Usually if I’m in a location for more than a day I’ll separate my travel coverage into several posts (such as food, activities, history). However, since I took so many shots at Echo Valley, I thought bit of a photo essay format would be best this trip recap.
Living on the property along with about a dozen full-time seasonal staff, they have managed to bring together rustic Western comforts, luxurious Thai spa and wellness, outdoor adventure along with friendly and caring people. All of these elements fuse together into the simple harmony that is Echo Valley.
Baan Thai Building
Aside from three square meals a day, there was no set schedule to follow – but there was no shortage of activity options. You can set your own activity level, trying out or honing your expert skills with fly fishing, horseback riding, gold panning, going on a 4×4 safari, or bird watching.
I should have been more inclined to sit on my balcony at the Dove Lodge and do some writing, looking out over the rolling hills that were spotted with black bears nibbling on berries in the distance.
The truth of the matter is that between horseback riding, hiking, and the Thai spa, the rest of our group’s time was spent reading in the lodge, feeding apples to the horses, petting the kittens in the barn, or playing fetch with one of the ranch’s eight border collies.
Aside from all of these components – the activities, the unique landscape, the food, and the people – Echo Valley is fully committed to sustainable practices. The buildings are powered by geothermal sources or zero-emission propane, and they offer carbon offsets for their guests’ travel.
Dove Lodge & View
Inside one of the cabins
Lookout Lodge
The kitchen is zero-waste, and they prepare ranch-raised beef, pork, turkey and chicken for organic meats and dairy products.
The family-style breakfast, lunches and dinners were complete with fresh fruit, vegetables, grains, and cheeses. We also enjoyed one of the best traditional Thai meals I’ve had to date.
There are several options when booking a trip to Echo Valley, whether you’re attending for a family reunion (kids are welcome), wedding, a girls or boys weekend, or a romantic getaway with your partner. There’s also a pool, sauna, and hot tub on premises along with a big cookout BBQ and campfire pit.
You can drive up to the ranch or do the “Rail to Ranch” trip like we did through Rocky Mountaineer. The ranch also has its own runway for charter flights and Norm’s plane.
Rates for various stays and packages are available on their website and are comparable to other luxury all-inclusive vacation packages (including all meals, deluxe accommodation, and all activities in a spectacular setting).
You can view the rest of my photos from the trip in my set on Flickr. Follow @EVRanch on Twitter, Facebook, or Flickr for news, updates, and photos.
Disclosure: cmp.ly/2 No publication, individual, or business has paid me to write this post.
The original Hangover movie in 2009 introduced many catch phrases into pop culture, anything from being a ‘one man wolfpack’ to well, a bunch of other things that would bump up my blog’s “G” rating. The modern comedy for men, that women still get a crack out of, is returning to the big screen with a sequel next week as Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug head to Thailand for Stu’s wedding. What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in Bangkok can’t even be imagined.
This film and preview trailer is for mature audiences.
The Hangover Part II will premiere in Vancouver on Wednesday, May 25th at the Cineplex Odeon International Village (Tinseltown). If you would like to attend, I have two double passes to give away. Here’s how you can enter to win:
Name your favourite movie that includes any of the four leading men: Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) – (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I entered to win premiere passes to The Hangover Part II from @wbpictures & @Miss604 #TheHangover http://ow.ly/4YqrX
I will draw two winners at 9:00am on Monday, May 23, 2011.
May is practically over however since there are two big weekends left this month and the sun has decided to show, here’s a quick list of what’s happening around Vancouver over the next two weeks.
Should you have an event that you would like listed you can submit it via my contact form. I also post selected event listings throughout the month on the Miss604 Facebook Page.
I had the chance to meet Samantha Bee in 2008 when I was on CBC’s Test the Nation. Bloggers from around the country (and a handful from Vancouver) were selected to be on a team and we came out on top. As you could expect, she was personable, smart, and incredibly witty.
If you would like to see her live on stage in Vancouver, tickets are available through Ticketmaster starting at $34. I also have a pair to give away, here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I entered to win tickets to An Evening with Samantha Bee from @Seizieme & @Miss604 http://ow.ly/4XjTJ
I will draw one winner on Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 11:00am.
The Shore 104 Song Search has returned for 2011 as the local radio station seeks out the best summer song in Vancouver that has been written and performed by home-grown talent.
ShoreFest 2010 – Photo by John Bollwitt
I spoke to Patrick Zulinov, Music and Programming Director at The Shore, about the new Song Search (previously the Sounds of Summer contest) and the Shore’s Canadian content. “There’s a huge amount of talent in this city that deserves to be heard,” he said. “I saw an opportunity to show off a lot of talent that I’ve experienced in this city and I wanted to get it on the radio.”
As opposed to last year, full bands (not just solo performers) can throw their hat into the ring. Zulinov said there have already been about 300 entries and the tough part will be selecting the finalists in each round. [Source: My TV Week Online column]
They have the field narrowed down to 20 finalists right now and are also hosting a public video challenge. Each finalist has submitted a video and the one with the most “likes” on YouTube will earn the title of “Fan Favourite”.
