4 Thailand luxury beach resorts for your wishlist

Sala Phuket 

Phuket famously attracts backpackers from all over the world, but if you head to the north of the island, you’ll find luxury, elegance and tranquillity. Located twenty minutes north of the airport at Mai Khao Beach is Sala Phuket. It’s a beautiful resort that is perfect for couples and honeymooners who are eager to escape the crowds and relax on the white sand beach. Not only is Mai Khao Beach a quiet and stunning beach, but it’s protected as the only beach in Phuket where turtles still come to lay their eggs.

Sala Phuket has seventy-nine suites and villas across seven room categories. The entry level Deluxe Balcony room is spacious with a bathtub on the balcony and a day bed overlooking the courtyard. If you’re looking for a more private experience, the Sala Pool Villa is perfect. The front gate opens to your own stand-alone villa with a 22 sq. metre private pool and green lawn. Bliss!

The resort offers a variety of activities and excursions, so there’s always something to do. Every morning, I took part in morning yoga, which got the day off to a great start. You can also take the kayaks and stand-up paddle boards out on the water or sit back and relax by the pool with drinks service. 

During my stay, I also took a bike ride along Mai Khao Beach. At the southern end of the sand, you can stand underneath the planes as they land at the airport! This is a unique experience that you can only do at a handful of beaches around the world.

The Racha

My next stop was The Racha. This hotel is one of only two resorts on Koh Racha Yai, a stunning island off the southern tip of Phuket. We boarded a speedboat at Chalong Pier, Phuket, for the 30-minute journey to Koh Racha Yai. The water around the island is crystal clear, which makes it perfect for scuba diving and snorkelling. The hotel also has its own diving centre where you can take an introductory lesson or head straight out onto the water.

This Racha is perfect for all travellers, including couples, honeymooners and families. The resort is spread across twenty acres of tropical grounds, with 85 gorgeous villas. It has two main pools, one for families and one for adults only, which is an infinity pool with views overlooking the stunning beach.

I was stayed in a Junior Pool Suite Room, which is a one-bedroom villa with its own private pool. It’s perfect for couples. For families, I recommend a two-bedroom grand pool suite. These are more spacious and offer stunning views from the generous private balcony. 

For a more unique stay, you can stay in the Lighthouse. This five-storey building offers three bedrooms (max 6 guests), a private pool, a terrace and a unique lookout room. The lookout room is the perfect location for a romantic dinner. 

Not only does this resort offer water activities, but you can explore the island on a quad biking tour. During the tour, you’ll see where the locals live and the hydroponic farm where the hotel grows its own supplies.

Aava Resort 

The Aava Resort is located in Khanom, on the eastern coast of Thailand. It is a perfect place to stay before or after a visit to the island of Koh Samui. The resort offers four different room categories to cater for all travellers, from individuals and families to couples and honeymooners. The stunning room types include deluxe villas (interconnecting rooms available) and two-bedroom family villas.

I stayed in one of the six Poolside Villas, which features a personal terrace with direct access to the infinity pool. The view is amazing as you can look straight out to the ocean. The room offers a sizeable bedroom and bathroom, and can accommodate two adults and one child.

The resort sits on Nadan Beach, which boasts soft golden sand and clear warm waters. Khanom is one of only two places in the world where you can spot pink dolphins, which makes it really special. The resort offers a unique long-tail boat tour to spot the wild dolphins as they swim up and down the coast in the shallow waters. 

During my stay at Aava Resort, I took part in a beach clean with the local school children, which was a really rewarding experience. The hotel set up this initiative with the local school to help educate the children on waste and recycling. The beach clean happens once a week and anyone can participate. I highly recommend it!

Sala Chaweng 

The last stop on my whistle-stop tour of Thailand was Sala Chaweng, on the island of Koh Samui. This resort is larger than its sister hotel in Phuket, which nine different room categories ranging from deluxe balcony rooms to an oceanfront two-bedroom presidential pool villa. 

If you are looking for your own private pool, then the Oceanfront Balcony Pool Suite Category is one I would recommend. It is a middle-priced category, but the pool has the perfect view over the palm trees and out to the ocean. I could have stayed there for weeks!

Sala Chaweng is spread across both sides of the road. The beach side offers ocean-view rooms and a large swimming pool for all the family. On the garden side, you will find a wider choice of room categories, as well as the spa and a full-length pool which is ideal for a quieter swim. 

This resort is only a ten-minute walk from the main centre of Chaweng where you can check out the nightlife and souvenir shops or attend a show. If you are looking for a quiet hotel close to a bit of action, this is the hotel for you. The resort itself is so tranquil that you can easily forget that you are close to the nightlife.

All these Thailand beach resorts offer five-star luxury in their own unique way. They all offer excellent customer service, and the staff are some of the friendliest I have ever met. They will always go the extra mile to make sure your experience is the best it can possibly be. 

Every hotel I visited offered spa treatments including massages, facials, manicure and pedicures. All the hotels allowed me to choose my pillow type, soap and shampoo smell. This is just one of the small touches that makes it worth spending the extra money to experience a little luxury during your holiday. 

It was a tough decision, but my personal favourite resort was Sala Chaweng. I really enjoyed staying in a peaceful luxury resort that was only a ten-minute walk from the hustle and bustle of Chaweng. For me, it offered the best of both worlds. The rooms are amazing and, if you can afford it, I recommend upgrading to a room with a private pool. Go on and treat yourself!

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