staycation in Bang Kra Jao at the Bangkok Tree House.
A new eco-hotel in the “green lung of Bangkok,” the Tree House is run by the same family of the Old Bangkok Inn, a boutique Phil and I had stayed at in August. We were really taken with the friendly family run approach and attention to detail that staying in a smaller place allows, Bangkok Tree House was no different.
Although still in its soft opening stages, Bangkok Tree House had a friendly, well trained staff and was already making noticeable eco-contributions to the area around the grounds. Committed to “greening up the environment one stay at a time,” little commitments such as having a communal fridge of glass water bottles in the lobby, having aircon in only the small bedroom area to save electricity, picking up 1 kg of trash for each guests who stays at the hotel are all big undertakings considering that the hotel is still in its early stages of being open.
We arrived on Friday night and it was a bit of a mission to get to the hotel. A taxi from Nonthaburi to the Mo Chit BTS, the sky train from one end 18 stops to the other end, a long walk (we recommend a taxi) through Bang Na to the ferry pier, a 4 baht ferry across the Chao Phraya and a short walk along the elevated bike path to the hotel. Once we were there we were more than ready to relax.
I had visited Bangkra Jao once before on a SpiceRoads bike trip, but I was excited to return with Phil and explore a little on my own. Originally home to one of Thailand’s many ethnic tribes, the Mon, Bang Kra Jao boasts a green jungle atmosphere of fruit orchards (we hear that mangos are in season), plantations and the Bang Namphueng Floating Market. We spent all day Saturday on the bikes (provided by the tree house) exploring the elevated paths, hitting many a dead end, spotting giant monitor lizards and sampling the local delicacies of the floating market (we recommend finding the sai oo – a spicy, herbal northern sausage, the Gac juice though, was only ok).
The Tree House’s food was excellent as well. Friday night we had dinner at the hotel’s kitchen and the pescaterian menu was delicious! Most notable was the pineapple topped with a cashew pickled turnip paste and the spiciness of the green curry and vegetarian larb. Breakfast was an option of a local brown rice savory porridge, Western styled eggs and local fruits/street snacks, of course we checked all three boxes.
We spent Saturday night on the awesome roof to our room looking at the stars and planning/dreaming of our many many travels in the coming year and we spent Sunday morning lounging around contemplating the giant barges in the river and the awesomeness of the home-brewed herbal tea (the pandanus leaf is responsible for its smurf-like qualities).
The weekend was exactly what we needed, a perfect balance of reconnecting with each other and exploring something new. We would highly recommend you try it too!
mala with a fork 
Reblogged this on travelwyse and commented:
How cool does this look?
I wish you would have labeled the food. I wanted to pin it on Pinterest, but, without explaining what it was, I don’t think people would take interest. I, however, would love to try the mango dish…couldn’t tell what the white scoop was, and the tray of circles of “something”. I would of course make sure the pin showed full credit and link to your site.
The mango dish is Thai dessert named mango with sticky rice made of coconut milk and sugar topped with sesame seeds. The tray of circles is steamed fish with red curry paste rapped by banana leave.^^