Location
The Locale
Villa Saanti is right next to Natai Beach – quiet, clean and utterly serene. Although Natai is just half an hour’s drive from Phuket International Airport, its seven kilometres of soft golden sand are usually deserted.
The villa faces west, towards the Andaman Sea, and every evening, as the sun wheels toward the horizon, the sky puts on a unique and spectacular show of reds, pinks, oranges, greens, lilacs and purples, doubled by the reflections in the sea. When you’re staying at Villa Saanti, you are guaranteed ringside seats.But you are not completely alone. After sunset cocktails and dinner, it’s an easy (less than 1km) stroll along the sand to Baba Beach Club, known for its great music. Or treat yourself to a rejuvenating therapy at The Aleenta Spa, just a little further along the beach.
You’re also close to the wonders of Phang Nga Bay, the hot springs of Phang Nga, untouched jungle and, for golfers, Blue Canyon Country Club and Mission Hills on Phuket. Slightly further afield, but still an easy day (or night) out, is the glitz of Patong (1 hour 20 minutes’ drive), and the shops of historic Phuket Old Town (about an hour away).
Distances
- Baba Beach Club
- 0.85 km
- Aleenta Resort & Spa
- 1.50 km
- Dinosea World
- 8 km
- Sarasin Bridge
- 8 km
- Aquella Golf & Country Club
- 24 km
- Phuket International Airport
- 25 km
- Phang Nga Bay Park
- 40 km
- Khao Lak National Park
- 46 km
- Phuket Old Town
- 52 km
- Patong nightlife
- 54 km
Things to Do
This Natai Beach villa may be a tranquil getaway but that doesn’t mean there’s any lack of things to do. The province of Phang Nga is renowned for its outdoor activities, its deep green forests and the jaw-dropping spectacle of limestone islands rising vertically from the waters of Phang Nga Bay.
Villa Saanti’s manager will have a wealth of information about nearby places of interest and will help arrange transport and make any bookings required. Also, do ask the staff about the local area. Many of them live nearby and will be able to give an interesting insight into some of the fascinating aspects of life in Phang Nga.Here’s a sampling of things to do in the area:
- River rafting (better between May and October when there’s more water) is sure to get the adrenaline pumping – an exciting way to spend a few hours getting really wet.
- A Phang Nga Bay tour is a must. Visit hongs (rooms) inside the islands, some with their own internal beaches, and canoe through tangled mazes of mangrove forests.
- Baba Beach Club. Sophisticated and laid back, with top-class deejays, Baba is just a ten-minute walk along the beach from Villa Saanti. Perfect for a chill-out day or an evening with friends.
- For the more energetic, the seven kilometres of Natai Beach, as deserted as Robinson Crusoe’s domain, beg to be walked. Or for water lovers, follow the shoreline in the villa’s two kayaks.
- Take a stroll around Phuket Old Town for its local food, chic cafés, arts and craft studios, street markets and wall murals, and soak up the colourful atmosphere of the restored Sino-Portuguese buildings and Chinese shrines.
- Explore the underground Phung Chang caves near Phang Nga town, riding through the darkness in a canoe, with only a miner’s lamp on your head to see where you are going.
- Just 15 minutes’ drive to the east, at the edge of Phang Nga Bay, is Dinosea World Park. The kids will love the slides, pools and waterfalls. And as the name suggests, there are enormous dinosaurs everywhere. Perfect for unusually impressive selfies.
- Golf fans can visit Aquella Golf & Country Club, nominated as Thailand's best golf course 2023. Located only 15km from Natai Beach, the 18-hole championship course boasts family friendly amenities spread across 1.8 million square meters of the Kingdom’s most breathtaking landscape with an uninterrupted private beachfront stretching over two and a half kilometres.
- Still got energy to burn? Get your villa manager to organise a mountain bike tour. The tour companies reckon these tours are better off-road, so prepare to get muddy.
- Learn all about the tropical environment with a jungle trek through old-growth natural forest. You can also learn what’s edible and what’s not so that you can survive if you ever get lost in the jungle – a useful skill to take home with you!
