< Previous20 | BANGKOK AIRWAYS BOUTIQUE JOURNEYS 2023-2024 BAR BOHEM Treasures are meant to be kept a secret but, with Bar Bohem, an exception has to be made. Upon entering this bohemian lounge, you’ll know it’s a cut above the rest. Take a seat at one of the private candlelit tables and let the sound of cool tunes calm your ears – or get close to the action and watch the mixologists at work. The drinks are, of course, excellent. The mixologists can serve up anything from a classic Mojito or Old Fashioned to a specially-created drink for you based on your likes and dislikes. As the secret’s out now, head to Bar Bohem for the best cocktails on the island right now! PI SAMUI If you’re looking for somewhere on Koh Samui that will make you feel like a star who’s just walked onto a movie set, then Pi Samui on Choengmon Beach will. As well as its ultimate day-to-night beach vibe it offers an excellent food menu, the best coffee across the island and cocktails expertly crafted by cool mixologists. Just take a seat, chill and take in the clear blue skies and the sea, and let the Pi Samui team take care of the rest. KOH SAMUIBANGKOK AIRWAYS BOUTIQUE JOURNEYS 2023-2024 | 21 THE HEIGHT The Height is nestled in a tropical garden overlooking the Gulf of Thailand at the Silavadee Pool Spa Resort Koh Samui. It serves superb authentic Thai and Southern Thai cuisine, with every dish celebrating a harmonious melody of flavours and ingredients. The Thai Tasting Menu is designed so diners will get to taste the best of Southern Thai cuisine at a reasonable price. Outstanding dishes here include Gai Baan Tom Khamin (clear soup with chicken), Gaeng Poo Bai Cha Ploo (crab meat in Southern Thai red curry with local wild betel leaves, served with vermicelli noodles) and Moo Hong (perfectly braised and seasoned pork belly). The last dish, which has its origin in Southern Thai culture, is often also ordered to take away! THE TENT AT SALA CHAWENG The Tent with its restaurant and bar stands on the beach of SALA Samui Chaweng Beach Resort. Guests may choose to be seated on the outdoor covered dining deck, the inner dining room or in one of the private gazebos. The Tent makes an excellent beach rendezvous as it’s open from 6.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. and serves the gamut from breakfast and lunch to snacks, drinks and dinner. The menu covers Thai and western dishes, fresh seafood and bar snacks, and the drinks list offers a broad range of wines, classic and signature cocktails. Reserve a private barefoot dinner on the beach with your better half!22 | BANGKOK AIRWAYS BOUTIQUE JOURNEYS 2023-2024 WAT SILA NGU There are always plenty of devotees at this temple, as it’s believed to house a Buddha’s relic. The interior is a homage to Buddhist’s learnings plus Koh Samui’s history and art, and visitors will discover many intriguing sculptures, paintings and Buddha images. Wat Sila Ngu is also a vantage point with a magnificent view of the beautiful Gulf of Thailand, and it’s unquestionably a lovely place to pause, contemplate, and enjoy the ocean breezes and peaceful view. GUAN-YU KOH SAMUI SHRINE This is a shrine for Guan-Yu, the legendary Chinese military leader and founder of Shu Han province. It stands 16 metres tall facing Lamai Beach and as visitors approach it they will likely first feel an immense sense of strength and power emanating from it, then Guan-Yu’s flaming red visage. The shrine is significant for the local Chinese community and a superb tribute to Chinese culture and traditions. A stroll through this popular site will reveal artistic gems such as spectacular Chinese calligraphy and murals of dragons with a golden finish. Once you enter the shrine, you will come across beautiful prayer drums and decorative banners draped from the roof. WAT PHRA YAI As your flight approaches Koh Samui, your eyes will admire the warm golden sands that follow the island’s coastline, the tropical forest at its centre and the Big Buddha of Wat Phra Yai that stands 12 metres high. Believed to act as the protector of the island, it is embellished with dragons and other mythological imagery. From Wat Phra Yai you’ll get excellent views of the island’s curving coasts and after sundown the temple is lit up, making for a lovely sight in the dark. KOH SAMUI24 | BANGKOK AIRWAYS BOUTIQUE JOURNEYS 2023-2024 14/3 Chaweng Beach Road, Bophut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320, Thailand +66 077 300 306-9 +66 077 300 311 reservations.kohsamui@amari.com www.amari.com/koh-samui HOTEL IN KOH SAMUI ➜➜ LOCATION Located on a secluded beachfront at idyllic Chaweng Beach just 5 km. from Koh Samui Airport, Amari Samui is not far from Wat Plai Laem temple or the Fisherman’s Village at Bophut, which comes to life every Friday evening as a bustling street market. The spaces within the resort have been thoughtfully designed for that comforting home-from-home experience AMARI KOH SAMUI T F E W with the décor to showcase modern Thai craftsmanship at every turn – a contemporary re-imagining of the traditional Thai home.BANGKOK AIRWAYS BOUTIQUE JOURNEYS 2023-2024 | 25 ➜➜ DINING The resort offers a kaleidoscope of experiences starting with the all-day dining at Amaya Food Gallery, full of vibrant hawker stalls and live cooking stations serving-up international cuisine and Asian favourites. For something more cosmopolitan, spend an evening in good company at Prego Italian Restaurant, where fine pizzas are served from a wood-fire pizza oven. For delectable coffees, teas and light snacks, Amaya Café offers a calming ambiance, and do pop by the Amaya Bar on the beachfront in the evening for your tipple of choice under the stars. ➜➜ RECREATIONAL & ENTERTAINMENT “Hang out at either of the two secluded themed pools, one at the heart of our resort and the other in the Thai Village. Take in the inviting backdrop of Chewang Beach and the Gulf of Thailand or entertain your little ones as they paddle and water play in the Kids Pools. Re-energise at the Breeze Spa with a spa treatment of your choice to leave you dreamy, serene, rejuvenated, invigorated or energised.26 | BANGKOK AIRWAYS BOUTIQUE JOURNEYS 2023-2024 HOTEL IN KOH SAMUI ➜➜ LOCATION Overlooking the azure waters of the Gulf of Thailand, Banyan Tree Samui is nestled amid the lush jungle of a private bay in Lamai. It is one of only four resorts on Koh Samui to have a private beach and is located 19km from the airport with a house reef accessible from the beach. The convenient location encourages a range of activities within close proximity to the resort. The resort offers a selection of BANYAN TREE SAMUI stunning one- and two-bedroom private villas featuring some of the largest private pools on the island. Dedicated Villa Host is assigned to all guests. 99/9 Moo 4, Maret, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84310, Thailand +66 077 915 333 samui@banyantree.com www.banyantree.com/ thailand/samui T E WBANGKOK AIRWAYS BOUTIQUE JOURNEYS 2023-2024 | 27 ➜➜ DINING Savour international delights at The Edge, an innovative Thai dinner at Saffron, a fun BBQ at Sands or pause for chilled cocktails by the pool or beach. Not to be missed is Banyan Tree’s highly-acclaimed Destination Dining, offering a unique experience which blends romance and intimacy with local flavours. ➜➜ RECREATIONAL & ENTERTAINMENT The resort is home to award-winning spa featuring The Rainforest – Koh Samui’s only hydrotherapy spa experience that combines the best of European spa and hydrothermal therapy with the essence of Asian wellness. The Rainforest is a complete hydrotherapy experience for those seeking refreshment in a sanctuary of serenity. Private luxury speedboat for marine excursions could be arranged. Largest meeting space which is ideal for niche corporate retreats/company incentives. The resort also caters multiple venue options for weddings i.e. beach, lawn, The Edge, etc.28 | BANGKOK AIRWAYS BOUTIQUE JOURNEYS 2023-2024 HOTEL IN KOH SAMUI ➜➜ LOCATION Centara Reserve Samui is a sanctuary set within verdant tropical gardens edged by powdery white sands and gently lapping azure waves, yet just a short stroll from all Samui’s finest wonders and attractions. Designed by multi-award-winning design and concept firm AvroKO, Centara Reserve Samui, with its classical colonial elegance and contemporary style, offers a sublime CENTARA RESERVE SAMUI setting that is ideal for creating enchanting moments. The 184 luxury rooms, pool suites and beachfront pool villas graciously fuse contemporary comfort and Thai heritage, offering either lush tropical garden or exquisite ocean views, spacious private balconies and terraces, bespoke amenities for adults and children, and sleep therapy clocks. 38/2 Moo 3, Borpud, Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320, Thailand +66 077 230 500 crs@chr.co.th centarareserve.com/samui T E WBANGKOK AIRWAYS BOUTIQUE JOURNEYS 2023-2024 | 29 ➜➜ DINING Diverse dining, extraordinary local produce and the sheer enjoyment of food are at the heart of the Centara Reserve Samui experience, with Salt Society on the beach, the casual The Terrace, the elegant Sa-Nga, the dramatic Act 5 and the posh The Gin Run. All of them are all distinctive in their own ways with effortless luxury in modern dining ambience serving elevated local-centric flavours. ➜➜ RECREATIONAL & ENTERTAINMENT Set on Koh Samui’s longest stretch of beach, Centara Reserve Samui offers authentic connection in harmony with the locale, uplifting the guest experience through Thai culture with market tours led by a local chef, Thai cooking classes, arts, crafts, workshops and night fishing, as well as soaking in the sun alongside the resort’s gorgeous pools, one of which is reserved for adults only, and exploring the island’s many attractions. The resort is also home to the world’s first Reserve Spa Cenvaree with its own organic herb garden, a state- of-the-art fitness centre, picture-perfect pools and diverse indoor meeting spaces and outdoor event venues. As part of the Centara Reserve Samui’s commitment to sustainability, the luxury resort continues to incorporate environmentally conscious designs with green operational practices and eco-friendly amenities.The impressive sustainability programme goes beyond banning all single use plastics. Specialised water treatment facilities at Centara Reserve Samui enable still and sparkling water to be safely bottled in-house, and all food waste is transformed into biogas for use in the back of the house kitchens to reduce energy consumption. Intelligent smart installed inside each of the resort’s 184 luxurious rooms, pool suites, and beachfront pool villas optimise energy consumption while ensuring maximum comfort for the guests. Centara Hotels & Resorts is the first Asia hospitality group to formally incorporate Global Sustainable Tourism Council-recognised standards into Centara EarthCare, the group’s international sustainability standards.Next >