Meet the best wellness resorts in Koh Samui

We’ve already found the most relaxing wellness resorts in Taiwan, and we know the best boutique hotels in Thailand. But where do you head when you need a holiday filled with rejuvenating therapies and holistic healing offerings? The best wellness resorts in Koh Samui will have you feeling better than ever in no time.

The best wellness resorts in Koh Samui

Taking great care of ourselves, an unapologetic desire to travel, and the need to make a greater connection with our destination are all discernible trends in this post-pandemic world. Koh Samui, Thailand’s second-most-visited island, is ideal when thinking of combining meaningful holiday travel and the essence of Wellness – caring for ourselves.

With buildings no higher than the tallest coconut trees, Koh Samui has retained a feeling of nature and quintessential Thai essence. Add to that the life-affirming tropical climes, abundance of glorious beaches, and relaxed, laid-back style, and Koh Samui could be described as an ideal wellness destination.

Here’s our curated list of Koh Samui’s best wellness resorts, either stand-alone or hotel based, for your next rejuvenating, realigning and resetting holiday.

1. Banyan Tree Samui

Banyan Tree Samui guestroom — Banyan Tree Samui

Banyan Tree Samui’s (main image) evidence-based wellness approach is available as an opt-in to all well-being-curious guests. Every journey starts with a simple and structured assessment based on eight key pillars enabling guests to design and combine a leisure vacation with wellbeing elements flexibly and openly.

Banyan Tree’s Wellbeing Sanctuary concept combines accommodation, dining, spa, and multifunctional practice spaces into one exclusive package. A flexible system where guests choose activities throughout their stay in consultation with the property’s wellbeing host. Each restaurant has dedicated wellbeing menu options ensuring nutrition is part of the wellness journey.

Wellness activity examples include Yoga Asana to explore various postures with controlled breathing. Mindful Movement focuses on the deliberate practice of essential daily movement. Gratitude Meditation is a breathing practice for peaceful rest, and Hearty Recipes is learning to cook healthy dishes with Thai flavours.

We think Banyan Tree Samui’s location in the Lamai district overlooking azure waters could be restorative in itself. This luxury all-pool villa resort combines the best elements of a tropical getaway, including its pristine private beach.

Find out more about Banyan Tree Samui or Book through Booking.com

2. Samahita Retreat

Located on the southern tip of Koh Samui and situated on a long stretch of uncrowded beach, Samahita Retreat has been Thailand’s home of yoga, breathwork, and wellness since 2003. Their holistic approach is about rejuvenating mind, body and soul, with integrated yoga and fitness classes, meditation, and delicious healthy food in an idyllic natural setting.

Samahita offers a la carte treatments or dedicated value programmes like the Total Self-Care or the Brain Health Upgrade. For those wanting to delve deeper into their practice, yoga and meditation retreats with world-renowned teachers and Centered Yoga 200-Hour and Advanced Residential Yoga Teacher Training programs are scheduled across the year.

The highly-popular three- to 10-day Total Self-Care Value Packages include a plan of pre-booked therapies and treatments. Packages incorporate yoga, breath, meditation, fitness classes, comfortable private onsite accommodation, great food, massages, and body treatments, plus the highly recuperative float and Infrared Sauna Therapy therapies.

Mornings are quiet times with guided breath and yoga sessions from 7:30- 9:30 am in the beachside Shala. Breakfast happens in the alfresco poolside dining area from 10am, flowing into lunch, and is an amicable and laid-back affair. People head off to their scheduled treatments, lounge poolside, hit the beach or even take one of Samahita’s kayaks or SUPs for an exploration.

Late afternoon sees CoreCycle sessions followed by restorative yoga practice leading into the evening meal. As with daytime dining, choices are fresh with a changing backboard menu, often with organic ingredients and raw food options.

We loved the relaxed beachside setting, the opt-in (or out) nature of the daily routines, the tasty food, the inclusive openness of the resort staff, and the restorative sense of wellbeing that overtakes you the longer your stay.

Learn more about Samahita Retreat or Book through Booking.com

3. Absolute Sanctuary

Absolute Sanctuary positions itself as one of Asia’s leading wellness resorts for fitness, healthy lifestyle, and weight management. Their crafted programmes leverage their expertise in pilates, yoga, and core. Their nutritional food programs are part of ABSOLUTE YOU, Thailand’s largest health and lifestyle brand. As of June 2022, Absolute Sanctuary launched its positioning as Asia’s first pilates teacher training and retreat centre.

The programmes here seek to address individual goals such as detox, weight management, fitness, and lifestyle change. The choices feel a little overwhelming, with 21 different programmes across 17 categories. All are based on a full-board (accommodation and meals) arrangement with meal choices tailored to the specifications of the chosen programmes.

Plans include an initial wellness consultation via a bio-impedance analysis. Immune Boosting and Detox programs start with three or five days, while most run from five-10 days or more. Absolute Sanctuary’s signature wellness programmes are 12 days and incorporate three pillars – Cleanse to feel lighter and brighter, Move to get active and energised, and Pamper to rejuvenate and relax at the onsite spa.

No matter the chosen programme, guests can access the resort pool, steam room, and fitness studio. Plus, unlimited access to the daily group yoga and meditation sessions and the group fitness classes (sunrise beach walk, Aqua power, HIIT Training, Myofascial, Weight Training, or as scheduled). An initial and final one-on-one fitness assessment with a personalised take-home programme is also included.

We loved the upmarket resort feel and facilities, the little extra touches like the yoga mat in our guest rooms, and the central location. We especially appreciated the personalised fitness assessments with Jana (Yoga) and Kevin (Pilates) and their take-home maintenance tips.

Discover more about Absolute Sanctuary or Book through Booking.com

4. Kamalaya

Kamalaya’s focus is not on individual services but on how the different treatments, therapies, activities, environmental aspects, cuisine, and people come together to create an integrated and harmonious wellness experience. Synergy is essential to the concept and is at the heart of the Kamalaya experience.

Kamalaya offers holistic health solutions to the anxiety, stress and numerous other challenges posed by the ever-changing world around us. A place surrounded by nature, where you can reconnect with your inner self and rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit.

Wellness journeys begin with an initial consultation to personalise your programme. Believing all aspects of health are interconnected, Kamalaya programmes include vital contributions from Naturopaths, Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors, yoga teachers, fitness trainers, massage therapists, meditation and Life Enhancement Mentors, and other complementary health practitioners.

Whether to restore, rejuvenate, transform or simply relax, the Resort offers a range of options starting with the three-day Taste of Kamalaya with more in-depth programs ranging from five-21 days. Optional daily classes are open to all guests in holistic fitness practices that range from pilates, yoga, qi gong, and meditation to core fitness classes and cardio workouts.

Kamalaya’s healthy cuisine is a fusion of eastern and western culinary traditions based on fresh, tropical produce. Using locally sourced organic produce, menus include extensive vegan, vegetarian, fresh seafood, poultry, and lamb dishes. Fresh juices, signature tonics and herbal teas are also served.

Kamalaya recently introduced a bespoke range of IV therapies to further enhance its wellness programmes. Seven unique blends help overcome jet lag, defy ageing, boost metabolism and immunity, increase energy and endurance, improve sleep, and bring a sense of calm from daily stresses.

We love that Kamalaya continues to take the lead in the wellness field.

Find out more about Kamalaya

5. Six Senses Samui

Straddling the verdant headland on Koh Samui’s northeastern corner with panoramic ocean vistas and Koh Phangan in clear sight, Six Senses Samui feels like you are entering an exclusive nature escape. Understated luxurious villas, most with private infinity pools, sit hidden in the resort’s 20 acres of natural vegetation.

The resort takes a holistic approach to wellness centred around Six Senses Spa with activities tailored to the individual. Yoga, Reiki, pilates, astrology, palmistry, and meditation sessions are all available. The Spa reveals private treatment villas, three sea breeze salas for morning stretching or yoga, a wellness pavilion, meditation sala, and sensory garden to practice walking meditation.

A well-equipped fitness centre features free weights, cardio machines, and steam and sauna rooms. While an onsite lifestyle coach offers functional training such as Thai Boxing, Fitness Boot Camp, Super Stretching, and Personal Training.

Signature therapies encourage worries and stress to melt away, from the four-hand synchronised massage to speciality bodywork. Experience traditional Thai treatments’ benefits, including circulation-boosting and enhanced energy channels. Scent therapies subtly act upon the relevant senses to strengthen the feeling of confidence and wellbeing.

A daily activities schedule offers options for all ages, including painting using natural plant dyes and Thai floral arrangements. Tour the onsite organic farm to understand Six Senses Samui’s eco credentials and farm-to-table ethos (eggs, not animals). Feed the goats, and check out the free-range chickens and ducks. Learn about the recycling systems, including kitchen waste and water treatment facilities. The resort also creates and bottles its drinking water using a reverse osmosis system.

Yes, holistic seems to be an excellent description of Six Senses Samui’s approach to wellness. That and its island-topping location are what we love about it.

Read our full review of Six Senses Samui.

Find out more about Six Senses Samui or Book through Booking.com

6. Anantara Bophut

Fronting the glorious golden sands of Bophut beach, Anantara Resort is well-situated to blend an ideal island holiday and self-care through its wellness offerings. Drawing on Anantara Spa’s world-class expertise, the finest indigenous wellness traditions and unique holistic therapies, their collection of highly specialist rituals blends luxurious pampering with powerful, long-lasting benefits for body, mind, and soul.

Half and three-day wellness immersion packages include an introduction to Muay Thai or yoga, Thai herbal steam, Thai herbal massage, and raw juice and wellness lunch experiences. Alternately explore Anantara Spa’s extensive menu of treatments from East and West and join the daily morning Yoga, Thai boxing, or meditation sessions.

Masterfully designed by award-winning landscape architect Bill Bensley, Anantara Spa is a Zen-like oasis encompassing 3,000sq-m of tranquil water gardens and stand-alone treatment suites. Aromatic lemongrass infuses the air, hinting at the exotic wellness journey to come. The signature Journey Of Siam (200 minutes) is all about rediscovering your inner strength and vigour, starting with a floral foot ritual, then Thai Herbal Steam, an Essence White Coconut Scrub and completed with a Royal Thai Massage.

Cannabis plant benefits, from calming the mind to soothing the body with its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and deeply soothing properties, have long been known and are now widely accepted. Anantara Spa Bophut now offers three Signature Cannabis-focused journeys allowing you to explore a new world of healing. Or delve deeper into ancient Chinese therapy combining acupuncture and cupping techniques to stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities, promoting physical and emotional wellbeing.

We love that Anantara Bophut provides the opportunity to meld your wellness journey into your overall resort holiday.

Learn more about Anantara Resort Bophut or Book through Booking.com

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