Six Senses Yao Noi

Fictional Mad Men ad man Don Draper once mused, “I keep going places and ending up where I’ve already been.” Even the most jaded of global jetsetters, however, will not feel this sentiment at the Six Senses Yao Noi. This property is sui generis. Back in 1998, Swiss developers Germing Frey saw something others had overlooked: a former rubber plantation on the untouched island Koh Yao Noi, one of the 42 islands in the scenic Phang Nga Bay, was perfectly situated to build a resort. First operated as a Kempinski property, in 2008 this property became the Six Senses Yao Noi. With no operations in the United States, many Americans are unfamiliar with this flagship IHG brand, although an upcoming outpost is in development in New York’s Hudson Valley. This is a resort situated in the jungle and biophilia abounds. Although it is easily accessible by boat, it is an unspoiled world apart from the mass tourism of Phuket. With this comes welcome residents like majestic Oriental Pied Hornbills (one almost alighted on me as I was splashing about in my villa’s personal pool) and menaces like nasty mosquitos. Although the property does mosquito abatement thrice weekly, I suggest you apply the provided repellant and keep the mosquito coils sparked up, or you may find tell-tale red welts accompanying you on vacation. In particular, if you choose to undertake the complimentary guided kayak tour of the mangrove forest (delightful), make sure you apply repellent to your ankles and sunblock to the tops of your feet (lesson learned) as you won’t be shod. And speaking of the jungle, there are a tremendous number of trees that shed leaves more quickly than a New England hillside in October. Yet you will never hear the unwelcome whine of a leaf blower or snarl of a chainsaw. All of the pathways are immaculately maintained by a team of gardeners who work tirelessly to keep the place pristine. To give a sense of the velocity of leaf shedding, on my departure day, the portion the path shared with an adjacent villa along with its branched path were swept leaf free while the groundskeepers waited to sweep the spur to my villa until closer to the arrival time of the next occupant lest they simply have to start sweeping all over again. The density of foliage is such that when the property describes the view of the “Hideaway Pool Villa” as “Jungle,” you should believe it. You might only be a couple yards from another villa or 50 yards from the ocean but you will not be able to see either of them. It is complete privacy. If a room with a view is important to you (and there are some rooms with boffo views, including the most spectacular of them all appropriately and simply named “The View”), make sure you reserve an appropriate room category. All of the one-to-four bedroom villas are spacious, vibrantly decorated and filled with a confounding collection of switches controlling everything from lighting to fans to air conditioning. On my first night I had to venture outside past th