Suzanne and I had met on an Alaskan cruise the year before; our instant rapport consisted in part of our passion for travel. When I had the chance to visit the brand-new Six Senses Destination Spa in Phuket, Thailand, she was the first potential traveling companion I thought of (admittedly, my husband couldn’t get away from work at the time).
Thailand is exactly halfway around the world from us; after all those in-flight hours, arriving at Phuket was heavenly. The hot and sunny weather was a soothing balm to our February-in-the-mid-Atlantic bodies.
From the Phuket airport, it’s a short drive to the marina, then a speedboat trip to Naka Yai Island. I’ve been to many a spa in my lifetime, but nothing quite like this. This “destination” spa is dedicated to transforming the lifestyles of its guests through a complete immersion into healthy and “mindful” living.
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Upon arrival, a wellness consultant determined the state of our overall physical and mental health and designed unique programs for each of us that combined nutritional and fitness guidelines as well as treatments in the four distinct spas—Indian, Thai, Chinese, and Indonesian. We wore our provided cotton yoga suits everywhere, including to meals made from produce grown right on the property (they claim their entire landscaping is edible) and fish plucked from the pristine Phang Nga Bay.
Shockingly, not only did I lose seven pounds during my five days there, I’ve been able to maintain my way healthier eating habits in the months since I’ve been home. We met several European guests there who had come for the recommended two-to-three weeks. Wish we’d had that much time to devote.
On our way to our much-anticipated time in thrilling Bangkok, we boated over to the Six Senses Hideaway Yao Noi, on a neighboring island—an even more lavish venue replete with alcohol, chocolate, and decadent dining. There we lived in a super-luxurious rainforest treehouse with—as at the destination spa—our own swimming pool and personal butler. Our ocean views included hundreds of limestone islands rising majestically from crystalline waters.
Duly relaxed, we jetted to Bangkok, where luxury travel purveyor Cox & Kings planned our six-day private, customized itinerary. This 250-year-old company will suggest loads of options for your destination and provides a private car, driver, and English-speaking guide to take you to them. But while the itinerary is planned, you may make changes at any time. On day one, for instance, we made an unscheduled stop at a glitzy department store and at the famous Gems Gallery (after a week of fishetarian cuisine, private yoga sessions, and Thai foot massages, a girl’s gotta get her fix of perfume, electronics, and jewels … and we did)!
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