Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle

100   Recommended
October 14, 2014 by EXPERT

 Map | 1 Review | 100% Recommended
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Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle
 Map | 1 Review | 100% Recommended

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Liked:
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Open just 9 years, FS Tented Camp is an all-inclusive resort in Northern Thailand, about 90 minutes from the Chiang Rai airport and near the village of Golden Triangle (the intersection of Thailand, Burma, and Laos). The brainchild of architect Bill Bensley who sold the idea to the resort’s owner, Four Seasons has been involved from the beginning in the planning and management of the property. The resort is open to adults and to teenagers age 12 and older.

Adjacent to an elephant sanctuary, Tented Camp is themed as an elephant camp situated in the jungle. Your experience begins as your limousine leaves you at a dock on the banks of the Ruak River. Donning life preservers and boarding a small boat, the sense of adventure begins with your short 5 minute boat ride down a stretch of river straddling the Thai-Burmese border. Arriving at the resort, guests are greeted with cold towels and a cold drink, undergo check-in formalities, and are then driven to their tent in a old rusty jeep that just screams "Indiana Jones." The theme of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” kept playing in my head!

Tented Camps

Tented Camp consists of 15 large tents (581 square feet) on a bank overlooking the river. The main section of each tent is an open floor plan Suite, the bedroom at the left end of the tent (with a desk located behind the headboard of the King bed) and bathroom at the right end of the tent (two vanities, large soaking tub, and one zippered flap leading to a WC and another to a nice outdoor shower). Tents have both an indoor seating area and an outdoor deck overlooking the river with twin massage tables (or, in Luxury Tents, a private jacuzzi). We stayed in the Hill Tribe Tent (#12). Each tent has a different decorating scheme (Opium, Textiles, Silver, Beaded, etc.).

Service

The Elephant Camp theme is executed with the same careful attention to detail and execution that you would expect in a Disney theme park. Guests have the opportunity to interact with the four rescued Asian elephants that FS has adopted. Two elephants have breakfast with guests at 8 a.m. every morning; there is a huge tray of bananas in front of the outdoor dining room that you can feed to the elephants. Each guest receives a 90 minute Mahout Training session during which you are taught the basic commands, learn three ways to get on and get off an elephant, and then ride an elephant along the length of the resort to the dining room. Guests staying 3 nights receive an additional 2 hour trekking expedition (trail ride).

We enjoyed wonderful Thai massages in the small outdoor spa (just two tables) with the sound of birds and crickets replacing the usual taped music you hear in most spas. Beyond the elephants, there is an extensive menu of cultural activities in the area. You can even visit all three countries in the Golden Triangle in a single day.

Tips

Although the resort is all-inclusive, FSPP guests receive a $100 spa credit.

Overall

Not for everyone, Four Seasons Tented Camp would appeal to the following: (1) Adventure travelers. (2) People who love animals and welcome the opportunity to interact with them. (3) People who enjoy horseback riding? [Note: if riding a horse makes you nervous, you won’t want to ride bareback on an elephant.] (4) Anyone who seeks the adrenaline rush that comes from undertaking a new physical challenge.

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