Cradled by virgin rainforest in Thailand’s Koh Lanta Island, the hillside villa at Pimalai Resort and Spa plays host to the most mesmerising sunsets. Every night during my stay, I was held spellbound by the brilliance of the ever changing pink and crimson hues as they grew in richness before the sun set above the Andaman Sea.
I was also cosseted in a beautifully appointed villa and similarly struck by its colossal size, yet there was an intimacy you feel from the inviting way it has been designed with comfy corner lounges to snuggle up to and a private pool overlooking the sea. Being so high in the jungle and the remoteness of its location makes you feel lost in nature and yourself which makes this anything but your typical villa.
With its distinctive traditional Thai-style triple peaked roofs, a courtyard with an infinity pool in front of a large day bed protected from the sun, the luxuriously spacious one-bedroom villa leaves an indelible impression.
The villa area is over 204 square metres comprising of two buildings. The four-poster king bed has a white canopy giving it an impossibly regal feel. The spacious bathroom includes a large bath and toilet (in a separate enclosed room) both with ceiling to floor windows overlooking the sea. There’s a changing room area and shower with a second shower and bathroom in the building on the other side of the pool which comprises of a kitchenette, flat TV screen and elegant furnishings including another lounger and table for two on the balcony/terrace.
Ideal for honeymooners who only have eyes for each other. It also makes a wonderful retreat for those, like me, in search for quiet solitude in a place where there is no need for a ‘do not distract me’ sign.
From high in the mountains, you feel an inner calmness from the peaceful surroundings, and you are left to enjoy your own parcel of paradise and experience the joy of being enveloped by nature. With the exception of the odd visit from monkeys who scampered through the terrace.
Clearly on a poaching parade, the visit was a reminder that I was immersed in the ‘wild’ and I was careful to ensure there was nothing to catch their curious eyes. After surveying the area my visitors simply passed through.
Fine dining cuisine with a magical view
The resort’s food is tantalisingly good. The Seven Seas, an international fine-dining restaurant overlooking the bay of Kantiang, is a romantic setting at night and the Italian-style Sea Bass dish is delicious as is the lobster bisque. The Seven Seas is also where breakfast is served, and I found myself venturing more than once into the room where all the fruit and freshly squeezed juices were. Along with self-service, the kitchen will prepare your breakfast and the Eggs Benedict were particularly good – and the staff are exceptionally friendly and make you feel so welcome.
There is also Spice & Rice, the authentic Thai restaurant and The Banyan Tree Poolside Café, which serves light bites and daytime refreshments from the pool. On the beachfront is Rak Talay, which specialises in seafood. Here, I tried the poached Groper and a Thai Curry.
The Koh Lanta resort was granted a coveted Green Globe certification in 2022 after an independent audit of Pimalai’s practices and has no plans to slow down on its environmental initiatives.
On my first day, I joined a group for a special boat trip frequenting the neighbouring islands. Heading from the resort to the nearby harbour at 9am with a group of four couples, we enjoyed the entire day snorkelling, kayaking and stopping for lunch near an emerald green beach, possibly one of the best beaches I’ve ever swum in. The gorgeous green colour and white sand and perfect temperature made it stand out.
Each couple on the boat trip had their own story and all of us were from every corner of the planet. There was a Mexican couple on their honeymoon, one of whom couldn’t swim and had never been on a kayak before. They told me this was the highlight of their trip so far after describing their small wedding for 200 people back home. There was also a Chinese couple and judging by the number of photographs taken and the endless fussing over the quality of the pictures, I was convinced they were influencers. Then there were the Japanese couple who were covered head to toe in protective sun gear who never entered the water. And there was a Scottish couple who looked like their bodies had never seen the sun.
Together, we lapped up the incredible scenery of the remote islands and favourable weather. Temperatures here during the year average 25 to 32 degrees Celsius and when it rains it tends to be over quickly.
Ko Lanta is less well-known than Ko Phi Phi, which has become more commercialised over the years. This and the fact I was travelling during September meant it was incredibly quiet with few tourists and the perfect time to experience the stunning scenery, and white sandy beaches. The area itself has about 70 small islands many of which are uninhabitable, mountainous and covered by dense forest.
There’s no lack of places to swim at the resort.
If I didn’t have my own pool and incredible villa to stay in, I would have been happy to clock up laps at one of the two large swimming pools which are 30 metres and 50 metres. With so many options to swim from pools to hot tubs and the beach, you are never competing with crowds of people.
There is a fully decked gym which was never busy, and tennis courts, ping pong, basketball courts and even croquet. You can also immersive yourself in yoga, muay Thai, cycling, or like me, join the Thai cooking classes held in the Seven Seas restaurant. Here we made the traditional recipes from tom kah gai to pad thai which are surprisingly easier to make than you think. They all share the big bold tastes of sweet and sour combined with fragrant herbs that we love from Thai cuisine, and many of the ingredients came from the organic gardens which surround the buildings.
I also visited the spa which is set in a heavenly garden. The pathways to the spa rooms are surrounded by a menagerie of orchids and exotic plants, a water fountains.
The soothing therapies are sublime. I enjoyed an hour long signature massage and left so relaxed I simply floated back to my villa.
The Vision of Pimalai Reort and Spa’s Founder
Entranced by the beauty of the land, Pimalai’s founder Khun Anurat Tiyaphorn bought the property in the 1990s with a vision for others to reap the enjoyment he experienced from being there.
“Chinese feng shui philosophy says that ‘a house leaning against the mountains and facing waters can bring good luck for people living in it’,” said Pimalai General Manager, Brice Borin.
For those on this hillside, there was much to feel lucky about and I enjoyed the leisurely drive up to the villas in the buggies. The journey up the hillside reminded me of the longest road in San Francisco as it weaves back and forth until you reach your destination.
It’s a charming trip. I often spotted yellow butterflies and even the odd eagle flying above and even some monitor lizards.
Pimalai has excellent service and rates highly in reviews
The stay was extremely relaxing and this was helped by the wonderful staff and beauty of the resort itself and unique location. So it came as no surprise that the 2,680 reviews on Agoda’s website about Pimalai Resort & Spa gave an ‘exceptional’ rating – a 9.8 in fact. Everything from location, room comfort, quality, service, cleanliness, location, service, facilities, and value for money rate above 9 out of ten.
But as much as the reviews talk about the beauty of Pimilai nothing prepares you for the breathtaking views particularly the changing sunsets from my hillside villa and the beauty of this tropical resort.
When to go?
May – October is the wet monsoon season, where southwesterly winds bring wetter weather from the Indian ocean. But I firmly believe the wet season is a perfect time to visit Thailand because you don’t get the crowds.
