Truly luxurious camping in Thailand

If this strikes a resonating chord, find the answer to your dreams in a remote spot where, until recently, angels feared to tread. Accessible by river, and located in the Thai jungle where it nudges against neighbouring Burma and Laos in the infamous Golden Triangle, where the whiff of an illicit opium trade merely adds a fillip of romance to the experience. This is where the Four Seasons group has created a tented paradise for urban wimps with a large cheque book and sense of adventure.

It all begins at a small landing stage on the River Ruak – a mere stream which forms the boundary with Burma – where an elegant teak-and-brass long-tailed speedboat picks up guests for the 15-minute boat ride to camp.

Soon, a large white tent appears in the mountains, among the trees. Then another. And another, spanning what seems to be a huge distance up above the meandering river. 'How do you get around at the camp?' I ask. 'You walk'. If you weren't fit when you arrived, you will be by the time you leave.

Fifteen tents are strung along the mountainside, connected by a pathway. At one end lies the reception area, where we landed to be greeted by smiling faces bearing perfumed towels and fresh coconuts. Here, too is the restaurant, a swimming pool camouflaged among the rocks, and a circular wine cellar like a temple to Dionysus, where guests may help themselves from the racks. So far, so spectacular.

But the pièces de resistance are the tents themselves – 'tent', of course, being a relative concept – sandwiched between the restaurant and the bar, a kilometre away. Cantilevered over the mountainside, with spectacular views over Burma, these huge air-conditioned rooms of teak flooring, bamboo-and-leather furniture, hand-beaten copper tubs, and the most comfortable double beds in the world, are cocoons of luxury in the heart of the wild. And hurrah for the lack of television, so all you hear are the chirps and squeaks of the forest.

Most people opt to stay two or three nights, though I would have been happy to hunker down for a week: riding the camp's pampered elephants through the jungle, cruising and picnicking along the Mekong River, enjoying massages al fresco in the rustic-chic cabins of the spa – or simply idling in the glorious surroundings of the Burma Bar, watching the sun set over the river. The cocktails, incidentally, are world-class.

Did I mention the food, with the choice of western or local dishes? The weekly barbecues at the elephant camp, where the jumbos join guests for pre-prandial champagne? Delicious; and enjoyed in a convivial atmosphere amid the select group of fellow-guests. Did I mention the service, down to super-attentive sunglass-cleaning? Immaculate. If there is such a thing as an earthly paradise, purged of serpents, then the Four Seasons Golden Triangle must be it.

Find out more

A two-night all-inclusive stay costs from £1,263 per person, from January to September 2010, including luxurious tented accommodations, all meals and beverages, including house wines and spirits, one spa treatment per person, per stay, half-day mahout training and Golden Triangle excursion, plus private round-trip airport transfers from Chiang Rai International airport. Visit www.fourseasons.com/goldentriangle for more information. 

Updated 2009

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