A homestay means that you will be staying on the property of a local Thai person. There are different variations, ranging from booking a room in a familyhouse to different rooms with bathrooms on one property. In some cases it is possible to eat with the family. In my case I'd booked a separate room with private bathroom and optional breakfast. Booking a homestay is a way of supporting local entrepeneurs. Besides that, it really feels like you're on a holiday when you're trying to communicate with locals that only speak basic English. It has it's charms. If you're ever in the Ban Krachao area, I do recommend 88 Homestay . It looks exactly as pictured and the people there are really friendly. After settling in the room, I took a short biking trip. Biking is the best way to get around in this area as there is so much to see. It is also relatively safe, there aren't a lot of cars and people drive cautiously. The area is a mixture of modern villas, which are quickly being build all around the area, and the wooden, more traditional, pavillions. The contrast between wealthy and poor is also visible in this part of Bangkok. Between uprising villas there are also homes, made out of cheap materials, where whole families (including grandparents) live in a small amount of space. Different from Bangkok though is that people aren't living on the street. You might encounter some stray dogs though. Even though Ban Krachao is still part of Bangkok, it has a different and much more relaxed atmosphere. It reminds me of a caribean island, with multicoloured houses and concrete highways, intertwining with nature. People grow a variety of fruit trees including mango, coconut, durian and bananas. Gardens are well taken care of, with a variety of flowers and plants. Inbetween homes you might find some small banana and coconut orchards. It is a village within a city, where everyone seems to know each other and every person, native or foreign, is greeted. People are polite, a bit shy, but wiling to help and answer any questions you may have. As tourism is still up and coming in this area (it isn't even mentioned in my Lonely Planet!), there aren't a lot of tourists. You might have to rely on your hands and feet to get around, but people are willing to help, sometimes even supported by Google translate. The second day I got up early and took a walk to Sri Nakhon Kuenkhan Park. This park is accesible by bike or on foot. In between the concrete paths you will find a reconstruction of the biodiversity that used to exist within the area. The swamp-like lakes make for picture perfect views. As it is yet to be discovered by foreign visitors, it is a very quiet place to observe the animals that live here. You might see some squirls, a variety of birds, fish, butterflies and if you're lucky even a water monitor (giant lizard). On my way back I found a local restaurant serving Thai food. For only 50 Baht (about €1,50) I had my first pad thai of the trip. This typical thai dish is made with rice noodles, vegetables and any type of protein stir fried in a fish sauce and with ground peanuts. Why go? If you like a relaxed athmosphere and you don't mind not having everything at arms reach (restaurants and supermarkets are scarce and you will not find a Starbucks or any other foodchain here), this is a perfect place to relax. Rent a bike, take your time, enjoy some peace and quiet. Perfect when you've just come of the plane and want to adjust to the change in climate, without the noise of the city (though at night you might hear some dogs barking). The first pictures have been uploaded to the photo gallery.