Try your hand at north-eastern specialities such as Spicy Beef Salad with Mint (Laap Neua), and Green Papaya Salad (Som Tam), or try traditional central Thai dishes such as Spicy Prawn Soup (Tom Yam Kung), Grilled King Prawns with Chilli, Lime and Coriander (Kung Pao) etc. There is no charge for such a Thai cooking lesson. Find out more about Thai food.

Should you wish to visit the local school with your children, please do not hesitate to ask. You may find these basic Thai phrases and introduction to the language useful.

Getting to grips with a Skylab can be an unnerving experience, but the private grounds of Gecko Villa are a safe place to brave an attempt! The more sane may prefer to experience this vehicle as a passenger - an authentic way to surprise the villagers as you go local on the way to the market.

Help us plant or harvest the green or golden rice fields - some local rice whisky may help you along. Perhaps you would like to try your hand behind the plough, or even try to ride a water buffalo. Find out more about rice in Thailand.

Watch the rocket festival; join in local festivals and experience the rhythms of Mor Lam dancing. And if learning our language and culinary secrets gets tiring, enjoy our food and rice whisky and listen by your pool as cicadas take the pulse of the night.

Relax by the pool and indulge in an hour or two of traditional Thai massage. The local village practitioners will be happy to massage away your aches and pains (approx THB300 / hour.)

Should you be interested in Thai boxing, we will be happy to arrange for a retired championship boxer to put you through your moves, and show you a few new ones! (The trainer's reasonable fees are payable directly to him.)

For special occasions, we will be happy to organize a firework display for you or arrange for a late night session of field-mouse hunting with muskets, accompanied by the local champion! If you dare not eat your catch, you can always enjoy a rice whisky instead.

As it is no longer possible to witness weaving here, and as the destination has become primarily a collection of stalls selling garments and lengths of cloth, we only recommend a visit to guests who specifically wish to make such purchases.

The Road to Loei: an adventurous trip by bicycle or car follows the Mekong river along the Lao border to the town of Loei, with dramatic hilly terrain, jungle views and waterfalls.

A car and drive can be rented for those wishing to make a day trip to Vientiane in Laos, or for guests heading from Thailand to Laos after their stay. 

Your own tranquil swimming pool is finished in hand-made tiles, in mottled hues of green from celadon to emerald. The pool uses a salt water system rather than relying on chlorine crystals. Sun loungers allow you to simply lie back and soak up the tropical sun.

Special celebratory meals may also be arranged on the pool deck of one of the villas. Highlights can include traditional Thai dancing demonstrations, firework displays, suckling pig roasts and more.

Take part in unusual activities such as a traditional blessing by village elders to assure yourselves of longevity, wealth and happiness; enjoy a traditional Thai massage, visit the local forest temple or village school, or venture further away to places of natural beauty or historical significance.