Paradise By the Golf-Buggy Light

What is paradise? Without getting too philosophical about this, what are the first paradisiacal images that pop into your mind? If, like me, you think of powdery white sand melting between your toes whilst you clutch the key card to your luxury room, then read on; I have some good news.

A mere 20 km from over-developed Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan has, up until now, attracted a young, care-free crowd whose desire for sun, sand and… full-moon parties are more than adequately sated. The tucked-away holistic spas on the island also offer transforming experiences for an eclectic, ‘alternative’ client base. As always, budget evolves to boutique, and KPN has begun to make ripples in a more up-market manner, marching towards the top-end ‘where to stay’ pages of the guidebooks.

Leading this renaissance is the newly-opened Santhiya Resort & Spa (santhiya.com), which lies in on an east-coast, frangipani-filled hillside overlooking a private beach. Each boasting a private pool, the resort’s Thai-style villas are dotted haphazardly amongst the foliage, somewhat disconcertingly crafted from Burmese teak. Golf buggies whiz silently around the maze of paths, ferrying guests between their rooms, the spa, the beach or the restaurant. 

So far, a generic Thai resort? What makes Santhiya more than worthy to fill these pages is what I didn’t see… other people. One of the selling points of KPN is that there is hardly anyone here. One of my paradise prerequisites is the Man Friday effect: me, Man Friday and nature’s natural hum. No one else invited. KPN is not the new Maldives, but compared to other Thai islands it’s positively deserted.

From Samui, access to Santhiya is via speed boat – very James Bond, and making them the only resort on KPN to offer a complimentary round-trip transfer service. As I reclined in the vessel’s leather seats for the 20-minute journey, I remembered Alex Garland and his fictitious band of utopia seekers who had inspired me years before. As the mountain retreat neared, I decided that I had grown out of rafts and wooden shacks.

A little later, ensconced on a lounger, I watched the sun dip behind the mountains. Reminiscent of a turquoise-hued tropical waterfall, the pool invited me for one last dip before cocktails were served overlooking the bay of Thong Nai Pan Noi.

Evening is the only time one would want to stray from these lavish confines. To the right of the private beach is a hidden path through large boulders. On the other side of the rocks – no, you don’t stumble upon Dinotopia as you may begin to expect – there are just enough laidback beach bars to keep you entertained for the subsequent few days. The music floats lazily over the sand and wafts of seafood BBQ’s click hunger pangs into action.

If Santhiya’s objective was to create paradise, they stuck to my rulebook and got top marks.

By Joanna Smith

Courtesy of  lifestyleandtravel.com