Places to visit and things to do at the villa and around Udon Thani
Holiday activity ideas at the villa
Suggestions of things to do at the villa and near Udon Thani
The holiday villa sits between country villages where the way of life is authentically Thai, and has only seen gradual changes over the past decades. These are agricultural communities, rooted in the land where families still tend the smallholdings that were formerly tilled by their ancestors. Whilst some of the crops have changed - perhaps from rice to rubber trees, cassava or even sandalwood - most families still tend the rice paddies and observe the seasonal rituals associated with the cultivation of both jasmine and sticky rice - the staples of the Northeast.Indigenous culture, traditions and folklore, and a focus on living off the land, still prevail today around Rice Paddy Villa. The villa and its vicinity offer numerous diversions for those wishing to uncover and experience a genuine Thai way of life, or to witness scenes so rare in other regions of the kingdom, where development has proceeded at a dizzying pace. Adding to the attraction of the area, the villagers here remain genuinely friendly and welcoming, and are keen to find out as much about visitors to their homelands as the latter are to experience an alternative way of life.
Below we list just a few examples of things to do and places to see in the area. Do feel free to check at the villa upon arrival what local festivals or happenings may be occurring during your stay - as these are often somewhat impromptu, but always offer a fascinating insight into the region.
Pilot the Skylab
The skylab is a fairly common sight in and around Udon Thani province. North eastern Thailand's modifiied tuk-tuk aimed to maximize transportation space in the cab mounted on this three wheel, motorcycle engine powered rickshaw, permitting farmers to use the contraption to transport goods to market, whilst also allowing it to be used as a people carrier out of season. It drives in a similar fashion to a motorcycle, although cornering takes considerable practice! It affords an authentic and amusing way to explore the Thai countryside as a couple or a family.Plant or harvest rice
The rice paddies all around the Thai villa form the cornerstone of the local village economy. Depending upon the season in which you take your villa holiday, you will see the rice fields at one stage of the rice cycle, and are welcome to assist and to try your hand at ploughing the paddies, planting emerald seedlings, or harvesting and threshing the mature golden rice.Negotiate a Bustling Market
Amidst the local farming communities you will have the opportunity to visit any number of markets selling fresh produce from the farms dotted across the countryside. These range from peripatetic markets selling a limited amount of fresh fruit, vegetables and meat together with cooked dishes and perhaps items of clothing and local specialties, to the larger established markets. The latter are generally housed under a large roof with no walls, and are illuminated by numerous bare bulbs hanging down over each individual stall.The stall holders here tend to specialize in a particular product or range of produce: one stall will be stacked high with overflowing woven baskets of fresh chillies, coriander, mint, lemongrass, galangal, ginger, lime leaves and fresh green pepper, whilst another will sell freshly grilled chicken and a spicy green papaya salad, and another trays of Thai desserts concocted from coconut, sticky rice, pandanus and crunchy beans. Throughout the year, you will find a vast assortment of seasonal fruit - from papaya, watermelon and banana, to mango and pineapple, and more exotic Thai fruit such as pomegranate, passion fruit, durian, jackfruit, pomelo, langsat, custard apple, guava, sapodilla and more!