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We checked out Pimalai Resort & Spa in Koh Lanta, Krabi and Buahan, A Banyan Tree Escape in Bali, which provide guests with creature comforts without compromising on nature’s wonders.
At Koh Haa, a snorkelers’ paradise in a cluster of islands surrounding a calm lagoon off Krabi, Thailand, I gently slip into the crystal-clear turquoise sea so as not to spook the fish.
Hotel Pimalai Resort & Spa
Location 99 Moo 5 Ba Kan Tiang Beach
Ko Lanta District
Krabi 81150, Thailand
Price From $260 per night
It is an unforgettable experience to be swimming with such an abundance of marine life, especially in pristine waters where I can simply look down and see the thriving, vibrant corals in shades of green, yellow, and orange.
In addition to scuba diving sites, the area is also home to rare whale sharks, the largest fish species alive today.
Pimalai sits on 40ha of lush rainforest.
Starts with private speedboat ride
To experience this bounty of nature, stay on the relatively secluded island of Koh Lanta, accessible by diving boats from Krabi. Pimalai Resort & Spa, one of 53 properties around the world that are part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World’s Considerate Collection, is just 16km from these sites.
Owners preserved the dense forest
The family-owned Thai resort sits on 40ha of lush tropical rainforest and boasts a picture-perfect, 900m powdery white sand beach (this is not an exaggeration). Former lawyer Anurat Tiyaphorn and a group of investors purchased the plot of land 21 years ago to preserve this piece of practically untouched paradise.
Tiyaphorn’s family has taken on stewardship of the island’s natural environment to maintain Koh Lanta’s tourism industry.
“Koh Lanta relies very heavily on tourism — even the fishermen sell more of their fish to hotels and restaurants than they consume themselves,” says Charintip Tiyaphorn, Anurat’s daughter and Pimalai’s owner representative.
The snorkelers’ haven of Koh Haa is easily accessible from Koh Lanta, where Pimalai Resort and Spa is located.
Surrounded by National Marine Park
“Tourists come here to enjoy nature. It is a true tropical island surrounded by a national marine park, with mountains, forests, beaches, the ocean, waterfalls, and caves. Without this beautiful nature, there is very little else to do on the island.”
As part of the team’s efforts to raise awareness of marine conservation, the group has released clownfish and started a coral propagation project at Koh Haa. Tiyaphorn adds that the resort also conducts regular coastal cleaning activities, forbids motorised water sports, and only permits small-scale eco-sensitive excursions.
Released sea turtles for nesting
Last year, the resort’s team worked with Krabi province government officials, the local district, and the Royal Thai Navy to release sea turtles along the Pimalai beach, whose clean shores are ideal for turtle nesting.
According to Tiyaphorn, setting an example for the local community is one of the goals. As she observed, students and business operators attending the turtle release event were eager to keep their beaches clean to release turtles themselves one day.
The resort has almost a kilometre of powder white beach.
Own water & waste systems
Luxury comes in the form of retiring to comfortable digs without requiring an extended ferry ride back to Krabi. The resort’s spacious accommodations are strategically spread out across the estate to offer maximum privacy, almost as if one is cast away on a desert island.
As part of its conscious approach, the five-star resort has implemented various sustainable management practices. To prevent overloading the island’s infrastructure, Pimalai has its own reservoirs, water treatment systems and recycling systems. By eliminating single-use plastics and composting food waste, it is actively reducing garbage. The resort has reduced landfill waste by 80 per cent to date.
It is refreshing to visit a property that goes above and beyond lip service when it comes to its sustainability efforts — a factor that is becoming increasingly important to jet-setters.
This article was first published on The Peak.