Dr. Iain Corness
Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the
17th century English poet John Milton, and was
originally published in 1667. It concerns the Christian story of the
Fall of Man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan
and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.
Mankind might have lost John Milton’s Paradise, but I
think I have found it again after visiting Paradee Resort at the
southernmost tip of Koh Samet.
Paradee is a high-end tropical beach resort, set in a
national park, and consists of 40 villas, 30 of which have their own
private pool with jacuzzi. All are built in a Mediterranean
architectural style, and each is in a secluded setting amongst lush
tropical greenery. Adam and Eve would have been tempted again! We
certainly were.
The resort is probably the jewel in the crown (or
apple on the tree?) for the Samed Resorts group (www.samedresorts.com)
which operates Le Vimarn, Ao Prao, Samed Hut and Sai Kaew, as well as
the Paradee Resort and Spa. Having visited Sai Kaew last year, and
enjoyed it very much, I must add, we decided to continue to explore Koh
Samet and with Paradee offering a unique double sided beach location,
being right on the point, which is also a national park, the decision
was made. Last year the resort was chosen with the children in mind.
This year it was the adults turn!
The trip to Ban Phe, the jumping off point for the
island, was only one hour 15 minutes from Jomtien, taking Highway 36 and
then joining Highway 3. Don’t take the first turning signposted as Ban
Phe, but go straight on for one kilometer after the Ban Phe traffic
light and turn right at the Ao Phe sign and this leads directly to the
Samed Resorts pier.
Unload your transport and park in the secure car
park. From that point onwards you are on holidays, and everything is
looked after. There is even coffee available while you wait to be called
to the tram which takes you to the ferry. In the air-conditioned waiting
area there were magazines to browse, and even one on motorcycles which
my four and a half year old son Evan “stole” (with management
permission)! The ferries to Paradise leave at 11 a.m., 1.30 p.m. and 4
p.m. and they do run on time.
Going to Paradee there is a choice of private
speedboat as well, but with the children we opted for the slower moving,
more gently riding, ferry.
The resort people are certainly efficient, and again
we were met at the Koh Samet ferry terminal, our cases loaded and we
were off on our Paradee holiday. The roads are ‘quaint’ at best and
‘horrendous’ at worst, and we could see why the speedboat was
recommended, but after around 30 minutes we drove in through the gates
of Paradise, and were settled into our Garden Pool Villa.
The settling in process even included our being asked
to select which individual aromatic hand-made soap we would like. Evan
thought it was chocolate and was a trifle disappointed, but it was not
long before we were all in swimsuits and luxuriating in our own private
pool, and its jacuzzi.
However, the resort offers free ice-cream around the
main free-form pool from 3 p.m. and the children were making ice-cream
noises. Three minutes later we were all under umbrellas on large
loungers around the pool, and the ice-cream included adults as well.
That may be one of the reasons I put on two kilograms in two days.
The other reason for the weight gain lies firmly at
the feet of the resort’s executive chef who provides wonderful dishes of
five star restaurant standard, in the resort’s restaurant simply called
“The Restaurant”. Breakfast was included in the room rate, and is
superb, with both a la carte items and buffet. We began the day by
overeating. By the way, there is a snack/children’s menu as well and the
salami pizza was given the thumbs up by both children.
The rooms do have free internet access, and I had
brought along a lap-top, fully intending to do some work while the
family played. I did not even open the computer bag, the temptation of a
private jacuzzi, pristine beaches with white sands, free ice-cream, a
spa and gourmet living was just too much. Adam reputedly put up a bit of
a fight with Eve. I just capitulated without a struggle.
Paradee is an up-market resort with up-market
facilities, so the tariff reflects this, but if you go to the website
you will be able to find special offers and the like, just as you can
with most five star hotels - the rack rate is just a number, you will
get it for less.
It is promoted as a ‘couples’ resort, and undoubtedly
it is the place for one’s honeymoon (first, second or third?) and the
over the top Paradee suite is the Thai hideaway for some notable crowned
heads of Europe. However, we were not the only family with children, and
with the choices of beaches and pools, pizzas (and free ice-cream) our
daughter and son had no complaints. Neither did we, other than the
regret on leaving.
Browse the website www.samedresorts.com and you will see what I mean
about temptation.
Sirima Eamtako,
TTG Asia
UK tour operators have imposed a stop sale on Thailand as
a result of the UK Foreign Office’s current advice against all but essential
travel to the whole of Thailand.
TUI UK is not accepting any new bookings to Thailand for
travel up to May 31, until further notice. Meanwhile, Kuoni UK’s current
stop sale on Thailand is to be reviewed daily and extended as long as the UK
Foreign Office continues with its advice.
TUI UK Specialist regional product and contracts manager
Andrea Loddo said, “It is the duty of TUI UK Specialist (Hayes & Jarvis,
Thomson Tarlormade, Travelmood and Austravel) to follow the Foreign Office
advice and immediately prevent all passengers from travelling or transiting
through Thailand until the ban has been lifted.”
Loddo has pleaded with Thai travel partners that no
charges be applied for cancellations and no-shows until it is considered
safe again to travel. Kuoni UK director production Asia and Caribbean Wendy
Kenneally have also pleaded likewise.
Meanwhile, as a result of the German government’s advice
to avoid Bangkok and the north, Meier’s Weltreisen has cancelled all
bookings for Bangkok and the north until May 15 while TUI Germany does so
until May 10.
Both Go Vacation Thailand, which handles Meier’s
Weltreisen account, and Turismo Asia, which handles TUI Germany, said there
were still new arrivals into Thai beach resorts this month.
