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Krabi's Nakamanda Resort & Spa
Nakamanda means "sacred sea dragon" in Thai but in English
it can only mean "sanctuary of soul salvation, refuge of romantic
rapture, temple of terrestrial tranquility," or an amalgamation
of all three. Occupying its own cove with views of Koh Yao Yai and
Koh Hong islands, this new luxury boutique in Krabi bears witness
to no human activity or development save the picturesque sight of
traditional wooden long-tailed boats which find safe harbour beneath
the shadow of a small barrier island. Water is shallow in the cove,
evaporating at low tide; a sandy footpath leads up through the island's
woods to a viewpoint. A single tree grows in the channel that separates
the island from the mainland beach. Over the course of our weekend,
I came to think of that little tree as the resort's mascot, or emblem
and took nearly a roll of film capturing its majesty from different
angles at different times of day.
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Should one wish to venture forth and explore nature's limestone
wonders, these same boats provide service to Koh Hong-with its white
sand beach and dramatic open-air limestone cavern, or "hong,"
two of the most celebrated and beautiful of Phang Nga Bay's Guilan-esque
limestone wonders-as well as world famous Ao Pra Nang, home of the
Princess Cave and a beach heralded as one of the globe's finest.
Even from the short distance of Nakamanda's romantic beachside restaurant,
views are stunning, especially when the sun sets behind Koh Yao
Yai and paints the rocky islands to the south a brilliant gold.
Nakamanda
Resort is located on a long, quiet country road on Klong Muang
Beach, an area emerging as an upscale, secluded alternative to already-discovered
Ao Nang, just down the coast, and the beaches of Railey and Ao Pra
Nang, beautiful but haunted by backpackers and trance music. Signs
indicate that Nakamanda represents the new Krabi,
exclusive, expensive, exotically romantic; there is much here to
celebrate.
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Sala Villas are laid out in duplexes, one on each floor. The entrances
are extended by Thai salas, complete with a traditional style sofa
and pillows, a ceiling fan and a small cocktail table. On our first
morning we had a breakfast feast of French toast, mango shakes,
rice soup and fresh fruit; the second morning we didn't even entertain
the notion of going down to the dining room. Unlike many resorts,
Nakamanda offers no breakfast buffet; your food is prepared fresh,
sparing you the unpleasantness of picking through a chafing dish
of cold bacon for a piece that's cooked to taste. Because of the
sala, the room is more of a miniature villa than usual. The interior
is well-appointed with a king-sized bed and a spacious window seat.
Our villa was up on the hill, at about eye-level with the tops of
coconut palms, which we looked through to the views of the sea and
islands beyond. Design colours are warm, and the many windows let
in plenty of sunlight, especially nice in the evenings and mornings.
In keeping with current trends, the washrooms and closets are hidden
in a wing behind the bed, cordoned off by latticed wood sliding
doors. It's very easy to get lost in the comfort and ambience of
the room; it drained our motivation to venture forth to the islands.
While I normally think of hotel rooms as places to come back to
after an afternoon at the beach or on the water, I felt justified
spending the better part of my day in a bathrobe, padding in slippers
back and forth between the sala and the bedroom.
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The private chambers begin with a wide dressing area/walk-in closet.
Two sinks ensure that you won't be jockeying for tooth brushing
space. Consistent with twenty-first century sensibilities, the toilet
and shower occupy their own rooms. The plunge bath is set in a pebble
garden with basins for water flowers, all beneath a glass roof.
On our first evening, we returned from dinner to find aromatherapy
votive candles, each floating in a small glass with a jasmine blossom,
lighting the way to a flower bath with frangipani and more jasmine.
The water itself was treated with special healing salts, the perfect
crown on a fabulous day of utter leisure.
I'm a big fan of room inclusions, especially nice, thoughtful surprises
like the flower bath. Nakamanda has an entire quiver full of goodies:
even the beer in your mini bar is complimentary, and replenished
daily. The standard and somewhat tired, tradition of welcome and
farewell drinks is taken to a personalized level so you don't get
stuck with a juice that you don't fancy. You can even choose distilled
or fermented juices, perhaps an extra-dry extract of juniper with
the faintest breath of vermouth? For those willing to leave the
sanctuary of their chamber, The Spa offers complimentary foot massages
or body scrubs. For folks like myself, who feel that vacation necessitates
additional meal-times, the English high tea at The Living Room Cocktail
Bar fits the bill nicely. It's refreshing to find an up market resort
that is classy enough to dispense with the nickel-and-diming approach
that so many opt for. When guests pay nearly $500 US per night for
a standard room, it seems almost criminal not to.
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Aside from our room, we spent the most time in the restaurant,
called, simply, The Kitchen. The best thing about this space is
that there is no piped-in music. No trance, no tacky soft rock love
songs, no muzak versions of Beatles songs, no "culturally correct"
Thai music. Just birds, breeze and waves. The effect is perfectly
romantic; you actually feel the beach, taste the salty air. Service
is impeccable: both professional and friendly. Staff are very attractive
and well-trained. The menu is fusion and Thai, reminiscent of Phuket's
famous Mom Tri's Boathouse. We had ostrich and lamb, Creole chicken
with tsatsaki sauce and a fabulous sea bass. Tart, smooth lime sorbet
cleansed our pallets between courses. In a touch of meticulous detail,
the pre-dinner cool towels were lime-scented, while the post-dessert
ones had a peppermint fragrance. At first I thought this might be
chance, but every meal was the same.
Since Nakamanda's beach is much better suited to viewing than to
actually swimming, guests are likely to log hours by the pool and
in its deep blue waters. Set against a tall, fortress wall of grey
sandstone, the sapphire colour sparkles. The spa treatment rooms
lie on the other side of the wall with huge Angkorian windows opening
to views across the pool, garden and cove. Water plummets in graceful
sheets from slabs beneath windows, like crystal except for when
puffs of wind curl the edges. While clearly inspired by regional
architecture and art, the landscaping is far more subtle than the
gaudy Asian versions of pink lawn flamingos taken by many resorts,
who just can't seem to get enough Buddhas and elephants and mythical
creatures sculpted into their grounds. At Nakamanda, I counted but
one man-made image of god, a small Khmer-style Hindu deity. Similarly,
gardeners have applied an efficiency of planting, playing down the
manicured effect by focusing on a few colours and plants like violet
lotus blossoms, white orchids, bougainvillea and white and yellow
frangipani. This relatively minimalist approach allows for more
true nature, more pure Creation.
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For couples or families who really want to splurge, two pool villas
are available, set on a level equal to the top of the main pool's
sandstone wall. Private stairs lead down to the restaurant and spa,
effectively eliminating the other 37 villas and making Nakamanda
seem all the more private. Rooms are every bit as luxurious as the
standard Sala Villa where we were staying, with the addition of
living/dining rooms, kitchens and an additional bedroom. Dining
tables are arranged on the lawn between the private pool and the
resort's main one. Views of the beach and cove, of the islands,
Pang Nga Bay and greater Andaman beyond are completely unobstructed.
As the major beaches of Phuket, Khao Lak, and Krabi are consumed
by resorts, luxury boutiques are cropping up in places just off
the beaten path, targeting discriminating travelers who eschew megaphones
and name stickers. Nakamanda is an early player in this new market,
the perfect retreat for honeymooners, or for anyone who wants to
experience a natural Thailand in a quiet, almost sinfully comfortable
sanctuary for the senses.
See also Krabi
Photos
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