Shantaa Resort

A luxurious retreat from the fast-paced world to a

This is a wonderful, quiet resort with beautiful bungalows that include a delightful private outdoor garden with shower or soaking tub, excellent service and delicious food, acres of beautiful walks and gardens, a small private beach with appealing snorkeling, and a large, wide, sandy beach just south of the property. While I did explore the island a bit, as I would usually do, I would have been equally satisfied to stay at the resort the whole time and still not felt I had missed the culture. It requires a bit of off-the-beaten-path travel to get here, so there were no tour groups around. Other guests were primarily European, many of them in their 30s, some with baby or toddler in tow. But there was plenty of space for all to enjoy, with dozens of quiet platforms, day beds, swings and hammocks at various lookouts along the property, and a private beach bar. While there was no pool, I didn't miss it for a moment. Many gather at night along the property edge to watch the spectacular sunsets. I plan to make this a yearly trip.

From, say, Bangkok, travel requires a flight to the tiny (but lovely) Trat airport, a long taxi ride to a ferry, and another longish ferry ride to Koh Kut (it is apparently also possible to hire a van from Bangkok to the ferry dock), with possibly a final taxi to the resort (though my small book simply docked at the resort). I'm not sure any of this is a negative, really--those who make this effort will be fully rewarded!