Not a typical kind of honeymoon ~ Santhiya Resort and Spa Koh Yao Yai

Hi readers, have you ever thought to experience and learn a different culture and tradition in a luxurious way? Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort and Spas 👉 (https://www.santhiya.com/ ) on Koh Yao Yai Island is one of the best place  to visit and gain a touch of Thai style of everything.

Koh Yao Yai, As many are not aware of its existence, an island situated between Krabi and Phuket in the Andaman Sea. (Picture below).

 

         This was actually our Honeymoon trip, but I have decided to blog everything about this beautiful resort. First and foremost, we booked this Resort with AirasiaGo 👉(airasiago.com) package of hotel+flight promo. The drawback of this package was that the flight was to Krabi instead of Phuket which is much nearer and cheaper transfers to the island. Unfortunately, we landed at Krabi airport and needed a land transfer from the Krabi airport to the Thalene Pier by Taxi costing 1000bath/taxi. At Thalene Pier, a long tail boat transfer is required to Chong Lad Pier, Koh Yao Yai (costing: 200bath/pax.) Second option (a better option), is to book in advance the boat transfer from the Ao Nang Pier, which is only available at 11.00am daily (1 boat only) which usually is full. Early booking is therefore advisable. Thirdly, the fastest, but most expensive transfer is to take the private boat of Santhiya resort costing 10000bath/boat directly to the resort. 

So, as we took the first option also the longest route we have to do another land transfer from the Chong Lad Pier by taxi costing 300bath/pax directly to the Resort. 

       

The wait at the boat transfer.

After 4 hours and spending 2000bath/couple, we finally arrived at the resort. We were given a warm welcome at the resort's gigantic front gate (I missed a picture of the front gate due to the drizzling rain as we were there). The worker escorted us inside the resort to the lobby area on a shuttle "jeep like tut tut" with its full wooden bodywork. At the lobby reception we were served with hot towels and lemongrass tea as refreshment while the process of checking in taking place.

Lobby area, with mats and pillows to just lay down and rest

Mr. Hubby was too excited for the hotel towel- happily refreshing himself

Lemongrass ice tea

Soon after the checking-in process, we were taken to our room, which required us to take the "tut tut shuttle" which runs in the resort every 10 minutes at its particular stops. It's a huge resort, hence walking can be a little painful.

Scenery as we riding on the tut tut shuttle

At Santhiya, they provide many types of rooms. To name them (Courtesy of AGODA 👉 https://www.agoda.com) :

• Santhiya Supreme Deluxe Garden View
• Santhiya Supreme Deluxe Sea View
• Santhiya Grand Deluxe Ocean View
• Santhiya Ocean View Pool Villa Suite
• Santhiya Royal Grand Pool Villa Suite
• Family 2- Bedroom
• $-Bedroom Villa With Private Pool 

We booked the Santhiya Grand Deluxe Ocean View room. The room is amazingly beautiful as shown on their website. Anyone who loves wood craving and wooden furniture, this is the place for you.

Grand room

Bathroom mirror

Pangkin Bed

Comfortable and aromatic toilet

Foster bed (technically - they used the curtain rails attached to the ceiling and the drapes are sewn such a way that it forms a triangle at each angle mimicking the foster bed - BRILLIANT 

Since it was our honeymoon.. A small but pretty set up 

Bath tub - YESS in the balcony.... No one can see you.. 

Balcony- meticulously carved wooden frame

Elephant Door Knob

 After settling our room and luggage, it was time to eat as we were terribly hungry. We headed to the restaurant where is was just 1 minute walking distance from our room. This restaurant has got an amazing ocean view also an infinity swimming pool. For our first meal at the resort, we order something simple such as "Pork Fried Rice" and "Beancurd Satay with Peanut Sauce". The pricing at the resort was moderate range. Our meals usually cost us about 1500 bath/couple. Again, it depends on what you order and how much you order. We were going for the simpler, lighter menus as I'm a hopeless when it comes to eating luxuriously.

That is the view while you eat this delicious Thai special.

The view includes babes in bikini and hot hunks ;)

Beancurd Satay (from the vegetarian menu) I would give it a 6/10

The sun sets around 6.30pm here. It is quite dark at about 7pm. That evening, at another beach side restaurant in the resort itself we had Italian dinner. The best part of this restaurant was that from 8pm onward they have Thai dancers and musicians performing at the veranda where you can have dinner and enjoy their cultural performances.

As we went back to our grand room to call it a day and around 10pm, we were surprised with  a " kutti" honeymoon cake, complimentary from the resort. The gesture was really sweet for them to offer their blueberry cheesecake, which tasted amazingly yummy.

There was also a note together with the cake

Santhiya resorts offer not only a luxurious stay, but also complimentary classes and activities to be enjoyed. They have Muay Thai (Kick Boxing), Thai Dancing and Yoga classes at a certain timing where you can pre book and go for it. They also have complimentary kayaking sessions (pre booking needed). We decided to take on something different and went for the kick-boxing class as the hashtag says #notthetypicalkindofhoneymoon.

Kick-boxing was new to both of us and we had so much fun learning the footwork and hand punch and japs. The below pictures show exactly how fun it was. Sadly, it was just a one hour class, yet we were truly sweating doing so little. It is definitely a good workout plan.

With our Muay Thai Sifu

The resort's infinity pool has a breathtaking ocean view where one can just be tranquilized and stare at God's creation. We both love to hang out in the pool every evening to just unwind and relax.

Panoramic shot of the whole pool

Sunset and infinity pool

The following, we were a little adventurous and decided to rent a motorbike and go around the island. To rent a bike, just walk along the beach until you see a bike rental shop. It will cost you about 300bath per day. We took the bike and went for a ride. You will have to fill in the gasoline yourself where you can find it any of their grocery shops. They sell gasoline in coke bottles for 30bath/1.5 liters.

While in motion

About a 40 minute ride (by bike) in  small tiny roads, we found a small restaurant cum bar called "JIGKO BAR". To my surprise their cocktails were simply superb. I ordered a watermelon mojito and wowww it tastes so good... Their food was delicious too,

Watermelon mojito and Heineken beer

Black pepper crab

Thai Style Fish

The journey back from Jigko bar was a challenging one. It was almost 9pm as we finished our dinner and left the place. The roads had no street lights and hence it was pitch black. The only light we had was from the motorbike and my hand-phone's torch. It was a cold and creepy 40 minutes ride back to the resort.

Another appetizing restaurant that became our favourite was Mama Seafood, located right beside the resort on the beach. It is walking distance from the beach of the resort. We had most of our dinner here as it was nearer to our resort and tasteful.
Usually it will cost us about 1500bath/meal.

Sandy beach dinner

all sort of thai cuisine

Pineapple fried rice

The next day, we spent our day going for Thai massage by the beach. They have a minimum package of 700 bath/hour aroma massage and the price goes higher according to massage types and duration. The gazebo is set up right by the beach with the massage tables arranged vertically so that at least 10 people can experience it at one go. It is definitely a different kind of feeling when a massage is given and at the same time you get this cold wind blowing from the sea, super relaxing.

Behind us the massage gazebo, just before our turn ;)

This was our last activity as we were chilling by the beach with some music and drinks after the relaxing massage.

Another important aspect about this resort was sculpture / statues of little babies. Every corner you turn you see a baby sculpture. Since it is portrayed as a honeymoon resort could be that the sculptures of babies bringing good luck.

this is my favourite sculpture -a mother holding her sleeping baby

Before we said goodbye to this amazing resort, we manage to buy some souvenir for remembrance, "Yana" the bottle cover (200bath)

We left the resort with a heavy heart, but well rested and rejuvenated. It was indeed "not a typical kind of honeymoon".

Thank you for reading and till we meet again...