It is a sensorial experience. As the wind wafts through the rooms of your villa, carrying the fragrance of the flowers, the wet whispers of the rain-kissed trees, and the salty tang of the Andaman Sea. The air is filled with birdsong, sunshine, and the chattering of troupes of monkeys, lithe-limbed and leaping from one branch to another with impish ease. The blue of the private plunge pool at my villa seems to dissolve into the sea beyond, as the green fronds dip and dive in the breeze, hugging the entrance to the stone steps that lead up to the path. Nodding lotus’, the collective croaking of frogs and the chorus of the crickets at night, the gentle plop of the raindrop on my face sets the backdrop for cosy pools of amber dotting the restaurants, overlooking the sea. Healing and harmony come together in a cohesive cocoon at Pimalai Resort & Spa in the lesser-known island, Koh Lanta, in Thailand.
As the first luxury resort on the island, settled by fisherfolks over 500 years ago, the family-run luxury resort lies cleverly tucked away amidst 100 acres of tropical jungle at the extreme end of Koh Lanta. Two hours from Krabi and far away from the buzzing urban pace that sets the tone for the rest of the country.
Peace comes dropping by at Pimalai, as you can hear your own breath and thoughts, the flutter of a bird’s wings, in your chosen pools of solitude across the property. A slice of precious luxury.
There are multiple ways in which you can discover your own share of harmony at Pimalai. From plucking fresh herbs for your Thai cooking session with the chef, to snorkelling and diving in the marine theatre off the shore, to browsing through the labels in the wine library and enjoying a solo tasting, to trying your hand at something new… discover it all here:
FINDING YOUR ANCHOR
My first brush with aerial yoga sets the tone for my wellness experience at Pimalai. It is a feeling of calm that moves and grows fluidly, from indoor to outdoor, tracing lazy loops. The soothing chants fill the air as my instructor slowly and firmly eases out the initial panic and fear of letting go of my body on the harness. The Italian girl to my right seems to ace the moves with her feather-light frame. My Thai peer yells in a bit of a challenging position. It feels weirdly comforting yet disconcerting for fleeting seconds, and then leaves me with slight reservations about levering myself into the slant-dive position. Yet the gentle murmuring continues as the backdrop, consistently encouraging. I decided to chin up and let go.
The panic evaporates as I swing myself to a state of complete inversion, hands folded in a namaskar, as my instructor appears quietly by my side to push and swing my frame back and forth.
Shilpi Madan for Global Spa