Rainy season getaway

September and October are Thailand's wettest months. But for some people, this is not such a bad thing. Indeed, for those enjoying the lush green surroundings at Suan Sampran, a 130-rai riverside oasis nestled in southeastern Nakhon Pathom, it might even be the best time of year.

This is a great place for health conscious types from Bangkok to take a break from their hectic lives in the overcrowded city and hit the road for an hour to get up close to nature, while enjoying three special programmes arranged for this rainy season.

Visitors can discover the joys of organic living and the benefits of seasonal produce grown at Patom Organic Farm. There, they can learn how to plant and harvest seasonal vegetables and herbs, which can be used to prepare delicious dishes that are also perfect as cold remedies. The "Seasonal Cooking" fun runs every Saturday and Sunday at 10am, 2pm and 4pm throughout the two months. The price is 800 baht (600 baht for children) and includes an international buffet lunch.

At the adjacent Patom Organic Village, visitors are invited to learn how to make a special organic herbal compress using morning glory, basil and galangal.

The herbal compress promotes a sense of relaxation through smell and touch. The "Herbal Essentials" class runs every day from 9am to 4pm and costs 400 baht per person (300 baht for children).

For those wishing to get re-energised in an organic fashion, Inn Chan Restaurant presents three special dishes that use seasonal herbs and a special breed of organic chicken from Korat as the main ingredients.

These are the organic Korat chicken stew with turmeric, stir-fried organic Korat chicken with tamarind chilli paste, and fried organic Korat chicken with salt. The accompanying dessert is chilled kaffir lime in syrup. The dishes are available for lunch from 11am to 3pm every day and for dinner on Saturdays from 5pm to 9pm.

For more information, visit suansampran.com or call 081-359 5976 and 034-322 588.