Lunch at Baan Saikhao Homestay, Pattani
Banana Curry, Baan Saikhao in Pattani
gigantic theatre, and the mountainous terrains were the
beautiful backdrop. It was a pleasure to watch I have to
admit, and after breakfast – which included delicious
Nasi Goreng – we took a boat excursion along the Perak
River until we stopped at Durao Village, the site where
the community’s first house was built.
Village by the River
From Kelantan we headed to the Perak River via Grik, and visiting this town gave us the
opportunity to travel along the region’s mountainous terrains. And from the viewpoint
in Belum National Park, our luncheon site, we could see the Sankalakiri mountain
range – the natural border between Thailand and Malaysia.
By late afternoon we arrived at Kampung Beng village (Kampung means “village” in
Malay), and from that point we had to carry our luggage to the 10-person passenger
boat. The surroundings on both sides of the river were utterly impressive, and I reveled
in taking one beautiful photo after another during our 15-minute boat trip. When we
reached the village pier, it reminded me of an accommodation with a similarly unorthodox
method of checking in, although that was at a 6-star hotel in Chiang Rai where arriving
by water way is the only way to reach the resort.
It’s obvious that what has made this village incomparable to others is that there’s no
direct road to the village, and the water is the only way to reach to site. This in turn is
thanks to the construction of a dam that has prompted the villagers to
dwell on higher areas to avoid flooding. Consequently, the houses inside
the village are situated on the hill that is beautifully encircled by the
mountains, and it was incredibly picturesque to see the whole village
shrouded in the mist during the early morning. I stayed at Farida’s
home, the chef in charge of cooking every delicious dish for our group
dinners – and she also made delicious breakfasts for me during my stay
there. She lives with her daughter, her daughter’s husband, and their
child, and her warm family circle is made complete by her grandparents,
who live next door.
During our trip, while we were still in the territory of
Perak, we had a chance to visit Ubudiah, which is one
of the most beautiful mosques in all of Malaysia. This
royal mosque is lo