TRAVEL FEATURE - A long weekend on Koh Samui helps settle the pre-parenthood jitters.
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TRAVEL FEATURE
A long weekend on Koh Samui helps
settle the pre-parenthood jitters.
Words and photos by Simon Ostheimer
June11 289
TRAVEL FEATURE
W
hen I first suggested the idea of a Airport. The airport’s main terminal looks almost like
“babymoon” to my lovely wife, a relaxed beach bar; and, in keeping with the tropical
she immediately replied: “Sounds holiday spirit, you’re transported to it not by coach, but
great. What is it?” by open-air trolley bus – the kind you would expect to
In all honesty, I’d only just Googled it myself, the see on 1970s TV show Fantasy Island. In fact, apart from
night before. A babymoon, it turns out, is a relatively the toilets and some shops, the entire airport is open-air
new vacation trend that emerged in the US around (lovely if it’s balmy weather as it was on our arrival,
2005; it can either be a final romantic getaway for though perhaps not so great if a storm is closing in).
expectant couples, or a stress-relieving holiday for Following a short wait for luggage, we were in a taxi
parents and their newborn bundle of joy. and on our way to the resort. After half an hour, we
Now, this might be just us, but the idea of turned up a torch-lined road, and were helped out of
first-time parents taking a screaming infant on the car and into what is surely one of the world’s most
a two-hour flight to the tropics seems somehow amazing hotel lobbies.
misguided. We thus resolved to jet off on our mini- It’s actually a small, open-air terrace with a solitary
break while bub was still in utero. receptionist and two sofas that overlook the resort
Hotels and resorts across our region are leaping below. Villas in the hills glow like fireflies in the
onto the babymoon bandwagon. A quick search darkness while, out to sea, bobbing lights mark out
unearthed packages in Sydney, Seoul, and even trawlers fishing for the night’s catch.
Kuala Lumpur. We homed in on Thailand instead, The view is ethereal, though we came back to
finally settling on the Four Seasons Resort Koh an earth with a bump when we realised my wife’s
Samui, whose Great Expectations package purse was in the now-departed taxi. (Thankfully, the
sounded like the perfect final fling as just the two concierge was able to arrange its safe return the next
of us. morning.)
Despite being Thailand’s third-largest island (after Carted down to our Deluxe One-Bedroom Villa, we
Phuket and Koh Chang), Koh Samui is relatively took in the 29-square-metre infinity pool, large outdoor
undeveloped, with almost no high-rise buildings daybed, and stocked wine fridge – and promptly went
and a predominance of coconut trees. Coconuts straight to sleep.
were the island’s industrial mainstay until the onset We awoke the next morning to the sun streaming
of large-scale tourism in the 1980s. through the windows, with almost startling views of
Before then, adventurous backpackers arrived the turquoise Gulf of Siam and gently swaying palm
on fishing boats from the mainland, 35km to the trees. Designed by architect Bill Bensley, the resort was
southwest. These days, most travellers land at the built on a former coconut plantation.
deceptively grand-sounding Samui International Due to its hilly terrain, transport around the resort is
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What exactly the day will hold is up
to you: relax at the private beach, laze in
your pool, sleep on the daybed or – for the
relentlessly active (who are really in the
wrong place) – play tennis. For us, it was
off to the resort spa for our “Hot Mama”
and “Father-to-be” babymoon treatments.
The spa occupies a small wooded valley
at the heart of the resort. After a pre-
treatment survey to assess your physical
status (“Oh my God, I’m pregnant!”
remarked my smart-aleck wife), you’re led
on boardwalks through the massed ranks
by chauffeur-driven golf cart, which you request with the push of coconut trees to your secluded spa sala.
of a button on a phone. While meals can be taken on the villa’s Here, expert Thai masseuses with names
large sundeck, it’s worth ordering a cart to take you up to Lan like Nim and Tik rub your legs with a fresh
Tania, the signature restaurant located at the top of the resort, coconut scrub (jasmine rice, coconut and
100m up from the sea. coconut oil), cocoon you in a nourishing
The only downside to dining in the best seats here is the herbal wrap (fresh pumpkin, white clay
tendency of the wind to strike up (“hold onto your hat, love!”), and coconut oil) and gently massage you
but wind-breakers are soon rolled into place, and breakfast with nourishing lotion (aloe vera leaf
commences. Save room for the excellent quiche, and say “yes” extract, chamomile, rice bran, propolis
when the pastry chef comes round asking if you’d like to try his and green tea extracts).
freshly made pain au chocolat. Wash it all down with the fruit To complete the therapy of mind, body
smoothie de jour (coconut and mango on our first morning), and soul, a Tibetan “singing” bowl is rung
and you’re all set for the day ahead. in your ears, and you’re then blessed with
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a sai sing, or holy string, which you cannot
take off for three days.
So relaxing is all of this (spiritual, even),
when the treatment’s over, it’s almost a strain
to climb back into the buggy for the short trip
back down the hill to your villa.
And that is essentially how we spent our
babymoon – alternating between sleeping,
swimming, soaking, spa-ing, sipping and
supping (aside from one insistent husband-
driven afternoon trip to nearby Nathon,
following page).
In sum, the complete and utter relaxation of
the Great Expectations package is something
we’ll no doubt be longing for in the months
to come.
For now, though, it’s: “So long, babymoon.
Hello, baby.”
Bangkok Airways runs direct daily flights
between Singapore and Koh Samui (1 hour,
45 minutes). Return tickets from $520. See
www.bangkokair.com for more details.
A taxi from the airport to the Four Seasons
costs 800 baht (around $30). Pre-pay at the
official taxi counter inside the airport.
Daily rates for the Four Seasons Resort Koh
Samui’s Great Expectations package start from
29,950 baht (approximately S$1,200). Call
(1 800) 232 5926 or visit www.fourseasons.
com/kohsamui for information and bookings.
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Koh Samui’s capital Nathon makes
for a great half-day excursion.
The official capital of Koh Samui,
Nathon is also the island’s only town.
Because it’s the largest settlement, it’s
where you’ll find the main government
buildings – police, immigration and
post office – though hopefully you
won’t be here to visit any of them.
Instead, check out the wooden
Chinese-style shophouses filled with a
variety of shops, restaurants, cafés and
bookshops.
Located on the waterfront in a
charming one-storey wooden house,
About Arts & Crafts (Chonwithee Road,
+66-89-724-9673) does a decent trade
in hand-painted ceramics, coffee and
homemade cakes.
Around the corner on Na Amphoe
Road is Nathon Books, with Samui’s
best collection of second-hand
paperbacks as well as a sprinkling of
literary classics.
Head away from the pier and turn
right on Nathon Road, and you’ll soon
come across The Corner Restaurant,
serving favourites such as pad Thai,
green curry, and mango sticky rice.
Once you’ve had your fill, keep
heading south down Nathon Road
to Artwear (+66-7723-6219; www.
artwearsamui.com), a T-shirt shop that
sells locally made, original designs – a
much better souvenir than that seashell
wind chime you were tempted by
earlier.
Walk on from here, and then turn
right back towards the waterfront to
reach the last stop on your short Nathon
tour. As the name suggests, Sunset
Restaurant (+66-7742-1244) is the best
place in town to end the day. Enjoy your
fill of seafood before heading back to
the line of taxis at the pier. eL
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