Thanyamundra: Five Stars Organic Retreat Opens at Khao Sok

KHAO SOK, THAILAND – Nestled among a plethora of palm trees under the soaring karst limestone mountains of Khao Sok National Park, Thanyamundra launches this Spring as a one-of-a-kind luxury retreat on a working organic farm.

The first-ever organic boutique resort in southern Thailand offers nine Asian antique filled rooms and suites in two modern, Thai inspired villas. Formerly the home of a European entrepreneur committed to health, fitness and sustainable living, Thanyamundra has been reimagined to deliver the finest hotel service, gourmet organic cuisine, and holistic wellness in one of Thailand’s most breathtaking natural environments at the edge of one of Earth’s oldest rainforests.

Two hours drive from Phuket International Airport, with its comprehensive regional and international air connections, Thanyamundra provides an easily accessible escape from urban life on the most intimate scale. Personal service under the leadership of butlers trained at some of Thailand’s finest hotels, an English-speaking chef with an extensive Thai and international repertoire and talented massage therapists on call are matched at Thanyamundra by visiting experts and teachers, world renowned in their fields, from sports to yoga and meditation to environmental science and visual arts.

Thanyamundra’s dedicated butlers lead their guests on arrival to the retreat’s seven elegant guest rooms and two spacious master suites split across the two contemporary villas. All are fully equipped with modern comforts from high-speed wireless Internet and LCD flat screen televisions to Thai silk interiors and spacious private bathrooms with separate rain showers. Suites with generous terraces overlook the verdant panorama of rice paddies and fruit trees to the wild bamboo jungle and ancient rock formations of Khao Sok National Park.

At all times of the year, Thanyamundra welcomes its guests, limited to twenty at a time, to explore the groundbreaking 12 hectare (1600 square metre) organic farm with charismatic Pierre Larigaldie who oversees these visionary crop fields. Since Larigaldie began preparing the earth here four years ago, all plantings have been 100% organic and chemical free and today Thanyamundra’s organic farm is the only one in southern Thailand with an Agricultural Certificate of Thailand (ACT), part of the International Organic Accreditation Service. Rows of aromatic Thai and Italian basil, dill, coriander and chilies run parallel to white and purple eggplants, red snake beans, winged peas, bitter gourd and morning glory, then onward to avocadoes, papaya, passion fruit, mango and a variety of banana trees.

Reach down to taste ingredients like fresh rocket leaves straight from the earth for sublime edible memories not soon forgotten. Guests are encouraged to pick their produce under the guidance of Thanyamundra’s dedicated chef who leads custom organic cooking classes back in the main villa’s show kitchen. Learn to make Thai classics like tom yum goong hot & sour soup or kaeng kheow waan green curry from entirely organic ingredients. Linger over all Thanyamundra’s fresh from the garden meals enhanced by sommelier selected Old and New World wines on the villa’s panoramic terrace as butterflies of kaleidoscopic hues flutter past, in the elegant Chinese style dining room with high back polished wood chairs or at a table specially set up outside among the retreat’s rustic natural charms, under the unpolluted, constellation filled sky.

Thanyamundra boasts a variety of invigorating fitness and leisure facilities. Swim laps or sun bathe alongside the 50-metre hilltop infinity pool, stay fit with the latest Technogym equipment in gym open around the clock, or take to the blissfully quiet surrounding roads for running or cycling. Equally restorative and invigorating are Thanyamundra’s Thai and holistic spa treatments, meditation, yoga and Pilates sessions.

To take full advantage of the surrounding national park, join Thanyamundra’s guided jungle trek with resident and visiting naturalists, in search of the lar gibbon whose females can be heard calling out on mist filled mornings, plus long-tailed macaque monkeys, Malay sun bears, tapirs, monitor lizards and even elephants and the endangered clouded leopard that inhabit Khao Sok National Park.

Guests who want to delve deeper into these exceptional natural surroundings may participate in the Thanyamundra Adventure Experience with river kayaking, tubing, lake swimming and elephant trekking inside the national park, active pursuits equally suited to corporate groups and incentive trips. In addition, individual guests or groups can work alongside the onsite farm team or reserve the entire farm to host uniquely memorable private functions for up to fifty.

May 10, 2011