Coconut Kisses
Its scent alone creates tropical feelings and happiness, and as a superfood and super-beautifier, the coconut is currently causing a sensation!
Health gurus swear by coconut water as a natural isotonic drink and coconut oil seems to be the anti-ageing and health miracle weapon par excellence. On Koh Samui, the island of a thousand coconut palms, I explore the benefits of this nutritional miracle - in every conceivable state and with skin and hair!
As soon as I check in at the exclusive Belmond Napasai Hotel, located on the palm-fringed Baan Tai beach in lush, tropical gardens, the coconut kisses me - in the form of delicious, homemade coconut ice cream as a welcome treat! At the dynamically curved infinity pool - the definitive eye-catcher of the resort - I enjoy coconut water straight from the freshly split coconut. However, the sweet idleness in my heavenly daybed only lasts for a short time with all the free activities of the hotel: yoga awaits me on the Skydeck, located at the highest point of the resort and with a fantastic view of the sea and the island of Koh Phangan. Afterwards, I try my hand at Thai boxing in what is probably the most idyllic boxing ring in the world, in the middle of a palm grove, continue my "Mission Coconut" in a Thai cooking class preparing green curry and tom kha gai and enjoy a relaxing hot stone massage with warm coconut oil in the Napasai Spa.
Another highlight of the island in terms of "going coconuts" awaits me at the Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort & Spa in the quiet north of Chaweng. The hotel is not only famous for its legendary Tree Tops Restaurant, where I can enjoy fine dining and molecular cocktails in a magical atmosphere in my own treehouse separee surrounded by treetops, Avatar movie feeling included. The Anantara Spa, designed in stylish Chinese shophouse architecture and inspired by the Chinese traders who were the first to settle here, is also known far beyond the island. Bird cages, lanterns and calligraphy art make the first-class spa treatments an absolute feast for the eyes. There, under the expert hands of a spa therapist, I learn the basics of traditional Thai massage. After the energy-sapping lesson, I am more than ready for the 200-minute signature treatment "Coconut Paradise": exfoliation and wraps made from coconut extract and an Anantara coconut massage nourish and moisturize my skin and hair... and envelop me in that irresistible touch of coconut!
www.belmond.com/de www.anantara.com
Image credits: (c)Belmond; (c)Anantara
