THAILAND - Trat
Soneva Kiri

A two hour carbon-neutral flight by private plane brought me from Bangkok to Soneva Kiri, an exclusive resort in Thailand’s remote Koh Kood island. In this exotic place, I felt wonderfully disconnected from the hustle and bustle of most tourist destinations. What better way to do ‘social distancing’ than in a secluded villa built with local materials and complete with a private pool, garden, spa treatment area and my own butler. The ever-smiling local staff delivered the warmest seamless service throughout the resort.

My special joy is getting out of bed in the morning and stepping right into the pool laid out in a circle around my villa. While swimming, I overlooked the lush tropical vegetation, my private beach and the turquoise ocean below. There was much to discover and I had my own buggy to get around. There was a large garden in the forest where all vegetables and fruits are grown, a special garden-to-table feature to the delicious meals served to guests. Families with kids enjoy a fascinating Eco Den where professional caretakers teach children everything about protecting the environment. In the jungle, I was pulled up to a Treepod dining platform where waiters zip-line through the trees to deliver my order prepared by Chef Kiichi - a two-Michelin star awardee - and his team. At sunset, I drove up a hill to the VIEW Restaurant, the best place to watch the sunset while overlooking other islands and fishing boats. It was fabulous!

Soneva Kiri, 110 moo 4, Ko Kut, Trat, Thailand

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About the Author

Reto Guntli

Reto Guntli Swiss photographer

Reto Guntli is visual marketing specialist and a well-known hotel & lifestyle photographer based in Switzerland. He works for hotels worldwide and has produced more than 50 lifestyle books (Taschen and Assouline) worldwide.

Living Positively

LAUGH

Being airlifted into the trees to have breakfast at the Treepod.

LEARN

The Eco Den is a very inspiring rattan and bamboo structure for kids to play and learn all about protecting the planet. Adults invited.

LOOK

The hill villas have spectacular views over lush vegetation and the sea.

LOVE

On the last night of my stay, the staff lovingly arranged flowers and petals for farewell wishes.

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