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5 tropical island resorts with the ‘wow’ factor

It’s the vacation that we all dream of; fly to the other side of the world and check into a luxury resort on a tropical island for some serious relaxation and endless sunshine. These 5 tropical island resorts with the wow factor are all in Southeast Asia and are sure to impress even the most discerning traveller. Read on and decide which is your favourite before booking a flight and heading to paradise! Six Senses Con Dao As with all Six Senses hotels and resorts, you can expect the location to be unique, the service to be attentive and the accomodation to be breathtaking. We can assure you that Six Senses Con Dao ticks all of those boxes and more. Located in an area of supreme natural beauty, the Vietnamese Con Dao archipelago and national marine park, Con Son island is somewhat untouched by tourism with Six Senses Con Dao being the only international luxury resort to be found. The 9 villa types all have their own private pool with mesmerising ocean views. A selection of villas offer multiple rooms and are located directly on the ocean front; there really is something for everyone and every villa has that contemporary style that Six Senses is renowned for. Four Seasons Resort Langkawi As one of the most popular island destinations in Southeast Asia (and certainly the busiest in Malaysia), some might think that it will be difficult to find peace and tranquility on Langkawi. We can safely say they would be wrong and guests that choose Four Seasons Resort Langkawi for their luxury tropical island escape will not be disappointed. Situated within a UNESCO Geopark on a seemingly never ending golden sand beach, Four Seasons Resort Langkawi promises guests that their vacation will be “dramatic, adventurous, serene, spectacular” and we would have to agree with all of these claims. With 91 rooms and villas set within verdant and lush oceanside gardens, the on site spa, tennis court and 2 stunning pools (one for adults only) provide the perfect opportunity to keep active when you’re not relaxing in your beautifully appointed room, soaking up the beach vibes or dining at one of the 3 restaurants on site. Soneva Kiri Are you dreaming of heading to a Thai island that is far from the tourist trail yet easily reachable from Bangkok? Would you like that feel good factor from your vacation that can only come when you know that the environmental credentials are second to none? Do you want leave your multi-room villa and take a private boat through the mangroves to enjoy a traditional (and sensational) Thai meal as the sun sets over the horizon? If the answer to these questions is yes then the only option for you is the sensational Soneva Kiri, it delivers all of the above and much, much more. Think afternoon tea whilst sat in a giant basket in the rainforest canopy, delivered to you by someone who zip-wires in to serve you each course and fun little bonuses like a complimentary chocolate room and ice cream parlour. It’s a truly unique resort in a beautiful location and will certainly give you the wow factor that you are dreaming of. Fusion Resort Phu Quoc Fusion Resort Phu Quoc is the newest luxury resort on the southern Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc and brings a unique and refreshing concept to this fast growing tourist destination. Following on from the success of 2 other Fusion Resorts in Vietnam this luxury property has been very well received since opening mid 2017. Offering guests the option to enjoy “breakfast anywhere, anytime” and an “all-spa inclusive” experience presents the perfect option for your luxury island escape. As with all Fusion Resorts, guests are able to pre-book 2 spa treatments daily, with more available based on availability, meaning that your toughest choices on this vacation will be choosing your treaments and managing your schedule of wellness and pampering! Situated in a secluded private bay, Fusion Resort Phu Quoc has a selection of modern and stylish villas all with their own private pool. The choice of villas includes a stunning 5 bedroom ‘Grand Beach Villa’ that has to be seen to be believed. Kata Rocks Last but by no means least we head to Phuket which has seen a tourism explosion over the last 20 years. In excess of 30 million guests choose this famed Thai island for their vacation each year and amongst the mass tourism and crowded beaches there really are some absolute gems to be found where you will be sure to relax and recharge during your luxury island escape. One of these luxury resorts is Kata Rocks which boasts the most extraordinary villas which are modern, sleek and stylish. They are sure to leave a lasting impression on guests who check in here; all have private and ocean facing infinity pools, the finest in technology and amenities and we can assure you that you will not want to leave your villa once you enter. If you do venture outside you can enjoy a spectacular sunset whilst dining next to the pool, select from over 300 wine labels in the wine cellar including 24 wines by the glass using the innovative Enomatic system or head to the spa and choose from one of the many signature treatments on offer. However you decide to spend your time at Kata Rocks just remember to look around and marvel at the incredible villas and far reaching Andaman Sea vistas. Deciding where to head on your luxury tropical island vacation can be difficult and there are many options around Southeast Asia for you to choose from but we can assure you that these 5 tropical island resorts with the wow factor are well worth considering. Paul Eyers is Founder of Vegan Food Quest. Vegan Food Quest have become luxury vegan travel specialists as they continue to find, eat and write about the best vegan food in the world. If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

Paul Eyers

Paul Eyers is co-founder of Vegan Food Quest who write about luxury hotels and resorts in Southeast Asia with a focus on sustainable travel, eco travel and vegan travel. Currently based in Malaysia, Paul also writes about sporting events and some of the finest golf courses throughout the region.

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24 Comments

  1. Awesome post. Those places I will keep on my traveling dream list. Very exotic in a way.

    1. Thank you Anders for your comment! They are all pretty special in their own way and deserve a place on anyones travel dream list for sure…

  2. 30 million in Phuket yearly Paul? That is astounding. Kata is nice. We prefer Rawai. Being in the southern part of the island right by the tip makes for a quiet, chill experience. But that hotel in Kata does look amazing.

    1. I couldn’t believe it myself Ryan when i saw the numbers, in fact is expected to be closer to 35 million for 2018 which is incredible…

      The south of the island is where to head for when you want to escape for sure, we both love Cape Panwa for pure escapism.

      The villas at Kata Rocks are next level when it comes to modern, sleek and stylish design, we loved our visit there!

  3. Four Seasons Resort Langkawi certainly has the wow factor in my eyes. And the staff there are so welcoming that it really makes you feel special.

    1. Hi Jenny,
      Thanks for your comment.

      We would agreee that the staffa at Four Seasons Resort Langkawi went above and beyond to make our visit special, we would love to return one day…

      Paul

  4. Don’t forget the Caribbean islands! Islands like St Barts are just as luxurious as Phuket and Phu Quoc. I have spent plenty of time in Malaysia and Thailand, and although it’s beautiful, I prefer the Caribbean. The people are warm, the food is amazing, and the beaches are to die for. Some of the larger Caribbean islands are a bit crowded at times, but if you head to St Barts or Anguilla, you mix with a different crowd. I’ve sat next to celebrities in bars and nobody takes any notice. There are some seriously upmarket hotels and luxury villas on islands like Anguilla and St Barts, and although the cost of living is higher in the Caribbean compared to Thailand and Malaysia, you get great value for money.

    1. Thank you for your comment Elyn!

      Hopefully our full time travel adventure will see us visit the Caribbean at some stage but for now we are based in Southeast Asia hence the focus of our articles…

      Any reccomendations about where we should head on our first trip?

      Paul

  5. There are some really AMAZING lux properties in SEA. I would also add Mandapa, Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Ubud, to this list along with any of the Aman properties across Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia. Not to mention Rosewood, either. Ok … there are a lot ;)

    1. Thanks for your comment Sarah, you are correct that we are spoiled for choice when it comes to luxury hotels and resorts in SEA! We’ve visited Phulay Bay Ritz Carlton Reserve in Thailand which is beautiful, so we would imagine Mandapa is equally as impressive. We have plans to check out Rosewood Phnom Penh later this year but as yet haven’t stayed at any of the Aman properties but we hear they are incredible…

  6. While definitely luxurious, they don’t allow a connection with the local people and culture. You are shielded from reality. Resorts should integrate rather than isolate, I have seen none have successfully done that.

    1. Hi Judy, interesting point. I would be surprised if they didn’t make some efforts to integrate with the local community and culture. When I stayed at a resort in the Maldives, there were strong ties with local islands (where many of the employees came from). We visited one of the islands, spent time in one of the islanders’ homes, toured the island, visited the hospital, etc. Our children even joined one of the lessons when we visited the only school on the island. I’m sure Paul (the other Paul who wrote this article) will be able to tell us if there are any similar endeavours from these resorts. Kind regards, Paul

  7. Hello Judy,

    Firstly, apologies for the delay but I have been travelling extensively over the last week or so and haven’t had the chance to respond.

    I have had this debate many times regarding which type of travel is the best way to experience local culture and there is no simple answer. It comes down to the individual owner or operator to ensure they are integrate with the local community both socially and environmentally.

    Many luxury resorts take this very seriously and go to great lengths to ensure that they integrate.

    Whether it be employing locally or procuring supplies, services and produce locally I know that Six Senses, for example, consider this to be at the forefront of their business model.

    A responsible luxury resort who employs local staff on a full time contract with a fair salary and benefits such as paid holiday and sick pay etc is far better than a small guest house that employs staff on a temporary and seasonal basis with no benefits.

    Also, the environmental impact from a luxury resort that invests heavily in research and delivery of all types of recycling of water, fuel and waste is preferable to a small guest house that does not consider such things to be of importance.

    Soneva have a huge commitment to ensuring that their resorts are as eco conscious and socially concious as possible. For example they filter and bottle their own water meaning not only is there no plastic waster but the proceeds are use around the world to provide 750,000 with clean drinking water, something that they would otherwise go without.

    I am not saying that all luxury resorts operate in this way and I am not saying that all small guests houses do not behave in a responsible manner but that it is down to each operator, at whatever level, to do what they can to work with the local community and respect the environment that they are based in.

    Best regards from (the other) Paul!

  8. Wow these places look stunning so beautiful what a dream it must have been to wake up in these resorts. I love how close to the season senses is but they all look so luxurious. Kata rocks looks sublime I can see why it has had so many guests. I bet it would be an a,axing place to watch the sun set.

  9. To be honest most tropical islands have the wow factor but many of these places seem to be double wow. Con Dao looks a real winner!

  10. Thank you for commenting Kate and you’re right about most tropical islands having the wow factor and even more correct when you say these islands have the double wow factor! Six Senses Con Dao was stunning, a very special place indeed…

  11. I would love to stay at any of these resorts here. I’ve been looking to take my family sometime soon to a resort. I’ll have to look more into this as I know I could find something that would be reasonable.

  12. I love to traveling and I love to Stay any of these resorts here. I am sharing my personal experience that these resorts are amazing for relaxing and I advise that you should stay in these resorts.

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