Can’t decide between thrilling rainforest and laid-back beach? At this tropical classic in Langkawi (off the west coast of Malaysia), you don’t have to. Here, 121 rooms, villas and suites sit in the jungle – where dusky leaf monkeys swing through sea hibiscus trees – and along the pretty golden powder crescent of Datai Bay.
Fresh from a refurb, rooms are glossier than ever, with calming natural woods and whites (although you’ll still hear the ‘boink’ of coconuts falling from the trees), vast beds and wallow-worthy bathtubs. Villas with private lap pools are the most special, but there’s also a highly Instagrammable forest-side pool and the bath-warm Andaman Sea to dip, kayak and paddleboard in.
The Datai, Langkawi MALAYSIA Photo Gallery
Spend your down-time indulging in manis and pedis by foot guru Bastien Gonzalez (Gwynnie is a fan), heading out for sunset cocktails at sea on glam wooden schooner the Naga Pelangi, or chilling at The Beach Club, where staff will deliver ice-cream cones straight to your sunlounger.
That’s not to mention the delectable dining, from Malay classics at The Gulai House to the top-notch pad Thai at the stilted Pavilion restaurant. THE LUXE TOUCH In-house naturalist Irshad leads daily walks, pointing out cute pocket-sized mouse deer and the island’s own resident lovebirds – a pair of white-bellied sea eagles who’ve lived here for 18 years.
GO Turquoise (turquoiseholidays.co.uk) offers seven nights in a Canopy Premium Room from £1,775 per person, B&B, including flights and private transfers. Malaysia Airlines (malaysia airlines.com) offers return flights from London Heathrow to Langkawi, Malaysia, from £699.
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