Hotel Review: Anantara Si Kao Resort

When it comes to luxury resorts in Thailand, travelers want for nothing.

This is especially true at five-star Anantara Si Kao, which is located along the Andaman coast in the Si Kao district of Trang province — known for its rubber industry — in an area of Thailand that is often overshadowed by the karst landscape and shimmering beaches of Krabi, its northern neighbor. 

One of Anantara’s 15 luxury properties in in Thailand, Anantara Si Kao is nestled a stone’s throw away from the wild and woolly Chao Mai National Park and far from the telltale signs of urban civilization.

Though it’s situated in an isolated location, the resort offers all the amenities one would expect from a luxury hotel in the heart of Bangkok — and then some. 

It starts in the luxurious guestrooms, the most basic category of which is furnished with a massive bed, beautiful wooden furniture and a bathroom that comes with its own (albeit tiny) apothecary and a marvelous tub that provides stunning views. A pool suite has all this, too, but rounds out its offerings with a private plunge pool.

Most aspects of Anantara Si Kao showcase local products, architecture and food. Thai fabrics trim the guestrooms, and Thai triangle pillows bedeck the hanging beds that look out to the waters at The Beach House, an on-site dining option serving popular local delicacies such as crispy pork and Trang cake, along with international cuisine. Another venue, Leelawadee, serves delectable Thai fare in the evenings. There’s also Acqua, an Italian restaurant; Koh Kradan, a private island beach club; and Dining by Design, which has private dining options. In-room amenities include a plate of Thai desserts, which is a perfect “sawadika” (introduction) to the endless complexities of Thai cuisine.

But perhaps nature is the most dominating theme at this resort. Water elements pepper the flora-carpeted property grounds in the form of fountains, man-made ponds and pools. The hotel’s private beach, on the other hand, faces the karst-fringed seascape and impeccable sunset.

The resort’s Anantara Spa has an open-air, temple-inspired lobby that is surrounded by a lotus pond and bathed in the glorious scents of lemongrass and other local herbs. A spa treatment here is a holiday from your holiday and, therefore, a must.

There are other excellent diversions to be found on-site. Discover the intricacies of Thai cuisine at Spice Spoons, Anantara’s cooking school. Test your athleticism by learning Muay Thai kickboxing. Or kayak though a mangrove forest for local wildlife sightings. 

After all, Anantara Si Kao may be a place to hide away, but it doesn’t mean you can’t partake in the breathtaking experience that is Thailand.

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