Thai beach holiday: island paradise in Soneva Kiri in Koh Kood

NO SHOES? “No.” Slippers? How about slippers? “No slippers, ka. Barefoot.”

There’s something about city living that gives you a really strong affinity with your footwear. All our lives, we’re conditioned to believe that our feet should be shod everywhere we go – to meet restaurant dress codes, and protect our tootsies from litter, sharp things and dogs’ unmentionables.

So when our barefoot guide hands us a cloth bag for our shoes at Soneva Kiri with a subtle “When in Rome” glance, we let out a weak, uncooperative chuckle. “Uh, I’ll keep my shoes on, thanks.”

Soneva Kiri takes barefoot luxury seriously. And so it should, being part of the Soneva brand of resorts which does two things very well: unspoil the environment and spoil its guests. And that’s what Soneva Kiri is – a jungle with luxury facilities.

Return to Nature

Bringing you back to nature in style is what it does in its little corner – make that a pretty big chunk – of Koh Kood, the fourth largest island in Thailand that few whose travel vocabulary ends with Phuket and Koh Samui would have heard of. If you don’t venture out of this self-contained ecosystem which feeds, houses and entertains you throughout your stay, you have every reason to believe that Soneva Kiri IS Koh Kood.

Firstly, it has its own airport. An airstrip, granted, but still. And its own plane – a toy-sized Cessna which flies from Suvarnabhumi Airport on an unpredictable schedule determined by the wind and whims of guests’ check-in and out times. A flight of around 90 minutes tells you how remote Koh Kood is, and how important it is to go to the bathroom before clambering into the lightweight 10-seater.

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It never flies above the clouds so you get a travel documentary-worthy view of sky, sea and random floating islands, until you approach yours. Suddenly, a whoosh of green appears up close, parting neatly to reveal a long runway for the plane to roar and sputter at top speed before shuddering to a standstill at Koh Mai Si Airport “terminal”. Namely, a thatched wooden shelter with an all-critical post-flight toilet. It belongs to Soneva Kiri, so it looks like a mini villa, not a rest stop you might find on a road trip to Kanchanaburi.

Our barefoot guide Meenie is already waiting, with a smile and gentle determination to indoctrinate us into the resort’s “no news, no shoes” way of life. It is easier to coax us into the speedboat for the five-minute ride to the resort proper, where adjectives such as “breathtaking”, “paradisiacal” and “awe-inspiring” buzz in our ears like erudite mosquitoes as we take in the sweeping views of sandy beaches amid lush, tropical rainforest.

The resort blends seamlessly into its environment, as if driftwood floated to shore and tacked themselves together to form naturally rustic structures that the resort fitted out in casual tropical design-style. It makes use of natural ventilation where it can, and air-conditioning where it’s needed. The luxury comes from attention to detail, the never-ending scenery, F&B options, and its inimitable level of service. Meenie appears every time you even think of doing something and there’s an air of relaxed yet attentive hospitality from the resort staff who seem to have drunk the happy water that’s purified and bottled onsite.

Your lodging itself is fit for a hammock-loving maharajah. The unassuming bamboo front gate is no indication of the huge compound you’re about to step into. There’s a party-sized outdoor lounge area, and a swimming pool that curves around the villa – which has all the luxe trappings of king-sized bed, walk-in wardrobe and an open-air bathroom that features three ways to bathe (indoor and outdoor shower and a large standalone bathtub). Don’t forget the steps that lead you to the wide open beach below – a landscape of rocks, sand, sea and not a soul in sight.

The resort’s main beach – South Beach – is a distance away but the flexibility of your own electric buggy (each of the 33 villas has one) means getting from one spot to another is a breeze, give or take a bottleneck or two on the way to breakfast.

Exquisite F&B options

Resort dining can be a blessing or a curse, especially if you’re stuck with mediocre food that you can’t escape. Soneva’s F&B programme is a class act.

The best Sri Lankan hoppers we’ve ever had is a staple at breakfast – sunny-side egg embedded in crisp-fluffy crepe and authentic coconut sambol, curry and sambal condiments. A massive buffet and all the juices your ayurvedic or immunity-boosting self requires ensure you don’t eat or drink the same thing every day unless you want to. There will be frequent trips to the cheese room – a well-stocked cold “cellar” of multiple types of fromage, yoghurt and fruits. And because every time is snack time, there’s also a chocolate room packed with pralines, candy, cold chocolate milk and even iced tea. Plus all the ice cream you can eat. All for free.

There’s a chance to venture out of the resort for a five-minute drive to Kruua Mae Tuk, a quintessential idyllic “floating” restaurant overlooking a tranquil bay where you watch a lone fisherman silently paddle past and disappear into the surrounding forest. Resident chef Khun Tuk whips up simple but excellent fare with just local seafood and vegetables laced with clean Thai flavours: a complex miang kham salad; sauteed local oysters and slipper lobster; and unforgettable fried chicken.

Also a permanent entry in our long-term memory is a private dinner organised by the resort along a jetty at Ao Salat fishing village,where locals hop onto ferries to get around Koh Kood during the day. At dusk, the shimmer of fairy lights against an inky-blue sky tinged with the crimson of a fast-setting sun is magical. Add your own serving staff and personal chef grilling freshly caught seafood, and you’ve found the true meaning of bliss.

There are excursions to Koh Kood itself: to Klong Chau beach for its powdery sand, a waterfall tour or rainforest sojourn to see hornbills, part of a reintroduction project by Soneva Foundation.

The eco-messaging is very clear within Soneva Kiri itself, especially when your trusty buggy takes you to all corners of the resort to see its own organic farm, recycling centre and even a spot where waste oil is converted to biodiesel to power its generators. You’ll also be distracted by Cinema Paradiso, an outdoor movie theatre where old favourites are projected on a giant screen; or the stunning vista from The View restaurant that overlooks the Gulf of Thailand.

You only realise how much of an effect Soneva Kiri has had on you on your last night, when the staff meticulously arrange fabric floral decals into a whimsical bouquet on your bedspread with the words “See you again”, and a heartfelt note from our barefoot guide Meenie.

Yes, Meenie. We really hope to. And this time, we’ll be barefoot.

The writer was a guest of Soneva Kiri.