Thailand: Soneva Kiri raises the eco bar

A percentage (0.5 per cent) of total revenue is set aside for local environmental projects and Six Senses Social and Environmental Responsibility Fund, which supports local communities in education, training and the development of local suppliers for goods and logistics.

The opening also marked the debut of Six Senses’ prototype zero emissions suite, the Eco-Villa, which showcases a range of environmental technologies incorporated into a bio-climatically designed structure made from locally sourced and non-toxic building materials. Even the natural swimming pool is cleaned by plants.

A Turn Waste into Wealth garbage-handling plan ensures local and solid waste is recycled for landscaping, garden watering and fertilising.

There are 42 pool villas along the beachfront and on the hillside, and  21 private villas of four to six bedrooms for sale to investors in Phase 1.

The resort has the longest bamboo bridge in Asia, an observatory for stargazing, a 100-flavour ice cream parlour and chocolaterie, and a children’s Den shaped like a manta ray.

Leisure options include a Six Senses Spa, an outdoor ‘Cinema Paradiso’, tennis and volleyball courts, state-of-the-art gym, wellness activities, water-sports, mountain biking, gardening, cooking and astronomy classes.

Dining options range from a Treetop dining to intimate moonlit dinners on a private beach complemented by a cellar of over 300 wines.

Soneva Kiri’s restaurant uses ingredients grown locally and from the resort’s own organic gardens.