While researching and planning for our move to Thailand, we found a YouTube video on this floating hotel. No electricity, beautiful surroundings, spectacular food, an elephant, a village tribe, and an after-dinner show with the local indigenous people running the joint to top it all off.
One of my much-loved books was ‘ The Swiss Family Robinson ‘, and these rafts had that flavor much like a treehouse might….for those of you who know me, I’m sure you can imagine how it brought out my amazed inner child. Robinson Crusoe..ish.
Arrival
We wove this overnight into a custom tour that included the Bridge on the River Kwai, and the associated museum and cemetery in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, but that bit is another story.
The atmosphere was a little smoky from the burning of the sugar cane fields, which was repeated for us in Chang Mai during Songkran festival later in the month. The government is trying to figure out a solution to the burning….I certainly hope they do. The air was cleaner further up the river where the rafts were located.
High 5’s
A Floating Hotel
We were picked up at a shared dock for a quick trip up the river by longboat to our rafts. Several different groups have lodging along the river. The reviews spoke of this one as being especially unique… and it is the original float hotel on the river. A brilliant concept that not only brings income into these sweet people‘s village, but the guests get to enjoy sharing their happiness with an unforgettable experience.
Our guide from the day cracking a well-deserved cold one
The longboats are a blast to ride in and can be sizzling fast. They usually use car engines and a long propeller shaft for propulsion..the prop buzzing out of the water at times. I want one of my own. The trip upriver was a pleasure. I’m still trying to figure out how to acquire one, and where to run it. If you revisit the James Bond movie “The Man with the Golden Gun’ you’ll see what these boats can do. The ones we rode in are more like water taxis and can be quite long.
Long drive shaft and tiller.
I believe this was a Toyota Camry engine.
Jungle Rafts was the original float raft on the river. We had no electricity and a very weak signal for our phones. It felt good to be unplugged for 24 hours. The hotel is run by a village of Mun people. They escaped from Myanmar 700 years ago and settled here. They are people without a country, fighting to keep their culture and language alive. Running this hotel provides a way for them to make a living and the owner is kind and helpful to their village.
The hotel itself is a line of bamboo huts built on floats on the water and moored to the bank. They are connected by a long front deck with three rooms to each float. There is also a giant dining/bar/entertainment section, and a section for docking etc. Each set of floating quarters has a table, lounge chairs, and a hammock on the riverfront. Flowers bloom year-round in Thailand, and the rafts have hundreds of planters along the decking along the river…a Master Gardener’s heaven. The water flowing under you is totally conducive to a deep night’s sleep. It was quite chilly that night. An unusual experience for us, and we were not prepared. We will bring warmer pajamas next time.
One of the activities you can do while you are there is to use a life vest and jump off the deck on one end and let the flow of the river catch you and carry you to the other end. The current was pretty strong and fast. My estimate was 4+ knots. It was great fun, and so cool and refreshing. We floated it a few times. You can also book a long float down the river accompanied by a boat with a picnic and snacks…next time I’m sure we’ll do that.
Dinner was served family style to our table of 6 people from our tour. If you wish an adult beverage they add it to your bill. It was fun getting to know the other couples, as is usually the case. There was a young Indonesian couple who are currently living in Hong Kong, and a Dutch couple about our age who are currently living in France. We always enjoy communal tables and have added lots of people to our contacts from our shared meals.
Our table
A Little Dance
After dinner, the Mon performed a traditional dance show. The costumes were stunning, and the show was highly entertaining. Their dance is very rhythmic of course, but far more fluid than usual, flows down to their audience, and really captivates. The tradional brass instruments in the orchestra are hypnotic. There are six chapter of dance in this cultural dance.
- Welcome Dance: Theng Ta-Leung La Aow you are greeted and welcomed in the Mon language.
- Kid’s Dance: tells the history, the music expresses the Mon peoples story.
- Flirting Dance: Boys are out to show their love for the girls. I like this one.
- Candle Light Dance: This chapter is to show respect to Buddha.
- Water Festival Dance: to make merits and to wish good things come to their spirits.
- Farewell Dance: Farewell, good-bye, see you in the funny’s.
Candle Light Dance before the lights went out.
When the dance ended, we went back to our rooms. The way was lit by kerosene lanterns and the stars. I sat up and talked with our group, while Julie hit the hey hay. Teachers work far too hard. The night sky was spectacular out in the for real dark countryside.
The next morning we had a tour of the village. They live in huts similar to the ones at the hotel, only they are in the forest. They mostly have what they need and don’t leave the village much, but there is a company car for emergencies and transportation for the children to go to school in the closest town. Our guide is a teacher in the village. He runs classes in the summers and in the evenings teaches English. They also have an elephant that they bring down to the water for the tourist to watch and feed while he plays and bathes in the river.
Our visit to the Mon village was a nice little adventure. Only a handful live there, and it is tidy and well-maintained. Ongoing repair and build is constant since most of the building materials are sourced from the jungle. they grow plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as coffee. The village is just a short distance on a bluff above the river.
Covered walk into the village
Splitting and weaving bamboo into walls
Typical home
Monk Spring cleaning
Papaya
Coffee drying in the sun
The village is self-sufficient in many ways, continuing an ancient lifestyle that seems so pure to me. They are Buddhists and their beliefs make for a strong and compassionate community. The little school and the water treatment are examples of how close-knit and tight they are.
The water is pristine but it has an excessive amount of calcium which is hard on the kidneys. This water system is in the school and shared by all.
Open-Air School
Ball Court
Flick a Stone Game
Downtown
One of the Village Shrines
Hundreds of Years Old
The Guard
Fun Ones
Leaving the Village
View of the Jungle Rafts from the Village Bluff
Jungle Raft Impressions
We had a great time on this little night-away, and would certainly book for more than one night next time, and we are planning to return. The Mon village gives me hope for the world. Such industrious, kind, and calm people. Don’t miss the short walk up the hill to say hello and to tour the village!
The resort has kayaks, paddle boards, and long tail boats trips. There are also other activities in the area…such as Lawa Cave, a Treetop Adventure Park, and Geothermal Hotspring Bathing. You can also see waterfalls, and do some jungle trekking.
The Hellfire Pass Interpretive Center for the Death Railway helps explain some of the WW2 horrors that occurred here. That is something that I will talk about in upcoming content. This was a special trip for a history enthusiast like me. It helped in completing my reading and education on the railway.
Such a beautiful part of Thailand that we are looking forward to revisiting already.
Your descriptions are so illustrative. This adventure sounds particularly magical and rewarding.
Thanks again. It was a good time.
Fascinating! Love this!
Thanks bunches…working on it.
Hello Toddy,
What an enchanting and immersive experience you have shared! The River Kwai Jungle Rafts sound like a unique gem, perfectly blending the charm of a floating hotel with the authenticity of local culture. Your description of the setting, from the bamboo huts to the traditional dance performance, really brings the experience to life.
I especially appreciate the details about the Mon village and its way of life and how their traditions and self-sufficiency add depth to the visit. It is fascinating to learn about their daily life and efforts to preserve their culture while providing a meaningful experience for visitors.
Thanks for sharing this vivid adventure!
I very pleased and tickled for your kind words. I’m trying to gain my feet and balance, and am enjoying my evolution from never producing content to having an actual page. Being able to travel easier has changed our world and I’m anxious to share our stories. Thanks for taking the time. Toddy ❤️🙏