Villa Similan wows from each angle, primed for a budget-blowing bender of a bachelor’s bash.
Anantara Layan Residences
Finding an idyllic, unspoiled Thai getaway just isn’t so simple as it was once. As Southeast Asia’s unique blissed-out backpacker’s haven, coastal Thailand was colonized by the Euro EDM celebration crowd and wildlife-loving jungle junkies. A brand new demographic has emerged, nonetheless, as extra conscious journey strikes heart stage—Jack Wolfskin-wearing, Keto-dieting, TED Talk-watching digital nomads are actually drawn to the nation’s considerable journey menu.
Are there bonafide Bond junkies in your squad? Savor life within the quick lane at Layan Residences by Anantara in Phuket. The tropical retreat lately launched a budget-blowing bender impressed by the 007 basic The Man with the Golden Gun. From flying-in through non-public jet to dealing with the unique golden gun from the 1974 movie (speak about a killer picture op), this final guys’ journey brims with VIP perks geared in the direction of male bonding of the best order.
Kick off in excessive type as your chosen circle of seven boards a non-public jet from Bangkok to Phuket, then a chauffeured limo to Villa Similan—the most important and most chic of the resort’s 15 ultra-luxurious residences. Commanding prime ocean and jungle views, this lavish eight-bedroom modern villa comes with a live-in butler and an on-call non-public chef and spa therapist, a setup worthy of Dr. No.
Showcasing an elegant indoor-outdoor design, the villa incorporates a photogenic roof terrace, 72-ft. infinity pool, and therapeutic massage room. A glass-clad wine room results in the pièce de résistance: a 007-ready man cave adorned with leather-based sofas, an vintage billiards desk, and the legendary golden gun itself. One of probably the most iconic weapons in 007 historical past, the gun is brandished by the movie’s villain, Francisco “Pistols” Scaramanga.
Christopher Lee’s portrayal of the Cuban murderer stays a excessive level of the Bond canon. His weapon of alternative was a custom-built modular pistol product of a number of seemingly innocuous golden objects. A cigarette case cleverly fashioned the deal with, a gasoline lighter grew to become the bullet chamber, a gold cufflink was used for the set off, and a fountain pen screwed into place to kind a ballistic barrel. Get a more in-depth, hands-on have a look at this fabled movie prop throughout a wine tasting with Anantara’s wine guru, earlier than retiring to the terrace for a feast of culinary delights.
Cruise Phang Nga Bay in consummate Bond type, ingesting within the scenic jungle hideaway the place the Golden Gun spy thriller was filmed whereas having fun with free-flowing Krug champagne.
Anantara Layan Residences
This expertise comes with a glamorous yacht cruise round Phang Nga Bay, the place the spy thriller was filmed, throughout which you’ll get pleasure from free-flowing Krug champagne and a connoisseur barbecue by the onboard non-public chef.
Spot the bay’s most photographed mangrove-cloaked rock, James Bond Island, a key location within the film as Scaramanga’s hideout. Keep a watch out for monkeys, birds and lizards, however resist the temptation to flex your F45 biceps by doing pull-ups on mangrove branches; these are the “lungs” of the ecosystem right here. At close by Tarzan seaside nonetheless, swing your coronary heart out on vines to drop dramatically into the ocean, dispersing shoals of cigar fish.
Back on the villa, brush up in your pugilism expertise with a non-public Muay Thai boxing lesson. Soak up the views over the Andaman Sea as your butler serves up signature dry Martinis earlier than heading to the cinema room for a non-public viewing of classic Bond movies.
When in season, bioluminescence glitters within the heat sea, a relatively exceptional phenomenon to lose your self in a late-night swim. Float in your again and lookup on the stars above; aquatic somersaults spark up your individual underwater constellations. The bundle consists of non-public jet flights from Bangkok to Phuket for as much as seven folks and unique use of Villa Similan for 3 nights with breakfast, and the villa sleeps as much as sixteen.
As a journey impresario who has impressed a era of world trekkers, Bruce Poon Tip, founding father of G Adventures tells us, “Adventure journey is subjective, it’s not all adrenaline-fueled actions; to me it’s experiencing one thing that’s new to you.” His firm makes a speciality of small-group journey journey and neighborhood tourism, a mode of journey that G Adventures pioneered, which is decrease influence by its very definition.
Poon Tip’s insights are extra related now than ever, given how Leonardo Dicaprio’s star-making flip in 2000’s The Beach impacted Thailand tourism like a human tsunami. A era flocked to Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh Island, chasing their very own epiphanies on the well-known jungle-backed seaside the place the movie was set. If you’re allergic to such antics and extra of a wildlife adventurer, then head to the distant Golden Triangle on the northern tip of Thailand, a haven for elephant fanatics.
Jungle Bubbles among the many elephants at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort.
Anantara-Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort
Spend a spine-tingling evening observing majestic elephants of their historical habitat from the consolation of a completely kitted out, clear Jungle Bubble at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort. Perched on picket decks above the forest, two luxurious bubbles supply totally distinctive views of the playful pachyderm herds, in addition to the sweeping starlit sky.
Fully air-conditioned, the bubble’s 237 sq. ft of indoor house encompasses a king bed room and seating space, and an enclosed, en-suite bathe and vainness. Bathrobes and slippers are laid out subsequent to crisp white linen with a alternative of pillows. Your journey features a delectable dinner basket and a completely stocked mini bar.
Meandering down from China in extensive, bloated arcs, the higher Mekong river unravels in a serene, sun-soaked sheen. Fortress ruins to the south, now almost swallowed complete by jungle vines, are the residue of the area’s bloody conflict of kingdoms, contested by Burmese, Thai, Laotian and Khmer armies for hundreds of years. Reclaimed from infamous drug smugglers, the world is now a sanctuary of gilded temples and secluded shrines.
Part of Anantara’s attract is its hidden location; achingly pristine jungle topped by gorgeous pavilions, completely positioned to absorb majestic three-country views overlooking the confluence of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. You’d be forgiven for mistaking the resort for a jungle village—one belonging to a tribe with a keenness for fluffy Belgian waffles, walk-in wine cellars, and bubbly Jacuzzis.
If the Pictionary clue was “tropical paradise”, you possibly can wager we’d be drawing this place on our psychological sketchpad.
