When it comes to resorts and wellness destinations, the best are often the hardest to get to. Privacy makes them attractive. Rayavadee Resort Hotel Located in the heart of southern Thailand. The resort is located on the Phra Nang Peninsula, adjacent to Krabi Marine National Park and flanked by towering limestone cliffs. When it was built more than two decades ago, the resort aimed to live in harmony with the natural environment. The spacious two-story suite feels like a treehouse nestled among tropical trees, plants and ferns. In the years since, the hotel has worked hard to implement a variety of measures to reduce its negative impact on the surrounding environment, such as sustainable water and waste management and energy efficiency. They are also committed to providing guests with organic, locally sourced ingredients. Their menu offers guests healthy and balanced options including organic vegetables, herbs and salads. All rice is organic, as are our free-range eggs.
Rayavadee believes in giving back to society as a whole by supporting fair trade products, social enterprises and charity projects and is proud to be a founding partner of the ‘Food4Good’ charity project, which provides healthy meals to underprivileged children across Thailand. As part of its commitment to the program, Rayavadee is donating THB 1 for every dish ordered at each restaurant.
In recent years, as Krabi has become more popular, it has become a challenge to protect the many wildlife and birds as they live in the hotel just like guests. But Rayavadee has stepped up and regularly organizes and participates in activities such as beach cleanups, mangrove plantation and marine life propagation. The hotel is also a founding member of the organization Vitality Foundationan event that brings together government agencies, local businesses and community members to raise awareness about the need to protect Krabi’s fragile ecosystem.
Krabi is still not as popular with tourists as Phuket, and is only a 1.5-hour flight from Bangkok. Ground transportation in a clean, air-conditioned SUV to the resort’s private dock takes approximately 25 minutes. From there it was another 20 hours by boat in rough waters. But like the day I arrived, the tide was so low that we had to be pulled up to the resort with a tractor, making cold towels and lime drinks much more appreciated upon our arrival.
their spa, Rayavadi SpaThere are many relaxing treatments on offer, but I opted for the 75-minute signature massage to help loosen the knots ingrained in my neck and shoulders from years of computer work. My therapist combined Eastern and Western techniques to ensure that I left the spa feeling more relaxed and rejuvenated than when I got there. Starting by applying aromatic oil to my feet and ankles, then massaging along my calves, hips and lower back, she then used her surprisingly strong hands and a secret weapon – a heated herbal compress that acts like a Extra large sachet to put on my neck – this helps with these issues! I lay face down in the cradle, opened my eyes, and saw a bowl of water with a white lotus in it.
Although the duration of the massage was shorter than other massages I’ve had in Thailand, I felt its benefits immediately. My steps became a little lighter as I left the spa, and I slowly made my way through the maze of winding paths, past lily ponds and scurrying lizards, to our suite, where I picked up my camera and headed Railay Beach to capture spectacular unfiltered sunsets.
