Anantara Rasananda: Where the Boat Lands on the Beach
Anantara Rasananda Koh Phangan Villas · Thong Nai Pan Noi, Koh Phangan
5 days · 4 nights
Four nights is a starting point: three full days between the boat in and the boat out, enough for a day at sea, a day at the spa and one on the sand.
Plan a stay at Anantara RasanandaPrivate, from about USD 180 per person per day, land only
At Anantara Rasananda, the beach is the front door. The resort's speedboat crosses from Koh Samui in about 40 minutes and, weather and sea permitting, lands you on the sand. This is Thong Nai Pan Noi, a bay on Koh Phangan's north-east coast, far from the island's lively south. All 64 suites and villas have a private pool. In front is the sea. Behind, in a jungle garden, is a spa built around Ayurveda. The days move between the two.
A pier at one end, the beach at the other.
A host from the resort meets you at Samui International Airport and takes you by road to its pier lounge at Bangrak. Refreshments, then the boat across the Gulf of Thailand, and you step off onto the beach in front of the resort.
From the water, the resort is 400 metres of beach: red umbrellas along the sand, dark roofs among the palms, rainforest on the hills behind. Up close, the resort says, it is built from bamboo, rattan and other local materials, in the style of a traditional fishing village.
Pick your distance from the sand.
Every suite and villa has its own pool, and they run from 80 to 220 square metres, indoors and out, so the real choice is how close to the water you sleep. Ocean Pool Villas open straight onto the sand and add an open-air terrazzo bath. Ocean Garden Pool Suites sit metres back, with a shaded sala; Ocean Pool Suites look out to sea from the upper level.
The rest sit back from the beach. Garden Pool Suites hide behind high walls and an antique wooden gate, with an outdoor rain shower. Lagoon Pool Villas are reached by a walkway over the resort's lagoon, and Pool Suites look down on the gardens from the second floor. A butler looks after every one of them.
Sea in front, jungle behind.
Face the sea for yoga on the beach, a kayak or a paddleboard, and the resort's boat trips: snorkelling at Koh Ma, diving at Sail Rock, or the longer run out to Ang Thong National Marine Park. Turn round for the spa, in a jungle garden behind the resort, with Ayurveda at its heart. Its Anantara Kaya is two hours of warm oils and herbal powders, head to toe.
Evenings come back to the beach you landed on. Start with a glass at Uncorked, the wine lounge above The Bistro, where the sommelier leads tastings. Dinner is downstairs, at tables on the sand, and on theme nights The Bistro @ The Beach brings out a seafood buffet, live music and a fire show. Or book one of the 25 seats at Yukinoya, which the resort calls the island's first and only teppanyaki restaurant.
Your proposal makes
the details clear.
Pai Dai plans the stay and coordinates the crossing from Koh Samui, and your proposal sets out what is included, with costs, before you decide. Begin with your dates, who is travelling and what else is on your route.
- Your suite or villa, stay dates and availability.
- The crossing from Koh Samui, by the resort's shared or private speedboat or by public ferry.
- Any treatments, Ayurvedic programme or wellness journey, booked with the resort.
- Any extras: dinner at Yukinoya, a private chef on the beach or a boat trip to Ang Thong.
- What is included, what costs extra, and the booking terms.
Start with your dates.
The resort's travel notes call January to May hot, about 30 to 35°C, June to October dry and breezy, and November and December the monsoon, with showers that are often brief and sun between them. Every boat depends on the weather, the beach landing included.
Before you ask
How do we get there?+
Fly into Samui International Airport, where the resort's host takes speedboat guests to its pier lounge at Bangrak. The crossing takes about 40 minutes and, weather and sea permitting, ends on the beach in front of the resort. Shared boats leave Samui at 12:30 and 17:00, and the resort at 09:00 and 14:00; a private boat takes up to eight. Public ferries run to Thong Sala, with a car across the island.
Can we bring children?+
Yes, children are welcome. The Two Bedroom Pool Villa, on two storeys, takes up to six adults. Occupancy differs by suite and villa, so tell us the ages of everyone travelling when you enquire.
Who runs the spa, and what does it offer?+
The resort does. Its spa sits in a jungle garden behind the suites and villas, with a tropical steam cave and an ocean-view yoga platform. Ayurveda is at its heart, with programmes of three, five or seven days, crafted in consultation with leading Ayurvedic doctors, the resort says. Treatments, yoga and Muay Thai are booked with the resort.
Where can we eat?+
The Bistro @ The Beach serves Thai and international cooking, seafood and grills all day, at tables on the sand. Yukinoya has teppanyaki, sushi and sashimi in the evening. EDGE2O is the pool bar, and The Beach Hut makes coffee and homemade ice cream. A private chef can cook for you on the beach or in your villa. Your proposal shows which meals are included.
What else is there to do?+
Besides boat trips to Koh Ma, Sail Rock and Ang Thong, the resort arranges a hike to Bottle Beach, a private picnic reached by longtail and a guided visit to a temple nearby, which can include meditation, a blessing or alms-giving. Spice Spoons is its Thai cooking class. There is tennis too, and Cinema on the Beach.
Is this a fixed four-night package?+
No. Four nights is a starting point. Tell us your dates and the rest of your route; your proposal sets out the suite or villa, the crossing and anything you add, with costs and booking terms.
Photos: Anantara Rasananda Koh Phangan Villas.
Want a similar programme?
Tell us your dates, who is coming and how you like to travel, and we will adapt this route to suit you.