Mala Dhara Eco Resort

I was at Mala Dhara recently for a retreat. The accommodations at Mala Dhara are comfortable, and all the little huts are super adorable. I loved being able to watch the sun rise over the rice fields and do yoga in the outdoor shala. I have celiac disease, and the staff were super accommodating and able to provide me with gluten-free options at every meal.

Conversation with staff only with google translator (English - Thai). The first thing we The Host did not say one word to us, she was sitting at the so called Coffee Shop. Everything looked not well maintained. The Restaurant's Roof-Terrasse was dirty. In ALL the outside lamps and vans were birds nest. The booked Bamboo Villa is located at the entrance, next to the - we guess - staff house.

This place could not be better designed for yoga or meditation retreats—or any kind of retreat that involves getting out of the city and recharging for a few days. There’s a gorgeous pool, a fire pit and sauna, a yoga sala, and a second sala filled with plants and cozy chairs facing a pond with a fountain and beyond that a soul-healing view of mountains and rice fields. The free-standing villas are simply but beautifully decorated and the vegetarian food in the restaurant is delicious. The place is clearly meant for groups, but because it was low season I was the only one there and I felt a bit guilty for asking too much of the staff. Nevertheless, they were very accommodating about everything I did ask for—although bringing your own snacks for between meals is a good idea—and the quiet was just what I needed. The rose garden was also lovely, as were the birds and butterflies everywhere.