The luxury of solitude
The new Akaryn Resort on Samui is ideal for honeymooning couples no matter how long they've been married
Its beaches are still the colour of butter cream, and its waters still that pure true blue they call cyan. But other than that, Koh Samui is a very different island from the one I knew in the 1990s when it was a favourite escape during long weekends from Hong Kong.
Returning to the island for our second honeymoon, my husband and I had chosen the Akaryn Resort, very new and very hidden, for our romantic retreat. We had heard it had its own private bay and beach, and a large sea almond tree under which we could have yoga lessons.
It was the “very hidden” that sold us. We had three days, and we wanted to sleep, eat, swim, stroll and do nothing more strenuous than point at either the mango or pineapple juice.
The Akaryn is a short drive from the airport, which itself looks like one of those exotic island stops out of the Hawaii Five-O series, the old one.
A smiling chauffeur and car wait for us, and the first things he hands us as we settle back in the seats are a cold towel and a bottle of chilled mineral water. It is a thoughtful gesture that sets the mood.
Turning into the lane that leads to the resort, we pass abandoned cashew nut orchards and coconut plantations. Clearly, it is a lot more lucrative to sell beachfront land to international resorts.
Our villa is guarded by three coconut trees leaning into the breeze, and it has a huge bedroom, a carved stone bathtub a short distance from the bed and a pool by the veranda. The water is saline, and warm as summer wine. We end up spending the better part of the three days floating and swimming in the pool.
On the first evening, just before we are due to eat down by the restaurant on the beach, our pre-dinner drinks are sent up to us, giving us the luxury of sipping champagne by the poolside as we pick at a platter of Thai appetisers.
A table for two is planted firmly on the sand, and as the setting sun slips over the unnamed islets in the sea off Hanuman Bay, a row of tea lights shielded by oilpaper shades guides us to our dinner. Citronella candles provide more light and serve double purpose as insect repellent.
A trio of salads appears before us, with my spouse’s beloved green papaya salad among them.
Then we savour seared king prawns – sweetly smoky in their shells, a large squid that’s barbecued to perfection, and mussels and clams that have just popped open on the fire.
It is a very generous spread, and we feel like royalty, with an attentive waiter hovering discreetly in the distance and two chefs at the barbecue station making sure our plates are always filled.
After dinner, we are invited to a small campfire on the beach nearby where huge paper lanterns are being held over the heat.
As warm air fills the lanterns, they rise like huge frisky white moths and we are told to make a wish before we release them.
The lanterns rise with our wishes into the dark Samui night sky, getting smaller and smaller until we cannot tell which are our lanterns and which are stars.
Breakfast is served at the restaurant under the sea almond tree, and we enjoy yoghurt and the most amazing jams – all home-made.
A three-tier cake tray appears with an elegant selection of pastries, fruits and cheese.
Afterwards, we go kayaking. A gentle paddle around the bay shows us that there is plenty of life under the water, with little fish leaping out before us as we splash around. If you like, you can get even closer by borrowing snorkelling gear from the hotel.
We soon return to our villa pool, and although we enjoy the comfortable deck beds, it is back to the water to cool off as the sun heats up at noon.
The Akaryn does not put chlorine or fluoride in their pools, but sodium chloride is used instead, so the water is very gentle on the eyes, even if you don't have goggles.
If I have the chance to go back to Samui again, I will still stay at the Akaryn. It has that perfect formula of peace and pampering, luxury and solitude that urbanites need when we can afford it.
