FORGET CROWDED BEACHES AND STREETS; NEXT TIME, GO FOR A PRIVATE GETAWAY AT A BEACHFRONT RESORT. LINDSAY YAP REPORTS FROM ANI VILLAS THAILAND ON THE LAIDBACK ISLAND OF KOH YAO NOI

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Stylish
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APR 2017
HOMES • FAMILY • ARTS • FOOD • TRAVEL • FASHION • HEALTH • BEAUTY
SINGAPORE
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MCI(P)100/02/2017
Champagne
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10 BEST
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Phenomenal Facials:
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Travellers’ Tales:
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2. 194 APRIL2017
FORGET CROWDED BEACHES
AND STREETS; NEXT TIME, GO
FOR A PRIVATE GETAWAY AT A
BEACHFRONT RESORT. LINDSAY
YAP REPORTS FROM ANI VILLAS
THAILAND ON THE LAIDBACK
ISLAND OF KOH YAO NOI.
After a one-hour transfer from Phuket
airport and a welcome drink of
lemongrass tea, I was escorted to my
Master Pool Suite, where I was greeted
by soothing lounge music from an in-
room iPod. The layout featured wooden
floors, a cosy sitting area and desk, and,
at the end of a short corridor, a bathroom
with his-and-hers vanities. You have the
option of taking a steaming hot shower
or a relaxing bubble bath overlooking the
private dipping-pool.
There are 10 rooms in this two-acre villa
resort, including a pair of two-bedroom
Family Suites with ensuite bathrooms and
a living room, and two Ocean Front Master
Suites. Whichever room you’re in, you’ll
enjoy the utmost privacy.
Meals can be taken outdoors or at two
indoor dining areas. During my stay, I
was treated to a variety of cuisines, from
Thai classics such as green curry and
tamarind prawns to Western favourites
including pan-fried salmon. On our first
day, we lunched in a seafront pavilion
whereYao,theresort’sin-housechef,dished
up everything from pad Thai – served
in an omelette and topped with sprouts
and garnishes – to cappuccino chocolate
cake. If you want to try an authentic Thai
breakfast,indulgeinasteamingbowlofkao
tom (Thai rice soup). You can add in any
extra ingredients you like – ours had huge
chunks of juicy crab meat; it was so good
that we requested it again the next day!
Thailand
Something for all
From cooking classes and yoga to water
sports like kayaking, you’ll never have a
dull moment at Ani Villas; I enjoyed a
leisurely afternoon paddle with spectacular
views of the karsts and the coastline.
For a truly local experience, you can
try your hand at Muay Thai. The resort
booked us a session at the well-known
KYN Muay Thai gym located about 10
minutes away. My instructor Pik was very
patient as I huffed and puffed my way
through the drills. It gave me renewed
respect for the sport’s practitioners.
What’s a resort stay without a spa
experience? I tried the Aromatic Essence
massage, followed by a visit to the
steam room. Other signature treatments
include the Royal Thai massage and the
Deep Impact massage. We also booked a
cooking class with Chef Yao and learnt
how to make stir-fried noodles and tom
yam soup.
The little ones aren’t left out from the
fun. They’ll have a ball on the waterslide
at the children’s pool and taking part in
activities like sand art and face painting,
part of the special programme for kids.
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3. TRAVEL
195APRIL2017
Going local
On our second day, we set off on
an island tour to explore local life
and culture. After visiting a Batik
painting shop in a quiet village,
we sampled rotee (Thai pancake)
from a roadside stall. At a coconut
plantation in the midst of rice
paddies in Baan Nam Jeud, we
had the chance to pluck our own
coconuts using a harvesting pole –
after we’d picked them, plantation
owner Auntie Chanya skilfully
chopped them for us to eat.
We then headed into town to
visit a row of small shops and
food stalls, where we picked
up some sweet-potato fries and
banana fritters. Keep an eye out
for Coffee Break, a bright orange
kiosk that sells espressos, lattes
and cold sodas; it has free Wi-Fi!
That evening, we headed across
the road from Ani Villas to the
local Para Bar for a drink. Perched
on a hill, it’s built to look like a
ship and is decorated with knick-
knacks, including a disco ball.
The bar serves a variety of drinks
– whiskeys, wines and classic
cocktails, from piña coladas to
mojitos – and with its cool sea
breezes it’s a great place to end
the day.
• To get to Ani Villas,
catch a flight to either
Phuket or Krabi. The
land transfer and
speedboat ride to the
resort take slightly
over an hour.
• Ani Villas also has
properties in Anguilla,
the Dominican
Republic and Sri
Lanka. Each resort
contributes to
supporting Ani Art
Academies, which
offers apprenticeships
to local artists.
Find out more at
aniartacademies.org.
• Visit anivillas.com
for details and
reservations.
Fact File
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