JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa and JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort Suites, the pioneering beachfront retreat in southern Thailand, have unveiled 21 signature experiences for 2023 that will enable every guest to explore the authentic heart and soul of their destination and elevate their vacation. Designed for a new generation of experience-seeking globetrotters, including curious couples, fun-seeking families and friends with a passion for discovery, these engaging activities will ignite every visitor’s appetite for adventure.

Whether you want to experience the Warm, Intentional, Uplifting or Natural, simply pick from any of these enlivening activities, each of which has been carefully crafted by the resort’s team of experts.

Created with RNI Films app. Preset ‘Kodak Portra 160’ Processed with VSCO with al5 preset

Let us help you take care of the most important people in your life. We can arrange a beachside Family Picnic, complete with a tipi, picnic basket, blanket and so much more, or gather your loved ones for a Family BBQ, crafted by a private chef in the JW Garden and filled with fresh ingredients, local seafood and prime meats. For romantic couples, our culinary team can serve a Romantic Dinner at a candlelit table for two in any location you desire. If you care about nature, head down to the JW Garden, where you can learn about our three signature ingredients: rosella, Thai basil and lemongrass, which can be seen all around our resort.

Discover the rich culture of Khao Lak with a Beachfront Sunday Market – an invigorating and immersive encounter that will stimulate the senses with exotic sights, sounds and smells. For a more soothing activity, our Coconut Workshops will teach you how to make traditional southern Thai coconut oils and soaps by hand, while our spa packages are full of organic scrubs and therapies. Alternatively, simply grab ice-cold coconuts from our Coconut Boat as you relax in the lagoon pool or on the terrace with your loved ones. Finally, Movie Night is Khao Lak’s first open air beachfront cinematic experience – a wonderful way to unwind.

Marriott International Hotel

What could be better than learning a new skill on your vacation? Our experts are ready to show you their skills and teach you the tricks you need to be a master crafter. Led by our resident mixologists, our Mixology Master Class will reveal how to blend the perfect cocktail using fresh produce from the JW Garden, while the Culinary Master Classes let you recreate some of the resort’s most amazing dishes, include handmade pasta with Chef Enzo, Indian spices with Chef Mohan or Thai cookery with Chef Sa. Wellness seekers can also join our organic Bath Bomb Workshop, using ingredients from the JW Garden.

For children, family vacations are when many of life’s most magical memories are made. Treat your kids to an array of inspiring experiences and activities, including the chance to watch a Magician perform tricks before their eyes, or take part in Kids’ Daily Rituals at Sala, the casual poolside restaurant, such as sea boxing, games, cookie decorating, mocktail making and more. Unleash your children’s creativity with Wall Painting sessions, as they swap paper and pens for a vast canvas, or uncover arts & crafts, aquatic adventures and discovery walks with our daily Kids’ Club Activities. Then, at the end of the day, gather round a fire pit on the beach for Marshmallow Toasting.

If you’re passionate about sustainability, our innovative Art of Trash workshops combine creativity with sustainability as we take debris and driftwood from the shore and turn it into stunning sculptures. From Q2 2023, we’ll also be delighted to invite you to our Shark Nursery, a dedicated marine sanctuary that connects all ages with the Andaman Sea’s threatened bamboo sharks. Join our fully trained team of conservationists and find out how they nurture the sharks, from the incubation of eggs to the time of release.

Find physical fulfilment on your vacation with our active experiences. Join our Muay Thai instructor and learn the art of Thai boxing, a colourful martial art that is steeped in tradition. Alternatively, a Bike Tour can reveal the many wonders of Khao Lak, including local villages, Chong Fah Waterfall, Bang Niang Market and even the chance to present alms to Buddhist monks at the nearby temple. Mindfulness can also be achieved with a Floating Yoga class, as you stretch your body and achieve physical and spiritual equilibrium on our purpose-built floating yoga platforms.

“Today’s travellers do not only want to see a new destination – they want to live it, breathe it and feel it. That’s why we’ve curated a comprehensive collection of experiences that encompass every aspect of our resort and every type of guest. Following the completion of our transformative renovation, we are proud to unveil a new way of travelling that will connect our clientele with the spirit of southern Thailand,” said Abhimanyu Singh, General Manager, JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa and JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort Suites.

Following its recent transformation, JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa and JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort Suites have become the ultimate destination for experience-seeking travellers. With an intuitive collection of rooms, suites and villas to suit every style of vacation, from couples’ breaks to family escapes with young kids and teens, plus world-class restaurants, a stunning spa, fitness centre, kids’ club, and a 2.4 km-long lagoon pool – the longest in Southeast Asia – including an Aqua Play Zone, all nestled among landscaped tropical gardens just moments from the shore, this is an unparalleled beachfront retreat.

To learn more about JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa, please visit www.jwmarriottkhaolak.com.

For JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort Suites, please visit www.jwmarriottkhaolaksuites.com.

The post JW MARRIOTT KHAO LAK UNVEILS INSPIRATIONAL EXPERIENCES appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

Last weekend I travelled north to Khao Lak with Fantasia Asia team for a three day-two night stay with a day trip to Similan and Koh Surin islands archipelagos.

Popular for its coral gardens and white beaches, Surin Islands are one of the most famous diving and marine life viewing sites in the world, no doubt the best in Thailand, Koh Surin Islands are an archipelago of five islands within Mu Ko Surin National Park, in the Andaman Sea, Phang Nga province. The islands are 55 km off the coast, 100 km north from Similan Islands and just 18 km from the oceanic border of Myanmar.  

The main islands are Ko Surin Nuea and Ko Surin Tai which are only 200 meters apart, the corridor between both islands is shallow and a popular place for snorkelling. The other three small islands are Ko Ri, Ko Khai and Ko Klang. This archipelago is one of the very few untouched places in Thailand. Other than a small Moken (sea-gypsy) village and the National Park premises, there are no other buildings on the islands.

Local boat at sunset

Why would I want to visit Koh Surin islands when I live in beautiful Krabi where islands abound, you may ask. Well, I’m taking advantage of the unusually quiet high season to travel a bit further than usual and to try out excursions that I wouldn’t normally have the time to take. Was also after a change of scenery and some really stunning snorkelling experiences, which is what Koh Surin is famous about. 

Once in Khao Lak, we checked in at conveniently located The Briza Beach Resort. The next morning we woke up relatively early, had a large breakfast at the hotel and drove to the pier (for those who don’t have their own car, transfer is provided by Sea Star), where we had a second breakfast served at the Sea Star dock. We then registered for our tour and were given mask, fins, snorkel, a towel and a practical carrier bag. You are free to bring your own snorkelling equipment and only take what you miss. Sea-sickness pills and relaxing balms are also available free of charge.

It took about 2 hours to get to Koh Surin and the sea was a little rough during part of the trip, but it calmed down before we reached our destination.

The first stop was the Moken village in South Surin. The Moken people are divided into three different groups living along the Andaman Coast of Myanmar and Thailand – in the Mergui Archipelago, in Surin and in Phuket and Satun provinces. They are animists and are known as ‘sea-gypsies’ since until recently they used to live on boats, only to settle down in temporary villages during monsoon season. The Moken of South Surin are one of the last groups living in semi-traditional ways. These people survived the tsunami unharmed thanks to their strict bond with the sea and to their knowledge of earthquake-generated big waves, that made them run for their lives when the tsunami hit Thailand in 2004. Most of their village was destroyed, though, and had to be rebuilt.

The village is a settlement of about 60 huts and houses facing a spectacular bay. One of the first things you notice when you reach the village – besides the cute children and cats running around – are the totem poles that represent the spirits of the Moken ancestors. 

I decided to take a walk along the only sandy path that runs through the village under the 11am sun: the locals were resting in hammocks hanging under their stilt-houses, or chatting and eating in the shadow; some kids were playing on the beach or selling handmade wooden souvenirs – “50 bath, only 50 bath”, they kept saying – others were bathing in the ocean, the toddlers were chasing chickens or kittens, the babies were sound asleep in their mothers’a arms or in improvised cribs made of cotton or rattan. The sun here lashes all its heat in the dry season, leaving everybody sleepy and lazy. 

Moken girls in Surin

We left the Moken to their siesta and went out at sea for the first snorkelling stop of the day. Visibility was not as good as in Similan, but that may vary (in fact, it had been the opposite back in January), and overall I had a great 40 minutes of underwater exploration. We then went to North Surin to have lunch at the National Park premises, the only area in Surin Islands where it is possible to sleep: there are tents or A/C bungalows. Lunch was basic but tasty – fried chicken, chicken and vegetable curries, some fish, muffins and cookies, coffee, cold drinks – and there was enough time to go for a walk or a swim at the beautiful beach near the campsite. 

Snorkelling in Surin islands

After spending about an hour at the beach, we moved to the channel between North Surin and South Surin for two more snorkelling stops. I was looking for turtles, sharks or manta rays -the best period to see the latter being February to April – but without any luck. I anyhow lost myself completely in the warm, calm, shallow waters, shooting photos and videos of clownfish in their anemones, unicornfish, surgeon and parrotfish, starfish, purple and blue clams, puffer fish, hard and soft corals. It was soon time to get back aboard the speedboat and start the journey back to Khao Lak. Snuggled up in my seat with headphones on to cover the noise of the engines, a fresh breeze messing with my hair, I fell peacefully asleep only to wake up while we were entering the pier. 

I recommend this trips to all sea-lovers: even if you’re not keen on snorkelling, you will have a good chance to spot some corals and beautiful fishes (and, with a bit of luck, turtles) since most snorkelling areas have shallow waters, giving you plenty of opportunities to be amazed at some of the healthiest and most colourful reefs in Thailand.

Good to know:

Maya and Alis enjoy the day

Surin

1. Surin Islands are part of an archipelago of five islands within Mu Ko Surin National Park, Phang Nga province. They are located 55 km off the coast, 100 km north from Similan Islands, less than 20 km from the border with Myanmar.
2. The best time for snorkelling and diving is December to April when the wind is weak and the water temperature around 29°C.
3. The park closes in rainy seasons, usually from mid May to mid-October, but dates may vary. During the peak season, around 400 to 800 visitors travel to Surin every day, which is less than those who visit Similan Islands, but it’s not exactly ‘quiet’.
4. There is one small village of the ethnic Moken group, locally known as ‘Chao Lay’ or sea-gypsy. The Moken are sailors and fishermen who live mainly in the Burmese Mergui Archipelago.

DO NOT:

– feed the fish, even if they follow you and beg for food

– touch or step on any coral or sea life.

– take home sand, sea shells or any sea life.

– put tons of sunscreen before snorkelling: it’s toxic for the marine life. Wear a long-sleeved t-shirt instead.

Relaxing and waiting sunset from The Briza pool

In Khao Lak, Fantasia Asia and Asian Itinerary stayed at The Briza Beach Resort, one of Fantasia Asia’s partner hotels. The Briza Beach Resort has spacious, bright rooms settled around a large swimming pool, with partial or full sea view depending on the category chosen.

This beach resort has a laid-back atmosphere, and Khao Lak’s many restaurants, shops and bars are only a few minute drive away, as it’s the pier from which most sea-tour companies depart for Similan and Surin.

We chose operator Sea Star because it’s one of the most popular boat operators in the area, and one of the few that is still open despite the Covid pandemic that badly hit Thailand’s tourism industry.

WATCH FANTASIA ASIA VIDEO OF THE TRIP HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_Mzjcj46t8

The post Snorkelling trip to Koh Surin  appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

Last weekend I travelled north to Khao Lak with Fantasia Asia team for a three day-two night stay with a day trip to Koh Similan and Koh Surin islands archipelagos.

The Similan Islands are located in the Andaman Sea on the West Coast of Southern Thailand, in Phang-nga province. The Similan archipelago consists of eleven islands, all located in the Mu Koh Similan National Park, which covers over 140 square kilometres. The Islands are the perfect travel destination for those who like diving and exploring remote and desolated places full of wildlife. The largest island is Koh Similan and is probably the best place to start your adventure. All the Similan Islands are surrounded by crystal clear shallow waters that harbour exciting rock formations and spectacular coral reefs. The marine life around the islands is unmatched in Thailand and in the whole region.

Why would I want to visit Similan islands when I live in beautiful Krabi where islands abound, you may ask. Well, I’m taking advantage of the unusually quiet high season to travel a bit further than usual and to try out excursions that I wouldn’t normally have the time to take. Was also after a change of scenery and some really stunning snorkelling experiences, which is what the Similan are famous about. 

Relaxing and waiting sunset from The Briza pool

Once in Khao Lak, we checked in at conveniently located The Briza Beach Resort. The next morning we woke up relatively early, had a large breakfast at the hotel and drove to the pier, where we had a second breakfast served at the Sea Star dock. We then registered for our tour and were given mask, fins, snorkel, a towel and a practical carrier bag. You are free to bring your own snorkelling equipment and only take what you miss. Sea-sickness pills and relaxing balms are also available free of charge.

My trip to Similan coincided with the Chinese New Year, which has recently been promoted to public holiday in Thailand in order to boost local tourism, hence we were a group of three 4-engine speed-boats traveling together from Khao Lak to the Similan, and each boat carried between 30 and 50 persons. We reached Similan in a 1-hour-and-a-half pleasant trip in very calm waters, and I was immediately surprised and quite pleased to observe that we were the only three boats: none had come from Phuket, or if it had, it had followed a different itinerary that day.

Koh MIang beach, Similan Island 4

Our first stop was in the turquoise-tinted bay of Koh Miang, also known as Island Number 4, where the boats observed a quick stop to drop off people who weren’t interested in snorkelling. The first time someone visits Koh Miang, he is up for a big surprise: the island is just stunning, a perfect representation of what we visualise when we think of a tropical paradise. Its white sandy beach is wide and its sand soft, it’s fringed by palm trees that face a transparent turquoise-meets-lapis lazuli-meets crystal clear sea. We dropped some passengers in Koh Miang, well aware that we would be back there to enjoy lunch and to get our chance to live the tropical dream on Miang Beach.

Silvia and Alis enjoy the day

The first snorkelling stop – which lasted 45 minutes –  was in calm waters on a secluded bay not far from Miang Beach. Visibility was about 15 meters, and the bottom was mostly sandy or covered by the reef. The guides who accompanied us took extremely good care of those who weren’t confident in the water, keeping them close, helping them floating by holding a large piece of styrofoam tablet and dragging them around so that they could sneak-peak at the underwater world. I spent the time snorkelling by myself, trying out my new underwater camera and looking out for turtles, who unfortunately didn’t show up that day.

Amazingly fluffy sand at Koh Miang beach

Back to Koh Miang, we were served a delicious, spicy lunch at the National Park premises. The lunch had been cooked in Khao Lak and carried to Similan by Sea Star, and vegetarian or special meals were available. I had some rice, fried chicken and vegetarian curry, while others had prawns and fish with rice and curry. Soft drinks are included, and plenty. I ate my food real fast and went down to the beach, which is only a few steps away from the restaurant area. Wow! I’ve seen my share of impressive islands in several parts of the world, but the colour of the ocean in Miang Beach that day was one I will not forget.

Donald Duck bay and rock on Similan

After a couple of hours in Koh Miang we left to visit another snorkelling site, which was satisfactory and offered flat waters and great visibility. Though diver inside me has been spoilt by many most impressive diving sites before, I managed to have a good time swimming above the reef and checking out fish and corals. Huge parrot and surgeon fish swim around copiously in Similan, alongside several clown fish in their anemones, puffer fish and blue star fish. 

Sail Rock Viewpoint

It was then time to head to the last stop of the day, Island Number 8, also known as Similan Island. The first glimpse of a white long stretch of sandy beach surrounded by huge and funny-shaped rocks made most of the passengers in our boat cry out in delight. We were approaching Donal Duck Bay, the most famous beach in Similan, so called because of a large rock located on the western part of the bay shaped like the head of Donald Duck. But the most famous landmark of Similan island is Sail Rock, a unique round boulder that balances precariously on top of other rocks and that looks like a sail. From there it’s an easy yet sweaty 10-minute hike up to the viewpoint. From there, stunning photos of the white sandy beach and of the turquoise waters below are guaranteed. So off I went, eager to get that stunning view on camera without the hundreds – maybe thousands – of people that in normal circumstances crowd this island. And I certainly wasn’t disappointed: the panorama was so beautiful I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. I ended up losing myself in a daydream about mooring my own sailing boat there for the night, or for a year… 

A fiery sunset at Similan

Instead, it was time to go back to Khao Lak where, after another smooth boat trip, we arrived before sunset and were offered a sumptuous dinner at the Sea Star pier: Thai popular dishes like papaya salad, yellow noodles, sticky rice and fried chicken, BBQ chicken skewers and a delicious home-made coconut ice cream everyone had a second serving of. Back to The Briza Beach Resort, I enjoyed a poolside Margarita, watching the sun set over the Similan Islands and the Andaman Sea.

I recommend this trips to all sea-lovers: even if you’re not keen on snorkelling, you will have a good chance to spot some corals and beautiful fishes (and, with a bit of luck, turtles) since most snorkelling areas have shallow waters, giving you plenty of opportunity to be amazed at some of the healthiest and most colourful reefs in Thailand. 

Good to know:

Similan

1. The Similan archipelago consists of eleven islands that make up the Mu Ko Similan National Park, the perfect destination for diving and snorkelling enthusiasts, beach lovers and explorers.
2. Similan means ‘Nine’ in the Yawi native tongue of the area. In 2014 the National Park came to include two more islands (Koh Bon and Koh Tachai).
3. Between the middle of May and the end of October the Similan National Park closes to visitors. Additionally, some islands are closed to tourists all year around to protect the fragile sea turtles who are nesting on some of the beaches. Illegal fishing is still a problem, especially in low season.
4. It was possible to camp in Island Number 4 until a few years ago, but it’s not allowed anymore, at least for the time being. Therefore, to visit Similan you now need to take a day tour from Phuket or from Khao Lak, or book a multi-day cruise on a Liveaboard.

DO NOT:

– feed the fish, even if they follow you and beg for food

– touch or step on any coral or sea life.

– bring home sand, sea shells or any sea life.

– put tons of sunscreen before snorkelling, it’s toxic for the marine life. Wear a long sleeved t-shirt instead.

In Khao Lak Fantasia Asia and Asian Itinerary stayed at The Briza Beach Resort, one of Fantasia Asia’s partner hotels. The Briza Beach Resort has spacious, bright rooms settled around a large swimming pool, with partial or full sea view depending on the category chosen.

This beach resort has a laid-back atmosphere, and Khao Lak’s many restaurants, shops and bars are only a few minute drive away, as it’s the pier from which most sea-tour companies depart for Similan.

We chose operator Sea Star because it’s one of the most popular boat operators in the area, and one of the few that is still open despite the Covid pandemic that badly hit Thailand’s tourism industry.

WATCH FANTASIA ASIA VIDEO OF THE TRIP HERE:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xoghJrptRo 

The post Snorkelling trip to Koh Similan  appeared first on Asian Itinerary.