Set between a cerulean lagoon and the flour-soft sands of Bang Tao beach, Banyan Tree Phuket is as far from Patong – the island’s heaving party capital – as you can get. Here it’s all about switching off, with a focus on wellness that runs from morning meditation and Muay Thai sessions to secluded pool villas that are silent but for the birdsong.
This tranquil retreat was built around a sustainable ethos, having been transformed from an abandoned tin mine into its current incarnation. When Banyan Tree’s founders first bought the land in 1984, the lagoon was so toxic that it eroded the water pumps being used to treat it. After a large-scale regeneration that saw thousands of trees planted and pollutants removed, the water was finally cleaned up, paving the way for Banyan Tree Phuket to open about ten years later.
Today, there are plenty more eco-efforts underway. Among the most notable is a rewilding project launched last year that has seen more than 7,500 native species planted across the resort, creating a series of ‘pocket forests’. A number of ‘Stay for Good’ excursions were also launched that support nearby communities. On a trip to Bang Tao village, we visited a female-led co-operative to try our hand at making herbal rice, before embarking on a hike through the lush jungle. It’s just one of a handful of community-focused initiatives at the resort, with others including a nine-month vocational programme for young people at Laguna Phuket’s Seedlings Café and training for local therapists at the Banyan Tree Spa Academy.
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Wellness is an important concept at Banyan Tree Phuket (Banyan Tree Phuket) -
Restaurants in Banyan Tree Phuket serve a wide range of healthy dishes (Banyan Tree Phuket)
The resort’s own spa offers Thai-inspired treatments, as well as two outdoor pools and a lazy river in which to relax. Its 218 villas don’t skimp on luxury either, with some even including heated jet pools. Meanwhile, there are an array of bars and restaurants to sample, ranging from signature spot Saffron, which serves up modern Thai cuisine, to fine-dining TRE, where dishes including lobster bisque and sea urchin are served by the lagoon as lights dance on the water. Guests can also dine at any restaurant within the wider Laguna Phuket complex – a 400-hectare luxury development home to six other hotels.
The site is a tremendous refuge for birds and other wildlife too. As we explored the lagoon by boat, we spied a heron perched on the bank, then a monitor lizard gliding, camouflaged, through the water. The area’s transformation is a testament to the power of nature to rebuild itself, as well as a promising sign of things to come.
How to book: banyantree.com
