However, what sets this resort apart from the rest is the attention to detail in all aspects of its development. From the the unique handcrafted ‘do not disturb’

The Lanta Landscape

Although it would be easy, and I’m sure preferable for some, to simply laze around the pool, dine at leisure and swim in the sea, we decided to take in a bit of our surroundings. Lanta Island, just off the West Coast of Thailand, used to be known as ‘Pulau Satak’, meaning Long Beach Island. Today it is officially called Koh Lanta, a probable product of a corrupted form of the Japanese word lantas, a fish grill.

Lanta Yai, the main island, is 27 km long and traversed by a mountain range that reaches 500m in the south. The population of the whole district is approximately 20,000 and consists of around 95% Muslim and 4% Buddhist. About 20-minutes drive to the southern tip, or slightly longer on a scooter, past a great little pub – ‘Same Same But Different’ – and past the elephants waiting to take you to the waterfall, you’ll find a section of Thailand’s 62^nd designated national park.

Here, there is a track through the forest that takes you on a loop over hilly forest and back to the lighthouse at the entrance to the park. The towering trees form a protective shield from the sun and although you may feel that you are entirely alone, the scuffling underfoot and rustling branches above remind you that you are far from alone. And if you feel you’re being watched, chances are you are, if you look above there is sure to be a monkey or two staring cheekily back.

Setting off in the other direction will take you to Old Lanta Town, which was the original capital of Koh Lanta and offers a taste of the local culture. Here you can try some of the tasty local food and buy a few souvenirs to take back home with you. The road is extremely dusty, due to the lack of rain this season, and although the scooters and mountain bikes looked like fun, as we sped past spraying dust as we went, I was very grateful to have a car!

Rest or Rigour?

Now that we had explored Pimalai and the surrounding area we had a decision to make. Did we want to relax and revitalise or did we want some action? As a result of our dedication to research and with this final article in mind, we decided to do both!

Besides providing mountain bikes to explore the island and a variety of watersports equipment including windsurfs, kayaks and snorkels, Pimalai also offers a number of different excursions to neighbouring islands or you can charter a boat for you’re your own tailored adventure, with a picnic to go.

Our first stop was to Ngai Island where the water is calm, the temperature is warm, the coral is magnificent and the fish bite! That is if you feed them rice and it’s more of a nibble really. For the majority of tourists to Koh Lanta, snorkelling is the main attraction and I can see why. The coral reefs are as natural and untouched as they can be and the fish are everywhere, in every possible shape and colour. The reefs around these precious islands serve as a reminder of how fragile our environment is.

After exploring a few other coral reefs and admiring in the rough beauty of the vertical slopes of the islands that appear to burst form the sea we reached a particular island with a small entrance to a watery cave. We donned our snorkels and fins and tentatively swam into the unknown - unknown to us, but thankfully, familiar to our guide. After only about five minutes in the water we dragged ourselves (rather ungracefully with flippers) from the pitch black, and emerged on a secluded beach encased by rock walls. The atmosphere was eerie, and I know it’s been said before, but it really was hard to imagine anyone having been there before us.

All tuckered out the next day, we ate, swam, ate and swam some more and before long the Pimalai Spa was beckoning. Like the accommodation suites, the spa is nestled among towering trees and offers a range of oriental therapeutic treatment using mainly Thai herbal and natural products. While sipping on our jasmine green tea we selected our pamper package from the spa menu – Asian Aroma. As far as spas go, Pimalai is certainly one of the best. As I lay on the bed, deeply relaxed, I listened to the environment around me and surprisingly the hour passed without a single interruption, no car passing, no stray voices, just the trickling of water and the faint music in the background. The experience was magical. 

So, what to do now other than lie back on one of the deck chairs beside the infinity-edge swimming pool and watch the sun go down. As the sun slowly disappeared, the colours grew stronger and the pool shimmered in the dying moments of sunlight. As if in harmony, as soon as the sun disappeared the lights around the resort came on and the atmosphere was transformed – did we really have to go home?

Discover nature, discover yourself?

This is the marketing slant the management of Pimalai Resort and Spa has opted for, so I put it to the test. For the first part – discover nature – in one weekend we stumbled across a variety of wildlife including monkeys, elephants, tropical fish, flying fish,

Matching the beauty of the natural surroundings, the other form of nature I discovered at Pimalai is the kind and gentle nature of the local Thai people. You have not experienced true hospitality until you have experienced Thai hospitality. I cannot praise the staff at Pimalai enough; it was their kindness, friendliness and professionalism that made our weekend special.

Discover myself? Well, in order to assist in this quest I even chose the ‘clarity’ scented oil for my massage, and yes, I did make a few revelations, but those I’m afraid are another story, you’ll have to try it for yourself.

Getting there
To get to Lanta Yai you can either fly to Krabi or to Phuket. Pimalai Resort will arrange transfers to Lanta Yai from either airport. However, flying to Phuket means a 3-hour drive to the jetty followed by a 1-hour boat trip, whereas flying into Krabi means a 1-hour drive before the boat trip. If you have no other reason to go to Phuket then I would recommend travelling via Krabi, particularly if you're only going for the weekend and time is of the essence.

Room Rates 

Low Season 2002 (01/05/2002 - 31/10/2002)

High Season (01/11/2002 - 20/12/2002) - (11/01/2003 - 30/04/2003)

Peak Season (21/12/2002 - 10/01/2003) 

Low Season - 2003 (01/05/2003 - 31/10/2003) 

Rates are quoted in Thai Baht, and are subject to a 10% service charge and applicable government tax.

All major credit cards are accepted but be sure to carry some Baht if you plan to have a look around, you won't be able to resist sampling the local cuisine.

Facilities Available

Pimalai Spa, 2 restaurants, 3 bars, room service, small meeting room, fitness room, library, infinity-edge pool with jacuzzi, 24-hour reception, safe deposit boxes, personal safe, laundry service, mail service, 24-hour security, resort shop, carpark, tour desk, car rental, airport transfers, windsurfs, sailboats, canoes, scuba diving, snorkelling, mountain biking, speed boat rental, excursions to nearby islands, jungle trekking, jogging.

Travellers' Tips

• Leave the kids at home and enjoy the peace.
• Fly to Krabi instead of Phuket.
• Go for a drink one night to ‘Same Same but Different’, a few metres up the road.
• Wear sensible shoes when you arrive, because the jetty takes a bit of concentration.
• Don’t go snorkelling with a loaf of banana cake, as our host can testify it’s a favourite among the fish.
• If you're going for look around the island don’t bother with the scooters, which everyone seems to be riding, unless you don’t mind sand and dust in every nook and cranny.
• There are no signs to tell you but the nature trek at the national park takes about an hour at a steady pace.
• Don’t forget to take a camera, sun block, and a good book, but leave your work and worries (and your golf clubs) behind.

For information about Pimalai Resort and Spa and current special offers please email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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