• WHERE: Khung Bang Krachao Island, Thailand
• HOW MUCH: $125 to $180 for a double room with outdoor shower and rooftop sundeck
• MORE: bangkoktreehouse.com

GETTING THERE Catch the BTS Sky Train or a taxi to Bang Na Pier, where street vendors sell spicy pork noodles and sweets. Look for the payphone by the temple near the pier and call the tree house. They'll send a ferry, a charming "long tail" water taxi, for the one-minute ride across Chao Phraya River, taking you away from Bangkok's bustle to an oasis of unmarred wetlands, known as the city's "green lung." 

BEST MOMENT Climbing to the uppermost deck at dusk to watch lights winking on along Chao Phraya River while sipping a fresh pineapple fizz. 

WORST MOMENT First stepping onto the tree house's "dock"--actually a series of wooden planks bobbing on empty barrels and loosely lashed together with string. Maneuvering from one to the next requires jumping over open stretches of water while bouncing with the waves. It's like crossing the floor of a funhouse . . . with your luggage . . . in flip-flops.

FAVORITE CHARACTER American expat Paul Mueller offers a three-hour bike tour, booked through the hotel, along elevated concrete walkways that meander through mangroves and palms. Along with introductions to his neighbors, Mueller shares hilarious stories and a wealth of plant, animal, and historical knowledge.

LOCAL LORE Nicknamed the Suicide Tree, Cerbera odollam grows all over the island, dangling plump, green fruit that resembles the mango. The fleshy kernel inside contains a toxin that stops the heart and is difficult to detect in autopsies, making it the center of many local tales of murder and self-destruction. 

WHAT'S GREEN The entire menu and all sheets, towels, and cleaning products are 100 percent organic. The structures are made from bamboo, and all outdoor lighting is powered by wind and solar energy. The hotel commits a portion of each room fee to hire locals to clean trash from the polluted Chao Phraya. 

WHAT'S NOT GREEN The Chao Phraya is severely degraded by trash, industrial pollution, and urban runoff.

PLANET-SAVING OPPORTUNITIES Guests are encouraged to help kids learn English at local schools, join in river cleanups, and plant trees.