Back to Basics: The Floating Bungalows of Baan Krachang

They go to collect shellfish, clusters of women swaddled in sarongs. Placing plastic buckets atop their heads, they wade quietly into the mangrove swamp and head toward a muddy embankment, a treasure chest for hoi, a delicious local oyster exposed at low tide.Women with soft faces flash brilliant smiles as they sink their feet into the sludge.

The task of collection is a time of fun. The ladies joke and splash about, relaxing as the evening sky drops curtains of orange, mauve and violet into the water surrounding their shins.

Built with the help of donations from cosmetics giant L’Oréal, Baan Krachang is run by a community-led cooperative of Pak Triam village, a small community just off the main road, that was completely destroyed by the 2004 tsunami.The scene unfolds on the way to Baan Krachang, a floating bungalow resort in southwestern Thailand on the Andaman Sea.

Villagers have rebuilt their lives thanks to the construction and training involved with the resort’s operation. All the money made from the project goes back to the community, helping supplement traditional incomes based on fishing and rubber tapping, and contributing to the economic reconstruction of the region.

Rustic and simple, the eco-resort comprises 10 bamboo thatched bungalows. Each low-budget room comes with a mattress, mosquito net, a fan, a cushioned chill-out area and its own hammock. At first it may appear a bit austere, but the warmth of the surroundings and the kindness of the local hosts soon make it feel like home.

Cultivating that feeling of community is one of Baan Krachang’s biggest aspirations. The resort promotes “meaningful tourism,” one that embraces culture, encourages exchanges and supports the natural environment rather than the building of resorts and hotels. There are organized fishing and snorkeling trips, village tours, handicraft and Thai cooking workshops, among other activities.

“The goal is to make it so villagers can do community-based tourism on their own terms,” says Kelly May, director of Andaman Discoveries, a community-based tourism company that supports Baan Krachang toward achieving sustainable tourism.

Having heard from various travelers that Thailand lacked a certain authenticity, I decided to put Baan Krachang to the test and made reservations. After arriving in the Khura Buri district, a small outpost in the Phang Nga province only a few tourists pass en route to the renowned Surin Islands National Marine Park, I was picked up by a driver in a wooden boat and transported through the mangrove-lined canals that hide the resort sanctuary.