Soho Beach House Miami – Art Deco meets Vintage Style

Welcome to Miami – to the private club hotel for artists, party people, creatives & celebs

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The Soho Beach House is a private club hotel for Soho House members. Nevertheless, one can also as a normal hotel guest, be part of this exclusive club for the duration of your stay, as a Soho House Seven member.

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However, there are a few club rules that you need to consider: no photos and no cell phones are allowed in the public areas, as the privacy of the club members and celebrities is to be respected.  Casual cool style is welcomed and true to the hotel’s “flip-flop glamour” motto, suits are not welcome.

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The first Soho House was opened in Soho, London in 1995 as a private club for elite members of the entertainment and creative industries. To date, other houses have also been opened in Berlin, Chicago, Toronto, West Hollywood, New York and Miami. Each house is unique and reflects its own history and personality.

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From the outside, Soho Beach House looks just like a normal high-rise hotel building. Still, this 15-storey, white, art deco building with its slim silhouette and 50 rooms with protruding balconies, is different indeed. In contrast to the art deco exterior, the vintage interior is incredibly cozy.

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Cuban vintage glamour meets contemporary chic

The luxurious Soho Beach House originated in 2010 from the former Sovereign Hotel that was built in 1941. It is situated 20 blocks from South Beach on Collins Avenue, in a quiet corner of Mid-Beach and combines typical Soho House vintage style with elements of art deco and the 1940’s Cuban look.

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A proper home from home

The Soho Beach House relaxed, bohemian atmosphere has now been attracting A-list celebrities, discerning locals and sophisticated tourists to relax, stay, eat and network, since 2010. There are two restaurants, the Italian restaurant, Cecconi’s and the rooftop restaurant, Ocho, a tiki bar, two pools, a small infinity pool on the first floor and a rooftop pool on the 8th floor, a small in-house cinema, a library, the famous Cowshed Spa on 2 floors with its hair salon with old barber chairs from New York and a private beach with umbrellas in the 1940’s style, retro beach chairs and its own red retro cool box.

The unique design with its Cuban and South American influences comes from London-based designer Martin Brudnizki. From the art deco lobby, the Cuban inspired Club Bar, to the hotel rooms with patterned tiled floors, turquoise walls, jute rugs, vintage furniture, chandeliers, repurposed lamps, exposed  ceiling beams and leather club chairs from France, he managed to create a retro-modern feel, which is very cozy and unique.

 

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In addition, you will find vintage pieces from antique dealers on the West Coast in the suites, wood from Wyoming and countless, comfortable couches and armchairs spread out all over the hotel. In the suites, there are even couches on the huge balconies.

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In every corner and on every floor you will find something cool. Everything has been well designed into every last corner.

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Bayside Bedrooms

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There are Side, Bayside and Beachside bedrooms to choose from. The Beachside bedrooms on the upper floors have balconies and free-standing bathtubs and they are of course, the coolest rooms. The Bayside bedrooms also have a lot of charm. The decor is simply very tasteful and extraordinary. The bed is big enough for 3 people and is comfortably soft. And of course, having your own bar, is always a hit.

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Having a drink while getting ready

You can also order the private bartender service for your room, the bartender will mix you a drink, while you get ready for the evening’s party.

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A huge selection of high quality Cowshed body- and skincare products are available

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Cecconi´s

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This modern day classic Italian restaurant “Cecconi´s” that originated in Venice, serves a delicious breakfast and also lunch and dinner at reasonable prices. As it is very popular and open to the public, it is best to book a table in advance.

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Pool and Tiki Bar

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Rooftop with Taqueria and Pool

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Beach

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Screening Room

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The in-house cinema can also be booked privately.

Eat Drink Nap

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“Eat Drink Nap” is a cool book that shows you how to take a slice of Soho style home with you. Packed with design tips, recipes and more, the experts share their secrets for contemporary living the Soho House way. Highly recommended!

Lush palm trees, brilliant light and turquoise sea

Miami, the city of eternal summer, art-deco, excessive nightlife, shopping malls and endless beaches. The perfect combination to relax, shop and party.

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The white, modern designer hotels in Miami did not appeal to us as much as the charming, characterful gems and the Soho Beach House is definitely one of them. It oozes charm, has unique character and captivates with vintage design at its best. Those with the necessary means should definitely choose one of the Beachside bedrooms with soaking tub and stunning ocean views.

Best would be, not to go home at all! The service is excellent! One could definitely also host the most wonderful wedding here. We found Soho Beach House simply impressive and we are still in love with it.

Rooms: 50
Check-in /Check-out Time:  15H00 / 12H00
Air Temperature: 24 – 32 degrees Celsius during the day, at night 15-24 degrees Celsius
Water Temperature: 21 – 30 degrees Celsius.
When to go: All year round, hurricane season from June to November
Price: Starting at 300 EUR per person per night
Transportation: Just 20 minutes by car from Miami International Airport, Valet parking at the hotel is available @ $ 39 per day
Special features: Stunning vintage design, perfect service, privacy, beautiful private beach with its own cool box, brilliant suites with unbelievable ocean views, first class Italian restaurant Cecconi’s
Perfect for: Artists, people seeking peace and quiet, discerning travelers, couples, honeymooners, party lovers

Soho Beach House Miami
4385 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33140
T: +1 (786) 507 7900
reservations@sohobeachhouse.com
www.sohobeachhouse.com

Top 100 Honeymoon Destinations in the World ( BridesMagazine.co.uk)
THE HOT LIST 2011 (Condé Nast Traveller)

 

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Rayavadee – a jungle dream amidst rocks and 3 beautiful beaches in Krabi (+ video)

The 5-star paradise resort with 3 beaches for people in love, beach lovers and rock climbers

The Rayavadee on the Railey peninsula in the Krabi province, Thailand, has been on our wish list for a long time. The pictures on the website are absolutely stunning. We always wanted to stay at the Rayavadee and this year, it finally was time. It was fantastic. We still longingly think back to the wonderful time we had. We will cherish this hotel forever.

Krabi is one of the most beautiful areas in southern Thailand and the Rayavadee is certainly the nicest hotel there. There are lush tropical vegetation and colorful flowers everywhere with impressive limestone cliffs and many beautiful beaches and small islands to explore. The Rayavadee is located approximately 180 km from Phuket and 25 km from Krabi Airport. It is set in a 0.5-hectare nature reserve, the Krabi Marine National Park and is surrounded by lush jungle gardens and the turquoise Andaman Sea.

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This luxury beach and spa resort is part of the “Leading Hotels of the World” and can only be reached by water. You will be picked up by the hotel’s shuttle service, a high-speed yacht with the finest leather, at the Krabi Pier and brought to Nammao Beach in Railey West. If it is low tide, you will be driven to the shore from the boat by tractor. So cool!

You are welcomed at the resort with a delicious ice cocktail in the lobby. It is immediately pointed out, that you are living with wild animals and you should please refrain from feeding them. If you’re lucky, one or the other monkey might just cross your path or otherwise you can observe them in the trees.

The absolute highlight is that the resort is surrounded by 3 beaches. “Phra Nang Beach” in the south is known as the most beautiful beach in Krabi. TripAdvisor again listed it among the top 10 beaches in Asia in 2013. Railey Beach is wonderful for swimming, the scenery is breathtaking and therefore, it is also very popular with tourists. Last but not least, there is Nammao Beach in Railey West. Although it is not suitable for swimming, it is the climbing mecca for rock climbers from around the world. So depending on when it is high or low tide, you are spoilt for choice.

Luxury pavillons

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You can stay in one of 98 luxury pavilions spread out in the vast tropical gardens between coconut trees and fish ponds. They are round, built from natural wood with thatched roofs and fit perfectly into the natural surroundings. You can tell that much emphasis has been placed on sustainability and that no overexploitation took place.

All pavilions have 2 floors with a living room on the lower floor and a bedroom with a large bathroom on the upper floor.

The Spa Pavilions have a private garden and an outdoor jacuzzzi and the Hydro Pool Pavilion a private garden and a hydro pool. There are also 4 huge beach villas and the Family Pavilions which all have an additional bedroom.

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We stayed in a chic 70 square metre Deluxe Pavilion with an outdoor terrace. It is so spacious that 3 people could easily stay here. You immediately feel right at home in the pavilion with its stylish tropical and also very artistic decor with lots of bamboo, polished wood, richly coloured fabrics and handcrafted details. The bathroom with freestanding tub is well designed and offers a selection of care products, including mosquito repellent.

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In the morning you can watch the squirrels from your bed.

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Tip: The 24-hour room service is highly recommended. In the evening, it is so romantic to have dinner in front of your pavilion in the middle of the jungle. The food is great and affordable.

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Pool

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The gigantic pool is set in the most wonderful location between the century-old rock formations and the beach.  From the beach you can jump into the pool and from the pool into the ocean. Simply awesome! The view is incredibly beautiful. It feels as if you are in the movie Avatar. To us, it was the most beautiful pool ever!

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The resort hosts intimate get-togethers with cocktails, canapés and live music, so that the hotel guests can get to know each other and can ask the staff questions.

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The “Raitalay Terrace”, one of 4 restaurants, is located directly on the beach, has fantastic romantic views and specializes in Mediterranean and international cuisine. Conveniently, they will also serve you snacks at the pool.

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Breakfast

Breakfast is served in “Raya Dining” at the foot of the huge cliffs on Nammao Beach. In the morning, you will also find monkeys here playing on the roofs.

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Strand

Railey Beach

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Although Railey Beach is open to the public and during the day many tourists are brought here with long tail boats, it is not as crowded as one might fear. It is more crowded during high season on Usedom.   This did not bother us at all, as you are almost alone in the evening again.

 

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There is a small shopping street, further down the beach

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Phra Nang Beach

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The infamous restaurant “The Grotto” is located on Phra Nang beach. It is one of the most famous restaurants in Thailand and situated in a grotto-like cave. The resort’s Thai restaurant “Krua Phranang” is also situated here. Both restaurants are located directly on the beach and have wonderful views of the ocean, the cliffs and the islands. Here you can enjoy the sunset.

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Princess Cave

The “Cave of the Sea Princess” is a pilgrimage site for fishermen and perfect for rock climbers.

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Monkeys

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In the morning, you see these cute monkeys as you walk along the pathway leading from Nammao Beach to Phra Nang Beach. They live in the rocks and opportunistically, hope to grab something to eat from the tourists. Thus, they sit in the lianas, almost right in your face.

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Spa

Unfortunately, we did not visit the spa, but it should be great. In a serene atmosphere, you can choose from aromatherapy, body treatments, facials, hot stone treatments, massages, reflexology, peelings, wraps and of course, Thai massages.

Honeymoon

This resort is the perfect destination for honeymooners with its stunning natural beauty. The tropical serenity, the beautiful surroundings, attentive service and the extensive gardens with plenty of privacy are just awesome and incredibly relaxing. For your honeymoon you should also indulge in booking one of the Spa Pavilions with a private garden and an outdoor jacuzzi or a Hydro Pool Pavilion with a private garden and a hydro pool. This way, your complete privacy is guaranteed.

Wedding

The Rayavadee Resort also hosts beautiful weddings. Unfortunately, for us, the beaches are simply too crowded for a wedding ceremony. In our opinion, the Pimalai Resort & Spa on Koh Lanta is definitely a better choice when it comes to that.

Tips

In the evening
In the evenings, it is very quiet here.  So, it is definitely not the place to be, if you are looking for a party. Except for having dinner and walking on the beach, there is not much to do here. Rayavadee is more a resort where you can completely relax and get away from it all.

Massages
 At Phra Nang Beach, you can enjoy a massage for only 5 EUR amongst the trees at the end of the beach. We can recommend the Sand & Sea Spa at Railey Beach. Very good Thai massage, beautiful open-air location and good prices.

Rock climbing
On the walkway on Nammao Beach you can climb to the viewpoint secured by ropes. The ascent takes about half an hour.

Air temperature: 25 – 35 degrees Celsius during the day, at night 20-25 degrees Celsius
Water temperature: 28 degrees Celsius
Best time to go: Early December to mid April
Price: From 303 EUR per night
Special Honeymoon Offer: Welcome cocktail, fresh fruit in your pavilion on a daily basis, a bottle of champagne and flowers on arrival, daily afternoon tea in the Raya Lounge, a 75-minute couple’s massage at the Rayavadee Spa, all included, when staying a minimum of 4 nights.
Transportation: 25 minutes from Krabi Airport, 2 ½ hours from Phuket Airport
Special features: 3 beaches, gigantic pool area with an impressive cliff background, right on the beach, fine dining, great spa
Perfect for: couples, families, honeymooners, a diving holiday, beach lovers, rock climbers

Rayavadee
214 Moo 2, Tambon Ao-Nang, Amphur Muang
Krabi 81000, Thailand
Tel : (66-75) 620 740 – 3
Fax : (66-75) 620 630
E-mail: reservation@rayavadee.com
www.rayavadee.com

Factsheet(English)

Member of “The Leading Hotels of the World”

UK Tatler Travel Guide’s ‘101 Best Hotels in The World’ 2014 & 2013

Winner of Trip Advisor 2013 ‘Certificate of Excellence’

Winner of Trip Advisor 2012 Traveler’s Choice Awards ‘Top 25 Luxury Thai Hotels’

Nominated for Travel & Leisure’s ‘World’s Best Hotels’ Reader’s Choice Awards, 2012

Conde Nast Traveler’s Annual ‘Gold List – World’s Best Places to Stay in the World’ 2010

Excellence Award for ‘Best Hotel Project in Southeast Asia’ – ASEAN Association

Recipient of ‘The Royal Gold Medal for Environmentally – Conscious Architecture’ – Association of Siamese Architects

On our trip to Thailand we also visited the Anantara Riverside Resort & Spa in Bangkok and the Pimalai Resort & Spa in Koh Lanta. We are happy to recommend each of the three hotels we visited as each hotel is unique in its own way.

MerkenMerken

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Pimalai Resort & Spa, Thailand – the luxurious Boutique Hotel on the island Koh Lanta

The perfect hotel for couples, a romantic beach wedding or heavenly honeymoons

Koh Lanta – one of the hidden treasures of Thailand and one of the most beautiful honeymoon spots of the country. We visited in February the breath-taking tropical island off the coast of Krabi in the Andaman Sea.

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After a flight of one hour and a half from Bangkok, another 50 minutes by taxi and another 45 minutes by speedboat southbound you arrive at the remote Ba Kan Tiang Bay. It is seen from afar the beautiful villas that are embedded in the rain forest and spread over the rolling hills. Welcome to Paradise!

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The five star Hotel Pimalai Resort & Spa was built in 2001 and it belongs to the „Small Luxury Hotels of the World”. It is the most luxurious resort of the island and it is located at a nearly 900m long brightly white sandy beach with turquoise waters. The old Sanskrit words Pimon and Alai, that make up the hotel’s name mean: place of purity, on a little place in heaven. Here you can enjoy the life under coco palms and in lush tropical vegetation on a nearly untouched island. 

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Rooms

The resort has 121 rooms, suites and villas and is separated into two parts by a rarely trafficked street. The Deluxe rooms, the suites and the beach villas are located on the lower part. The upper part (comfortably accessible by buggy) is reserved for the pool villas.

We stayed in a spacious 48sq Deluxe room with balcony. The rooms are furnished in Thai style with a lot of teak and bamboo and they are spread into two-storied units. From the balcony we had a good ocean view including the sunset.

The 70sq Bayfront Deluxe Rooms near the beach offer a great view from the balcony and the bathroom over the bay. The Pavilion Suites (110sq) with their living room and bedroom have a terrace and a private garden with open air shower.

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Perfect for the honeymoon: The spacious One-Bedroom-Pool-Villas (204 sq) with gorgeous sea view which are located further up the hills.  They have a separate living room, kitchen unit, outdoor Thai Sala and a terrace. The highlight is the 22sq swimming pool. By their sloping site (60m over sea level) they offer a spectacular view over the Andaman Sea.

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Pools

Next to the nearly unspoiled beach the hotel has two spectacular infinity pool and a whirl pool. We loved the infinity pool high up near the Seven Seas Restaurant! You can have yourself brought there by buggy and then you can stay the whole day and relax. The view is just breath-taking. With a cocktail in your hand you can admire the sunset in a very romantic way.

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Restaurants

You can have yourself culinarily got spoiled in five restaurants and four bars. Each restaurant has its own style and an incomparable ambience. The main restaurant „Baan Pimalai“ serves Thai and international specialties. In the „Spice´n Rice“ restaurant you can have breakfast and in the evening you can get everything from Pad Thai to Fried Rice in a relaxed and romantic atmosphere. Far up over the bay in „The Seven Seas Restaurant & Wine Lounge“ with spectacular view you can have international cuisine and noble wines. In the „Rak Talay Beach Bar“, the beach restaurant you can sit snuggly with your feet in the sand. The food is delicious!

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Wedding

Nearly every day you can see a wedding at the beach. Everything is being lovingly and individually prepared for the couple according their wishes. From fresh and casual to exclusive and elegant with an own banquet table on the beach. Of course there are some hotel guests and tourists at the beach, but the area is being spaciously enclosed so that you have your own private atmosphere. The marriage ceremony at the beach (Buddhist or Christian) takes place in the evening at sunset. If we had not married on the Seychelles, this hotel would have probably been our alternative choice for Thailand. The isle and the hotel are just perfect for marriages. A nearly deserted beach, wonderful nature and a lot of privacy. And in the Seven Seas Restaurant high up the hills with great bay view you can spend a wonderful evening with your guests.

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Spa

You can spend relaxing moments in the rewarded Pimalai Spa, which is located in the middle of an exotic garden in the jungle. In the pretty thatched roofed pavilions made of teak, bamboo and boulder you can have aroma therapies and other relaxing wellness applications. We had the Pimalai Signature Massage, which is a picture-perfect dream, rally wonderfully relaxing! Besides there is a fitness center, tennis courts, beach volley, wind surfing, sail boats, canoe, bike rentals and a PADI dive school (from November to April).

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Tipps

Shopping and Thai-Food
In the main village Saladan, in the north of the island, there are Thai restaurants and numerous shops that invite you to stay.

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At the beach you can walk to some relaxing restaurants and bars. The “Why Not Bar” directly at the beach offers delicious cocktails, fire shows and live music. The employees are good humored, cool guys. This is already worth the fun!  And who can sing, can rock the bar together with the band.

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And when you go the other direction you can have a cosy evening in the “Same same but different”.

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Nature
In the Ease of the island there are vast mangrove forests which can be visited by kayak, by longtail boat or in a tour. Take some bananas and feed the monkeys. They come and get them in your boat. But you’d better stay away from the restaurant “Thung Yen Pheng Sea Food”. It is great with its fresh fish but we have had an upset stomach. But by this we could experience the exquisite medical service at the hotel. The nurse (24h service) has taken good care of us and did a perfect job. We received medicine and the next day we felt a lot better.

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Snorkeling and diving
The offshore islands offer perfect snorkeling and diving areals. Some day trips are being offered, so that you can discover the islands around Koh Lanta.

Transfer
If you stay for at least three night the transfer from the airport is included.

Recommendation
It is better you stay 5-7 nights so that you can better discover the island. Once you setteled down, you do not want to leave any more!

Koh Lanta Pocket Guide

Air temperature: 25 – 35 degrees, at night 20 – 25 degrees
Water temperature: 28 degrees
Best travel period: Beginning of December to mid of April
Price: from 149 EUR/night
Honeymoon offer: Flower decoration on the bed, wedding cake and a bottle of wine (at least 3 nights)
Transfer: from the airport (70 km distance) to Baan Huahin Pier 50 min, from the pier to the resort ca. 45 min with the speed boat, from May to October overland transport with two ferry trips.
Total ranking: *****
Specialties: Enjoying the sunset over the bay in your own pool or in the Seven Seas Infinity pool | unique location | great beach at low and high tide | the most beautiful hotel of the island Insel | luxury, elegance and friendly service
Perfect for: Couples, wedding, honeymoon, diving and beach holidays

Pimalai Resort & Spa
99 Moo 5, Ba Kan Tiang Beach
Koh Lanta, Krabi 81150, Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 75 607 999
Fax: +66 (0) 75 607 998
Email: reservation@pimalai.com
www.pimalai.com

50 best wedding destination by Independent (UK)
Small Luxury Hotels of the World
Best scenic view (Pool Villa) Luxury Hotel Awards 2010

It’s the location that makes this resort special…  Conde Nast Traveller (UK)

  

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Our tip for Mauritius: Swimming with Dolphins in the Ocean & Mauritian BBQ (+ Video)

Snorkeling, Speedboat Tour & Dolphin Watching with Adrien’s dream

Who has not dreamed of swimming with dolphins? I have most definitely!  However, I am not a fan of these parks where dolphins are being held in captivity.  Even better that with Adrien’s dream in Flic en Flac, one can observe the dolphins in their natural habitat and can even swim with them.

As we stayed in the north in the beautiful Hotel Angsana Balaclava, our day started early in the morning at 6 when a driver from Solis, our travel agency in Mauritius, picked us up. On the way to Flic en Flac we were able to enjoy the delicious brunch that the hotel packed for us. Thanks again to Kiran!

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To get up at 5.30 when you are on holiday is inhumane, but the beautiful sunrise totally made up for it. The earlier you get started, the better your chance of seeing dolphins.  The trip to Flic en Flac takes about forty five minutes. As you have to drive through Port Louis, where there always is a lot of traffic, it may take a little longer.

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Tour: The Dolphin Expedition (2 hours)

The tour to the dolphins started at 7. The meeting place is the Fish Landing Station of Flic en Flac, the beach between Klondike and Villa Caroline Hotel. From there we went out into the ocean with our cheerful guides.

They send a few scouts boats out beforehand, that then tell the guides exactly where the dolphins are. In the mornings you will find the dolphins mostly in Point Moyenne, Tamarin Bay or Black River Bay.  From there they swim out to sea. So off we went in search of the dolphins.

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All of a sudden, there they were: a group of about 70 smaller dolphins. What an amazing experience to be so close to these wonderful mammals.

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And then we had to get into the water…

 Who dares? 

We had to jump off the boat into the water and swim with the dolphins. Easier said than done! To get into the water is still ok.  But where are the dolphins? Luckily, Stefano, a really great guide, was with us. He swam towards us, took me on the one and another man on the other hand and simply pulled us with him.  Suddenly we were at least three times as fast. Stefano swam like a dolphin. And then we were right in the middle of the dolphins. They swam under and around us.  What a great and exciting feeling!

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Then we went back to the boat. The boat overtook the dolphins and we jumped back into the water in front of them.

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Guide Stefano took this picture with my camera on a dive with the dolphins.  Merci!

At the end of the tour we were served a light breakfast as refreshment on the boat.

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After the 2 hour dolphin tour we changed boats. Next, we went by speedboat to Le Mourne and Crystal Rock.

Tour: The Crystal Dream (6-hours with BBQ Lunch) 

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Crystal Rock or “The Eiffel Tower of Mauritius” according to our guide

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Here we took a break and did some wonderful snorkeling in the crystal clear waters. Once again, Stefano was worth his weight in gold and showed us all the best spots.

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Benitier Island

At the end of the journey, we arrived at Benitier Island, a small, lonely, wild, romantic island off the west coast of Mauritius, where the guides prepared a mouthwatering meal.

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moniquedecaro_mauritius

BBQ: Marinated chicken skewers, shrimp skewers, marinated sea bream fillet with garlic & herbs, sautéed rice, pawpaw salad, carrot & cabbage salad, garlic bread and for dessert: grilled banana with coconut flakes.

Yummy!

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Stefano our cool guide

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moniquedecaro_mauritius

We had a great, eventful day and were driven back to the hotel exhausted, but happy.

The experienced and humorous guides from Adrien’s Dream were amazing!  It was great fun. We can highly recommend the tours with these guys. Although you have to get up early, it is worth it!

The good news: Adrien’s Dream strictly adheres to the regulations of the Dolphin Watching Guideline from MMCS & MTA.

www.adriensdream.com

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