Hilton Burau Bay Langkawi: A wellness retreat that made me rethink resort holidays

I’ve never been one for resort holidays.

To travel to a city just to spend 80 per cent of your time lounging on the resort sounded like crazy talk to me. I wanted to explore! Be where the action is! I had recently moved into my own space designed to my very liking, down to no overhead lighting and soft furniture that allowed me to curl up in numerous cosy corners. Why would I travel out… just to stay in? 

But with adulthood comes growth, and the willingness to try new things. And my idea of what an ideal holiday was supposed to be was about to be proven very, very wrong with the new Hilton Burau Bay Langkawi resort.

Located within Malaysia’s first UNESCO Global Geopark, the resort was quite literally carved out of nature, nestled within a centuries-old rainforest. Nestled is a popular word used to describe most resort properties, but in this instance, the description couldn’t be more accurate. Lush foliage greets you almost everywhere you turn. And in the places where you don’t see greenery? Congratulations – your “consolation” prize is an unobstructed view of the Andaman Sea.

A rainforest escape just 90 minutes from Singapore

Designed as an all-inclusive wellness sanctuary for weary, digitally obsessed travellers, I could already feel my weariness beginning to wane by the time my car reached the resort, just 20 minutes from the airport.

Combined with the 90-minute direct flight from Singapore, I had reached my destination in less time than it takes to travel from one end of the Green Line on the MRT to the other and back. My ride might have taken just minutes, but already, Singapore felt like a distant memory.

As we pulled into the driveway and I was led through the lobby of the Haliya Lounge, I was greeted by a sight that my beloved, humble abode simply couldn’t compete with: floor-to-ceiling blond wood panels that opened up to a sprawling garden, flanked by open-air lounges.

Expansive is the word I would use to describe the architecture here. And that description would soon extend to my room, too.

Rooms that bring the outdoors in

As I checked into my room, the modern wellness retreat aesthetic continued. Warm timber panels flanked the walk-in wardrobe and dressing area, while natural stone textures and earthy tones in the bathroom created an indoor-outdoor feel that complemented the surrounding landscape.

One of the biggest selling points of the 251-room resort – which offers everything from Terrace and Deluxe Rooms to Executive Suites – is that every guest gets a private terrace or balcony overlooking the rainforest, mountains or sea. This ensures that nature is always within reach, even if you never leave your room. And should you require one, rooms with bathtubs are also available upon request.

The resort also keeps families in mind, with 16 adjoining rooms catering to multi-generational travellers.

Pools that make slowing down an art form

As I ventured past the central garden to explore the resort’s many bodies of water, the pièce de résistance was undoubtedly the infinity pool by the beach.

There’s something mesmerising about soaking in the water and watching the waves roll in, coconut in hand as the sun sets. But if tranquillity, for you, means a little more peace and quiet, an adults-only wading pool is just a short walk away – the perfect respite for an overstimulated mind.

But my favourite pool came in the form of another first, adding yet another experience I never knew I needed to my list: the steam rock pools, seemingly embedded within the forest.

With wellness culture continually expanding our vocabulary for new ways to centre ourselves, I loved that my first foray into forest bathing came with a relaxing soak to calm my body (the temperature was a perfect 34 degrees).

Wading through the pool transported me straight to Jurassic Park. As I lay back, my face enveloped in steam and my gaze fixed on the foliage, the ears that usually needed to be plugged into music 24/7 were instead serenaded by the sounds of the forest.

And for those who really want to turn up the heat, barrel sauna lodges are also available for warmth and recovery.

Of course, I couldn’t certify this as a top wellness retreat without paying a visit to the eforea Spa.

Here, luxurious private treatment rooms greet you with views of the forest. Attention to detail is key, with every element thoughtfully designed to keep you in a state of perpetual relaxation.

And if you can’t quite book a treatment, there’s still the Salt Room and Hammam to keep you occupied – and, more importantly, logged off.

Come hungry, leave very happy

Now that my spirit had been replenished, it was time to cater to a vessel of a more physical kind: my body.

With three restaurants to choose from, suffice to say I was very pleased by the lack of rabbit food on offer. Our bodies are temples, and this temple wanted carbs after a round at the Technogym-equipped 24/7 gym. Who was I to deny her?

Italian restaurant Trattoria Mare answered the call. Heaps of fritto misto di mare – a classic Italian dish of assorted seafood lightly dredged in flour and deep-fried until crisp – arrived at my table, accompanied by handmade ravioli drenched in brown butter sauce. Wood-fired pizzas topped with stracciatella, rocket and pistachios soon followed.

And since dessert occupies a separate space in our stomachs, how disrespectful would it be to leave an Italian restaurant without a sampling (or five) of its tiramisu? Refusing would practically be an affront to the culture!

With enough carbs to sustain me for the rest of the day, I sauntered over to Mingzhu, the resort’s Chinese restaurant specialising in Yunnan cuisine, for a late dinner. Now, this was a delight to the senses, and one that particularly appealed to the Chinese girl in me.

The dishes brought together a medley of contrasting flavours and textures: sweet and savoury, spicy and cooling, crisp and soft. Every dish felt like its own culinary experience, while retaining the signature heat of Yunnan cuisine. My personal favourites were the crispy salted chicken and a trio of cold vegetables that I could only describe as a salad medley.

If sampling local fare is a must for you, you don’t even have to leave the resort. Gingerfire, the all-day dining restaurant, serves up local specialities alongside international favourites. I was particularly sad to have missed out on its laksa utara, a Kedah speciality featuring a sour, spicy and savoury fish-based broth made with mackerel, tamarind and aromatic herbs.

A holiday that finally taught me to slow down

Between the rainforest surroundings, restorative wellness experiences, indulgent meals and the sheer pleasure of having nowhere else to be, Hilton Burau Bay Langkawi reminded me that a holiday doesn’t always have to be about how much you can fit into an itinerary. Sometimes, the luxury lies in having the freedom to do very little, and the frictionless of having one place take care of everything.

I may still be the sort of traveller who wants to see everything a destination has to offer, but this stay certainly made me reconsider what a holiday could look like. And if a resort can get me to trade my itinerary for a poolside afternoon and actually enjoy doing nothing, in under 20 minutes, well, that’s saying something.