2017 04 Aug Sept

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FEATURE ASIAN HOTSPOTS ~ KOH SAMUI A HIDDEN STONE PATH LEADS YOU INTO A MAGICAL MINI-VALLEY 90 World Travel
Opened a decade ago, the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, to give it its proper name, occupies a small headland on the northwest corner of the island. Designed by iconic Bangkok-based hotel designer Bill Bensley, the all-pool villa property has taken the idea of a traditional Thai village – thatched roofs, plentiful vegetation, use of indoor-outdoor areas – and given it an ultra-luxe twist. Interestingly, the resort was built on the site of a former coconut plantation (Samui is said to grow the best coconuts in Thailand), with more than 800 of the trees being retained after construction. I was once fortunate to stay here on a ‘babymoon’ with my pregnant wife, and the two night stay has remained long in the mind. Over lazy days, we wandered down to the beach (well actually, the excellent golf cart chauffeur service gave us a ride), hung out in the pool, and enjoyed a breakfast of fresh chocolate croissants, hand served by the pastry chef. We hear that their Sunday brunch is equally as amazing, held atop a palm-tree clad hill in their Koh Thai Kitchen. However, what we can vouch for is the rather amazing spa, accessed by a hidden stone path, that leads you into a magical mini-valley that is rather aptly called: The Secret Garden Spa. Here, you savour treatments such as the ‘Earth Energy Four Hands’, a rhythmic massage performed by two therapists using crystals, or the soothing ‘Siam Lovers’ couples ritual. With its lush landscape and hilly interior, it’s no surprise that many of Samui’s high-end hotels can claim to have the best views on the island, through those at the InterContinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort have to be a contender. You arrive at the InterCon, as its guests fondly call it, via a steep, twisty road that emerges at the back of the lobby. As the bellboy fetches your luggage, you’re ushered into a vast lobby filled with ornate, traditional furnishings. But those aren’t what catch the eye – that would be the floor-toceiling views of the endless blue ocean, only interrupted by small green outcrops, and the wake of passing boats. However, if you can manage to tear yourself away from the view, the resort’s Amber restaurant holds one of the best cooking classes in Samui. Running from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, it’s one of the most pleasurable ways to understand Thai culture. You begin with a shopping trip to the lively local market, where the hotel chef introduces some of the distinctive vegetables, fruits and spices that make up the menu of the – often quite spicy – southern Thai cuisine, followed by a stop at the fish market, full of local seafood such as lobster, barracuda, and crab. Pay close attention to the tutorials, as you’ll need to pick up your own ingredients for the cooking lesson back at the InterCon, where you’re taught to make classic Thai favourites such as Pad Thai and Tom Yum Goong. Clockwise from top left, the stars come out over Samujana; one of the spectacular villas at Samujana; cooking class underway at the InterCon’s Amber restaurant; footbridge at the InterCon; Four Seasons’ private beach World Travel 91
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2017 04 Aug Sept

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