Trat province attracts a modest number of local and foreign tourists all year round thanks to its array of fishing villages, pretty beaches and excellent diving and snorkeling opportunities – particularly off the coast at nearby Koh Chang or the smaller Koh Kood. For this “Extraordinary Experience”, however, you’ll be staying on the mainland at a small fishermen’s community that is located upstream on the east side of Trat’s main river.

Known as Baan Laem Klat, life at this fishing village revolves around the water – and the locals rely heavily on what they can catch from it. This gives visitors coming for this “One Night Stay with Locals” a fantastic opportunity to learn about a range of fishing techniques, as well as try lots of delicious seafood. Some of Trat’s delicacies include blue crab, shrimp, mantis shrimp, and a variety of other shellfish. There is also the chance to see rare Irrawaddy dolphins as well as the region’s colorful jellyfish phenomenon, which occurs around November time.

During the morning of your first day, get an introduction to the Baan Laem Klat community before heading off with a local guide for a beach tour. Try to catch some white shell spotted babylon and razor clams along the way.

Fill up with a tasty lunch at the nearby Lan Sai beach. In the afternoon, you’ll be hitting the water again by joining local fishermen on their quest for shrimp, mantis shrimp, and crab. Another fun afternoon activity involves helping to preserve the area by planting mangroves and preparing the land for new plants to grow. This is essential for ensuring the region’s ecosystem thrives in the future.

After a day spent out and about on the water, it’s back to base for dinner. For those wanting to witness Trat’s firefly phenomenon, we recommended taking an evening boat trip out to see the flies illuminate the sky at Khlong Pratoon, which is the best place to see them.

Wake up after a comfortable stay in your waterside homestay then head for breakfast at Yamadaya Beach Resort. For the second day’s main morning activity, join in with more conservation work by helping the locals to spread artificial seagrass into a designated preservation area in the community. Again, this is another important technique that can protect the ecosystem.

Indulge in more seafood-oriented dishes as part of lunch before bidding farewell to your friendly Trat hosts.

To learn more about “One Night Stay with Locals” in Thailand or to book a trip for up to 10 people at a special price, please visit www.1nightstaywithlocals.com or www.facebook.com/AorSorSocial/.