Magicians of Nature at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai

At Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, the magic of the northern Thai countryside is evident at each step. Verdant gardens, shimmering rice fields, lazy water buffaloes, could it get any more idyllic? Behind the beauty lies a powerhouse team of in-house nature specialists, whose passion and skill make it possible for guests to fully experience these stunning surrounds.

The Greenest Thumb

Khun Pornpoj, Chief Gardner, has been part of the team at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai since before it opened its doors. Under his watch, the living history of the lush grounds is carefully preserved, and its stories shared generously with guests.

“Do you know the oldest tree in the Resort is located at Rim Tai Kitchen? It’s more than a hundred years old!” he says with infectious enthusiasm. “The Rim Tai Kitchen hill itself has an interesting past – it used to be a popular wayside stop for travelling cattle merchants. In fact, it was known as ‘cattle hill’ among the local villagers.”

With 35 years spent in the midst of nature, Khun Pornpoj firmly believes his Resort is the best place in the world for anyone who has a green thumb. Each turn down its wandering paths brings a new surprise – from a welcome committee of magical rain trees at the lobby, to a flame of the forest that lights up the Residences with its vivid summer blooms.

“Just like me, I have seen countless guests fall in love with this place – they come back again and again,” says Khun Pornpoj, with a deep affection reserved for fellow nature lovers. He especially loves it when visitors are so enraptured by the Nature Trail that they ask for a small souvenir to take back home. His favourite present for them? Freshly plucked torch ginger, a striking-looking aromatic bud used in Thai cooking.

Authentically Asian

For Khun Padi, Nature and Culture Guru, authenticity is at the heart of the Resort’s natural allure. “Practically all our plants and flowers are local, including some of the most distinctive species in Asia,” she explains proudly. “We don’t import expensive plants and trees from overseas.”

The tropical gardens have flourished under the magic touch of famed landscape architect Bill Bensley, whose love of Asian botanicals is clearly reflected in the effortlessly lush scenery. “On the Nature Trail, you can see rare indigenous flora, like the bromeliad and the pink banana. And no, you can’t eat the pink banana – it’s very tiny and has only seeds inside!” says Khun Padi with a smile.

The other quintessentially Thai aspect of life at the Resort are the working rice fields. The traditional journey of rice from seed to plate is fascinating, and Khun Padi believes that reading about it simply doesn’t do it justice. “When you step into the fields and hold the saplings in your hands, that’s when you understand what it actually involves,” she explains. “In Thailand, we grow the young rice plants and then transplant them after 45 days. It’s a long but interesting process, and our guests love learning about it in a hands-on way.”

The terraced fields at the Resort grow sticky rice, and the harvest is donated to local residents. Only 30 percent of what is grown can ultimately be used, because other local inhabitants – such as birds and sherry snails – make a meal of the rest. “Four Seasons birds aren’t like other birds. They aren’t scared of people or noise – they just come and start eating the rice!” laughs Khun Padi. “But we don’t mind, because they’re as much a part of our Mae Rim Valley family.”

The Art of Raising Buffaloes

P’Tae, the water buffalo, is the baby of the family at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai. He was five years old when the Resort received him from the special army force in the area. “When he first arrives, he’d get irritated easily and didn’t like to be touched,” explains Khun Poj, Buffalo Butler. “He’d pick fights with the older water buffaloes, then get scared and run away!”

So, Khun Poj took P’Tae under his wing. Gently yet firmly, he began looking after the young buffalo – feeding him, bathing him, training him. Over time, the two have developed a wonderful relationship. Now, with his favourite human by his side, P’Tae loves interacting with guests, especially if they have a few bananas in their pockets.

For Khun Poj, the day revolves around his team of four water buffaloes, who also happen to be the mascots of the Resort. After an early morning bath, the animals make their way to the lobby to meet guests. This is followed by hours of eating and relaxing. “I gather bundles of grass for them from around the Resort and get fresh bananas from the local market,” smiles Khun Poj.

In the afternoon, it’s time for another splashy bath. As Khun Poj explains, it’s very important for water buffaloes to bathe twice a day to get all the caked mud off their bodies, especially their hooves. At 5:00 pm, the immaculate buffaloes amble back to the lobby for treats and photographs with guests. Finally, it’s time for bed, back at the quiet Buffalo Nursery.