Lying flat on the floor of a dimly lit room, I feel a soft vibration ringing in my chest. The sensation gets stronger and louder until chimes break in, releasing any tension and causing me to sink further into my exercise mat.
I am taking part in an early morning singing bowl meditation session at Banyan Tree hotel in Phuket. The serene setting is a world away from the chaotic streets and packed beaches of Thailand’s popular holiday island, where white sand beaches fringed by swaying palms create the perfect postcard scenes.
But this is a very different stretch of the South East Asian destination; a hideaway recalling the blissful days before mass tourism arrived.
Phuket, which has a population of around 400,000 people, saw more than 11 million visitors in 2023, with around eight million of them from abroad, according to Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
For several years, concerns of overtourism have been bubbling away, particularly when it comes to overloaded infrastructure; in high season, roads can be jam-packed with traffic.
But Banyan Tree Phuket, a grand dame of the island celebrating its 30th birthday at the end of October, is making every effort to restore a sense of calm.
Humble beginnings
Founded on the site of a former tin mine, the hotel is a sustainability success story. Owner Ho Kwon Ping and his wife Claire Chiang bought the land it sits on due to the remarkable blue colour of its lagoon.
However, upon further investigation they realised the colour had been caused by the mine, and the land was in need of regeneration.
With the help of local workers, they restored the land bit by bit, creating a verdant paradise of tropical flowers and birdsong.
Instead of building a holiday home, they decided to construct a hotel, founding what would become one of the largest luxury hotel groups in Asia, and transforming the Thalang District of Phuket.
However, as the hotel’s success grew, so did the popularity of Phuket, with the island becoming one of Thailand’s premier tourism destinations. Recognising the impact of tourism, both positive and negative, Banyan Tree has taken a proactive approach by working with the local community.
Supporting the local community
As part of several ongoing outreach projects, hotel guests are invited to get their hands dirty. I experience this first hand when I’m handed a pot of paint and directed towards the playground of the local primary school.
School kids smile shyly and tell me their favourite subject is English, while I get to work painting the slide and climbing frame.
It’s tough work under the gruelling Thai sun, but the laughter of the children and the upbeat attitude of their teachers makes the time fly by. Our work finished, we are rewarded by bottles of freshly squeezed orange juice handed to us by the children.
The hotel is deeply embedded in the local community, organising beach clean-ups, maintenance of a mangrove plantation, and a yearly sea turtle conservation project. It also runs a vocational training program that provides education and employment in the hotel.
A stand-out property
Outreach visits are just one of the ways Banyan Tree sets Phuket itself apart from the average luxury hotel on the island.
Despite being a short walk from the sea, the hotel lacks a waterfront. Instead, it focuses on offering guests a unique holistic experience, complete with spa and golf course.
I’m staying in one of the property’s Serenity Pool Villas, which features a private swimming pool and jet pool as well as a tree-lined sunbathing area.
On my second morning at the hotel, I order the floating breakfast. Two waiters arrive at my villa carrying an enormous wicker tray filled with food platters, which they carefully lay in the pool.
I swim after my meal and push it around the pool as I tuck in. The spread includes perfectly steamed prawn dumplings, chicken and fried rice, as well as coffee and juice.
As well as room service, the hotel includes five distinctive restaurants and two bars including Thai restaurant Saffron and the new Tin Tapas bar, which pays homage to the hotel’s origins as a tin mine.
I try both during my visit. The cooking at Saffron is delicate and refined. For my starter, I have a light and fluffy sea bass salad with sour green mango, followed by the flambe tenderloin with Thai whisky sauce for my main. However, my highlight of the meal is the dessert: chestnut with caramelised plum sugar and salted coconut sauce.
At the Tin Tapas bar, which is set on a pier in the middle of the lagoon, I order a negroni and watch the sun set over the trees. There is something magical about the sunset in Thailand, you will see shades of red and orange that you never knew existed. Birds dip and swing over the lagoon as the light fades into dusk. I have never felt more at peace.
I can see why guests keep coming back to Banyan Tree Phuket year after year. Far from any crowds or chaos, it is truly a sanctuary and a reminder of why Phuket is such a special place.
How to plan your trip
A Serenity Pool Villa at Banyan Tree Phuket (banyantree.com) starts from £353.43 per night, including breakfast.
Thai Airways (thaiairways.com) flies from London Heathrow to Phuket via Bangkok, from £1,019pp.
