After living through a whole month without any public holiday in sight, we can finally wipe our brows and let out a sigh of relief as April beckons. In case you’re still in the midst of making plans for a long weekend, there’s the Good Friday public holiday on Apr 14 and the Labour Day holiday, which falls on a Monday. Whisk yourself away from the hustle bustle of city life and head over to Kanchanaburi, a town in the West of Thailand where you can find Kwai Tara Riverside Villas (214 Moo 6 Wangkrajae, Sai Yok, +66 (0) 93-925-8883), the latest floating paradise of this provincial town.
Still in its soft opening, the hotel comprises 20 modern loft-style villas along the River Kwai, located only a short drive from Erawan Waterfall. Rates currently start at $163 per night. While the Canal Access Villas give you beautiful views of the mountains, we love the spacious 80-square-meter Floating Villas, which bob over the water complete with their own stylish hammocks, river terrace and upper deck. It doesn’t have to be just down-time, though—jungle rafting, elephant riding and kayaking are all on offer, while free rafts leave the resort at 4:30pm everyday if you fancy a tour down Kwai Noi River. There’s an on-site Thai restaurant and massage parlor too.
There are no direct flights to Kanchanaburi (you’ll need to take a scenic route by rail or bus from Bangkok). The nearest airport is Don Meuang International Airport in Bangkok. Flights start from $347 on AirAsia and $407 on Scoot.
