In Pursuit of Nirvana in Thailand

[Linda Cooper]

When wanderlust strikes, there’s only one cure: a departure from the everyday to discover something extraordinary.

Every few months my gypsy spirit awakens anxious to explore new lands; most palpable typically when I’m on hiatus from filming for my travel show, Travel Time with Linda.

With the world as my oyster, my pursuit of nirvana was most recently sated on our travels through Thailand; a destination so diverse there is no shortage of fabulous experiences.

From Elephant Trekking the jungles of Chiang Mai to exploring the ultimate urban playground of Bangkok, with its centuries-old temples sitting alongside bustling markets and city skyscrapers, to island hopping to the beautiful beaches of Koh Samui and Phuket; the magical “Land of Smiles” had me at “Wai Kha.”

Perhaps the most spine-tingling locale of all was our stay in Phuket–and experiencing it in the most luxe way possible: as a guest at Baan Banyan Villa.

Nestled into the hillside of Kamala Bay, with breathtaking ocean views surrounded by nature with uninterrupted views of the Andaman Sea, this ultra-chic villa that accommodates up to 12 guests complete with Private Chef, Villa Manager and two housekeepers, was our luxurious landing pad for three wonderful days, to enjoy with my husband–all to ourselves.

Built on multi-levels to take advantage of its incredible setting, this privately-owned rental property is where contemporary meets traditional Asian styles, idyllically designed to create aphrodisiac privacy from every angle.

Talk about glitter and glam…experiencing “Villa Life” at Baan Banyan takes first-class to a whole new level.

Having always stayed at five-star resorts, I felt utterly spoiled in my newfound, eye-opening appreciation of the “Luxury Villa” concept.

We ate like royalty, as our Private Chef prepared utterly scrumptious cuisine with portion sizes enough to feed a large family. We dined on delectable exotic fruits for breakfast, fresh caught White Snapper; a delicate white fish common to Thailand expertly de-boned for lunch and humongous prawns and crab for dinner– all complemented with an array of mouthwatering Thai specialty dishes with a presentation unsurpassed to any fine dining establishment.

After our one attempt to leave the property and enjoy the beach at nearby boujee-style Café del Mar Beach Club, we couldn’t manage to tear ourselves away again from our Villa paradise.  The rest of our stay we blissfully lounged in the lap of luxury, enjoying the expansive infinity edge pool, ending each day with a Thai massage poolside serenaded by the gentle breezes and crashing ocean waves that surrounded us. It was intoxicating.

Pure nirvana….

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