Want to experience ecovillage life, but don’t have the flexibility to commit to two weeks or more as a volunteer? No problem! Our eco-farmstay program was designed with you in mind.
Gaia farmstay is ideal for…
- People who are really interested in experiencing Gaia Ashram, but do not have two weeks to join us as volunteers.
- Digital nomads who work online and want to experience Ecovillage life, but don’t have time to follow a full volunteer schedule
- Anyone who shares our values and wants to get involved but is looking for a more relaxed stay compared to volunteering or taking a course
Our guest stay program is aimed at people who really want to engage with the community and our activities, but who might not be able to be present with our daily schedule 100% of the time.
As a guest, you have the flexibility to design your own schedule instead of committing to a fixed volunteer schedule. We welcome guest arrivals Monday-Thursday.
Gaia Ashram is peacefully nestled in a lush forest of bamboo and other tropical trees. On our 13 hectares of land, you’ll find places to relax, to connect with nature and new friends, and to experience ecovillage lifestyle. We welcome guest arrivals between Monday-Thursday during the daytime.
Community Life at an Ecovillage in Thailand
It’s important to note that we’re a community, so we live onsite together and we are mostly volunteer-staffed. Although we love to host guests, we are quite different from a hotel; while we always try to take care of our guests the best we can, we don’t have the resources for things like a reception desk, service staff, or instant replies online, so it’s important for guests to be able to be somewhat independent when it comes to their daily needs.
On the other hand, also unlike a hotel, being in a community means that you will have access to all kinds of cool stuff.
There are yoga and tai chi classes, fun evening activities, weekly outings to the local market, access to local holidays and festivals, an insider look into the culture of our region, Issan, optional educational volunteering activities, heaps of like-minded new friends, gorgeous grounds full of gardens and ponds, our onsite cafe full of homemade natural products, and more.
We also want to bring to your attention that our facilities are basic.
Showers & our compost toilets are in separate buildings from the rooms.
We also ask guests to participate in cleaning their own plates and cutlery and to be understanding of our basic facilities.
At times, we might be busy with courses; during these times, we might not be as available to our guests, but please know that you are enthusiastically welcome at Gaia.
More About Gaia Ashram: An Organic Permaculture Regeneration Project in Thailand
Gaia Ashram Eco-Farm stay is much more than a farm stay. We are an organic Permaculture farm, an Ecovillage, a nature regeneration project, an education center, and a community of all beings. Above all, we are a place to serve and (re)connect with Mother Earth.
If you want to learn more about our way of living in harmony with the land, you are more than welcome as a guest (but not obligated) to join us in our daily hands-on activities such as gardening, farming, agroforestry, natural building, and more.
It is our intention and our hope that guests who come to Gaia are excited about the prospect of joining in on these and/or other community activities sometimes.
The intention behind this wish is that we really like to maintain a feeling of community spirit, and guest involvement (on their own terms) in the community is a part of that.
Arrival Information
We recommend that first-time guests arrive on Mondays before noon. This is the day our volunteer cohorts arrive, too, so you will likely receive a more comprehensive onboarding/orientation than if you arrive on another day, which means you will be better-integrated into the community right away.
However, if this is not possible, you can arrive during the daytime between Monday-Thursday.
We are not able to receive visitors on weekends because our staff and volunteers are not working, and our chef is not on duty.
If you are arriving in our part of Thailand at night or on a weekend, you can stay in the nearby cities of Udon Thani or Nong Khai. We highly recommend Mut Mee Guesthouse in Nong Khai for community vibes and a beautiful stay right on the Mekhong River.
Our Naturally-Built Accommodations
We have a range of accommodations available for all budgets and group sizes.
The Fairy House (Single and Double Rooms)
Our earthen guesthouse is located right on the edge of a beautiful magical bamboo forest; this is why we call it the Fairy House.
Currently, we have 6 single rooms and 2 spacious double rooms with private balconies available in the Fairy House for farm stay guests.
One of the double rooms has a bunk bed for kids in addition to a double bed, which makes it a great place for larger groups. We can also add an extra bed in the other rooms for an extra charge.
There’s a shower and dry compost toilet block conveniently located just three meters from the Fairy House.
Dormitories
Travelers on a budget can stay in our spacious hostel above the Gaia Ashram Sala, up in the tree canopy.
Each dorm bed there has its own curtain for added privacy; the dorm area also has shelves in front of each bed, + hangout spaces.
We also have a family house which can fit 5 people and is located in our little bamboo groove. Please inform us before to check availability as they tend to fill fast.
Family House
Our newly-built family house can accommodate 5 people. It consists of a small room with bunk beds and a larger room with bunk beds including a double bed on the top level. It also has its own kitchenette and shower.
More about our facilities can be found HERE.
Our main building is the Gaia Ashram Sala, another stunning example of a natural structure built with mud. h lots of heart by our volunteers, interns and course participants.
Gaia Ashram Sala Community SpaceOur Farm stay rates (Updated January 2025)
All of the rates below include food. Our chef cooks 3 vegetarian meals daily Monday-Friday, and visitors are welcome to use the food they find in the kitchen and gardens to cook for themselves on weekends.
Dormitory
600 THB/night/Person
Single Room
750 THB/night/Person
Double Room
1 person : 950 THB / night
2 people : 1,350 THB/ night
3 people : 1,700 THB/ night
4 people : 1,950 THB/night
Family House :
1-2 people : 1,600 THB/night
3 people : 1850 THB/night
4 people : 2,100 THB/night
5 people : 2,350 THb/night
Tent:
Gaia’s tent: 600 THB/night.
Own tent: 500 THB/night
Camping is available from November – March only.
All prices are for guests over 13 years old. Guests between 4-13 years old are charged at half the per-person rate. Guests 0- 3 years old can stay free of charge.
Other Offerings – Workshops, Wellness, Fitness, Community, and More
The rates also include offerings such as yoga, meditation, sometimes Tai Chi, evening activities some nights, access to the land and gardens, and a community living environment.
Anyone at Gaia can offer an activity or workshop; as a result, our late afternoons and evenings are often filled with a huge range of enrichment offerings.
Some common examples are ecstatic dance, game nights, sharing circles, bonfire nights, cacao and connection events, jam nights, open mics, holiday celebrations, and more. Our visitors often share celebrations from their cultures; we’ve celebrated Christmas, Purim, Shabbat, Ramadan, Hidirellez, and more, thanks to our visitors!
If you want to be more immersed in the community and dive deeper into the theory and practice of what we do at Gaia, you are invited to join the ECOVILLAGE LIFESTYLE EXPERIENCE WEEK.
You can also join the afternoon hands-on activities during this course without any additional payment even if you do not participate in the full course. For longer stays (2+ weeks), we recommend participating in the Ecovillage Lifestyle Experience Week first or near the beginning of your stay if there is one happening around the time of your visit.
If you would like to join us, send us an email at:
Gaia Ashram’s Farm and Learning Center in Thailand
Our community and our 13 hectares of land have been developed using Deep Ecology, Permaculture, and Ecovillage Design principles.
We have the dream and the strong belief that human beings should live in harmony with nature, that we can see and feel that all beings are part of one big family, and that all beings have their roles to play in maintaining and sustaining the web of life.
We aim to be a place where we can live holistically and practice and realize the interconnectedness and the oneness of all living and non-living beings.
Curious about our story? Read more about us here.
Drug and Alcohol Policy
Please be aware that we don’t allow alcohol or drugs on the land. We ask smokers to smoke out of sight away from other community members at a designated smoking area.
Where to Find Us
Our farm stay is located on a peaceful and idyllic land in the Northeast of Thailand, in between Nong Khai and Udon Thani. Where exactly we are and how you can get to us can be found here.
For those who want to dive deeper into ecovillage life and principles, check out our ECOVILLAGE LIFESTYLE EXPERIENCE WEEK or one-month Ecovillage Design Education course.
Have questions, or would you like to make a booking? Email us at gaiaschoolasia@gmail.com. We’ll be happy to hear from you!