We Stayed at 10 Resorts in Southeast Asia… Here’s What We’d Skip

Lloyd & Mandy

If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your luggage, click the link and use code LM10 at checkout for 10% off — https://www.jdoqocy.com/click-101578418-15212831?url=https%3A%2F%2Fuk.level8cases.com%2F%3Fshpxid%3D20db721d-6bc2-45e3-bf3d-d83bf8049746  Over the years, we’ve traveled all over Southeast Asia and stayed at some incredible resorts. From floating resorts in Thailand to luxury glamping in Bali, we’re sharing the 10 best resorts we’ve personally stayed at—what makes them special, and who they’re best for.  In this video, you’ll see resorts in:  The Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Bali.  RESORTS FEATURED  Plantation Bay, Cebu Phillipines – https://www.agoda.com/partners/partnersearch.aspx?pcs=1&amp;cid=1904705&amp;hl=en-us&amp;hid=34519454[Floating Resort, Thailand] – secluded, immersive nature stay  500Rai Floating Resort, Thailand - https://www.agoda.com/partners/partnersearch.aspx?pcs=1&amp;cid=1904705&amp;hl=en-us&amp;hid=445132  Samanvaya Resort, Bali - https://www.agoda.com/partners/partnersearch.aspx?pcs=1&amp;cid=1904705&amp;hl=en-us&amp;hid=695817  Hotel De La Coupole, Sapa,  Vietnam – https://www.agoda.com/partners/partnersearch.aspx?pcs=1&amp;cid=1904705&amp;hl=en-us&amp;hid=5649846  Baba Beach Cl

Transcript

00:00Over the past few years of living and traveling around Southeast Asia, we've

00:04been lucky enough to stay in some seriously amazing resorts. But not all

00:09of them are what you'd expect. Some completely surprised us, some are worth

00:13the hype and some are only really good for certain types of travelers. So in

00:19this video we're sharing the 10 best resorts we've personally stayed in

00:23across Southeast Asia and what they're actually like. We'll start this list off

00:28in the Philippines and this might be the most unique resort we've ever stayed at.

00:32That's because it was designed by a famous Filipino businessman who traveled

00:36all over the world staying in luxury hotels and honestly you can feel that in

00:40every detail in the resort. There's not just one vibe here, there's multiple.

00:45There's an American diner, a Swiss chalet cafe, a Polynesian restaurant, an Italian

00:50restaurant and honestly it feels like you're traveling between countries

00:54inside one resort. But what really stood out the most to us is how much

00:57thought has gone into every detail of the hotel. They literally think of

01:02everything from free sandals for guests, golf buggies on call 24-7 to drive you

01:07around the property, live music performances most nights and honestly the

01:11spa is a 10 out of 10. All right so we've just had I guess our first full 24 hours

01:18or full day here. I'm feeling pretty good like literally all we have to think

01:24about is what we're gonna eat and what spa treatment we're gonna get. I just think

01:29that real like lack of having to make decisions has been really good for

01:35reducing stress and cortisol. Also just having everything here at the resort and

01:40not having to worry about going anywhere. There's everything here at the resort and

01:44I can already feel a lot of the stress leaving my body. Yeah and it's like only

01:48been one full day. I definitely think coming to like a wellness vacation is worth the

01:54investment even if it's just for a few days because it's only been one day and

01:59I'm like wow like how am I gonna feel after five like that almost seems like a

02:03really long time now when at the beginning I was like five days isn't gonna be

02:06enough to make any difference. This isn't quite luxury it's more like a full-blown

02:11experience and for families especially it's kind of unbeatable. There's so many

02:16activities for kids and families to do every single day at the resort. We had

02:21the best five days there winding down using the spa but also spending time

02:25with our daughter and honestly couldn't recommend this place enough. This next one

02:30is probably one of the most unforgettable places we've stayed in Thailand. It's

02:35quite literally a floating resort like literally in the middle of a national

02:39park. You wake up surrounded by limestone cliffs and misty water and honestly the

02:44view almost doesn't feel real. What's crazy is it feels completely off-grid but

02:49it's still five star. The food's amazing, the service is incredible and you feel

02:55fully immersed in nature while still living pretty luxuriously. So we're staying

03:00in the villa room which sleeps four people, two adults, two kids. There's a king-size bed

03:07plus a loft upstairs that has two single beds for kids. They've also put a cot in

03:13here for us and it's got a separate toilet and shower slash bathroom and then

03:23obviously this epic epic deck out the front here with a kayak so you can just go

03:30for a kayak on your own, go for a swim. But there is one thing to know and that is

03:35once you're there, you're there. It's kind of remote. You take a little boat out

03:39there and you're on this resort for a few days. The only way to leave really is if

03:44you get on a kayak or a canoe. For us that's what made it special though but if

03:48you need like constant Wi-Fi or being connected to things just keep that in

03:54mind. Salmon Viya Resort. This is one of those true Bali escape experiences and it

04:00was the first five-star resort we've ever stayed at. It's adults only so it's

04:05super peaceful but keep that in mind because you won't be able to bring your

04:08children there and honestly once you're there you don't need to leave the resort

04:11because it has everything you need. The food's incredible again, the spa is

04:15amazing and there's different villa types depending on your budget or what you're

04:19looking for. From luxury bungalows all the way to private pool villas with hot

04:23tubs. There's multiple pools across the property, even a yoga shower and it just

04:27feels like the kind of place you go to to completely switch off. So if you're

04:32looking for that classic eat, relax, recharge Bali vibe away from the hustle

04:37and bustle of Kuda and Canggu then this is definitely it. Hotel de la Coppola. This one

04:45feels like you've left Southeast Asia completely. It's set up in the hills in

04:51Supper, Vietnam and this hotel has a strong French influence and it honestly

04:56feels like you're in the Alps. The design is absolutely incredible, it's very

05:01heritage style and the views over the town of Supper itself and surrounding

05:05mountains are just unreal. But as amazing as all that is, the standout for us was the

05:10breakfast and that might sound crazy but this was probably the best buffet

05:15breakfast we have ever had and we've stayed in a lot of hotels over the years.

05:19So if you're heading up to Supper Vietnam, which we highly recommend, this

05:22place is 100% worth it. Okay before we jump into the next resort we just wanted to

05:31quickly show you something we've picked up for our upcoming travels. We've been

05:35moving around a lot lately and it felt like the right time to upgrade our luggage.

05:39This is the Voyager checked 26 inch suitcase from Level 8. One thing we

05:48noticed straightaway is how much space you actually get inside. The handle design

05:52sits on the outside so it doesn't take away from your packing space which is

05:56perfect for longer trips. It's also built from a durable polycarbonate shell so

06:01it's really solid while still being very lightweight. And then it's the small details,

06:06smooth, quieter spinning wheels, a TSA approved lock and a really clean

06:11interior setup with compression straps and separate compartments. There's even a

06:16dry and wet pocket which is super useful when you're bouncing between beach and

06:20city stays like we often are. We'll be taking this with us on our next few trips but

06:25if you're looking to upgrade your luggage we'll leave a link down below and you

06:28can use code LM10 for 10% off at checkout.

06:36Baba Beach Club. This is what we would call a proper beach escape in Thailand and

06:41it's because it's in Hua Hin which is a much quieter destination than other

06:45places in Thailand and that's kind of what makes this place feel special. The

06:49beachfront restaurant is amazing with incredible sunsets, the spa is incredible

06:54again and the penthouse here is honestly next level. So if you're traveling with

06:59a big family or a group I would highly recommend renting the penthouse. The view

07:03during sunset which sets over the ocean and then actually ricochets off the

07:08golden finishings of the hotel is just incredible. Okay we've just come up to the

07:13rooftop. We kept hearing about this gold pool that's in the penthouse. Apparently

07:19at sunrise the lighting is meant to be amazing it's meant to like light it up. It's very cloudy

07:26this morning so we didn't get it in full swing but it's still really impressive it's

07:31so beautiful up here. So this penthouse is about $1700 a night but it's incredible. It's

07:39so massive. We're just trying to think of how we could afford to stay here for a night.

07:46You've got two really great pools here. A fun swim-up bar and an indoor bar area with a pool

07:52table. Plus the health and fitness vibe here is great too so if you want to go to the gym

07:56while you're here you can do that as well. It's one of those places that just feels really easy

08:00and we can't say enough about the hospitality. Arunia Resort Candy Sri Lanka. This one is set high

08:08in the tropical hills of Sri Lanka and here it's pretty much all about the views. The infinity pool

08:13is incredible. Looking out over the valley is just unreal. We drove up to this place in our

08:20tuk-tuk not really knowing what to expect but when we got there and had a walk around and could

08:24see the

08:25view over the valley it was honestly breathtaking. We were lucky enough to stay in one of the private

08:30villas there which actually came with its own butler so you just have a phone where you can contact

08:35your butler at any time of day to bring you food and drinks. You kind of don't even need to

08:40leave

08:40the villa but we did. We went and got a high tea in the afternoon which was incredible and we

08:45also

08:45spent time by the infinity pool because we didn't want to miss out on the amazing view. Again the food

08:51here was absolutely 10 out of 10 and the service was just amazing. What about this breakfast we've

08:57just been served with probably the best view ever for a breakfast? I'm just in shock sort of like

09:05this is the most incredible breakfast we've ever been served. We had the sunrise come over the

09:10mountains this morning. Got to swim in the pool. I just finished doing yoga. I'm in heaven. Yeah it's

09:19incredible when we drove through Candy and we actually planned this day I was preparing myself for

09:25like a really hectic city which Candy is so it's nice to be up in the hills and have some

09:31peace and

09:31quiet because things have been pretty hectic for us the last couple of weeks and it's going to get

09:37hectic again but check out this breakfast spread they've given us. This is called the governor's

09:42breakfast so you have a choice of like a local Sri Lankan breakfast or an English style breakfast. We

09:49chose English today we'll probably do Sri Lankan tomorrow just to test it out but look at the spread.

09:54We got eggs Benny, coffee, look at all these muffins and bread and what is that croissants? Croissants yeah. Jam,

10:06we've got fresh fruit, porridge, smoothies, more fruit. Lots of veggies, sweet potatoes, some sausages.

10:20Something tells me we're not eating lunch today. If you're in Sri Lanka and you drive through Candy

10:26it can be quite hectic so having this place to go to is actually a really good relief.

10:33Wapadauma Sedermen. So this resort is a luxury glamping resort which is kind of crazy because when

10:39you think of glamping you think of just like a nice tent in the middle of nowhere but this felt

10:43like we

10:44were in a five-star resort villa the whole time. Like this tent even came with its own private pool.

10:50It's set in the hills of Sedermen which is one of the most beautiful and underrated areas in Bali which

10:55we mentioned earlier. You're surrounded by rice fields and valley views and again it's the perfect

10:59escape from the busier parts of Bali. Wow like this is unlike any accommodation we've ever stayed in I

11:07don't think. This bath that they filled with flowers is blowing my mind right now. There's so many

11:12flowers in it. It's so thick. Oh and it's warm. This doesn't feel like a tent at all. Like doesn't

11:19feel like anything close to what tent camping was for me as a kid that's for sure. And the view

11:25from

11:25here is incredible. We've got just a view of the mountain and the jungle, the river. Oh my goodness.

11:31I feel so spoiled right now. The food was great across breakfast, lunch and dinner and the room

11:36service was actually really awesome too considering we're in a glamping tent. There's also a cool

11:41playground area which we're able to take our daughter to. She really enjoyed it here. They

11:46have an infinity pool as well and it's set on a river so you can go and sort of explore

11:50the area. You're

11:51not just limited to the hotel bounds. Just a super peaceful nature focused stay. Reverie CM Resort.

12:00This hotel is located in Pai which is in northern Thailand and it's honestly one of our

12:05favorite places to visit in the world. The city of Pai itself is amazing. It has this really sort

12:11of boho hippie kind of vibe to it. A bit of a throwback and the hotel itself kind of matches

12:16that vibe perfectly. It has this old school almost retro design but still manages to feel really high

12:23end. Like there's a library in the resort which you can go and sit and read books and it feels

12:28really

12:28like classic and classy but at the same time very relaxing. We stayed in a pool villa here which was

12:35amazing and the highlight for me was the steak dinner at the restaurant which is something you

12:40have to try if you're staying at this resort. This platter is like a dream come true and I don't

12:45want it

12:46to end and it's going way too fast. This is just the start of and it's way too fancy for

12:51us. I don't

12:52really know how to eat this. It's so good. Plus a bonus is that it's a really short walk into

12:58town

12:59and it makes it super convenient if you want to go and explore Pai which is a great town.

13:05Bansanai Resort Krabi. This is one of those hidden gem type places that you probably won't hear much

13:10about. You've got these beautiful bungalows set around a pond full of fish and a pool that looks

13:17over the limestone cliffs of Krabi which are honestly breathtaking. So this is the uh it's called

13:22the pond view villa that we're staying in. It's pretty nice.

13:36And so obviously it's wet season here in Krabi um so it's been raining like every afternoon

13:42but it's actually pretty nice when you're in a place like this. Like look at the view we got here.

14:00This one's also walking distance into the town of Krabi so you get that mix of peaceful plus

14:05convenience. But one interesting thing about this resort is it's actually alcohol free. So that may

14:12sound unusual for Thailand but honestly if you're traveling Thailand for a few weeks and you're

14:17probably doing too much drinking this is a good place to go and reset and recharge. It makes the

14:23whole place feel really calm and refreshing because there's not like a party vibe or anything here.

14:28Plus if you're staying in this area you're super close to all of the elephant sanctuaries which is

14:33a really cool experience to do while in Krabi. And the final one is Munduk Moting Plantation.

14:39We're finishing up with one of the most unique stays in Bali. This place is set on a working

14:44coffee plantation in the hills of Munduk and the views from the villas and restaurant are absolutely

14:49insane. Wow this joint is awesome. Lloyd are you already eating?

14:58Lloyd's already cracked into the snacks here. We brought a bunch and we ate them all on the way.

15:03Oh you want one?

15:09Yep.

15:12This is awesome. The jacuzzi looks so good and it looks really warm and it's like it's been raining

15:18like the whole way here and it's just sort of lit up at the moment but they said that it

15:23pretty much

15:24rains every afternoon and then it's sunny in the mornings mostly. All you can hear is roosters and

15:32running water and this pool is incredible. It's got a gym here. They've got yoga which I'm definitely

15:41gonna hit up. Oh my goodness. They've got a tennis court. They've got horse stables which I had no

15:47idea about. This place is incredible. I can't wait to explore a bit more. There's so much to do in

15:51this

15:51resort for families. There's a farm with horses and goats and pigs and chickens. There's a massive

15:58playground for kids and they're even in the middle of construction of a brand new pickleball court.

16:04Events like the full moon barbecue make this place feel really special. So every full moon they throw

16:09a barbecue for all of the guests. It's quite cheap and you can get the option to purchase steak, chicken,

16:15pork or seafood. The service here was incredible. We had private room service almost every night.

16:22There's golf carts to get around and it just feels like a really well-rounded experience. You're in

16:27nature but you're in a beautiful resort. This is especially good if you're traveling as a couple or a

16:33family. And just before we wrap this up we had to include a special mention. This isn't technically

16:40a resort but it honestly deserves a spot on this list and that's because it's a luxury cruise in

16:45Halong Bay and it feels more like a floating boutique hotel. There's something really nostalgic

16:51about it especially at night with live jazz music playing while you're having dinner. And the food and

16:56service here are genuinely five star. Waking up on this boat and looking out from your cabin window

17:02at the limestone cliffs was absolutely incredible. And then heading up to the rooftop and sitting in

17:09the hot tub surrounded by this lush landscape with no one else around was an experience that we will

17:16never forget. This is Sands Down the best thing we have ever done. I feel like a princess. If there's

17:23one

17:24thing you have to do when you come to Vietnam this is it. Sands Down. So that's it those are

17:30some of the

17:30best resorts we've personally stayed at across Southeast Asia. Each one is completely different

17:35and that's kind of the point. It really depends on what kind of experience you're looking for.

17:40If you enjoyed this video make sure you subscribe hit the like button and hit the hype button so that

17:45more people see it. We've got a lot more videos like this coming and we'll see you in the next

17:49one. Cheers.

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