I stayed at Malika Lodge last year and it was truly an unforgettable experience. I took a short flight to Putao from Rangoon and arrived at the lodge and was pleasantly surprised to see the two working elephants from the lodge with their keeper, chilling in the sunshine before heading down to the river. The staff are extremely welcoming and have magnetic smiles - we felt very well looked after and language was no problem.

The main lodge itself is stunning, dark woods, giant bamboo - and the architecture of the massive rooms feels discreetly luxurious. Each individual room is a mini lodge with beautiful Jim Thompson silk furnishings and huge beds. My husband especially loved stoking up the fireplace - each lodge has a free standing fireplace and they provide firewood...you can't beat a fireplace like this in such fantastic surroundings.

Bathing at the lodge took me to another dimension - bathtime was in a huge 6 ft round teak bath (like a giant teacup), or if I wished I could use a shower with one of the biggest heads I have ever seen...heaven. The lodge is made of entirely local materials...all carried to the lodge by the elephants - the black slate tiling used in the bathroom is from the banks of the Nam Lang river itself. In the morning we had breakfast on the terrace with an amazing view of the river, framed by The Himilayas...a sight I will never forget.

Food was fantastic - more modern eclectic I loved the Swedish chef's snow pea shoot salads and the menu was perfect for the cooler climate, we had a delicious beef stew and some delicately flavoured fish dishes, all very yummy.

Our days were filled with elephant rides and gentle trips down the river - there's lots to do but to be honest the area is so beautiful you just end up walking around staring at everything...our eyes feasted on the natural wonders around us and the local people made us feel like we'd been wrapped in a warm blanket, we'll never forget their smiles.

I am definately going back to Malika lodge as part of my stay in Myanmar next year...this time I will be bringing a couple of friends to share some good wine and take in the wonders of in this amazing place.

My only tip - take your I-Pod!!