Villa Varich

The staff were wonderful, and breakfast came with excellent coffee from their own plantation. We stayed in lovely rooms in a really beautiful setting beside the river. Kayaks were available to borrow for free, so you can paddle along the water. Such a lovely place, thank you!

Waking up to roosters and watching locals row along the clean canal was a real pleasure. The morning coffee was excellent and locally sourced, and the price felt very reasonable for an authentic local stay. Villa Varich sits right on Khlong Tha Taphao, which makes for a beautiful setting. It's a small place with only a few rooms, but the staff were polite, accommodating, and went out of their way to help. We had a great time there.

We spent two nights here on the way to the islands, and it was a lovely place to unwind while travelling. Room 2 has a little pontoon over the river, just a few steps from the terrace. The room itself is basic, though I found I liked it more the longer we stayed. We paddled the free kayaks on both days. It's easy going up or downstream, though the tide changes which way the water runs. Local restaurants are good, and everyone seemed friendly.

I could easily have stayed for three weeks if there had been a pool. We were there for five nights, and the small hotel was charming just as it was: not crowded, and everyone we met was friendly. You can borrow bicycles for free at reception and take little rides along the small roads through the palm plantations. I hope it stays this way.