To Have A Nice Positive Rest: Where To?

[vediovis]

Hi everybody

As I am totally exhausted after a year of very strong work, I was considering to find a place where to relax and retire from the world during a few days.

No construction work noises, no pollution, no industrial anoyments, outside of the civilization during a few days...

My Thai girlfriend suggested me to retire a couple of days inside a temple. I like Buddhism and I feel a strong sympathy for this way of thinking.

But I'm still not fluent with Thai so I will need a place where they are foreigners friendly.

I'm actually based near Pattaya but I can move anywhere. I will be with my girlfriend even if I understand we maybe will have to be separated a few days.

Can you guys suggest me a nice place to have a good rest in a positive environment?

Thanks by advance

Cheers

Stéphane

Edited July 20, 2009 by vediovis

[rockyysdt]

Hi everybody

As I am totally exhausted after a year of very strong work, I was considering to find a place where to relax and retire from the world during a few days.

No construction work noises, no pollution, no industrial anoyments, outside of the civilization during a few days...

My Thai girlfriend suggested me to retire a couple of days inside a temple. I like Buddhism and I feel a strong sympathy for this way of thinking.

But I'm still not fluent with Thai so I will need a place where they are foreigners friendly.

I'm actually based near Pattaya but I can move anywhere. I will be with my girlfriend even if I understand we maybe will have to be separated a few days.

Can you guys suggest me a nice place to have a good rest in a positive environment?

Thanks by advance

Cheers

Stéphane

Hi Stephane.

If you're purely looking for a rest from your stressful work environment then perhaps a health camp or isolated holiday resort specialising in natural foods, thai massage & lots of leisure activities.

Is there a reason why you seek stress release from a Buddhist Temple?

Edited July 20, 2009 by rockyysdt

[fabianfred]

http://www.monkforamonth.com/

[vediovis]

Hi everybody, and thanks for your answers.

> rockyysdt => Is there a reason why you seek stress release from a Buddhist Temple?

I have sympathy for Buddhism and I was already on contact with Tibetan Buddhism when I was in Europe as a lot of family members converted at the beginning of the 90's. I already made some retreats in Europe to recharge batteries and I keep great remember of it. My girlfriend here is strongly Buddhist as well. she can go sometimes with some friends of her, but they are Thai and they go to places where nobody speaks English or French.

> fabianfred =>http://www.monkforamonth.com/

Thank you very much for the link!!! we called them yesterday. They are very busy at the moment and quite full, but the idea is quite interesting. It cost a little bit more than 7000 a week, but I presume it's because they focused on foreigners and they generate maybe more expenses than an usual temple

Thanks as well for the private message for the quiet resort in Nakkhon Pathom.

We already made a decision and we hope we will have good time. It will maybe not be a Buddhist retreat, but at least something isolated and very quiet during a few days.

Anyway I suggest you keep posting your good ideas as I will try to have a Buddhist retreat later this year, but this time with a better organization and not something planned at the last minute. Furthermore, I'm quite sure I am not the only one to have this kind of needs so it will certainly be helpful for others as well.

Thanks again for your answers, good summer to everybody & peace

Stef

Edited July 21, 2009 by vediovis

[Brucenkhamen]

If you want to do a proper retreat sometime then these are the ones I recommend for a beginner

www.suanmokkh.org

www.watkowtahm.org

As it sounds like you just want a bit of R&R then I think you made the right decision not to do a retreat right now.

[rockyysdt]

If you want to do a proper retreat sometime then these are the ones I recommend for a beginner

www.suanmokkh.org

www.watkowtahm.org

I really love the look of the wooden pillow in the Suan Mokkh accomodation huts.

Very spartan indeed.

Has anyone slept on one?

http://www.suanmokkh-idh.org/idh-pic07.html

[rockyysdt]

If you want to do a proper retreat sometime then these are the ones I recommend for a beginner

www.suanmokkh.org

www.watkowtahm.org

Hi Bruce.

Based on your recommendation I'll be planning my next holiday around a stay at the Suan Mokkh International Dhamma Hermitage south of Bangkok.

Being an international travellor I'll be in possession of a mobile, credit cards, passport, documents, cash, lap top & travel case with personal possessions.

I understant the Temple can hold items for retreatants but I'm very high on security & don't like placing temptation before others.

How do I go about securing these things without ending up worrying for the duration of my sits?

[sabaijai]

You might want to try Wat Boonkanjanaram in Jomtien since you're in Pattaya. No minimum or maximum stay, ie, stay a few days or a few months, it's up to you. Search for Boonkanjanaram in this subforum for more info.

[Brucenkhamen]

It's normal for retreat centres to lock away your valuables in a safe for you for the duration of the retreat. It's good for you because you don't have to worry about them, it's good for them because they don't have to worry about you running away without talking about it first.

Don't worry, they'll take good care of your stuff, they would soon get a poor reputation if they allowed sticky fingers into it.

[orchis]

I left valuables at Wat Suan Mokh without a problem.

Also their fee for the retreat is 1500 thb for 10 (11) days

that works out better both financially and ethically than pay-to-be-a-monk imo.

[zzaa09]

Hi everybody

As I am totally exhausted after a year of very strong work, I was considering to find a place where to relax and retire from the world during a few days.

No construction work noises, no pollution, no industrial anoyments, outside of the civilization during a few days...

My Thai girlfriend suggested me to retire a couple of days inside a temple. I like Buddhism and I feel a strong sympathy for this way of thinking.

But I'm still not fluent with Thai so I will need a place where they are foreigners friendly.

I'm actually based near Pattaya but I can move anywhere. I will be with my girlfriend even if I understand we maybe will have to be separated a few days.

Can you guys suggest me a nice place to have a good rest in a positive environment?

Thanks by advance

Cheers

Stéphane

Hi Stephane.

If you're purely looking for a rest from your stressful work environment then perhaps a health camp or isolated holiday resort specialising in natural foods, thai massage & lots of leisure activities.

Is there a reason why you seek stress release from a Buddhist Temple?

If Stephane is looking to get away from it all, why would you suggest such commercial and people-laddened facilities? Hundreds of Wat locales have the serenity and peaceful environment he might be looking far.

[rockyysdt]

If Stephane is looking to get away from it all, why would you suggest such commercial and people-laddened facilities? Hundreds of Wat locales have the serenity and peaceful environment he might be looking far.

Hi Zzaa.

Mainly because Stephanie expressed a need for rest & recreation, not spiritual growth.

Staying at a Wat as a retreatant can be quite rigorous including 4.00am starts, no food after midday & lights out by 9.30pm amongst other rules.

Perhaps not a laid back environment for someone just wanting to relax.

Edited July 28, 2009 by rockyysdt