Saturday, December 24, 2011

A Vacation in Koh Samui

Four Seasons Koh SamuiSince our last vacation at the beautiful resort island of Landaa Giraavaru in the Maldives, I was looking for something different but equally breathtaking. Koh Samui turned out to be just that. The lush green jungles and coconut groves on the hilly terrain of this island dramatically gave way to the most amazing view as the ground fell away steeply. The 360 degree panorama painted by the blue-green waters of the Gulf of Thailand, the large expanse of clear skies, and the white sands of the beach snaking far below is awe-inspiring even for the most demanding hedonist!

Four Seasons Koh Samui
Four Seasons Koh SamuiThe Four Seasons report at Koh Samui is set on a private bay at the northern tip of the island. After a brief welcome drink at the picturesque reception sala at the hill crest, we were quickly escorted to our villa in a golf cart. The villa was luxuriously large with its own outdoor deck and infinity pool overlooking the Gulf. The resort is built on a steep and thickly forested hillside affording great privacy and views of the ocean, beach and swaying coconut trees. However, the winding roads are steep - very steep! They have golf buggies that will quickly take you anywhere within the resort.

Four Seasons Koh Samui
Four Seasons Koh Samui
Four Seasons Koh Samui
Four Seasons Koh Samui
Four Seasons Koh SamuiWithin minutes of arriving, we were in the infinity pool. The water was a little cold but that didn't discourage us one little bit. Before the evening was over, our daughter was already planning her activities at the Kids Club. They have a calendar of cool activities to keep the kids busy the entire week: building sand-castles, lotus flower folding, Thai dancing, kids yoga, baking cookies, and learning to make jasmine necklaces, sea-shell bracelets and decorative candles.


We had made reservations for a Castaway Dinner experience at the beach. They had set up six tables in a small sandy cove. The tables with their flickering lanterns, the waves crashing on the sandy banks just a few away and the variety of fresh seafood grilled to order made for a memorable evening.

Castaway Beach
Castaway Beach
Grilled seafood at Castaway Beach
Coconut ice-creamWe were reluctant to get out of our soft bed next morning. Our daughter was already up and dressed in her Kids Club ready for the day's activity. We took a golf buggy to the hill crest restaurant called Lan Tania. The breakfast buffet was quite delightful: a lavish spread of excellent breads, pastries, Asian staples, exotic tropical fruits and live egg and pancake stations.


My wife and I had the rest of the day to laze around in our amazing villa, at our pool and strolling on the sandy beach. The day was overcast and the temperature pleasantly warm; the busy lives we had left behind was long forgotten!


Next in this series: A Tropical Xmas

9 comments:

Shubhra said...

Hi Shantanu,

I am launching a new travel magazine, and would like to invite you to write for me. Please do get in touch if interested. I am Shubhra Krishan: you could write to me on shubhkrish@gmail.com

Hope to hear from you!

Shantanu said...

@Shubhra: Thank you for the offer! This blog is the only place I write about food and travel. It is a hobby and I don't expect to make it a profession. :)

Puneribong said...

haha..talk of coincidences. We were at Lamai beach (Sunrise side) at a beachfront pool villa..really unlike anything we have been before.The plunge pool was 25 feet itself..with an private outdoor dining next to the beach..phew dreamworld..

Odd I did remark to my partner that there were hardly any Indians around.I only came across some when I went to Tesco-Lotus.

Looks like we missed you there at New years.

Happy new year 2012

Shantanu said...

@Puneribong: Nice! Hope you enjoyed the Holidays. We didn't run into too many Indians either. I guess they don't stray much from the beaten path - Bangkok and Phuket are more popular, I guess.

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much. Your reviews are just crisp and clear, and thanks for sharing such wonderful destination. I am considering it for my honeymoon.

Regards,
Kuldeep

Anonymous said...

@Kuldeep: Thanks for your comments. You will love the place.

Anonymous said...

Hi shantanu
Let me start by congratulating you on your amazing stay!its definitely a once a lifetime experience!

Can u please answer the following queries for me as i am planning to go their myself-
1. Does the villa u were in offer good views of the ocean from the tub and the private plunge pool??i am
Concerned that the foliage might hide the same

2.The tub seems to be in such a position that when 2 people are inside it, both cant enjoy the ocean view.
Is it so??

Would love to hear from you.
Thank you!
Shash

Shantanu said...

@Shash: You are correct in your assumptions. There is a lot of coconut trees that does get in the way of the ocean view from the villa. However, they have a few on higher ground which apparently get more panoramic views (but are further away from the beach).

Re: tub, you are correct. You may find some reviews on TripAdvisor that include villa numbers for those with views.

Shantanu said...

@Shash: You are correct in your assumptions. There is a lot of coconut trees that does get in the way of the ocean view from the villa. However, they have a few on higher ground which apparently get more panoramic views (but are further away from the beach).

Re: tub, you are correct. You may find some reviews on TripAdvisor that include villa numbers for those with views.