Leafy Green is a sustainable eco-retreat center in Chiang Mai, Thailand, that will make you feel like you’ve stepped into a scene from a contemporary “Alice in Wonderland.” Gie Anywhere, a digital nomad, claims that the outdoor paradise comprises five enormous clay fungus strongholds, two cottages dubbed the Peanut House and Snail Dome, the greenery room (an upstairs apartment), and a big inside meditation area appropriately named the Lotus Dome. The organic vegetable and herb garden is nestled against an alfresco kitchen, pizza oven, and barbeque. Also, a few cats live on the premises permanently.
According to its listing on Airbnb, the toadstool cottage is a tiny 376 square feet in size and can accommodate up to two guests. The cottage may be modest (you’ll be sleeping on a bunk bed), but it has all the conveniences of a standard hotel room, including a mini fridge and microwave, built-in sitting with a desk, and a shower that has been cleverly integrated into the cottage’s side.
You may feel compelled to engage in a deep philosophical discussion with a giant caterpillar when you step foot on Leafy Greens grounds. The host does stress the need to warn viewers that nature, namely giant insects, can occasionally penetrate the home.
Discover your zen side.
Learning to still one’s thoughts is a terrific way to bring peace and stability into one’s life, which we could all benefit from. Originally, Leafy Greens was supposed to be a meditation center that offered 7- to 10-day sessions in their cob-built Lotus Dome to help us find peace inside. According to Gie Anywhere, the other clay huts on the land were meant to be a haven of refuge for traveling practitioners. The lovely cob houses were abandoned for lengthy periods since the meditation classes were only provided a few times a year.
The property proprietors are both business-savvy and empathetic, so they chose to open Leafy Greens to tourists and others looking for a quiet place to meditate in an otherwise frantic environment. The modest Lotus Dome at Leafy Greens is still used for meditation courses, with room for up to 20 zen devotees. If being still and quiet isn’t your thing, one of the numerous cats here might be your own therapy animal.
The joys of eco-friendly living
There are several reasons why Leafy Greens is a sustainable and environmentally friendly resort. First, all buildings are one-of-a-kind and created out of cob, a blend of dirt, straw, and clay. According to Eco Earth Builds, cob structures are among the most sturdy earthen architecture. The porous combination is excellent at absorbing and storing heat, so it helps maintain a comfortable temperature inside. The material’s low cost and ease of use make it a popular choice among desert residents and survivalists. An aside for the do-it-yourself house renovators: The cost of building a home out of cob is low; according to Home Advisor, an earth house may be constructed for under $30,000. Although the walls at Leafy Greens are as much as 2 feet thick (as reported by Reddit), Airbnb guests may be sure they will have access to wireless internet during their stay.
If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, consider using the outdoor kitchen and organic garden at Leafy Greens rather than ordering a taxi. If the isolation gets too much, however, Gie Anywhere points out that bikes are available for guest use.
