Banyan Tree’s new wellness resort in Phuket is inspired by the pandemic

“With our hyper-stimulated modern life, our nervous systems cannot truly relax – and therefore, rest. Chronic stress erodes our natural immunity and regenerative capacity,” says Banyan Tree Group senior vice president, brand and commercial, Ho Ren Yung.

Nestled within Banyan Tree’s larger Phuket resort off Bangtao Beach, which boasts pool villas surrounding a saltwater lagoon, Banyan Tree Veya Phuket is the first – and flagship – resort in the group’s new wellbeing brand, Veya.

Each of the luxury pool villas here promises organic cotton bedlinen, blackout curtains, nightly aromatherapy, sleep lights, and a slate of wellness facilities including yoga mats, sound therapy bowls, and exercise stretch bands.

For meals, go light with plant-centric cuisine, inspired by Asian and Mediterranean flavours. Tailored menus are available.

At Veya, customised wellbeing programmes kick off with a private consultation, attended by “wellbeing hosts” certified in Eastern medicine, naturopathy, and coaching.

Once a personalised itinerary is created, the therapies begin – ranging from mindfulness classes with names like “Ocean Breath” and “Conscious Grounding” to dance, yoga and balance and stability sessions.

Guests have exclusive access to a wellbeing center housing Thailand’s first “White Room”, used for sensory detox and meditation.

Then there’s what Banyan Tree dubs weightless therapy: pool floatation with body stretch massage and sound therapy.

Before departure, workshops promise to equip guests with the skills to take their newfound wellbeing home, with themes covering creative therapies, integrative nutrition and positive resilience. Launching soon is a traditional herb farm-to-pharmacy session.

“The pandemic has brought unprecedented stress and trauma to our generation… many of us are reassessing our purpose and approach in life,” says Lee Woon Hoe, Banyan Tree’s executive director of wellbeing. “Banyan Tree… [aims] to guide, encourage and celebrate with our guests in discovering this new conscious way of living.”

For reservations, head to www.banyantree.com/thailand/veya-phuket. Book by April 30, 2022.

This article was first published in The Peak Magazine.

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