19 Mar Eco-Honeymoon Adventure at the Float House River Kwai, Thailand

Sunrise view from our private deck and swing at the Float House

After an enchanting two weeks exploring the south of Thailand, we found ourselves traveling north for the last leg of our honeymoon to the River Kwai in Kanchanaburi, Thailand.  We searched for the best Eco-resorts along the river and decided to stay at the Float House River Kwai near the Erawan National Park. It was quite an adventure!

After a short flight from Koh Samui to Bangkok, we had a driver from the Float House pick us up at the airport.  Be prepared for a longer journey than expected!  The resort is deep in the National Forest, so it takes almost four hours to drive there from Bangkok.

Our driver dropped us off at the Phutakien Pier and we hopped on a little speed boat to transport us to the hotel.  It is impossible to drive directly to the resort, so pack as if you know you will be ferrying to the Float House. Be prepared for nature and mosquitos.  This is a very exciting, yet rural experience.

The Hubs as we ferry to the Float House

After an exhilarating twenty-minute speed boat trip up the river, through gorges and clusters of birds and wildlife, we got to the Float House. The hostess greeted us with a delicious tropical drink and graciously welcomed us.  She told us about all of the activities we could do and gave us a few recommendations.  We chose to hire a driver for the next day so we could explore the area as we wanted.  We knew that we wanted to get to the Erawan Falls and Elephant Haven, a new project from the renowned Elephant Nature Park in Chang Mai.

Natural decor and bamboo throughout the bungalow

We were escorted to our lovely room, which is an eco-adventurer’s dream.  The bungalows are built almost entirely out of sustainably grown bamboo, teak wood and have thatched roofing. It was simple and gorgeous, yet had all of the comforts.  Our robes and slippers were made from natural linen and the decor is from all natural materials.

Natural Linen “Honeymooning” robes at the Float House

The goal of the Float House is to create a “smooth blend of local artistic traditions with the natural environment”. Upon entering this room, one already feels at ease. We poured ourselves a glass of wine and watched the sunset over the river from our private deck.

Enjoy a glass of wine in these deck lounge chairs as the sun sets over the River Kwai

Everything about the Float House is quiet and peaceful. Unless you want to ferry to the neighboring resorts, there is only one option for dinner.  The on-site restaurant is charming, the service is lovely and the food is quite good.

Hike the seven-tiered falls at the Erawan National Park

Use the mosquito netting around your bed and I can guarantee you one of the most restful periods of sleep ever. There is something about floating on a river to rock you to sleep that is unparalleled.  Be warned that the boats start very early in the morning and you will hear (and feel) them every time they pass!

After a complimentary breakfast at the restaurant, we hopped on the boat meet our guide.  The ride is nothing fancy, but our driver was really nice and agreed to take us wherever we wanted to go for the day.  We hopped in the back of a pickup truck and ventured to the Erawan National Park.

Me taking in the beauty of the Erawan Falls

Famed for it’s seven-tiered waterfall, it gets it’s name because people think the top level resembles Erawan, the three-headed elephant of Hindu mythology. The falls are a little crowded at the lower levels, but it’s worth the trek to hike to the top.  Level four has a natural rock slide and level six has crystal clear teal water for lounging and taking a dip.

When we finished our hike, we decided to venture to the Elephant Sanctuary and hopped back on the truck to visit Elephant Haven.  I have never had the opportunity to visit with elephants in their natural habitat.  It was an incredibly moving experience to be able to spend time with these majestic creatures and to know that they are being taken care of.

Elephant bathing at Elephant Haven

We fed and bathed the elephants and simply watched them in their natural habitat.  There were no chains on these elephants.  They were allowed to roam freely in their natural habitat and be free to live as they should.  It was a beautiful experience.  We even saw a momma nurse her baby!

I truly enjoyed our adventure at the Float House and can say that it was an experience I will never forget.  We had partied and relaxed at the resorts and beaches in Phuket and Koh Samui so this was a beautiful end to our journey.   I even had a fantastic Thai massage in the floating spa area at Float House.

For the couple that loves nature, hiking and relaxing in a natural setting, I highly recommend visiting the Float House River Kwai Eco-Resort and all that it has to offer!

Float House River Kwai, Kanchanaburi Thailand