Phi Phi's Five-Star Resort, Zeavola

Phi Phi’s only five-star resort, Zeavola is a luxurious yet rustic retreat offering hillside pool villas and beachfront, garden and village suites, while fulfilling its management’s vision to create “the best possible hotel product embedded in sustainability”.

- Claire Lim

It’s fitting that you take an hour’s boat ride to reach Zeavola, whether you arrive from Phuket or Krabi. After all, the name Zeavola is derived from Scaevola taccada, the Latin name of the coastal flowering plant known in Thailand as Rak Talay, which translates as ‘love the sea’.

Zeavola hosted 100 guests last December for the second Blue List Expedition, with 14 yachts making their way from Phuket to the award winning eco-resort, whose spectacular location in the north of Phi Phi Don offers a warm and colourful welcome.

As you come closer, blue water laps against the white-sand Laem Tong Beach, which is dotted with yellow umbrellas and backed by lush, green rainforest, with teak villas camouflaged in the tropical setting. Little is left to waste in Zeavola, which rhymes with Scaevola, so the rest of the plant’s Latin name has been used to name the Tacada beachfront restaurant and bar, which specialises in Mediterranean and international cuisine. Guests also dine at Baxil, a Thai restaurant set back from the beachfront that’s open for breakfast and dinner.

The all-suite resort features 52 villas including the 40sqm village suites, 60sqm garden suites and three 60sqm beachfront suites with sea views. Topping it all off are the sensational 120sqm, split-level pool villa suites on the hillside, offering lofty views over the rainforest and the bay.

Also set on the hillside, the Zeavola Spa is among the main attractions in a resort designed as a getaway to relax, recharge and reinvigorate. The spa offers Thai, Chinese, European and Polynesian therapies, while the experience extends to a steam room, sauna, spa, gym and beauty salon.