Happy, beautiful & strong women-English

We’ll be taking a customized, ladies-only trip and trying loads of fabulous activities that us ladies mustn’t miss.

The ideal woman should possess certain qualities such as gentleness, beauty, strength and a beautiful mind.

Every time we take a trip together, all kinds of wonderful things would happen. Memories of us girls sharing ideas and helping each other out, the genuine smiles coming from the heart‌all these things equate to happiness and positive energy being shared among friends and everyone around.

We’d like to call this trip “The Sharing of Beauty and Happiness” which means that we’ll be doing all kinds of activities designed especially for beauty queens.

It’s time to get the momentum rolling by taking a restful break surrounded by nature so that the body can fully recover from months and months of arduous work. There will also be a chance to do volunteer work for the community. As for destination, we took a vote and unanimously agreed on Ranong and Chumpon, the two small cities that may not be mainstream tourist destinations but are certainly full of charm and attractiveness.

As we make a bee-line for Ranong province, we were dreaming away about the fun that lies ahead. How stylish it would be to dress up Bohemian style and stroll around white canopies in the middle of the forest. The atmosphere is perfect for hanging out among girl-friends and sharing ideas and thoughts and just chill-out.

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Ton Greener

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Relax in a chic, co camping beside the stream R E S TAU R A N T

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Phet ry Garden

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omfortable canopy while m at Ton Phet Greenery Garden.

WIMMI NG

P HOTO GRAPH

TENT

As we stepped into the realm of Ton Phet Greenery Garden, we were brimming with a sense of fascination because everywhere we turned, we were literally surrounded by lush, natural greenery. Canopies of different sizes located along the stream made the atmosphere even more relaxing.

The sounds of water flowing gently and birds chirping happily in the background miraculously chased away all feelings of fatigue and made us feel alive and fresh in an instant.

Within Ton Phet Greenery Garden, one can feel good vibes emanating from guests as they wind down in the natural and nurturing surrounding. It didn’t matter where you are from, everyone seems to be all smiles to one another.

There are only a few types of accommodations here but all are unique in their own way. We chose to stay in a white tent and imagined ourselves dancing around the fire like in the movie “Dances with Wolves�. Surely you do recall this box-office hit starring Kevin Costner.

We were thankful that the tent came equipped with comforting amenities like soft mattresses and gypsy-style pillows of various sizes.

At the front of the tent is a small set of table and chairs for us ladies to sit down and soak in happiness amidst nature within Ton Phet Greenery Garden.

Tonight, we will lay back and count stars in the clear night sky. It is wonderful how little things like these can make travel enthusiasts like us feel so content and how convenient it is to enjoy a holiday in Thailand.

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eco-Logic

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When angels come together for a PHOTO G R APH

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c Resort

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a good cause at Ecological Resort YO G A

RESTAURANT

COFFEE

LEARNING

After waking up from a good night’s sleep, we traveled on to Paksong and Phato Districts heading for eco-Logic Resort where we will be doing a good deed for disabled children.

Here is a little background on Ecological Resort. This property, once a school for children with special needs, was originated by a group of Dutch humanitarians and supported by the government of Holland for over ten years. The goal was to help disabled children in the local area look after themselves and even find work, make a living and have a place in society.

After funding from the Dutch government came to an end.

The founders, teachers and children had to find ways to support themselves so they started running a restaurant, school and hotel all at once. Tourists get to enjoy the beautiful, natural landscape of Phato District while doing a good deed by helping the children when they are here.

We woke up to a beautiful morning feeling happy just listening to the sound of water flowing through the forest. It was a rare moment, especially in this modern age, which made it even more therapeutic for the body and mind.

Some of the health-conscious early-risers woke up to participate in yoga class in order to soak in energy from the universe. They say that it makes them feel energetic and refuels the fire in the body. Being in the lush natural surrounding makes it all even more nourishing and wholesome.

We enjoyed a simple breakfast with a cup of freshly brewed coffee extracted from aromatic, premium Robusta beans. The ladies had a good sleep the night before so everyone was looking extra fresh and active.

Next came the Beauty-Queen task of spending time with the disabled children. We helped them with activities including yoga, collecting vegetables, eggs and mushrooms, and feeding fish.

It may not seem like much to some but for us, it was time well-spent nurturing the hearts of those who need it most.

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RobustaLand ------------------------------------------------------------------------

A makeshift barista while in Robusta Land L EARNING

P H OTO G R A P H

Since we’re in Robusta coffee territory, let’s find out how the local experts roast their coffee beans. “Bao”, a knowledgeable young man was kind enough to tell us all about the entire amazing process.

Afterwards, we all gathered around and our friendly host poured each of us a nice cup of coffee. It was a lovely bonding time between host and visitors.

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Earthen

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L EARNING

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n House

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P H OTO G R A P H

Next, it was time to learn how to build a mud house. Each house distinctly showcases the builder’s creativity and imagination because in a way, they are actually a piece of art.

The cost of building a mud house is only 5,000 baht excluding labor fee.

Still, it is very economical especially in comparison to the price of a designer bag.

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Heo

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Water

------------------------------------Go hiking through the forest and at Heo lom TREKKING

SWIMMING

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lom

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rfall

-----------------------------------d recharge the body and mind Waterfall.

HOTOG RAPH

YO GA

When Thai and foreign volunteers get together, the level of fun multiplies. Together, we went hiking up and down the hills to get to Haew Lome Waterfall. It was gratifying to see that the surrounding forest is still very unspoiled and fertile.

The waterfall was majestic and tall. The sound of water gushing down was so magical that it lured us into getting out of our clothes and jump in. How refreshing it is to swim in the cool water or if you’re a Southerner, you would say “how delicious” it is.

Some of the ladies crept away quietly to practice yoga on the rock boulders while enjoying an occasional splash of water trickling from the cliffs high above.

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Phato Rafting

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Once in a lifetime experience Phato Rafting BAMBOO RAFTING S WIMMING

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LE ARNING

PHOTOG R APH

After having accomplished the beauty-queen mission in the morning, we all went rafting in Phato District. This is a very popular activity among environmentalists, so much so that it became an annual event.

In the old days, commuting around Phato District was done via rafting and the speed of each raft depended on the tide and the dexterity of the raft guide.

Naturally, the locals are extremely attached to the river as their lives revolve around it. One can see a raft floating in front of every household; and those who don’t have one are considered unusual.

Rafting is a fun outdoor adventure that allows participants to get close to nature and the river. The ladies on this trip seem to be enjoying themselves very much. They suddenly turned into Wonder Women and fearlessly went for a swim in the cool water.

After rafting, we were famished so the only thing to do was to have a go at cooking, rafters’ style. There are no convenient stores around so we had to do it like a local which was to park the raft along the riverbank and cook with whatever we could find.

Everyone enjoyed taking part in cooking this spicy, local style meal and we had to improvise quite a bit. Rice was cooked inside bamboos and surprisingly, it came out very soft and aromatic. Then we used banana leaves to cook eggs without using any oil; a recipe that is healthy and delicious. We also made spicy-sour soup and shrimp chili paste with a side dish of fried fish. What an amazing meal it was.

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Tusita wellness Resort

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PHOTOG R APH

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RE S TAURANT

After dressing up Bohemian style, doing volunteer work and rafting, now it’s time to pamper the body.

Hopefully, the outer and inner beauty accumulated from this trip will remain with us for a long, long time.

We packed our bags and headed for Tusita Wellness Resort in Thung Ta Ko, Chumphon Province to enjoy an individually designed pampering session. Each of us took a blood pressure test and was assigned an appropriate treatment.

Treatments came in various forms such as body scrub, massage, facial mask, body mask and so on. It was a day dedicated to beauty and relaxation.

The spa has its own unique method of massage that really penetrated deep down to the nerves. Products used here are from natural sources so after the treatments, we felt totally relaxed, clean and beautiful.

The rooms are so beautifully decorated that we couldn’t stop taking pictures, both in the bedroom and living room.

Each of the units are built to blend in nicely with nature and everywhere we turned, we were surrounded by leafy trees and blossoming flowers.

The next morning, we awoke to sounds of birds singing and breathed in the fresh air. Us girl gang quickly got up to do some yoga and light exercise to get the blood flowing and achieving that healthy, glow.

We felt particularly fresh and vibrant today, thanks to Mother Nature for renewing our much depleted energy. Some, however, claim that it was because of the handsome yoga instructor that made everything more exciting.

Anyway, it was time to check-out and say goodbye to Tusita Wellness Resort.

We all love their body rejuvenation courses and the natural surroundings of Thung Ta Ko. So until next time

For today’s modern women, it is easy to swing a backpack over the shoulder and travel to places they want to go. This trip was all about sisterhood, bonding, sharing and discovering new things in this beautiful world.

What abou like yourself? A to do some volu travel in style? Co backpack a

The modern is all about h and inner

ut a woman Are you ready unteer work and ome on, grab your and join us!

n-day woman health, beauty r strength.

Tourism Authority of Thailand Chumphon Office 111/11-12 Soi Tawee Sinka 1, Tawee Sinka Rd., Muang District, Chumphon 86000 Thailand Tel. 0 7750 1831, 0 7750 2775-6 Fax 0 7750 1832 Email : tatchumphon@tat.or.th www.tourismthailand.org/chumphon