Arriving at Pimalai, we were told that the name means 'a little slice of heaven', and it did not disappoint in living up to this.

With a long weekend in Bangkok and a quick search of a relaxing island to discover, a few nights at Pimalai seemed too good to be true. Included in your accommodation is pick-up and drop-off at Krabi airport, transfer to the hotels private jetty, Pimalai speedboat over to the island and transfer on the other end, which all went smoothly. As they have a private boat, they are able to accommodate different flight times, it would be more limited if relying upon the standard crossings.

Koh Lanta is a collection of islands in the Krabi province of Thailand’s Andaman sea. It has a reputation for being a more grown-up, chilled out island packed with nature reserves and some of the best beaches Thailand has to offer. 

Our huge beachside room was the perfect base for a few days of relaxing, sunning, boat riding and enjoying the stunning views all around. And gave me a great excuse to get up early for morning beach runs.

Pimalai is packed with activities; tennis courts, a running track, pétanque, water sports, yoga. Golf carts are on hand to transport you up and down the hill so you can enjoy as much as possible. 

There are many boat tours to nearby islands, but having lived in Thailand, we instead chose to rent our own longtail boat for a day with the freedom to go where and when we want. We had just one requirement - that they take us to a deserted beach. 

Our boat trip started with a sail across to Koh Mook to discover the Emerald Cave. Donning a life jacket, in we jumped and off we swam with not a clue of what was in store for us. While the cave can get very touristy, as we reached the light up ahead, we had a few minutes alone as we emerged into an enclosed beach that seemed to have been perfectly placed so no one would ever know it was there. With rocks all around, it was difficult to understand how this ever ended up here, a truly breathtaking experience and far more than just a cave.

This incredible experience was washed down in a nearby cove with a some fish spotting while snorkelling, and very friendly fish we found too, all very keen to come and say hello.

Onwards to our beach for the afternoon and as requested, all to ourselves while we were there. White sand beaches, crystal clear blue waters, if this isn’t paradise then I don’t know what is. I really could get used to this.

The sunset views at Pimalai and the happy hour cocktails were a perfect opportunity to reflect on another day in paradise and plan our return.