I have a friend by the name of Lek in Northern Thailand who hosts a meditation retreat on her large sprawling estate in Chiang Dao, a small rural community located about 75 minutes north of Chiang Mai, a major tourist hub. With the majestic Doi Chiang Dao, Thailand’s 2nd highest peak, rising high above the landscape, it is an absolutely idyllic setting.

Up to 40 people – mostly friends and family - attend the meditation retreat, which is held at least once a year. There is a dedicated area on her compound - separate from the main house – where people camp out in tents underneath simple palm thatched lean-toos. Tents are provided to campers as a courtesy of Khun Lek. Clustered together in the camping area are a number of gazebos and platforms which are used by the campers for their group meditation sessions. Scheduled twice a day (at 4:00PM and 8:00PM), these meditation sessions are supervised by her younger brother, an ordained Buddhist monk.

Lek’s Meditation Retreat is not a social affair - the focus is on meditation and spiritual purification. Typically people will eat, sleep and talk less. Breakfast and lunch are ordered from a nearby food shop for about $2.00USD per person, although many of the campers will bring some food and cook together. Most of them will skip dinner and just have some hot cocoa and fruit. Although, Khun Lek does not charge participants any monies, they are welcome to make donations to help subsidize the electricity and water bill.

After about a week or so at Khun Lek’s, the meditation retreat goes mobile - the group will travel around Northern Thailand and Issan by car(s) for about 1-2 months, visiting many places and setting up camp at any number of National Parks. Sounds like fun if you’re seriously into Meditation, Buddhism and Nature! Since Khun Lek and her people speak minimal English, outsiders (hence the tourist crowd) do not attend her meditation retreat as they would feel a little awkward.

For tourists who’d like to escape from the rigors of the daily grind and chant their way to nirvana, you might want to check out the Middle Way Meditation Retreat in Thailand, one of the top international retreats in the world. Located near Phu Ruea National Park in the Northeastern (Issan) province of Loei, this retreat is farang friendly and has more in the way of creature comforts and amenities then Lek’s place in Chiang Dao. For a one-week all-inclusive package, the rate is $156 per person. While I have never been there myself, there was a very good article about this retreat in the June Edition of Conde Nast Traveler. Sounds good to me!